The future of the Huntsville Depot and its surrounding area holds endless possibilities as the city explores redevelopment of the historic site.

One option not on the table is razing the 165-year old landmark, or even giving it a major overhaul, as per the city’s agreement with the Alabama Historical Commission. However, changes will be made, carefully limited to preserve the Depot’s historical integrity.

“We want to preserve history,” Mayor Tommy Battle said at a Tuesday press conference, announcing a new initiative to gather public input on how to repurpose the seven-acre site off Church Street, just north of the town square.

“We want to preserve these iconic pieces of property sitting right here, and we want to make sure it’s something very, very special for the City of Huntsville.’’

Meanwhile, Battle said city administrators have devised a plan that includes a website page dedicated to the project, as well as a public survey. The public survey can be found by visiting: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/DepotVision.

Additionally, two public meetings to gather input have been set for Tuesday, July 15 from 5–7 p.m. and Wednesday, July 16 at 10 a.m. at The Roundhouse, 398 Monroe St., and more are expected to follow.

“It’s time for us to imagine how this Depot and this seven-acre site can serve future generations,’’ Battle said. “Our Manager of Urban and Long-Range Planning, Dennis Madsen, and our city Preservationist, Katie Stamps, are leading a master planning process to help us work through what’s possible and then what’s feasible to do with this property. This is where everybody comes in. We want to hear from the community about what you wanna see on this site.’’

The mayor offered suggestions, including an entertainment venue, cafés, retail shops, business offices, educational spaces, a weekly farmers market, a wellness area with Pilates and spin classes, a climbing wall, and even a square dancing facility.

“There’s so many things that could be done right here,’’ Battle said. “But, it needs to be something that everybody gets to weigh in on.’’

Information with data, including what can or can’t be done at the site, can be found at the city website.

“We’re particularly excited about this because there’s a lot of opportunity on this site,’’ Madsen said. “When you look around downtown and you see how much growth is happening – we have new apartments, we have new offices that either have been built or are being built. We even have a new (bus) transit center just a few blocks away.

“There’s a lot of activity happening around the site that the site can contribute to, that can be an amenity and can generate more interest in the site. So we think there’s a lot of opportunity here, and we’re really keen to engage the public.’’

The Depot opened in 1860 as Norfolk Southern Railway regional headquarters for the Memphis & Charleston Railroad. It didn’t take long for the Depot, a key rail route for the South during the Civil War, to become local legend when the Union Army rolled into the Tennessee Valley and occupied Huntsville in 1862. The troops left after a brief stay, but returned in 1863 and remained until the end of the war.

Confederate soldiers and Southern sympathizers were jailed on the Depot’s third floor, where they left graffiti on the walls. Local houses and other buildings were commandeered.

The Depot went dormant in 1968 and eventually became part of the Early Works Museum. The museum returned operation of the Depot to the city last October.

The property includes the historic Depot, baggage platform, and associated outbuildings; a 1980s-era reproduction of the Roundhouse and turntable; a Victorian-style house replica; an open-air pavilion; a vintage train engine; as well as parking areas and a greenway that connects to Gateway Park and downtown.

“The idea is to dream big and think outside the box,’’ Stamps said. “We’re looking for creative ideas that breathe new life into the Depot and honor the history of this special place. I see so much potential for this site to become a community destination once again. I encourage everyone to take our online survey, and I can’t wait to hear ideas from the public.’’

The Depot is listed on the National Register of Historic Places (1971) and the Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage (2002).

“This is just an opening shot of this whole process that we’re gonna go through,’’ Battle said of Tuesday’s media event. “It could be a long process, but when we do it we want to do it right.’’