Monrovia's Historic Santa Fe Depot Getting Much-Needed Makeover

MONROVIA, CA – The city of Monrovia will be hosting a public groundbreaking event to celebrate the rehabilitation of the Historic Santa Fe Depot.

The event will be at 10 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 9, 2017, at Station Square, 1629 S. Myrtle Ave. Construction is anticipated to be completed by summer 2017.

The Historic Santa Fe Depot is arguably one of the most historically significant buildings in Monrovia, the city said. Originally built in 1926, the facility was designed by architect William A. Mohr from Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe, and was constructed at a cost of $30,000, according to the city.

The building served as a combination depot that combined rail passenger and freight functions into a single building. The booming citrus industry brought more settlers to the city and the Depot served Monrovia until it closed on May 12, 1972, because of the decline of rail transportation and citrus freight traffic.

After sitting dormant and dilapidated for more than four decades, the Monrovia City Council was able to secure the funding needed to rehabilitate the Depot in late 2015. Given the significance of the facility, the City Council designated the building as the 137th historical landmark in Monrovia on April 19, 2016.

The rehabilitation of the building is a partnership between the Monrovia Historic Preservation and Daylight Limited, LLC.

The ground-breaking event is free to the public, and parking will be available in the Station Square Park-and-Ride parking lot on the southwest corner of Myrtle Avenue and Pomona Avenue. Those who are planning to attend the event are advised to wear flat, closed-toe shoes.

For more information about the groundbreaking, contact the city at (626) 932-5512.

-- Patch file photo