Residents to consider Weston Depot study funds at Special Town Meeting

A citizens’ petition filed by a grassroots group of residents ahead of October’s Special Town Meeting is asking voters to reappropriate $18,750 of unspent funds to finish the study of the 144-year-old Weston Depot.

The request, put forward by the Friends of the Weston Depot, is an effort to finish the study of the historic property at 55 Church St. At the 2022 Annual Town Meeting, residents appropriated $30,000 for a land-use study and a structural evaluation of the building, but only about $12,000 was spent because interior access to the building was limited. If approved by voters, the remaining money would be granted to the Friends, and used for soil testing, structural analysis and for fencing around the site, according to Alicia Primer, a member of the organization.

“We would like it to remain in Weston as a public amenity,” Primer said before the Friends met with a representative from state Sen. Michael Barrett’s office on Aug. 27.

The Friends’ petition comes months after the Select Board declined in March to accept a donation of the building from John Corcoran, an Essex resident who purchased the building in December 2024 with the intent of preserving the depot. Corcoran is represented by attorney Lenard Zide, who is also a member of the Friends.

The Select Board’s decision to reject Corcoran’s donation was based on costs to restore the building – estimates range from $1.5 million to $2 million – as well as the challenge of navigating the leasing process with Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA), which owns the property, but not the building. Other concerns included finding a potential use for the building and managing another historic property in town.

“I am particularly cautious about assuming another liability for the town without a clear path as to how it becomes an asset,” Select Board member Thomas Palmer said at the March meeting. Fellow board member Lise Revers noted the MBTA’s ownership of the land and other challenges would make it a “significant” and difficult process for the town to work through.

If there was interest in preserving the building, Revers encouraged residents to form a grassroots effort to secure funding, resulting in the creation of the Friends of the Weston Depot, which is waiting for a determination of its nonprofit status.

Members of the Select Board again reiterated their opposition to town involvement at their Aug. 26 meeting. However, John McDonald, who was elected to the board in May, said it is up to residents to decide if they want to move forward with the study.

“For $18,000, you put it up to the town. Either they want to do it or they don’t,” McDonald, who is married to Primer, said. He noted it was a “minimal amount of money.”

The Weston Depot was constructed in 1881 for use by the Central Massachusetts Railroad, which connected passengers and freight from Boston to Northampton. The station remained in passenger operation through 1971 and in freight service until 1980, after which it fell into disrepair. The building was included on Preservation Massachusetts’ 2022 Most Endangered Resources List.

The Friends said they want to see the depot restored and used in a way benefiting Weston residents. With the building abutting the Mass Central Rail Trail, Zide said the building could become a recreation equipment rental shop or a place to serve refreshments to trail users. If the project moves forward, potential funding sources include the Community Preservation Act, state earmarks and private fundraising.

“This is something the whole town would benefit from,” Zide said. If the depot is unable to be preserved in its current location, Zide said Corcoran is open to disassembling it and moving it to a new location. “The goal, it’s always been, is to preserve the station. Worst-case scenario, he’ll disassemble it board by board.”

Special Town Meeting is set for 7 p.m. on Oct. 15 at Weston High School. The voter registration deadline is Oct. 3.