Group pushes for Crestview railroad depot replica

Crestview was founded by railroaders. For generations the city’s classic train station anchored the south end of Main Street, standing as a proud monument to the city’s roots.

And then, local historians say, mysteriously, and seemingly overnight, the train station was abruptly torn down before historic preservations had an opportunity to rally to its defense.

A newly formed committee, composed of local business leaders and historians, is exploring ways of undoing the city’s loss and restoring a multi-functional building closely replicating the old depot near the site of the original.

On Feb. 26, the Crestview Depot Committee met for the first time, its membership appointed from the Main Street Crestview Association and the Crestview Historic Preservation Board. Meeting in City Hall, its first meeting was moderated by Administrative Services Director Mike Wing, who guided the group through the nomination and election of officers.

Radio personality and Main Street Crestview member Cal Zethmayr was selected chairman. James Conyers, a member of the Historic Preservation Board, was chosen vice chairman. Former county supervisor of elections, Pat Hollarn, another Main Street member, was elected secretary/treasurer.

The other members include former Crestview Mayor Jerry Milligan, businessman James Weeks, and former city councilman Ellis Conner.

Conner, representing the Main Street Association, said restoring the depot was one of the projects the organization recommended to the Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA). The recommendation is closely aligned with the association’s purpose.

“The purpose is to improve not only the looks of downtown, but for job opportunities,” Conner said. “It’s all about enhancing the image of Main Street, about getting more business in there and getting the tax incomes up.”

The committee foresees a variety of uses for the proposed new depot:

• A Crestview history museum and archives. The transfer of the Alatex Building to Florida A&M University for use as a school of pharmacy meant the loss of its possibility as a venue for these historical purposes.

• Offices for the Main Street Association and Historic Preservation Board.

• More practical meeting space for civic and community organizations than the much larger Warriors Hall in the Whitehurst Municipal Building or the cavernous Crestview Community Center.

• A Crestview welcome center now that the Chamber of Commerce has moved out of downtown.

• Should Amtrak restore service to Northwest Florida, the building would fulfill the purpose of its predecessor and serve as a rail passenger station.

Zethmayr cited the success neighboring communities have had with railroad station museums, including Milton and DeFuniak Springs. Jay is currently building a museum that will include a vintage steam engine from a logging train, he said.

The members agreed the new building should be erected in close proximity to the railroad tracks. The preferred location would be where the current Amtrak waiting shack now stands. The site is wider and deeper than the original depot’s location on the west side of Main Street.

Building a replacement structure on the site of the Amtrak shack, however, might be challenging, the committee learned. Zethmayr presented a thick binder from CSX Transportation, the owner of the railroad tracks, detailing the process for leasing the CSX trackside parcel. From what he read, Zethmayr said, the procedure is lengthy, cumbersome and expensive.

“When you hear these restrictions, you need to be hearing, ‘We don’t want you to do this,’” Wing explained.

The committee then considered aerial photographs of the area east of Main Street. A parcel of land east of the State Road 85 overpass caught everyone’s eye. More appealing is that it may be city-owned, making acquiring it less of a convoluted process. Wing promised to research the parcel’s ownership and boundaries.

“I think it [building the depot] is a great thing for us to do,” said Milligan. “We have lost so much of what little history the town of Crestview had. Trying to get this taken care of at this point is very positive for the city and Okaloosa County. Let’s hang with it.”

“Anything we can do to enhance the city we should do,” agreed Conyers. “Let’s pursue it.”

The committee acknowledged that no matter the practicality and benefits of the proposed depot, the project will have its detractors.

“You’re going to have nay-sayers who’ll say you shouldn’t be spending this money,” sighed Conner. “They don’t see the benefit to the community.”

“‘Spout-off’ people are against everything,” agreed Hollarn dismissively. “They don’t understand this is a necessary element in a community. This is one of the best things for Main Street.”

“The old depot was one thing that should've been preserved but it wasn’t,” Milligan lamented. “People want it back. ‘Why did they get rid of it,’” they ask me.”

“The old depot is part of our history,” Conner said. “That’s why Crestview is on the map now; the railroad and the depot.”

The committee set its next meeting for Friday, March 26, at 9 a.m. in the city council chamber. The public is invited to attend.