As the Kyle Depot continues to deteriorate, an architecture firm has pulled out of the renovation project, citing lack of direction from the city. (Photo by Sean Kimmons)
by SEAN KIMMONS
Austin-based Antenora Architects, which has headed renovation designs for Kyle’s historic train depot for the past five years, recently threw in the towel amidst a feud between two city groups.
The feud, between train depot board members and city officials, has sidelined the project for years, draining funds along the way.
“The main reason we withdrew is that we felt we didn’t have the confidence of the train depot board,” said Michael Antenora of Antenora Architects.
Last week, the Kyle City Council voted to scrap Antenora’s third proposal and directed city staff to search for a new architect. The city already paid at least $15,000 for Antenora’s services in the past year, and will likely dish out similar funds to the next consultant. The amount doesn’t include work before 2009, a figure that city officials could not round up by deadline.
“My opinion is to start the whole process over again,” Interim City Manager James Earp told the council. “Ultimately the council is going to have to decide between primarily a renovation project and a historic preservation project.”
Mayor Lucy Johnson, whose mother heads the train depot board, agreed to start over since the board was concerned about the depot’s layout.
“The designs that we have now are not in agreement with the train depot board,” she said.
Whatever happens, the city must expedite the process so it won’t lose a $25,000 grant it received from the Lower Colorado River Authority to go toward depot repairs.
In December, the council approved a resolution to spend no more than $250,000 to renovate the depot and fix any city code violations. In the plans, the depot would serve as a visitor center and office space for city employees.
However, the train depot board didn’t want city offices to impede the full restoration of the building, a more expensive endeavor since restoration falls under stricter codes.
Kate Johnson, the board’s director, spoke to the council last week in support of preserving the depot, the only one left standing in Hays County.
“The Kyle Train Depot is the gateway to our community,” she said. “It will continue to serve as an entrance to our city, and first impressions are very important.”
She said her board recently discovered that the depot had a segregated waiting room for African-Americans and hopes to preserve the area, which was slated to be bathrooms in Antenora’s designs.
“Preserving this space will provide us the opportunity to inform visitors about our past,” she said.
Incorporating city offices inside the depot, such as the Chamber of Commerce and economic development teams, was envisioned by former city manager Tom Mattis, who stepped down after the council approved his resignation in April.
Antenora said that being associated with Mattis may have given his company an unfair reputation.
“I think the change in city leadership may have caused it,” Antenora said. “Some people thought that we were in support of Mattis. But it was the city attorney that recommended us, not Mattis.”
He added that his company was asked to tackle the depot project after it helped design the new city hall.
Uncertainty about what the city wants to do with the depot also influenced the company’s decision to opt out, he said.
“They all need to decide what they truly want to do,” Antenora said. “We were just struck in the middle.”
Antenora said his company would still like to finish the project, but not until the city has a clearer direction.
“The reality is that, given the circumstances, we were just not the right fit for this project; and that the city and depot board would not be able to find that right ‘fit,’ unless we withdrew,” he said. “This may offer them the chance to step back, reassess, and do just that.”
