St. Augustine: Train depot restoration considered

[Jason]

From what I understand, the Tocoi Landing line ran from Tocoi (at the river) along what is now CR 214 (my street) and joined up with the still existing Hastings line (now a shortline) that crosses and then parallels W. King Street connecting to FEC.

[Dog Walker]

"Ball might have been the meanest SOB on the planet, but he could also be a class act. He restarted the passenger trains which typically were a single engine, coach and a FIRST CLASS, round end Tavern Lounge Observation Car. Trains #1 and #2 ran for another 4 years or so until the case went to the higher courts and the train came back off. Almost overnight the whole railroad did a house cleaning and EVERY depot was torn down except for an isolated few that could be leased. I well remember South Jacksonville, Yelvington, Ormond, New Smyrna Beach and Daytona Beaches beautiful Spanish arched, court yard like station."

Ball was indeed an SOB and a stubborn one!  He used to say that he had offices full of lawyers and he needed to keep them busy.  He was involved in lawsuits that went on for YEARS into higher and higher courts.  He even got the Waculla River closed to public access.

He stopped passenger service because he would have had to give in to the union to abide by Federal regulations and he would not do that.  He was determined to win the strike and he did!  As soon as a Federal District court overturned the Fla. Public Service Commission ruling about passenger service, he tore down all of the depots so that if he lost the legal fight at the next level, he wouldn't have the infrastructure necessary to renew it.  Although he was born in Indiana or Illinois he always said that he was the last of the true Southern Gentlemen which "means I can be a cast-iron son-of-a-bitch when I need to be."  His favorite toast (in straight Jack Daniels whiskey) was "confusion to the enemy."

[mtraininjax]

Hi Speed Rail to St. Augustine, I am on BOARD!!! Whooooohooooo!

Ball was an SOB who threw the railroad into BK to kill off the unions. I don't like unions, but this guy worked to kill off the growth of the company when many who were non-union needed the rr. Today, he would not even he suitable to carry baggage for Amtrak.

[thelakelander]

As soon as a Federal District court overturned the Fla. Public Service Commission ruling about passenger service, he tore down all of the depots so that if he lost the legal fight at the next level, he wouldn't have the infrastructure necessary to renew it.

Why did Ball keep the St. Augustine station?

[Jason]

City to shore up collapsing depot

City commission looking for $2M to fix Flagler-era railroad building

By PETER GUINTA   |   More by this reporter  |  peter.guinta@staugustine.com   |   Posted: Tuesday, June 16, 2009 ; Updated: 9:12 PM on Tuesday, June 16, 2009

The Flagler-era railroad depot at 184 San Marco Ave. is "structurally unstable and in imminent danger of collapse," St. Augustine architect Dave Mancino told the city commission this week.

As a result of Mancino's report, the commissioners said they intend to preserve the building, but they added that they could not afford the estimated $2 million that a full restoration would cost.

Mayor Joe Boles said, "I'm not ready to tear it down."

The board did not discuss possible financing but said it would try to find grants for historic preservation.

When completed, the city could use the structure as a public meeting place or small 150-seat theater as well as a place for elegant parties, receptions and fundraisers.

Mancino said, "This is the best thing we can do with this building. It's the last piece of something we no longer have. It's well worth preserving."

Built in 1883, the structure served as the first railroad depot for the Jacksonville, St. Augustine & Halifax River Railroad, later part of the Florida East Coast railway purchased by Henry Flagler.

"There aren't many spaces like this surviving today," Mancino said. "I know of one other, and it's in New Jersey. We have the ability to restore this building."

John Regan, the city's operations manager, said city crews would be inside the building soon, shoring up sagging beams. Bats are nesting in there too.

Mancino said a bearing wall had been removed long ago and steel lintels were rusted through, adding more stress to the roof.

Regan said, "We're going to make sure the building is safe. It's a historic structure."

In 1886, the structure was turned into a water works. It had a 90' high brick chimney outside and boilers were separated from the southern half by an interior brick wall.

The depot stayed a waterworks until 1928.

Renovated in the 1970s, it later became home for St. Augustine Garden Club, and for more than three years has been condemned.

Even so, Mancino said, it should be rehabilitated and preserved.

"It's a true treasure," worthy of the "substantial effort" it would take to save it, he said.

His report to the city said he was surprised when he found that the roof structure and roof deck were meant to be seen when inside the building.

"The roof trusses, purlins, rafters and even the roof deck itself were stained and varnished," he said. "This secret is hidden above the attic floor, which was only installed in 1928. The skill and care used in this construction equals and exceeds the level of finish found in churches from this period."

Source: http://www.staugustine.com/stories/061609/news_061609_054.shtml

[Timkin]

WOW !!!  What a beautiful Structure.

[Cliffs_Daughter]

We have an address? I'd like to see it for myself when I go to St. Aug next weekend. 

[Timkin]

Take pics, Heather

[Jaxson]

Hi Speed Rail to St. Augustine, I am on BOARD!!! Whooooohooooo!

Ball was an SOB who threw the railroad into BK to kill off the unions. I don't like unions, but this guy worked to kill off the growth of the company when many who were non-union needed the rr. Today, he would not even he suitable to carry baggage for Amtrak.

My favorite curmudgeon likes the idea of extending passenger rail to St. Augustine?  Great to have you aboard (pun intended!)

[Cliffs_Daughter]

Take pics, Heather

That's my intent. I promised myself I'd get back into serious photography once my son was in school, and it's almost that time.  Guess I need to save pennies up to buy another D-series Nikon. (I sometimes regret that I sold the last one)

[Timkin]

Geez even St Augustine saves their history a lot better than Jacksonville does. 

[ChriswUfGator]

Geez even St Augustine saves their history a lot better than Jacksonville does. 

Throw a random dart at a map and pretty much any city it lands on preserves its history better than JAX does.

[finehoe]

Geez even St Augustine saves their history a lot better than Jacksonville does. 

Well, when you claim to be the oldest city in the country, it kind of goes with the territory.

[Timkin]

@Chris.. Pretty much

@Fine.. This is alot of what makes St. Augustine the artsy City it is.. Everywhere you look, theres landmarks .

[glwilson_us]

There is only one choice for this building and that is the North Beach railroad. I just don't know where anyone is getting information that this particular building was anything besides a city water works built in 1897. Someone needs to point to any source that this building was actually a train station.  Gil Wilson aka Dr. Bronson