(La Porte, IN) - The City of La Porte in what seemed like a daunting task against Norfolk Southern Railroad has its beloved old train depot back.

 

Better yet, perhaps, the city now owns the two downtown structures donated by the railroad under an agreement reached Tuesday with the city’s Board of Public Works and Safety.

 

The city after helping to pay for the $3.6 million renovation of the once dilapidated, historic buildings paid only $1 annually under a 20 year lease, which was not renewed by the freight line in 2021.

 

City Attorney Nick Otis credited Mayor Tom Dermody, who vowed from the beginning not to give up in his quest to have the depot returned.

 

“He was relentless with Norfolk Southern in getting this to happen,” Otis said.

 

Otis said the process of having the title transferred to the city has begun.

 

Dermody said it just wasn’t right for the railroad to take back the structures given the amount of effort, tax dollars and other funding sources invested by the city into the old depot where passengers decades ago boarded trains.

 

Not only that but, originally, Dermody said the intent was to transfer ownership to the city once the lease expired, he said.

 

“That’s something that should always stay with LaPorte,” he said.

 

At the beginning, Otis said the railroad in its talks with the city wanted in cash the current $500,000 assessed valuation of the buildings along with some of the money that went into the restoration.

 

The city offered as much as $300,000 early in talks but the railroad in rejecting the offer allowed the lease to expire.

 

Dermody said his fight included traveling to places like Washington D.C. and Indianapolis to argue his case with railroad officials.  He said the city also strongly enforced violations of city code against the railroad as leverage in the talks.

 

Code Enforcement Director Jeff Batchelor said the violations were for 50 private junk yard owned vehicles that happened to be on railroad property close to the tracks.

 

Batchelor said the fines and penalties for failure to pay, over time, added up to $300,000. 

 

The amount was forgiven in exchange for the depot, he said.

 

Dermody said a change in leadership at the railroad was also a big help in reaching the deal.

 

“They recognized the railroad should not be in the depot business,” he said.

 

The depot was occupied by the LaPorte Economic Advancement Partnership and several non-profit organizations when they were evicted by Norfolk Southern.

 

The restored facility was also where Santa Claus after ushered into the city during a parade every year visited with children while hot chocolate and cider were served to people gathered for the festivities.

 

The depot once bustling when passenger service existed on the line was also a source of pride in the community that values historic preservation.

 

Future use of the depot as a drug treatment center or refuge for the homeless are among the ideas that have surfaced.

 

Whatever is decided, Dermody said his desire is to somehow use the property “to make a difference in people’s lives in La Porte.”