City moves on depot plan
SANDPOINT — The City Council is on board with a proposal to acquire the Sandpoint Depot from BNSF Railway.
The council decided Wednesday to enter into negotiations with the railroad and seek a commitment from Amtrak to keep using the depot as a stop for its passenger service.
“The easiest way to guarantee that the historic railroad depot no longer exists is to do nothing,” said Councilwoman Carrie Logan, who moved to appoint a negotiating team to handle overtures to BNSF and Amtrak.
Councilman John Reuter seconded the motion and it was approved unanimously.
Reuter said retaining the depot is entirely in line with goals and objectives in the city’s comprehensive land use plan. Those goals include promoting downtown vitality by centering services there and preserving historic buildings.
“I believe this is not only a good idea, but also one that’s already been suggested to us in our visioning document, and that this is part of following through on that visioning document,” he said.
On Thursday, a BNSF spokesman indicated the company is open to the concept of selling the depot.
“BNSF’s Property Department is willing to review an official request from the city regarding a possible sale of the Sandpoint Depot,” spokesman Gus Melonas said in a statement.
The negotiating team consists of two council members — Logan and Reuter — in addition to representatives from the city’s Historic Preservation Commission and the Public Works Department.
The hope is to obtain the depot for a token sum and utilize more than $900,000 in Idaho Transportation Department funding to help restore the depot. The ITD funding was paid to BNSF following right-of-way negotiations involving the Sand Creek Byway.
Preservation Commissioner Aric Spence said the depot is an historic, economic and transportation boon to downtown.
“The depot provides an active link to the city’s past and a focal point for the future,” Spence said.
Councilman-elect Justin Schuck provided the council with a letter from Carlos Suarez, an engineer who inspected the depot. Suarez said the 93-year-old depot has “endured remarkably well.”
Councilman Michael Boge views the depot as an “anchor” downtown tenant not unlike the Panida Theater, the post office or Coldwater Creek.
“All the elements are there; all we have to do is put some energy to it and we can,” said Boge.
Mayor Gretchen Hellar clarified her position on the depot following a KREM-2 news report in which she raised concerns about burdening taxpayers and uncertainty surrounding Amtrak’s future use of the facility.
“If Amtrak opts to continue using the depot for its passenger stop and if the $900,000-plus ITD gave to Burlington Northern is available for the renovation of the depot, I fully support the city’s involvement in attempting to preserve the depot,” she said.