Monday the City Commission, City staff and Ponca City Main Street toured the Santa Fe Depot. The transformation of the depot to its original design was started in February of 2025.
In March of 2021, the City began researching potential funding opportunities to rehabilitate the former Santa Fe Depot. The City was notified in March, 2022, that the Santa Fe depot project was one of the “earmark” Federal projects selected for funding in the amount of $2,000,000. In January of 2023, the City entered into an agreement with Sikes Abernathie Architects to prepare plans and specifications for the depot rehabilitation. The project was bid in October of 2024 and the project was awarded to Rick Scott Construction in the amount of $2,130,952.00.
The budget for the depot was set at $2,000,000 but ARPA funds have been set aside to cover additional expenses such as the parking lot reconstruction, landscaping, and other site work to enhance the appearance of the depot setting. Recently, Ponca City Main Street was awarded an additional $150,000 in State grant funds to be utilized toward the completion of the depot project.
It is anticipated the depot building will be completed on or about April of 2026, followed by the exterior site work, which should be finished several months afterwards. The building will then be leased to one or more tenants. The Santa Fe Depot is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
