East Brookfield Station Fire

Otto Vondrak wrote:

daylight4449 wrote:

tom18287 wrote:i am a mason, and let me tell you, that would be extremely difficult to number the pieces and put it back together, because chances are it will never go back exactly the same.

You never know. Until a place is found, the structural componets will be stored by the East Brookfield Highway department, who has offered storage of the components, should our effort succeed.

The man just told you! He does indeed know! Do you ever listen to anything that is told to you?

Sorry, got off track. I'd bet it would be hard. The blocks are huge, especially the ones on the base of the depot. The rest could be moved by hand, with two able bodies. As for taking them appart, that's the MAJOR challenge. So, good point tom. Any suggestions on how to take them appart?

IMHO, we're beating the proverbial dead horse here. From my experience in old building restoration, we're taking serious money here to restore the station, in the high 6 figures+. End comment.

frrc wrote:IMHO, we're beating the proverbial dead horse here. From my experience in old building restoration, we're taking serious money here to restore the station, in the high 6 figures+. End comment.

So, for a restoration of the magnitude that is facing the depot, would seeking grants be worth the effort to supplement fundraising?

I think the ONLY way you'd get it done is through grants and or some hind of mega-corporation sponsorship.

daylight4449 wrote:

frrc wrote:IMHO, we're beating the proverbial dead horse here. From my experience in old building restoration, we're taking serious money here to restore the station, in the high 6 figures+. End comment.

So, for a restoration of the magnitude that is facing the depot, would seeking grants be worth the effort to supplement fundraising?

Why don't you ask your stonemason friend there? You're talking about a million-dollar project, at least. This is not a bake sale kind of thing. You need architects and engineers to create a plan and a budget before you can start asking for money from anyone. Why are you raising money if you don't know what the project will cost?

Otto Vondrak wrote:

daylight4449 wrote:

frrc wrote:IMHO, we're beating the proverbial dead horse here. From my experience in old building restoration, we're taking serious money here to restore the station, in the high 6 figures+. End comment.

So, for a restoration of the magnitude that is facing the depot, would seeking grants be worth the effort to supplement fundraising?

Why don't you ask your stonemason friend there? You're talking about a million-dollar project, at least. This is not a bake sale kind of thing. You need architects and engineers to create a plan and a budget before you can start asking for money from anyone. Why are you raising money if you don't know what the project will cost?

Because, as we've seen many times, in Massachusetts, it takes money to figure out how much money it will take!

Oy vey...

I still do not understand how you think a burnt out station that is nothing more than ashes and some brick will be saved when there are projects like Springfield Union station that have been in the works for 25 years and they STILL aren't near shovel ready. Look how long and how much money it took to save Worcester Union and that was still a standing structure not destroyed by fire.

Cadet57 wrote:Oy vey...

I still do not understand how you think a burnt out station that is nothing more than ashes and some brick will be saved when there are projects like Springfield Union station that have been in the works for 25 years and they STILL aren't near shovel ready. Look how long and how much money it took to save Worcester Union and that was still a standing structure not destroyed by fire.

Cadet, I do see your point, but in defense of Daylight BOTH of those stations are approx 10 times (at least) larger than EBFLD and required public funding to restore. I'm not saying what is or isn't either possible, practical or worthwhile, but let's at least compare apples to oranges, not kiwis to watermelons!

Cosmo wrote:

Cadet57 wrote:Oy vey...

I still do not understand how you think a burnt out station that is nothing more than ashes and some brick will be saved when there are projects like Springfield Union station that have been in the works for 25 years and they STILL aren't near shovel ready. Look how long and how much money it took to save Worcester Union and that was still a standing structure not destroyed by fire.

Cadet, I do see your point, but in defense of Daylight BOTH of those stations are approx 10 times (at least) larger than EBFLD and required public funding to restore. I'm not saying what is or isn't either possible, practical or worthwhile, but let's at least compare apples to oranges, not kiwis to watermelons!

Oh, I understand that. They are a bit different. However, I still think that there is some similarity here. My point primarily was is that both buildings were (are) in much better shape, and were able to be restored in a way that was economically feasible. (At least in Worcester's case, Springfield is still a moot point). My point also was that sure, you could save EBFLD, you can do anything with enough money, but again at what cost? Where do you draw the line and say that as unfortuate as it is. This one just can't be saved.

I'm all for preservation of historic stations and RR history, but when something is as far gone as this and is nothing more than a shell that would require years of planning, meetings, private donations and work even before a shovel is put into a ground, it makes me think that perhaps its time to let go and focus ones efforts on a structure that can be more easily saved.

Cosmo wrote:I think the ONLY way you'd get it done is through grants and or some hind of mega-corporation sponsorship.

Well, I was looking into grants a while back for my brother getting financial aid to get into a private school, and found the Gates Foundation gives donations to educational purposes. Plan to bring that idea up with Dan and Dennis. What worries me is taking appart the individual blocks for the depot. Not that it would be easy, but what if they're in worse shape than we think? Another thought; but wasn't the Thomaston depot damaged in a fire? That project, 15 years in the making (and coming along great) has (most likely, there isn't any cost that has been released to the public that I know of) cost huge amounts of money. Until the world is against me, I'm going to hold onto the hope that the depot can be saved.

Otto Vondrak wrote:

daylight4449 wrote:

frrc wrote:IMHO, we're beating the proverbial dead horse here. From my experience in old building restoration, we're taking serious money here to restore the station, in the high 6 figures+. End comment.

So, for a restoration of the magnitude that is facing the depot, would seeking grants be worth the effort to supplement fundraising?

Why don't you ask your stonemason friend there? You're talking about a million-dollar project, at least. This is not a bake sale kind of thing. You need architects and engineers to create a plan and a budget before you can start asking for money from anyone. Why are you raising money if you don't know what the project will cost?

I'm not rasing money, I'm asking questions to see what people think the most effective path to restore the depot would be.

daylight4449 wrote:

Cosmo wrote:I think the ONLY way you'd get it done is through grants and or some hind of mega-corporation sponsorship.

Well, I was looking into grants a while back for my brother getting financial aid to get into a private school, and found the Gates Foundation gives donations to educational purposes. Plan to bring that idea up with Dan and Dennis. What worries me is taking appart the individual blocks for the depot. Not that it would be easy, but what if they're in worse shape than we think? Another thought; but wasn't the Thomaston depot damaged in a fire? That project, 15 years in the making (and coming along great) has (most likely, there isn't any cost that has been released to the public that I know of) cost huge amounts of money. Until the world is against me, I'm going to hold onto the hope that the depot can be saved.

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is to send underprivileged children to school and providing health care and housing. Not for saving burnt out railroad stations.

everyone, lay off him, he's just trying to save a beautiful old building. nothing wrong with that :D

tom18287 wrote:everyone, lay off him, he's just trying to save a beautiful old building. nothing wrong with that :D

There is nothing wrong with the goal, everything wrong with Dylan's approach. But I guess when you are 15, you already have all the answers.

-otto-

daylight4449 wrote:Another thought; but wasn't the Thomaston depot damaged in a fire?

Apples and oranges. Completely different set of circumstances. Fire damaged the roof, not the brick structure. Water from fire fighting efforts damaged the plaster interior. Not a gutted shell like East Brookfield.

http://rmne.org/thomastonstation.htm