Article last updated:
Friday, April 27, 2001 4:15 AM MST
Niles plan advocates keep eye on history ---> ---> --->
Move afoot to relocate, --->restore 1904 rail depot
By Alec Rosenberg
STAFF WRITER
FREMONT -- As a Niles property owner, Allen Lopez has a stake in
improving the district's downtown.
As the son of a man known as the "unofficial mayor of Niles," Lopez
believes he has a duty to preserve the town's history.
In the Niles concept plan, Lopez sees a way to do both.
Lopez spoke in favor of the Niles plan earlier this week at a City
Council meeting. The plan calls for increasing building densities,
easing parking standards, providing a train stop and adding a town
plaza along Niles Boulevard.
Niles residents and railroad buffs urged the council to take one more
step -- relocating the historic 1904 train depot to downtown Niles.
Instead of making the move a priority, the plan only reserves a spot
where the depot could go if funds for the $1.2 million project are
available.
Lopez focused his comments on the town plaza and center. He is waiting
for the center to be built to honor his father, Al, a 50-year Niles
flower shop owner who died in 1998.
Before he died, Lopez's father collected money to buy new flags for
the Niles flagpole. But dry rot was found in the pole and it was
condemned.
Lopez has set aside funds raised from the raffle of his father's old
truck to install a new flagpole in the town center.
"Everyone agrees Niles needs a town center," Lopez said.
The two highest priorities should be developing the town center and
building a train stop with a pedestrian crossing, Councilmember Bob
Wasserman said.
"(The plan) needs to be more focused," Wasserman said. "We have to be
very realistic about what we can do there and how we can phase it."
But several people encouraged the council to include relocating the
depot as a priority.
"Let's move the depot, and let's not delay this any more," said Bill
Wullenjohn, who spearheaded the effort to restore the Centerville
depot.
"The Niles depot should be in the town center," Niles antique shop
owner Marie Dear said. "That needs to be brought back to town."
The depot was moved to Mission Boulevard 20 years ago after it faced
demolition.
Mayor Gus Morrison and Councilmember Bill Pease have suggested it
would be better to keep the historic depot there and build a replica
downtown.
"We could build one of these nice buildings ... for less," Pease said.
"I have to watch the dollars and cents."
The depot needs to be relocated, but not now, Councilmember Steve Cho
said.
"I don't think it's the highest priority," Councilmember Judy Zlatnik
said. "I want to do it, but the first thing we need to do is get
people off and on the train."
The Niles concept plan will go before the Historical Architectural
Review Board and Planning Commission.
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Alec Rosenberg covers the city of Fremont for The Argus. He can be
reached at (510) 353-7026 or[40] arosenberg@angnewspapers.com.
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