Norfolk Southern unveiled plans on Tuesday to to donate its historic East Palestine Train Depot to the village of East Palestine.

The railroad company plans to restore and upgrade the exterior of the building and turn the interior into a blank space to allow the community to develop the property according to its own vision.

The company will provide a $100,000 grant to support the village's continued development of the space located on Market Street near downtown East Palestine.

Norfolk Southern Director of Corporate Giving, Kristin Wong says the company understands the historical significance of the train depot to the community.

"As I've talked with those who live in East Palestine, I heard early on that they wanted to own and determine the future of this central building. Today, we're partnering together to make that happen," Wong said.

The property dates back to the 1890s, but has remained dormant for decades. Norfolk Southern's ownership of the property stems from the acquisition of the rail line that runs through East Palestine in 1998.

This renovation signifies a milestone toward the village's goal of revitalizing the area following the disastrous Norfolk Southern train derailment back in early February.

Renovations are expected to begin between late August and early September and are expected to be completed by the summer of 2024.