July 23, 2014 at 2:10 p.m.
There is still a chance to develop a plan (03/02/07)
Editorial
Sometimes the best of intentions can get you in trouble or - at the very least - complicate your life.
That's a lesson the city of Dunkirk is learning again this year.
Faced with the opportunity to acquire the old Dunkirk railroad depot - a truly handsome structure and outstanding piece of Indiana architecture - the city fathers convinced the Dunkirk Industrial Development Corporation to step in and make the purchase.
The building had most recently been a private dwelling, but because of its proximity to Webster Depot Park, there was a sense that it could have a greater public purpose again.
Prior to being a private dwelling, the depot had been home to a retailer whose offerings were a good fit with the vintage structure. Before that, it was vacant for a number of years.
Now, it's vacant again; but the DIDC owns it. And when the development corporation asked city government this week to pay costs of upkeep, the administration balked.
Trouble is, there is no clear plan for how to put the building to use. It needs repairs to its roof and perhaps to its wiring.
And if it is to be some sort of public facility, there will have to be an investment in making the restrooms compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
All of those problems are solvable. The folks in Union City maintain a similarly vintage depot as home of the Art Association of Randolph County.
The key is having a plan, and the current predicament is the result of taking action before having a plan in hand.
It's not too late, of course. But it's far more complicated to plan after the fact rather than before.
What's needed now is a concerted effort by the Dunkirk community - not just the city council and current administration - to figure out how best the depot fits into the city's needs.
Should it be a public facility for programming related to events in the park? Should it be developed as a commercial property in hopes of attracting a retailer to lease the site? Should it be owned by city government or should it be put back on the market?
There's more than enough to talk about if a reasonable plan is to be developed. - J.R.[[In-content Ad]]
That's a lesson the city of Dunkirk is learning again this year.
Faced with the opportunity to acquire the old Dunkirk railroad depot - a truly handsome structure and outstanding piece of Indiana architecture - the city fathers convinced the Dunkirk Industrial Development Corporation to step in and make the purchase.
The building had most recently been a private dwelling, but because of its proximity to Webster Depot Park, there was a sense that it could have a greater public purpose again.
Prior to being a private dwelling, the depot had been home to a retailer whose offerings were a good fit with the vintage structure. Before that, it was vacant for a number of years.
Now, it's vacant again; but the DIDC owns it. And when the development corporation asked city government this week to pay costs of upkeep, the administration balked.
Trouble is, there is no clear plan for how to put the building to use. It needs repairs to its roof and perhaps to its wiring.
And if it is to be some sort of public facility, there will have to be an investment in making the restrooms compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
All of those problems are solvable. The folks in Union City maintain a similarly vintage depot as home of the Art Association of Randolph County.
The key is having a plan, and the current predicament is the result of taking action before having a plan in hand.
It's not too late, of course. But it's far more complicated to plan after the fact rather than before.
What's needed now is a concerted effort by the Dunkirk community - not just the city council and current administration - to figure out how best the depot fits into the city's needs.
Should it be a public facility for programming related to events in the park? Should it be developed as a commercial property in hopes of attracting a retailer to lease the site? Should it be owned by city government or should it be put back on the market?
There's more than enough to talk about if a reasonable plan is to be developed. - J.R.[[In-content Ad]]
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