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Posted on 10/05/2001 10:21:36 AM PDT by Lecie

Clinton Library Means Demolition for African-American Built Landmark

By Marc Morano

CNSNews.com Senior Staff Writer

October 05, 2001

(CNSNews.com) - The planned demolition of a historically important, slave-built freight depot on the same grounds where former President Bill Clinton plans to build his presidential library is angering preservationists. Clinton, however, told CNSNews.com the building in question is of "no use to anybody."

The William J. Clinton Presidential Library Foundation and the city of Little Rock, Arkansas, are planning to demolish the freight depot that preservationists say was built by former African American slaves. The historic rail station, built in 1899, is on the grounds of the planned 27.7 acre Clinton library in Little Rock and is eligible for the national registry of historic buildings.

Clinton in an exclusive interview with CNSNews.com at the recent Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) dinner in Washington D.C., said, "No one can see [the depot] now, no one can use it now, it's of no use to anybody." That same night, Clinton received the CBC's Chair Award for achievements on behalf of African Americans.

Clinton is scheduled to be in Little Rock Friday, but has no plans to tour the landmark structure.

Preservationist Gregory Ferguson of the Friends of the Choctaw Terminal, said the Clinton Foundation's plan to demolish the depot, also known as the May Supply Co. building, amounts to "destroying part of [black] heritage."

"It would be an absolute travesty for Clinton to tear this down," explained Ferguson. He called one of the state's first black built structures a "monument to the craftsmanship of these workman who were born into bondage and who lifted themselves out through the skill of their hands and their talents."

The depot's original architecture was hidden for more than 50 years because it was 90 percent covered by a steel exterior, which also served to preserve it from the elements. The 102-year-old building, which served as a warehouse in recent years, initially went unrecognized for its historic value during the planning stages of the library because it was encased in the steel exterior.

According to Ferguson, the depot is a "little jewel that's been housed in a steel box." He said architects have rated the vintage structure's state of preservation at between an eight or nine on a scale of one to ten.

"It is the only remaining brick freight depot in the state of Arkansas," he explained. The structure is a showpiece for at least two African American stone and brick craft skills according to Ferguson. "You can still see the hand chisel marks on the stones, the mortar on the bricks is still intact," he stated.

Despite saying the building was of "no use," Clinton said the city of Little Rock and the presidential library planners were still "looking at whether there is any way we can actually recover the building and maybe move it to a site where it can actually be seen and used. So they're working on that."

But the decision to demolish the building had already been made over a week before Clinton made these comments on September 29.

"I am amazed. He's got his facts wrong," explained Ferguson. Ferguson says the Clinton Foundation and the city have already decided to demolish the depot because the foundation deems it too much hassle and too expensive to change existing building plans.

Bruce Moore, Little Rock Assistant City Manager said the decision was made on September 21 to "move forward with demolition."

In a communication to the city government's board of directors, City Manager Cy Carney stated, "I have directed staff to proceed as originally planned with the razing and removal of the May Supply Building."

When asked about the fate of the depot, Clinton first told CNSNews.com, "I don't know anything about it." But he later added "There was a building within a building that had already been messed up ... we are seeing if there is some way we can lift out that building ... and maybe move it to a site where it can actually be seen and used."

Jim Walsmith, director of the Historic Preservation Alliance of Arkansas, laughed when he heard of Clinton's idea to move the building. "He either misunderstood or he is working with bad information," Walsmith said. "It's totally unfeasible to move that building. It's a brick masonry structure and it's huge."

Ferguson agreed, stating, "I don't know where he would have gotten his information that it could be lifted up. It's brick. You don't just lift up a brick building."

The former owner of the freight depot, Gene Pfeifer, said the city of Little Rock unlawfully condemned his property and took possession of the land under eminent domain to facilitate the construction of the Clinton Presidential Library.

Pfeifer invested almost $30 thousand in 1997 to begin the process of preserving the depot. He is presently suing the City of Little Rock for what he sees as the unlawful taking of his property.

"The city has rolled over and played dead for the Clinton Library Foundation," stated Pfeifer.

Chris Parker, Pfeifer's attorney says the case will be heard before the Arkansas Supreme Court on October 24th. Parker says the city can legally condemn properties and take them for public purposes but did not act legally in this instance because the Clinton Library is a private entity.

"The city can only condemn property for the purposes that are specifically enumerated by the legislature. This is not one of those purposes," Parker explained.

The Clinton Library Foundation does get credit from local preservationists for not demolishing a historic passenger train station and railroad bridge on the same property.

But Walsmith said the freight terminal is "every bit as architecturally and historically significant" as the passenger train station. He noted the freight depot represents the working class blue-collar history of the railroad, while the passenger station represents the "ritzy side of train travel."

Ferguson agreed, noting that the passenger station the Clinton library is preserving was segregated, with separate white and black waiting areas, while the freight depot "was probably one of the most integrated places in the city of Little Rock at the turn of the century."

"Black people and white people unloaded their freight at the same depot, working shoulder to shoulder," he stated.

Preservationists say the only person who can save the historic freight depot now is the former president himself.

Ferguson said the city of Little Rock refuses to allow the issue to be discussed at meetings of the board of directors because they simply want it to go away.

Pfeifer believes Clinton's "judgment is clouded by his private interest in this particular issue" and is not optimistic the depot will be saved.

The Clinton Presidential Foundation would not return repeated calls for comment. When a spokesman, Jordan Johnson, finally did respond, he would only speak off the record. Skip Rutherford, president of the Clinton foundation, told the Associated Press last month the foundation had already "spent hundreds of thousands of dollars" on the architectural plans for the library and changing those plans now would not be feasible.

The Clinton Foundation and the city of Little Rock maintain that the passenger station and the railroad tracks are budgeted to cost the foundation almost seven million dollars in historic preservation.

But Ferguson says that seven million dollar figure is "a fudge."

"The passenger station was restored 10-15 years ago" and the bridge "is just a bridge." He said most of the money the library foundation claims to be spending on preservation is going to "accommodate bicyclists and handicapped pedestrians. That doesn't go for restoration, that goes for adaptive use and it's not really preservation."

Dale Charles, spokesman for the NAACP in Little Rock, declined to comment on the planned destruction of the historic freight depot. "I don't know enough about it to make a comment at this time," he stated.

At last week's CBC dinner, Clinton said he was honored to be considered America's "first black president."

"I think it's a function of the work I have done, not just as president, but my whole public life to try to bridge the racial divide and the fact that even when I was a little boy, I had friends who were African-American," he explained.

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