Temporary Relocation for Historic Depot Building
The building will be moved in four sections, about one per week
Gainesville’s city-owned Depot Park is undergoing mandated cleanup efforts for severe contamination caused years ago by a private coal gasification plant. Relocation of the historic train depot building on the site will begin Wednesday, September 17, at 2 p.m., and should take a month to complete. The building relocation is vital for the cleanup of the ground contamination and is one of the first steps of the overall remediation project, which is funded by the FDEP Petroleum Cleanup Pre-approval Program and GRU.
GRU assumed the liabilities for remediating the site when they purchased it from private owners in the 1990s. The cleanup will be financed with a small surcharge on GRU residential gas utility bills, but the total cost of the project as well as the completion date will depend on the type of remediation used. Alternatives for remediation will be presented to the Gainesville city commission in October.
The building will be moved in four sections, about one per week, and stored temporarily in a fenced compound. It will be relocated around the corner from its current position on Depot Avenue to a spot on South Main Street, without leaving the Depot Park site. After remediation, the building will be replaced 28.5 feet south of its original location, to allow for the enhanced reconstruction of Depot Avenue.
Once the building is relocated it will be rehabilitated by the Gainesville Community Redevelopment Agency, which is coordinating the design and construction of the park. Whereas GRU purchased responsibility for the remediation, the CRA, as well as multiple city agencies, are responsible for transforming the property into an inviting recreation area, a green space center and a bird sanctuary. The park will include features such as a boardwalk, a fountain and the new Cade Museum. The beautifully landscaped pond in the park will serve to capture and retain stormwater for the entire downtown area.
The first train depot was built on the site in 1860, and the site served as a depot from then until the 1930s. The existing depot building was constructed in 1907 and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1996. For information about the park or building rehabilitation call CRA at 352-334-2205. For information about the site remediation, call GRU at 352-393-1926.
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