Since we provided our last update in the 2023 Annual Report in February, the varied uses of the Depot have continued, but we wanted to share some upcoming public events and new developments in the project.
Upcoming Public Events at the Depot
Groundbreaking for City of Northfield Transit Hub
Wednesday, June 5, at 4 p.m.
The City of Northfield invites you to their Transit Hub Groundbreaking with local and state officials. The Depot also will be open to the public 30 minutes before and after the groundbreaking event. Come early or stay late to view the depot and the historical exhibits. The addition of the Pavilion and Transit Hub to the site were on the 2011 Plans drawn by Architect Steve Edwins. Save the Northfield Depot is excited to see the vision of these Northfield resources come to fruition.
USE DURING CONSTRUCTION: We will be in close touch with the City about the construction work and how it might affect the functioning of the Depot. We understand that the crews are scheduled to be on site Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. until mid-October; there will be no construction on Sundays or most Saturdays.
PARKING CHANGE: The north end of the drive (off of 2nd Street) will be closed for equipment staging and the south end (off of 3rd Street) used as the temporary entrance. One of the doors on the depot track side is likely to be used as the temporary main entrance when the pavilion work is close to the depot’s existing main north entrance.
Songwriters and Stories with Tim Goodwin & Doyle Turner
Thursday, June 13, from 7 to 8 p.m.
An evening of original songs and the stories behind them presented by Northfield singer/songwriter Tim Goodwin (timothygoodwin.net/musician/) and Bemidji singer/songwriter Doyle Turner (doyleturner.com). Turner writes songs with heartfelt lyrics, soaring melodies and presents them with a pure vocal performance. Goodwin uses his warm baritone vocals to trace love, loss, and characters from all walks of life.
PRICE: $10 in advance (order tickets), $15 at door
Screening Event: DS Birch Carlson
Friday, June 14, from 7 to 9 p.m.
DS Birch Carlson is the pilot episode of a new independent television series written and directed by local artist Wendy Placko. The comedic crime procedural is set in Northfield, Minnesota. When a body is discovered at the local yoga studio, her final move is decompose. Join DS Birch Carlson and the Northfield PD as they flex their crime-solving muscles and discover that everyone is a suspect.
Wendy Placko is a fiscal year 2023 recipient of a Creative Support for Individuals grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board. This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.
PRICE: Pay what you can (The filmmaker hopes to raise some admission funds to offset the costs for production and invites you to support their GoFundMe.)
Volunteers needed before June 10
We need a few volunteers to help us move some rocks as well as load and upload some special pavers into and out of a vehicle. If you can help, please contact us at info@northfielddepot.org.
BACKGROUND: Materials left over from the depot renovation have been stored adjacent to the depot lot. While the bricks and limestone will be used in the Transit Hub and Pavilion construction, there are some pavers that we need to use on the northwest corner of the Depot site when the small steps are removed and our paver area is extended a few feet We also need to move some rocks that are currently on the incline between the steps and the basement foundation. The platform and possibly the steps will be replaced in the construction work, and we need to save and use them once the construction is finished in that area.
Recent Enhancements to Depot & Site
- Installation of heat pump: Last summer we had to reschedule one of the musical events due to the 90-degree weather. While the depot is well insulated and we had used the blower to distribute the cool basement air, the temperature in late summer was too high. We explored options for a cooling system, and decided to pursue the environmental benefits of a heat pump that we will use for cooling in the summer, heating in the fall and spring, and augmented heating in the winter. The 2023 Give to the Max donations were used for the project. The installation is expected to be completed this week.
- Installation of plaques for Machacek exterior display of railroad artifacts: A notable railroad history exhibit was installed last summer with four railroad artifacts donated by the Jim Machacek family. Recently, an informational plaque was added to each of the following items: engine turntable pivot point stone, Chicago Great Western Railroad mile marker (both were used locally), 1915 Dan Patch Line manual switch stand, and Milwaukee Road switch “frog.” A larger plaque acknowledging the donation will be added soon.
- Gutters: This week Save the Northfield Depot Board accepted one of three bids for the installation of gutters chiefly on the north side to protect the north entrance from the elements. The north side gutter is planned to be completed before the Transit Hub construction begins.
- Sculpture Garden Summer Preparation: The fountain has been turned on after volunteers cleaned and prepared it for the summer months. Volunteers have also been tending the grounds and garden with needed cleanup, pruning, and weeding.
Depot Rental
As reported earlier, the depot is a popular venue for a wide variety of community events. It has been the site for meetings of organizations (chiefly non-profits); public events (concerts, historical tours, poetry readings, dance recitals, markets), and private social gatherings (showers, birthday parties, reunions).
To assist those interested in renting the depot, our website (northfielddepot.org) now contains an online event calendar on the home page with scheduled events, an information sheet outlining amenities and rental conditions, and an online reservation request form. A description of each public event can be obtained by clicking on the name of the event on the calendar.
The current rental rates are as follows. (Set-up and clean-up time the same day as event is not counted as rental time.)
| Non-profit/Public | Small Business | Business/Private | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1-2 hours | $25 | $35 | $50 |
| Each additional hour | $10 per hour | $10 per hour | $10 per hour |
Board Welcomes New Members
Consistent with our 2023 transition in the focus from rehabilitation to utilization, we have added two board members whose expertise is needed in the new tasks of managing the use of the depot and of securing the future role of the depot as a community asset. Welcome Lisa Thompson and Matt Karl!
- Lisa is a digital communications professional and graduate of Northfield High School and St. Olaf College who knows the depot project well, having served as a communications volunteer since 2010. She has long loved history and historical architecture and grew up with a fondness for trains. We are delighted she is willing to continue with the project, bringing her skills to the board’s decision making while continuing to pursue her career.
- Matt recently retired from his career in commercial real estate. He has a strong interest in railroads with three generations of his family having worked for the Great Northern/Burlington Northern/BNSF Railway. His understanding of business and finance is particularly valuable now that we have transitioned to utilization of the depot.
Passenger Rail
In February, we informed you about recent developments regarding MnDOT’s attention to passenger rail in the State Rail Plan with the consideration of the Twin Cities-Albert Lea corridor as one of two options it is considering as their next passenger rail project. This corridor includes a Northfield stop on the map and extends to Kansas City with connections to Texas and California. You can view or add public comments to an interactive map.
In addition, a new group recently formed as the Southern Minnesota Regional Passenger Rail Initiative in support of this corridor. We will work to keep you informed about their efforts and any requests they have for input.