SALISBURY — The Historic District Commission approved the town’s plan to move Lakeville’s historic train station building on Ethan Allen Street back 19 feet after a public hearing Wednesday, Aug. 12. If approved during a town vote, officials say the work could begin as early as this fall.
First Selectman Curtis Rand said the plan is to move the building back 19 feet, construct a new foundation and basement, and raise the building overall.
The project was suggested after the building’s roof continued to be hit by tall box trucks delivering supplies to the three restaurants on Ethan Allen Street.
“We’ve repaired it six times,” Rand said.
Concrete barriers were installed earlier this year as a temporary measure. “It’s an ugly solution,” Rand added.
But cosmetic issues are not the only challenges posed by the building’s current location. Additional problems revolve around public safety. Rand said the existing configuration of the train station, roadway and parking for the businesses create a “choke point.”
“You’ve got kids, bicycles, parking, traffic from the Grove. It’s kind of chaotic.”
Moving the station back “will let the area breathe,” Rand added.
The State Historic Preservation Office paid for two studies of the building. Rand said the station is generally “in good shape, but the basement is kind of tired.”
When updates are complete, Rand said, people will see three courses of brick, which was the original look of the building when it was first constructed in the 1880s. When possible, the contractor will use the original bricks.
Based on the SHPO studies, the project was put out to bid, with three project estimates coming in at $500,000, $611,000 and $618,000. Rand said the selectmen chose the $611,000 bid from Burlington Construction Company, a Torrington-based business the town has worked with before.
Rand said his next step will be to discuss financing the project with the Board of Finance. He said the town has money set aside for the move and renovations, but details need to be confirmed.
After that, the matter must go to a town meeting. Rand said Burlington Construction wants to start work this fall, so a town meeting will likely be called for early September.
In public comment, Nancy Van Deusen questioned the $611,00 cost, and suggested that adding plantings as barriers could mitigate the truck and traffic problems.
Commissioner Heidi Holler said she thought the plan was a good solution from the preservation standpoint.“A building in use is a better maintained building.”
Rand added that once the building is moved, SHPO will pay for a full restoration. Ultimately, the currently unoccupied building could be used as a town facility or by a nonprofit organization, Rand added.
The commission voted unanimously to approve the plan and a yet-to-be-scheduled town meeting will likely take place in September to determine next steps.
