Katy Station Developer Files Plans; Depot Must Move

Columbia’s 1909 Katy Station depot will have to move, and the group trying to save it is now scouting new sites along the Flat Branch corridor downtown.

Developer Core Spaces has submitted concept plans to the City of Columbia for the Katy Station and Ice House properties, the Save Katy Station coalition said in an Oct. 30 news release. The plans show two six-story buildings, each 72 feet tall.

What a Concept Plan Means

Concept review is an early step. City staff and the developer talk through the proposal, the rules that apply and any concerns, and the plans can still change as design goes on, the coalition said. The filing came after about a month’s delay while the developers worked with the coalition on a way to keep the depot.

Those talks did not find a way to keep the station where it stands, or to move it to the corner of Broadway and Providence. The coalition said the developers have renewed their support for its effort to acquire the depot and offered to help with the logistics of moving it.

Where Could It Go?

Coalition leaders have walked possible sites along the Flat Branch corridor with building-relocation specialists to judge whether a move would work. No site has been named.

A Second Match Through Nov. 2

The group said donors met the first $10,000 matching challenge from Rusty Drewing. A second donor will now match the next $10,000, dollar for dollar, through Monday, Nov. 2. Gifts go to the Save Katy Station Fund at the Community Foundation of Central Missouri.

To give or get involved, visit savekatystation.org or email savekatystation@gmail.com. For how the campaign began, see our report on the station’s uncertain future.