Delray Beach station (Seaboard Air Line Railroad) explained

Style:Amtrak
Style2:Amtrak old
Delray Beach, FL
Type:inter-city rail station
Address:Depot Avenue, Delray Beach, Florida
Country:USA
Closed:April 2, 1995[1]
Years1:May 2, 1991
Events1:Tri-Rail service ends[2]
Years2:February 25, 2020
Events2:Heavily damaged by arson
Other Services Header:Former services
Nrhp:
Delray Beach Seaboard Air Line Railway Station
Location:Delray Beach, Florida,
Coordinates:26.4636°N -80.0908°W
Built:1927
Added:September 4, 1986
Refnum:86002172
Embed:yes

The Delray Beach Seaboard Air Line Railway Station (also known as the Delray Beach Railroad Station) is a historic Seaboard Air Line Railway depot in Delray Beach, Florida, United States. The station is located at 1525 West Atlantic Avenue.

Constructed in 1927 and designed by Gustav Maass of the West Palm Beach architectural firm of Harvey & Clarke, it is identical to the Homestead Seaboard station further south, with the sole exception of its use of plain stucco rather than corinthian arches. In addition, the northern end of the station containing what was the freight room has been modified and enlarged since its original construction. The station was also identical to the Boynton Beach Seaboard depot just to the north, the destruction of which was authorized by the city of Boynton Beach in 2006 despite its historic nature.[3]

Amtrak continued passenger service to the station after taking over the Seaboard Silver Meteor and Silver Star routes in 1971. Tri-Rail began commuter rail service to the station in 1989, but in 1991 moved to a new Delray Beach station a few blocks south because of legal squabbles with the then-owner of the Seaboard station and poor access.[4] Passenger service to the station halted completely in 1995 when Amtrak began using the Tri-Rail station as its Delray Beach stop.

The station was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places on September4, 1986, and purchased by the city of Delray Beach in 2005 for $1.6million.

On February25, 2020, the station was largely destroyed by arson, and it was not known at the time if the city of Delray Beach would continue with the restoration.[5] After sitting vacant and abandoned for almost a year, in January 2021 the city announced a $2.6million plan to fully restore the building with plans to move the city's Health and Wellness Center and Department of Human Resources to the restored structure once work is complete.[6]

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: Morrissey . Siobhan . Last Train Leaves Delray Depot . June 28, 2019 . The Palm Beach Post . April 2, 1995 . 2B. Newspapers.com.
  2. News: Tri-Rail Station Closes . June 28, 2019 . The Sun-Sentinel . May 3, 1991 . 17. Newspapers.com.
  3. News: Erika . Pesantes . Angry neighborhood challenges City Hall . . June 14, 2007 . 2011-05-12 . February 3, 2013 . https://archive.today/20130203054254/http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2007-06-14/news/0706140012_1_truck-route-city-hall-truck-traffic/2 . dead .
  4. News: Lara . Becker . New Life Envisioned For Railway Depot . . Dec 11, 1996 . 2011-05-10 . August 26, 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120826004846/http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/1996-12-11/news/9612110070_1_depot-train-station-railway . dead .
  5. News: Roustan . Wayne K. . Four teens face arson charges for fire at historic South Florida train station . February 25, 2020 . The South Florida Sun-Sentinel . February 25, 2020.
  6. Web site: Diamond . Mike . After fire nearly destroyed historic Delray train depot, city rolls out restoration plan . palmbeachpost.com . The Palm Beach Post . 2 November 2023.