Historic Southern Pacific Railroad Depot moving to Willow Springs Park

­The City of Long Beach moved parts of the historic 107-year-old Southern Pacific Railroad Depot overnight Wednesday, Jan. 28 from the Public Service Yard on San Francisco Avenue to a new site at Willow Springs Park, where it is expected to serve as an interpretive center after being renovated. However, the main portion of the historic structure was yet to be fully relocated as of press time on Thursday afternoon. City spokesperson Ed Kamlan confirmed that the full move was postponed until overnight on Wednesday, Feb. 4 because of safety concerns, adding that additional information would soon be available.
“We’re all very excited to see this nearly forgotten Long Beach landmark get a new life at Willow Springs Park,” said Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia. “This project is a great example of the historic preservation and adaptive reuse that is happening all over Long Beach.”
Seventh District Councilmember Roberto Uranga on Wednesday said the depot will bring an added element of excitement and history to Willow Springs Park. “From its careful breakdown to tonight’s relocation, much buzz has been created amongst the Long Beach community, and the 7th District welcomes what will surely be another great Long Beach landmark,” Uranga said.
The depot, originally built in 1907 near Broadway and Pacific Avenue, is the sole survivor of the three railroad stations that once served Downtown Long Beach around the turn of the last century. It was relocated once before, in 1936, to the Public Service Yard on San Francisco Avenue near West Anaheim Street, where it served for many years as the City’s Material and Chemical Testing Laboratory before being used for storage.
The depot is being moved to the southwest corner of Willow Springs Park, near the site of former railroad tracks that had been used by the Los Angeles and Salt Lake Railroad.
The depot is 66 feet long and 30 feet, and it was built in the Mission Revival style. Partial deconstruction of the depot is necessary to reduce its overall height in order to fit under overhead wires and traffic signals, according to the City. The depot will be reassembled and then begin a multi-year restoration process prior to being re-opened to the public.
The first phase of Willow Springs Park, bordered by Orange and California avenues and Willow and Spring streets, opened in November 2012. The park features an ADA-accessible path and parking stalls, fencing, native shrubs and trees, seating, and a plaza with an integrated map depicting the Los Angeles basin watershed. The park will ultimately consist of 47 acres of developed parkland, according to the City.
Source: City of LB ß­