Meridian seeks railroad land for downtown
Thu., June 9, 2005
MERIDIAN, Idaho – Meridian leaders aiming to improve their downtown want the federal government to give the city 20 acres of land now managed by the Union Pacific Railroad for a proposed $4.4 million city hall, community center and public transportation hub.
The property is located in the heart of this growing southern Idaho city west of Boise.
The railroad, which was granted use of the public property in 1875, currently subleases it to commercial and industrial businesses including a lumber yard and a builder. Because the parcel falls under the federal rubric “revisionary land,” it would take an act of Congress for Meridian to get the property from the railroad. Union Pacific officials are currently in discussions with U.S. Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho.
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