Timeline of ECA engagement and efforts to preserve the Dansbury Depot

-October 26th 2009, Dansbury Depot Restaurant is severely damaged by accidental kitchen fire.

http://www.poconorecord.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20091026/NEWS/910269993/-1/rss01

-November 11th 2009, ECA reaches out to Dansbury Depot Restaurant owner in support post fire.

View letter

-November 13th 2009, ECA works to help Dansbury Depot Restaurant recover after fire by presenting grant opportunities to its owner.

Text of ECA E-mail to its Board of Directors, November 13, 2009, 11:33am: "ECA Board Members,

Anchor Building Grants still exist!  This is great news in light of the Depot's fire.  I will be working with Pete on an anchor building grant for the depot, and although the pot is smaller and competition greater than in years past, I beleive we have a compelling project with good chances of being funded."

-Feb 22nd 2010: ECA arranges fund-raising catering opportunity to help the Dansbury Depot Restaurant raise funds to help support its recovery after fire.

Text of Email from ECA to coordinator at Steamtown National Park Service, Feb 22, 2010 10:58:53
"I'm writing to inquire about whether your group will be operating an excursion through East Stroudsburg during your convention, and whether you would consider stopping over for lunch in East Stroudsburg during that excursion. If the excursion did stop in East Stroudsburg, we would like to arrange for boxed lunched to be provided by the Dansbury Depot (which will be under construction most likely at that point, food would be prepared at the owner's other restaurant) and served at tables that would be set up adjacent to the tracks and our RR switching tower.  Participants would then be offered the opportunity to tour the tower.
Please feel free to call or email me to discuss this idea."

July 13th 2010: ECA learns of the unexpected sale and potential demolition of the fire damaged Dansbury Depot.

http://www.poconorecord.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100714/NEWS/7140333

ECA hints at its idea for relocation and rehabiliation at the end of its quote..."even if it presents a positive opportunity".

July 14th 2010: ECA immediately begins developing plans to relocate the Depot across the railroad tracks to rehabiliate the historic structure and save it from pending demolition. Funding and grant opportunities are pursued.

Text of ECA E-mail to its Board of Directors, July 14th, 2010, 9:12 am: "I'd like to throw this idea into the ring to see if it is acheivable and worth pursuing: I was wondering the capital costs to relocate the main Depot building to somewhere on the other side of the tracks. I am envisioning an open, single floor with cathedral ceilings to be used as a local history musuem, art and cultural center, recital space, meeting room and staging area for current and future ECA events...If it was possible it could prove to be a project that could bring the community together...If you care to mull this over we can discuss if this idea has merit or if its too far fetched at next board meeting". 

July 19th 2010: The public expresses desires to save the historic East Stroudsburg Railroad Station. This outry encourages the ECA to further develop its relocation and rehabilitaiton plan. Feasibility of the relocation plan is researched by the ECA. Cooperation is forged between community leaders, the station developer and ECA.

http://pahomepage.com/fulltext?nxd_id=146305

July 20th 2010: ECA presents its relocation plans to the public at borough council work session

http://www.poconorecord.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100803/NEWS/8030332/-1/NEWS0953

August 3rd 2010: Borough Council votes to lease land and amend zoning of its property across the railroad tracks from r-3 (residential) to c-1a (commercial) to allow the ECA to relocate and operate the East Stroudsburg Station.

http://www.poconorecord.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100804/NEWS/8040338/-1/NEWS0953

August 17th 2010: Crystal Park Residents object to the station being placed in view of their homes. Alternate sites are considered by RKR Hess enginners who offer pro bono support to the project.

http://www.poconorecord.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100817/NEWS/8170322/-1/NEWS0953

August 19th 2010: County Commissioners pledge $100,000 grant to support the ECA's relocation plan.

http://www.poconorecord.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100819/NEWS/8190326

September 22nd 2010: Zoning amendment passes.

http://www.poconorecord.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100922/NEWS/9220325

October 5th 2010: Borough Council and Solicitor approve ECA's long term lease of municipal property to permanently house the East Stroudsburg Station as well a a temporary lease within the municpal parking lot to house the station while the lease site is developed.

October 6th, 2010: ECA recieves a $200,00 grant reward from the ESSA Foundation.

http://www.poconorecord.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20101007/NEWS/10070337

October 15th, 2010: Wolfe House and Building Movers Successfully relocate the East Stroudsburg Station to the temporary lease area within the municipal parking lot.

http://www.poconorecord.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20101016/NEWS/10160303/-1/NEWSMAP

http://www.poconorecord.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20101015/MULTIMEDIA01/101019834/0/NEWSMAP

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sb0e6-dMTW0

http://www.wnep.com/wnep-mon-dansbury-depot-next-stop,0,1059156.story

November 9th 2010: Final land development plans created by RKR Hess are approved by borough council. County and planning commission approval preceeded.

December 9th 2010: Wolfe House and Building movers rotate the station a full 180 degrees and safely relocate it to its final site.

http://www.poconorecord.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article%3FAID%3D%252F20101210%252FNEWS%252F12100351&h=bb203

December 16th 2010: Editorial on the Station's final move and a call of support for ECA's next steps.

http://www.poconorecord.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20101216/NEWS04/12160308

December 17th 2010: Preservation PA's "At Risk 2010", lists the East Stroudsburg Railroad Station as one of the most endangerd historic structures of PA, which reaffirms the vital role of this structure as well as ECA's rehabilitation.

http://www.preservationpa.org/files/publications/presfundpa/ppa-23-1.pdf

December 31st, 2010: Pocono Record lists the ECA's Rescue of the East Stroudsburg Railroad Station as the second Top Story of 2010 in its year-end wrap up series.

http://www.poconorecord.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20101231/NEWS/12310361

February 26, 2011:

ECA's rehabilitation progress praised by the Press!

http://www.poconorecord.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20110226/NEWS/102260318

March 14. 2010

PA Historic and Musuem Commission, Bureau for Historic Preservation presents its official statement on the East Stroudsburg Station's Status on the National Register of Historic Places as well as the ECA's adherence to the Secretary of the interior's Standards for Rehabiliation.

April 8, 2011

Much progress is being made on both the historic rehabilitation of the original historic Dansbury Depot station as well as the development of a new restaurant on 50 Crystal Street. Local Developer Troy Nauman, who generously donated the historic station to the ECA and is developing the original site into a 3-story mixed-used structure, is turning to the community for suggestions as to what type of restaurant they wish to see in the new space.

http://pahomepage.com/fulltext/?nxd_id=179096

July 4, 2011

The Pocono Record Checking in our our Progress and anticipated opening date!

http://www.poconorecord.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=%2F20110704%2FNEWS%2F107040318%2F-1%2FNEWSLETTER100