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CVB may occupy Railroad Station
Posted: Friday, January 14, 2011 12:17 am
BY SCOT ANDREW PITZER Times Staff Writer
The nine-member Gettysburg Borough Council approved a lease agreement with a tourism agency this week to operate the historic Gettysburg Railroad Station.
Now, the lease agreement awaits approval from the Gettysburg Convention and Visitors Bureau. Spokesman Carl Whitehill noted that the “earliest our board would review this agreement” is Tuesday, Jan. 18.
Council President John Butterfield explained that his board agreed on the particulars of the agreement, although he was unable to “mention those because it hasn’t been signed.”
“We anticipate that they’ll be interested in taking it over,” Butterfield said regarding the two-story station along Carlisle Street.
The borough owns the station, where president Abraham Lincoln arrived and left town via train in 1863. Over the last three years, the Lincoln Bicentennial Commission operated the complex as a tourist information center, with several displays, and welcomed more than 35,000 visitors. But the commission’s state-charter expired last year, leaving the station with no operator.
The Gettysburg Convention and Visitors Bureau immediately expressed interest, as the agency has occupied the station in the past.
“Our plan at this point, if everything is approved, is to move our visitor information desk from the David Wills House to the train station,” said Whitehill.
The borough is trying to sell the station to the National Park Service, for about $722,000, but it cannot move forward with the sale until the station is included within the 6,000-acre boundary of Gettysburg National Military Park. A federal bill that would have added the station to the park’s boundary died in a lameduck session of Congress, and must be reintroduced this year.
Butterfield said the borough has been working with GNMP Superintendent Bob Kirby, and that both U.S. Rep. Todd Platts and Sen. Bob Casey intend to re-introduce the bill in their chambers.
“We’ve got it covered...but we’ll have to start all over again,” said Butterfield.
The station was donated to the borough in the 1990s by the Olinger family. Subsequently, the borough raised $2.5 million to restore the 150-year-old station to its Civil War era appearance. Traditionally, the borough has budgeted up to $10,000 to maintain the station, but no funding is budgeted this year.
Online at: http://www.gettysburgtimes.com/news/...cc4c03286.html
Posted: Friday, January 14, 2011 12:17 am
BY SCOT ANDREW PITZER Times Staff Writer
The nine-member Gettysburg Borough Council approved a lease agreement with a tourism agency this week to operate the historic Gettysburg Railroad Station.
Now, the lease agreement awaits approval from the Gettysburg Convention and Visitors Bureau. Spokesman Carl Whitehill noted that the “earliest our board would review this agreement” is Tuesday, Jan. 18.
Council President John Butterfield explained that his board agreed on the particulars of the agreement, although he was unable to “mention those because it hasn’t been signed.”
“We anticipate that they’ll be interested in taking it over,” Butterfield said regarding the two-story station along Carlisle Street.
The borough owns the station, where president Abraham Lincoln arrived and left town via train in 1863. Over the last three years, the Lincoln Bicentennial Commission operated the complex as a tourist information center, with several displays, and welcomed more than 35,000 visitors. But the commission’s state-charter expired last year, leaving the station with no operator.
The Gettysburg Convention and Visitors Bureau immediately expressed interest, as the agency has occupied the station in the past.
“Our plan at this point, if everything is approved, is to move our visitor information desk from the David Wills House to the train station,” said Whitehill.
The borough is trying to sell the station to the National Park Service, for about $722,000, but it cannot move forward with the sale until the station is included within the 6,000-acre boundary of Gettysburg National Military Park. A federal bill that would have added the station to the park’s boundary died in a lameduck session of Congress, and must be reintroduced this year.
Butterfield said the borough has been working with GNMP Superintendent Bob Kirby, and that both U.S. Rep. Todd Platts and Sen. Bob Casey intend to re-introduce the bill in their chambers.
“We’ve got it covered...but we’ll have to start all over again,” said Butterfield.
The station was donated to the borough in the 1990s by the Olinger family. Subsequently, the borough raised $2.5 million to restore the 150-year-old station to its Civil War era appearance. Traditionally, the borough has budgeted up to $10,000 to maintain the station, but no funding is budgeted this year.
Online at: http://www.gettysburgtimes.com/news/...cc4c03286.html