Duluth, Norfolk Southern extend lease area near railway

The Duluth City Council recently approved a lease agreement with Norfolk Southern Railroad to extend the city’s lease area to include sections of railroad property between the StreetSmarts building and the proposed new 22,000-square-foot library. Courtesy City of Duluth

The Duluth City Council recently approved a lease agreement with Norfolk Southern Railroad to extend the city’s lease area to include sections of railroad property between the StreetSmarts building and the proposed new 22,000-square-foot library. Courtesy City of Duluth

The Duluth City Council recently approved a lease agreement with Norfolk Southern Railroad to extend the city’s lease area to include sections of railroad property between the StreetSmarts building and the proposed new 22,000-square-foot library. Use of this area adjacent to the rail line, which totals about 43,875 square feet requires an annual payment of $600.

Following execution of the lease, Duluth intends to submit a landscape improvement plan for railroad consideration that will remove volunteer trees and vegetation and replace the area with maintainable landscape materials.