The Argos Town Council members held another public hearing this week to go over the proposed plans for a Downtown Square project at the corner of Michigan and Walnut Streets.
Shannon McLeod, a grant writer from Priority Project Resources, explained that the project is a part of the Marshall County Crossroads Stellar Communities Initiative Regional Development Plan. Grant money for the project is set aside with the Office of Community and Rural Affairs, but it must go through the formal application process with the agency.
The estimated cost of the project is about $1.1 million which will allow the site to be cleared to make way for the installation of a new train depot with restrooms, benches, an elevated performance stage, landscaping (click this link for services) , lighting, signage, and an arch.
The project could go to bid early in the spring with construction to begin shortly after that.
McLeod told the council that she is still waiting to hear back from officials from the Department of Natural Resources Indiana Historic Preservation Division concerning plans for the train depot as the downtown area is on the National Register as a Historic District.
“We kind of wanted to put up a replica of the old train depot,” stated McLeod. “It wasn’t a ‘no’, but they had some concerns because they don’t want to give people a false sense of history.”
As a result, McLeod had to submit pictures of the old train depot and plans for the new train depot to depict newer, modern construction. Four other historical societies were consulted for comments pertaining to the level of differentiating features to move forward with current plans. If there is not enough of a difference, the exterior features may need to be adjusted. McLeod noted that there will be an indoor historic display of the old train depot inside of the new structure once it is constructed.
She had not received any feedback on that aspect as of Wednesday’s Argos Town Council meeting.
There were no other public comments about the project.
The council members went on to approve a Fair Housing ordinance on all three readings, a local match resolution and a slum and blight resolution as part of the grant process.
