Plans on track for multi-modal station

Published 5:00 am Wednesday, May 5, 2004

With a proposed multi-modal transportation facility movingforward, city officials have been encouraged to consider potentialuses for the building.

“It’s going to be very important that we begin to identify whowould be using this facility,” said Architect Michael Barrancoduring Tuesday night’s board meeting.

Citing conversations with Mississippi Department ofTransportation officials, Barranco said public transit activitiesare encouraged for the facility, which is to be located on NorthRailroad Avenue in the area around the old smokestack.

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Barranco said the possibility of Greyhound bus services locatingat the facility is “looking better and better.” The bus servicescurrently has a contract with a business on Highway 550.

The architect presented a list of other possible users for thefacility. They included transit for airports, health or medicalneeds, senior citizens, child care, the disabled and a variety ofprivate options, like car rental. Barranco mentioned thepossibility of space being leased to generate revenue for thecity.

“The more public we can make this, the better,” Barrancosaid.

The city has been allocated $4 million in federal funds for thetrain station. However, aldermen voted 4-3 in September to pursue ascaled-back version of the facility.

In December, Barranco presented a scaled-back plan that wasestimated at $1.9 million. Tuesday night, he discussed a fewmodifications in the plan.

“We’re trying to keep this building as simple as possible,”Barranco said.

Any federal money used must have a 20 percent local match.

Following questions from Ward Four Alderman Bob Massengill andAlderman-at-large Les Bumgarner, Barranco and City Engineer CarlRay Furr assured officials that the city would not have to putmoney into the building. The city’s match comes in the form of landdonated for the facility, and the city does not have to purchaseany additional land for the initial project.

Barranco said bid documents for the facility should be ready inabout 75-90 days. Construction would take about 10 months, hesaid.

Furr and the architect cited urban renewal benefits associatedwith the transportation facility.

“It’s an opportunity to clean up an area that needs to becleaned up,” Barranco said.