[Date Prev][Date Next]
[Chronological]
[Thread]
[Top]
(rshsdepot) Kannapolis, NC
Kannapolis train station breaks ground
By Laura Prevatt
Independent Tribune
Tuesday, October 7, 2003
Kannapolis business leaders are hopeful the new train station depot across
from Cannon Village and the Dale Earnhardt Tribute will open new doors to
tourism.
City and state officials broke ground Monday on the depot, which will open
next year closer to downtown Kannapolis on South Main Street than the former
station.
"This station will bring all kinds of consumers and other businesses here,"
said Kirk Argo, of Kirk Argo Pottery in Cannon Village. "Cannon Village will
be the hub of activity for Kannapolis. In the next five to 10 years, you're
going to see a wonderful cultural growth."
The reason, Argo says, is because the new station is more up-to-date and
more accessible to the heart of downtown.
"We already have people coming to the races on Amtrak," Beaver said of the
Kannapolis hub. "We feel like (the new station) will increase that traffic."
The station, designed by Raleigh architecture firm Gomes and Staub, will
have a total of 7,120 square feet with a 1,650-square-foot waiting area and
more than 2,000 square feet of office space that could be used for city
offices or leased to other tenants.
The total cost of the project is $2.67 million. The city's portion is
$105,000, with $60,000 coming from Cabarrus County, $75,000 from the
non-profit Cannon Foundation and $2.4 million from the N.C. Department of
Transportation.
A new marketing campaign by the N.C. DOT also will be launched closer to
station's opening date, officials said.
"If you want to take a wonderful trip, catch the train here and ride to
Raleigh ..." Kannapolis Mayor Ray Moss said.
. Contact Laura Prevatt at lprevatt_@_independenttribune.com or 704-789-9138
=================================
The Railroad Station Historical Society maintains a database of existing
railroad structures at: http://www.rrshs.org
------------------------------