|
Historic
Train Station Receives Statewide
Preservation Award
Clarke
County Depot Rescued, Rehabilitated by City
ATLANTA,
April 2, 2005—The Winterville Depot received
an award for Excellence in Rehabilitation from
The Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation at
its annual meeting April 2 in Thomasville, Ga.
Built
in the early 1910s in the Winterville Historic
District, the depot served as the local train
station until the mid-1960s when passenger
rail travel declined.
After
sitting vacant for several years, the depot
was in danger of being demolished when the
city purchased the building to save it. The
depot had been maintained while vacant, but a
lot of work needed to be done to ensure it
would not become unusable.
In
2002, the city received a $225,000 ISTEA grant
to rehabilitate the depot. Exterior work
included stabilizing and coating the
historic metal roof, repairing the exterior
wood and removing all non-conforming
additions. The early 20th century
windows were also retained. In addition, the
depot was made handicap accessible.
On
the interior, layers of added finishes were
removed. A small break room was added, and the
original wood floors and ceilings were
restored. The old passenger waiting areas were
converted into restrooms.
“The
Winterville Depot is an excellent example of
how a building so critical to a town’s
economy in the past can be adapted to
contribute to a town’s economic development
once again,” said Greg Paxton, president and
CEO of The Georgia Trust.
For
more than 25 years the Trust has recognized
preservation projects and individuals in the
state who have made significant contributions
to the field of historic preservation. Awards
are presented on the basis of the
contributions of the person or project to the
community and/or state and on compliance with
the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards
for the Treatment of Historic
Properties.
Excellence
in Rehabilitation awards recognize projects
that make compatible use of a building through
repair, alterations or additions while
preserving features of the property that
convey its historic value. This year the Trust
presented 15 Excellence in Rehabilitation
awards.
With
more than 8,000 members, The Georgia Trust for
Historic Preservation is the country’s
largest statewide, nonprofit preservation
organization. Founded in 1973, the Trust is
committed to preserving and enhancing
Georgia’s communities and their diverse
historic resources for the education and
enjoyment of all.
The
Trust generates community revitalization by finding buyers for
endangered properties acquired by its
Revolving Fund; provides design assistance to
105 Georgia Main Street cities and encourages
neighborhood revitalization; trains
Georgia’s teachers in 56 Georgia school
systems to engage students in discovering
state and national history through their local
historic resources; and advocates for funding,
tax incentives and other laws aiding
preservation efforts.
The
Georgia Trust is a recipient of the Trustees
Award for Organizational Excellence from the
National Trust for Historic Preservation.
For
more information on the award winner, contact
Ben Carter at 770-267-7799 or bencarter@carterwatkins.com.
-30-
|
