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12/10/2007
National Park Service could have a presence in Old Towne
Will the National Park Service ever own a historic landmark in Old Towne Petersburg?
Recently, the city of Petersburg purchased South Side Station for $640,000.
The 154-year-old former rail depot may had gone through a series of owners in the past several years.
But now the station, including a piece of property adjacent to the Petersburg Area Art League building, more than 2 acres of land just north of the station and a vintage railroad caboose, are owned by the city.
And the city ultimately may want to sell it to the National Park Service so it could serve as visitor-contact station for the Petersburg National Battlefield.
The station could also include a museum focusing on the role of transportation during the Civil War and how Gen. Ulysses S. Grant used it to obtain victory.
“The idea is to stabilize and restore or rehabilitate the station to its 1856 configuration — or as close as possible,” said Bob Kirby, superintendent of Petersburg National Battlefield.
But getting the station restored and turned over to the National Park Service is not an easy process.
First, public hearings will be held to determine if there is interest in the National Park Service owning the building. Then the battlefield park would then need to come up with about $600,000 to purchase the building. Then the park would have to file for a minor boundary adjustment.
And that’s when the serious work begins. It will cost at least $8 million to restore the station and have it ready for visitors, according to Kirby.
The project would probably start sometime in 2009 or 2010, with an estimated completion around 2012.
The federal government — as part of the centennial challenge celebrating the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service — will match each dollar of non-federal money raised by the park. The park must also identify a partner agency to serve as a sort of bank to hold funds before the restoration.
Will the park be able to raise a lot of money for the restoration? Is there interest in the park owning and restoring the station?
City Manager B. David Canada is a believer. “I believe there is a significant interest in having the park own the station,” Canada said. “There’s a significant interest not only in the building but the stories associated with the building.”
It makes sense for Petersburg National Battlefield to have a presence in Old Towne Petersburg. After all, the whole reason for the battles in the area was to control the rail lines in Petersburg.
Considering the importance of historic tourism to the region, it would benefit all to have the National Park Service as a significant presence in Petersburg.
But the question remains: Can the money be raised to make the project a reality?
©The Progress-Index 2007
Online at: http://www.progress-index.com/site/n...d=462943&rfi=6
National Park Service could have a presence in Old Towne
Will the National Park Service ever own a historic landmark in Old Towne Petersburg?
Recently, the city of Petersburg purchased South Side Station for $640,000.
The 154-year-old former rail depot may had gone through a series of owners in the past several years.
But now the station, including a piece of property adjacent to the Petersburg Area Art League building, more than 2 acres of land just north of the station and a vintage railroad caboose, are owned by the city.
And the city ultimately may want to sell it to the National Park Service so it could serve as visitor-contact station for the Petersburg National Battlefield.
The station could also include a museum focusing on the role of transportation during the Civil War and how Gen. Ulysses S. Grant used it to obtain victory.
“The idea is to stabilize and restore or rehabilitate the station to its 1856 configuration — or as close as possible,” said Bob Kirby, superintendent of Petersburg National Battlefield.
But getting the station restored and turned over to the National Park Service is not an easy process.
First, public hearings will be held to determine if there is interest in the National Park Service owning the building. Then the battlefield park would then need to come up with about $600,000 to purchase the building. Then the park would have to file for a minor boundary adjustment.
And that’s when the serious work begins. It will cost at least $8 million to restore the station and have it ready for visitors, according to Kirby.
The project would probably start sometime in 2009 or 2010, with an estimated completion around 2012.
The federal government — as part of the centennial challenge celebrating the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service — will match each dollar of non-federal money raised by the park. The park must also identify a partner agency to serve as a sort of bank to hold funds before the restoration.
Will the park be able to raise a lot of money for the restoration? Is there interest in the park owning and restoring the station?
City Manager B. David Canada is a believer. “I believe there is a significant interest in having the park own the station,” Canada said. “There’s a significant interest not only in the building but the stories associated with the building.”
It makes sense for Petersburg National Battlefield to have a presence in Old Towne Petersburg. After all, the whole reason for the battles in the area was to control the rail lines in Petersburg.
Considering the importance of historic tourism to the region, it would benefit all to have the National Park Service as a significant presence in Petersburg.
But the question remains: Can the money be raised to make the project a reality?
©The Progress-Index 2007
Online at: http://www.progress-index.com/site/n...d=462943&rfi=6