News Summary
The Leon County Commission has approved a $2.16 million contract for the repair of the Historic Amtrak Station, which was severely damaged by tornadoes in 2024. The project, awarded to H.A. Contracting Corp., aims to restore the station and transform it into a community gateway, with repairs scheduled to begin in July 2025. Funding will come from insurance proceeds and the County’s Tourism Fund Reserves. Community desire for restored passenger train services remains high, with assessments being conducted for future routes.
Leon County, Florida
On May 13, 2025, the Leon County Commission approved a contract worth $2.16 million for repairs to the Historic Amtrak Station, which was severely damaged during tornado outbreaks that struck the area on May 10, 2024. The contract has been awarded to H.A. Contracting Corp., a Doral, Florida-based company known for its work with local government projects.
The tornadoes that swept through the region caused extensive destruction across Tallahassee-Leon County and the surrounding Big Bend area. One of these tornadoes directly impacted Railroad Square, resulting in significant damage to the Historic Amtrak Station. The storm lifted the roofing and compromised support trusses, leading to major structural impacts. Additionally, the awnings and soffits on the building’s north side were severely impaired, causing damage to the awning ledger, supporting brick pockets, guardrails, concrete structures, and freestanding light poles.
As a result of the extensive storm damage, operations at the Historic Amtrak Station have been inactive. The Division of Tourism has temporarily relocated its services to alternate facilities within the County, while All Saints Cinema is operating out of the Challenger Center. The combined efforts aim to maintain community services despite the disruption caused by tornado damage.
Funding for the repair project includes $1,175,000 derived from insurance proceeds, with an additional $985,000 allocated from the County’s Tourism Fund Reserves. As a precaution against unforeseen conditions due to the historical nature of the building, a further contingency of $432,000 is included, bringing the total estimated budget for the project to approximately $2.6 million.
The repairs are scheduled to commence in July 2025 and are projected to be completed by the spring of 2026. The revitalization project aims not only to restore the building but also to transform it into a new community gateway, ensuring that its historic elements dating back to 1858 are preserved.
However, the costs involved in the repair have significantly escalated, with price hikes linked to the ongoing impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic causing construction expenses to soar by as much as 300% in some areas since March 2019.
While Amtrak currently has no immediate plans to restore services to Tallahassee, the Federal Railroad Administration is conducting assessments to evaluate the feasibility of reinstating discontinued train routes, which may include Tallahassee in the future. The passenger train service has not been operational in the area for eighteen years, following the discontinuation of routes post-Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
The local community has expressed an eagerness to see the return of passenger train services, emphasizing the convenience and cost-effectiveness it would provide, particularly for students and residents who lack transportation alternatives. The sentiment reflects a broader desire to enhance local connectivity through the restoration of vital transportation services.
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HERE Resources
Tallahassee City Commission Approves Grocery Store Contract
City of Tallahassee Approves Construction of Grocery Store
Leon County Approves Amtrak Station Repairs
Leon County to Repair Amtrak Station Visitor Center Following Tornadoes
Additional Resources
- Tallahassee Reports: Leon County Commission Approves $2.1 Million for Amtrak Station Repair
- Tallahassee.com: County Commissioners to Consider Repairs of Amtrak Visitor Center
- Miami Today News: Amtrak Derails Decades of Deals to Serve Miami International Airport
- WTXL: Team Transforming Former Amtrak Station in Tallahassee
- The Famuan: Will Passenger Trains Return to Tallahassee?
- Wikipedia: Amtrak
- Google Search: Amtrak Tallahassee
- Google Scholar: Amtrak Tallahassee
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Amtrak
- Google News: Amtrak Services
