1996-037-RES WHEREAS, FEDERAL FUNDS FROM THE STATEWIDE TRANSPORTATION ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM

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VIII. PROJECT USE AND BENEFITS. Provide a brief descriptiol/ iI/ the space below the bel/efits of the proposed project in terms of the qllality of the project. the geographic scope of the project's benefits and the project's transportation enhal/cemelll vallie. Quality of the Project: The rehabilitation of the Paris Santa Fe & Frisco Dcpot will bencfit both residents and regionallravelers by simultaneously providing an efficient, regionally focused public transportation center and promoting a greater understanding of the region's transportation history. The preserved depot will be an efficient. pleasam and functional transportation facility lhat also enriches the historical appreciation of passengers, visilors and area residents, as wcll as through the unique and oulstanding historical archileclural characler of the building itsclf The building will also be made available for public meetings and civic functions and provide public educational tours to promotc understanding of the region's transportalion history and fulure. Rehabilitation oflhe Santa Fe & Frisco Depot is the City of Paris. Texas' highest civic priority. Founded in 1837, Paris. Texas became an importanttemlinus poinl along the Central National Road of the Republic of Texas. providing farmers and trappers a way to ship lheir products to markets in Louisiana. Major economic developmcnl and population growth came with Ihe devclopmenl of Paris as a rail center when lhe Texas & Pacific RR laid track into the county in 1876. 11 was followed by the Gulf. Colorado and Santa Fe in 1877 and the Great Northern (the SI. Louis & Frisco) IN 1888. By this time, Paris had been transformed into one of the fastest growing cities in North Texas. The Texas Midland followed in 1895 and the Paris & Mount Pleasam in 1910. The history of the city of Paris, Texas is inseparable from Ihe history of its railroads. The city's original rail yards included dozens oflracks and sidings, --- depot(s). two roundhouses. machine shops. a blaeksmith's shop, a carpentry shop, storerooms & offices. freight depots. brick yard. 100/ houses, coal houses. watchman's house. a stockyard. power house, a sandhouse. and other service buildings. The Santa Fe & Frisco RR Depot is the city's only surviving passenger railroad building? It is one of the city's mosl significant historic building and a major physical link to its lransportation past. From its construction in 1910 up until just after late 1989. the Depot was a kcy component of the Santa Fe Railroad's operations in Paris. accommodating tens of thousands of passengers. The rehabilitated building will be returned to its original use as a much needed depot and transportation center for rail passengers. tourists and residents. This depot, considered by tile Texas Historical Commission as one of the best railroad depots remaining in the State of Texas, is ltalianate in style with Prairie School inJluences. Il was officially determined eligible for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places in 1988 and will make an excellent candidate for an official Texas Historical Marker. 11 is an outstanding example of transportation history and the style of architeclure favored by lhe Santa Fe & Frisco Railroads and is eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Ptaces. Geographie Scope: Bolh travelers and residents of Paris. Texas and the Lamar county region. as well as rail passcngers originating in Hugo. Oklahoma will benefit from the preservation and operation of the depot as a interstate multi-modal transportation complex. The depot currently serves as a pickup and drop 01T point for an excursion train ride from Paris. Texas, to Hugo, Oklahoma, drawing potentially 2000 out-of-lown visitors into the Paris annually area from at least a ISO-mile radius. How much freight will the train move through Paris? Where does most of this freight originate from? How many visitors will the Visitor Center attraet? Where will they come from'! Are there any other transportation aeth'ities (please try to think of anything you can) for whieh we ean project numbers and ~cographic origin? List the other special e,'ents (emphasis on puhlie/community c,'cnts) for which we can project attendanee? Project's Transportation Enhancement Value: The rcuse of the depot as a multi-modal lransportation center will increase the efficiency of service available 10 local and regionallransportation providers and users of: t) The Kiamichi Railroad Ltd.. including ticketing. passenger parking. passenger wailing. passenger loading and unloading. passenger restrooms and telephones, [rain dispatch and admiuistralive offices. 2) A hiking and biking lrail is eurrently under developmcnt with this depot lying in as a rail head. The Texas Department of Parks and Wildlife Department eslimates 152.000 annual visit by Lamar County residcnts and 10.000 annual visits by out-of -county residents 10 the Chaparral Trail resulling in an economic impact projecled al $5.2 million. COo, 3) A branch of the Paris Visilor's Center will provide travel informalion to visitors and rail passengers. The high visibility of the building's prominenltower and its proximity to U. S. Highway 82 will enable automobile and pedestrian travelers 10 easily locate Ihe