(rshsdepot) Ft. Smith, AR

["James Dent" <james.dent_@_itochu.com>]

-From the Fort Smith Times Record...

Government Offers To Buy Old Depot

By Samantha Young

WASHINGTON — The government is prepared to pay $850,000 to buy an old train
depot on the Arkansas River and add it to the Fort Smith National Historic
Site, according to budget documents released this week.
The owner of the St. Louis and San Francisco Railroad Depot, otherwise known
as the Frisco Station, is willing to sell but said the property is worth
more than the government is offering.
Businessman Michael Morton puts the price tag at $1.53 million. He said he
has invested about $500,000 in the property since he first quoted his
$850,000 price to the government about four years ago.
The historic 1910 station sits on 1.12 acres south of the Garrison Avenue
bridge. The two-story building now houses the headquarters of Fort
Smith-based Central Arkansas Nursing Centers.
“The building is not functional as an office as big as mine is getting,”
Morton said. “It would fit in their deal better than me. I’m just trying to
get out of it what I’ve got in it. I just don’t want to get ripped off.”
The National Park Service included the Fort Smith parcel in its land
acquisition budget for the fiscal year that begins in October. Congress must
approve the project and its funding between now and then.
Bill Black, superintendent of the Fort Smith National Historical Site, said
the government could end up negotiating the price with Morton, but only
after Congress weighs in.
The Fort Smith property is among 39 projects nationwide included in the Park
Service’s proposed $95.6 million budget for land purchases, said Bill
Shaddox, agency chief of land resources
The park service has had its eye on the property since 1976 when Congress
redrew park boundary lines. However, the government has never come up with
the money to purchase the site. This year, the Fort Smith property beat out
more than 150 projects, ranking high on the list of regional and national
land proposals, Shaddox said.
“The owner has always been a willing seller,” Black said. “It just made
priority this year. It’s been on the list for number of years now.”
Park officials say the government should buy the property to ensure the
owner does not sell to an unfriendly business.
“The park could have a problem in the future if these owners relocate and
the property runs down or if the property sells and the new owner implements
a non-compatible use such as a nightclub, restaurant or other use that
results in a lot of traffic coming and going through the property,” a budget
application states.
The depot borders National Park Service grounds and is just 25 feet from the
park commissary building. The site also includes a 75-space parking lot, an
attractive feature for a park that needs additional visitor parking.
The National Park Service has several proposals on the table for the depot
if it acquires the property. One plan would be to convert the station into
an interactive learning center for school children studying Arkansas
history.
“It would allow us to work with schools in Oklahoma and Arkansas and turn it
into a discovery center for kids,” Black said. “If our schools are
interested it would be a nice facility for our teachers to use.”
The idea is in line with a nationwide effort to make national parks more
child-friendly, Black said. “Our exhibits are for adults. If you ever come
to our visitor centers we don’t have a lot for kids to touch, pull and
 yank,” Black said.
Another idea would be to return train service to the city. Black said he
would like to see the Arkansas-Missouri Railroad extend its excursion train
route from Van Buren to Fort Smith. The vintage train now runs from Winslow
through the Boston Mountains to Van Buren. Black said the train would draw
visitors to downtown Fort Smith.
Park officials said the Friso depot is in good condition and they do not
anticipate spending much money on renovations.

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