By Railfan & Railroad Staff

A New York community will spend $23 million to stabilize and restore a former New York, Ontario & Western depot. Earlier this month, the mayor of Middletown, N.Y., announced that the community had secured the funds to bring the structure back to its former glory. 

“We’re doing it because it is the iconic entry to downtown Middletown. It’s what people see. It was a symbol for urban decay for many, many years as people drove into the city, and now I think it will be a nice symbol for our renaissance in the inner city of downtown,” he told Mid Hudson News. “It is one of the highest poverty areas in the city. When people drive in and see this beautiful building, they will recognize that city put a lot of effort into saving it.”

The three-story depot was designed by architect Bradford Lee Gilbert and built between 1892 and 1893. At one point the building served as the railroad’s headquarters. After the NYO&W went bankrupt in 1957, it was used as a retail space and even a nightclub. The building is on the National Register of Historic Places. Since the 2004 fire, the city has tried and failed multiple times to restore and redevelop the building. 

Work could begin this year. The first floor will be used as commercial space and the third floor will be used as residential space.