Depot Cost Will Hit $1.5 Million

It was a late item on the City Commission Agenda Tuesday night and the items were not included in media packets. The Manhattan Area Depot Committee ask the City Commission for approval to submit a Heritage Trust Fund Application for $25,000.

During the meeting it was brought out that the $1 Million price tag will go up to $1.5 before anyone can hold a meeting in the building. Here is the memo:

The Manhattan Area Depot Committee requests the City Commissioners’ approval to submit a Heritage Trust Fund Application to help pay for the installation of the heating and cooling mechanical components as a continuing effort to restore the historic Union Pacific Depot. The deadline for this grant is March 1, and we seek $20,000 from the Heritage Trust Fund with a match of up to $5,000, which will be provided by the Manhattan/Riley County Preservation Alliance. This match money has been acquired through fundraising from Historic Homes Tours and depot print sales. This Preservation Alliance money literally symbolizes thousands of hours of work by Manhattan citizens who are devoted to seeing the Union Pacific Depot historically restored.

The Manhattan Area Depot Committee also, with your approval, assumes the preparation, writing, and submission of the Heritage Trust Fund Application to the State Preservation Office.

In short, with your approval the administrative costs of preparing the application will be assumed by the Manhattan Area Depot Committee, the matching funds will be provided by the Manhattan/Riley County Preservation Alliance, and the bulk of the funding the heating and cooling mechanical will, upon a successful application, be provided by the Heritage Trust Fund. Architectural plans are already in place, and a contractor bid has been submitted previously. A successful application, which will provide up to $25,000, will cover the costs, as detailed in the bid, with installing the heating and cool mechanical components