THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, May 16, 1996 TAG: 9605150128
SECTION: SUFFOLK SUN PAGE: 07 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY SUSIE STOUGHTON, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: SUFFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 70 lines
Betsy Brothers was touring historic Charleston, S.C., when she got word that money was available to restore a historic building in her hometown.
``Tell her it was fully funded,'' was the message from her husband, Tom, who was calling from Suffolk.
Brothers was ecstatic.
Suffolk would never look like Charleston, she knew, but the project to renovate the former CSX train station would be a start on recapturing some of Suffolk's heritage.
Brothers and the other members of the Save Our Station committee had pushed to remodel the burned-out building on Main Street. They believed the 19th century depot would make a perfect visitor's center and museum for railroad memorabilia.
They had convinced CSX to sell them the property at the entrance to the downtown business district. They had lined up volunteers to help with the project and gotten support from the city and numerous business people who have donated their services.
Last year they narrowly missed a federal grant to do the work.
This year, however, they made the first cut.
Last week, the Commonwealth Transportation Board notified S.O.S. that they were on the tentative list to receive a $240,000 grant through the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act - or ISTEA.
Traditionally, those on the tentative list receive final approval in June, said Robert Chisom, executive director of the Downtown Suffolk Association.
The DSA and the Suffolk-Nansemond Historical Society have worked closely with S.O.S. on the project and other revitalization efforts downtown.
DSA will oversee the construction, which could take a year to 18 months, Chisom said.
The organizers see the project as the first step in returning other nearby properties into a historic corridor to attract tourists and area residents.
``We believe this will kick off the rest of the restoration of Main Street,'' Brothers said. ``We think when this starts, it will be the real beginning.''
Sue Woodward, another S.O.S. organizer who lives nearby, often sees people stopping to look at the 1834 station, admiring the Victorian architecture. A turret on the northern end was used as a telegraph office and a post to watch for oncoming trains in the station's heyday.
``This is a big draw,'' she said. ``It's rare for us to come here and not see people here.''
After 1968, when the last passenger train left town, the depot fell into disrepair and was heavily damaged by fire in November 1994.
Through donations, a historic tour and an S.O.S. Day, the organizers have raised part of the $30,000 they need as their match for the grant. The city has agreed to contribute another $30,000.
``We still need more,'' Brothers said.
``We want to thank all the people who have helped,'' she said. ``Without them, we wouldn't have a chance to have it.'' MEMO: Tax-deductible contributions to the Suffolk-Nansemond Historic
Society earmarked for S.O.S. may be sent to P.O. Box 1255, Suffolk, Va.
23439-1255.
To help clean up the site, call Brothers at 539-6312.
ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by JOHN H. SHEALLY II
From left, Betsy Brothers, Bob Chism and Sue Woodward worked on the
Save Our Station committee that was awarded funds to renovate the
old CSX train station on Main Street in Suffolk.
by CNB