{"id":90231,"date":"2014-10-13T11:01:48","date_gmt":"2014-10-13T16:01:48","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.bismarckcafe.com\/blogs\/?p=90231"},"modified":"2014-10-13T11:24:42","modified_gmt":"2014-10-13T16:24:42","slug":"depot-plaza-concept-moving-forward-under-new-owner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bismarckcafe.com\/blogs\/90231\/depot-plaza-concept-moving-forward-under-new-owner","title":{"rendered":"Depot Plaza Concept Moving Forward Under New Owner"},"content":{"rendered":"

Local businessman Dale Zimmerman<\/a>, owner of Peacock Alley<\/a> and 40 Steak+Sea Food<\/a>, has purchased the former Northern Pacific train depot<\/a> with plans to proceed with a proposed Depot Plaza concept, the Bismarck Tribune reports<\/a>.<\/p>\n

First proposed in the Downtown\u00a0SubArea Plan,\u00a0Depot Plaza will replace the existing parking lot with a community-focused hub that will feature such activities as winter ice skating and summer festivals. The project will cost an\u00a0estimated $5 million and is expected to be funded\u00a0privately.<\/p>\n

Depot Plaza will result in the elimination of one of downtown’s largest parking lots, which holds 96 vehicles… many\u00a0of which designated for the depot’s long-time restaurant Fiesta Villa.<\/p>\n

For the time being, Fiesta Villa<\/a> will remain housed inside the historic depot and\u00a0its patrons can continue using the parking lot. Within two years, however, the parking lot is expected to be eliminated for the Plaza.<\/p>\n

According to the Tribune article, Zimmerman urges Fiesta Villa customers to utilize the downtown parking ramps, particularly the Third Street ramp, which is free during\u00a0non-peak hours.<\/p>\n

The building was constructed in 1900 as a passenger depot for Northern Pacific Railroad\u00a0to replace its former depot, which was destroyed in the 1898 Fire<\/a>. In the early days of the depot, the site was home to Depot Park – one of the city’s first parks. Prior to the depot’s construction, the site\u00a0housed Sheridan House Hotel<\/a>, which was forced to relocate. After merging with Northern Pacific, Burlington Northern continued using the depot until discontinuing service in the mid-1970s. Fiesta Villa opened in the building in 1977.<\/p>\n

Read more:<\/p>\n