MIDDLETOWN – After years of debating the fate of the fire-damaged O&W Station in Middletown, the city has been able to put together a $23 million financial package to rebuild the once stately railroad station.
Mayor Joseph DeStefano told the common council Tuesday night that the city will go out to bid for remediation this summer.
“We’re doing it because it is the iconic entry to downtown Middletown. It’s what people see. It was a symbol for urban decay for many, many years as people drove into the city, and now I think it will be a nice symbol for our renaissance in the inner city of downtown,” he said. “It is one of the highest poverty areas in the city. When people drive in and see this beautiful building, they will recognize that city put a lot of effort into saving it.”
The mayor said they already have a tenant for the first floor, the ABCD Head Start program, and the third floor will be used for residential units.
