Mayor Byron Brown says $700,000 is now earmarked for the restoration. He says it's the culmination of more than 20 years of continuous efforts by Hamlin Park neighbors and elected leaders.

It was the largest building in Hamlin Park at the time of its construction and was once a stop on the Underground Railroad.

Brown says the building will eventually serve as a meeting place for the Hamlin Park Taxpayers and Community Association and will be open to historians and those interested in cultural tourism. © Copyright 2009, WBFO