BEAVER, PA – May 17, 2013 – Beaver Borough Officials have reached agreement with the Beaver Area Heritage Foundation for the purchase of the Beaver Train Station property on East End Avenue, according to Michael Deelo, President of Beaver Borough Council.

Heritage Foundation President Carl C. Neely stated that this culminates a concerted effort that began more than three years ago to acquire this historic property and develop it for the benefit of this area as a multi-use cultural and event center.

“The former train station was very well-built and served railroad commuters for over 85 years before it was sold to Beaver County, where it  became the County’s 911 Emergency Response Center”, he said.  “The Borough is taking a page from the very successful earlier development of the railroad freight station as the award-winning Beaver Area Heritage Museum more than 20 years ago.”

Beaver Station stands on a picturesque and well-maintained 2-acre site at the eastern gateway to Beaver.  Plans call for the Heritage Foundation to maintain the original character of the building, while adapting the facility for multipurpose functions and events. The former emergency dispatch center, added in the mid 1980’s, will become the new headquarters and home of the Beaver County Genealogical Research Center.

The building and grounds will also accommodate the functions of the Sweetwater Art Center of Sewickley, who will use this location as a branch campus for their multiple  activities.

A new addition to the site will be construction of a classic 19th Century style turret-capped pavilion to be named The Belvedere. This will be situated along a pathway of memorial bricks linking Beaver Station with the Heritage Museum. 

Another planned feature will be the reconstruction of the original trackside platform canopy, near the present railroad right -of-way. Besides being a safe place for train watching, this will serve as an outdoor summertime promenade and cafe. The canopy structure itself will become  a place for creating a time-line  exhibit for the history of Beaver County. 

The Beaver Station project is attracting support both from Beaver County and the Pittsburgh area.

 from sources who view this undertaking as reminiscent of Pittsburgh’s Station Square.  A professional  campaign is now underway that reaches local, regional and statewide sources of support . 

For more information, visit beaverstation.org.