$75,000 Grant Approved To Help Restore Stoughton Train Depot

STOUGHTON, MA — The Baker-Polito Administration on Thursday announced a $75,000 MassWorks Infrastructure Program grant for restoring the Stoughton Train Depot. The grant will go towards clean-up and masonry work needed to renovate the historic train depot, which has been vacant for almost 10 years.

Stoughton is acquiring the building from the MBTA and is leveraging over $500,000 from the community preservation act fund for the second phase. With phase two, the town plans to transform the depot into a restaurant. Selectmen Chairman Robert O'Regan said the grant helps the town,"bring Stoughton Center back to life."

“This grant is a tremendous help to the Town for repairing this magnificent building into a useful condition. Stoughton residents restored the station in the 1980s, and this grant will help us to do that again," O'Regan said.

This past July, the Stoughton Board of Selectmen voted unanimously to apply for this grant and were hoping to remove animal waste and other hazardous materials. Finding ways to improve Stoughton Center has been one of the highest priorities for town officials since the creation of the Downtown Redevelopment Task Force Committee.

"The Town of Stoughton has worked tirelessly to revitalize their downtown area,” said State Sen. Walter Timilty. “With this MassWorks Grant, the town will be able to take the crucial first steps in restoring the historic train depot back to its original grandeur."

Photo by Jimmy Bentley