DELRAY BEACH — In February 2020, the city's historic train station was nearly destroyed by a fire. It reopened this month after an extensive renovation project.
The Delray Beach Train Depot, on Depot Avenue just west of Interstate 95, was set on fire by four teenagers in 2020, police said at the time. The 94-year-old train station has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1986.
On November 8, city officials reopened the station, this time as the city's new Human Resources and Employee Wellness Center. However, the restoration of the building was aimed at preserving its historical significance.
The train station was built in 1927 as part of the Seaboard Air Line Railroad. It was designed by Gustav Maass, an American architect who worked primarily in the Mediterranean Revival style in the Palm Beach area, and became known for precisely that: Mediterranean Revival architecture.
After servicing Seaboard routes, the station served Amtrak passengers beginning in 1971, and Tri-Rail commuters later in 1989. Passenger service continued at the station until 1995, when both Amtrak and Tri-Rail passengers transferred to the use of Tri-Rail's new Delray Beach. station a few blocks south as their Delray Beach stop.
The renovation of the Delray Beach train station was a $2.6 million project
Firefighters spray water on the train depot that caught fire in Delray Beach on February 25, 2020.
In 2005, the city purchased the station for $1.6 million. About a year after the 2020 station fire, the city approved a $2.6 million plan in January 2021 to fully restore the building.
At the time, the city had a $1.8 million insurance claim, and commissioners authorized Public Works Director Mission Barletto to move forward with plans to move the city's Human Resources and Wellness Center into the renovated building. City officials had also considered turning the space into a library, dining hall, adult education facility, green market and/or indoor sports facility.
The renovated Delray Beach landmark will save the city thousands of dollars
On November 8, 2024, Delray Beach officials reopened the city's historic train station after a fire nearly destroyed the building in February 2020. The renovated train depot will now serve as the city's Human Resources and Employee Wellness Center.
Ultimately, commissioners decided that moving the employee wellness center from Northeast Third Avenue would save the city $53,000 a year in rent. At the center, employees obtain prescriptions, medical data and some medical care. According to a graph Barletto presented to the committee, the project would almost pay for itself within 12 years. Public Works has committed $209,000 to the project, Barletto said.
“This station holds a special place in our city's history and serves as a link for the growth and development of Delray Beach,” Barletto said. “This restoration is a testament to our commitment to preserving our city's unique cultural monuments while moving toward a bright future.”
Jasmine Fernández is a journalist covering Delray Beach and Boca Raton for The Palm Beach Post. You can reach her at [email protected] and follow her on X (formerly Twitter) at @jasmijnfernandz. Support our work. Subscribe today.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Delray Beach's historic train depot reopens after devastating fire
