Railroad wantsto demolish old freight depot
SALISBURY — Norfolk Southern Railroad apparently wants to demolish the century-old freight depot near North Lee Street.
The railroad considers the vacant building a liability and has applied for a Certificate of Appropriateness from the city’s Historic Preservation Commission to tear it down, said Joe Morris, director of Salisbury’s Community Planning Services.
The building has a high level of protection because it’s in a historic district. But railroad officials have said as a federally regulated transportation entity, “they do not believe they are subject to local preservation standards,” Morris told City Council.
He said the railroad submitted the demolition application as a courtesy.
No one from the railroad could attend the Historic Preservation Commission meeting this month, so the request was deferred until next month, Morris said.
Meanwhile, “their attorney is in contact with our attorney,” he said.
If the railroad continues through city channels, the decision whether to demolish the building could end up in front of City Council.
The city and railroad already have a longstanding dispute over historic Shober Bridge on Ellis Street.