The studies are in, and estimates given, now the Save the Prosperity Depot group is gearing up for action—and looking for community input.

To check on the progress in the effort to preserve the only remaining depot in the county, interested parties should head to the Prosperity Civic Center tomorrow at 7 p.m.

Since the spring of 2008 when the depot’s lease expired and the property became available for such an effort, the group has recruited support and laid the groundwork for stabilization of the structure, and hopefully for its future use.

A large part of that effort has been banding together with other non-profit entities like the Newberry County Historical and Museum Society—the depot group is now a subset. Also, a partnership with The Palmetto Trust for Historic Preservation, has paid off dividends in both experience and grant monies for the group.

Organizer Andy Hawkins stresses that much of the “heavy lifting” in this effort has been accomplished by The Palmetto Trust and its director, and area resident, Mike Bedenbaugh.

That heavy lifting has included things like applying for a grant from The National Trust that put up $5,000 toward an engineering study on the depot.

The study was crucial, as the depot is on a railroad-set timeline, specifically, two years to get off Norfolk Southern’s right-of-way.

The railroad has donated the building itself to The Palmetto Trust for Historic Preservation, but insists that it move by 50 feet within two years to be out of the 100-foot range of the railroad.

The local group continues to hope the railroad company will reverse this decision, as it moves ahead to prepare for the building’s future.

And following the model of rehabilitation and use that The National Trust uses, Hawkins says the group intends to see the building as an economic contributor to Prosperity again.

This means after the building is stabilized, it would be put on the market with convenants.

The engineering study outlined what would be needed to get the building in shape, and the group’s working estimate is $23,569. The roof, floors and even the chimneys need work to keep the building intact, let alone if organizers are forced to move it.

But as supporters face the next fundraising hurdle, they also want to ensure they are heading in the right direction and that community members are aware of the cause.

The stabilization and rehabilitation of the building would be done with an eye toward allowing the “broadest use of the building,” Hawkins said. The organizers do not want to limit what business could ultimately locate in the historic depot, but instead to keep the economic contribution alive to “honor the past and look to the future,” Hawkins said.

Tomorrow’s forum is to discuss just what that means to community members, and recruit help in the effort from any quarter.

Individuals and organizations can donate to the Save the Prosperity Depot fund at www.palmettotrust.org or by mailing a check to Save the Prosperity Depot c/o Andy Hawkins at 501 McNeary St., Prosperity, SC 29127. Checks should be make out to Palmetto Trust and marked for the Prosperity Depot.