Tryon Town Council recognized Andy Millard on Tuesday, Sept. 27 for his work in restoring the town’s 1906 train depot.
Millard paid to have the depot restored to house his business, Millard & Company, in exchange for a 20-year, $1-per-year lease of the building.
The town granted the lease in May 2010 and Millard occupied the restored building on Jan. 1, 2011. Millard was expected to spend an estimated $250,000 on the restoration.
Millard said the project would not have been accomplished if it weren’t for the Tryon Town Council.
“Thank you so much,” Millard said. “It’s a great honor and I appreciate it.”
Tryon Mayor Alan Peoples presented Millard with a proclamation recognizing him for the depot project.
Peoples said, “Andy Millard, whose proactive civic generosity, by means of personal vision and use of personal funds, has considerably enhanced a significant, historic downtown property and architectural focal point and created a vibrant business and gathering place in Tryon’s Central Business District.”
Millard was complimented for his work in coordinating with the Tryon Downtown Development Association’s Streetscape master plan and for his hiring of local contractors to enhance the local economy.
Brady/Trakas Architects was also recognized for its assistance in the project.
“Millard’s renovation of the 1906 Tryon Depot serves as a shining magnanimous example to inspire others to similar civic acts and contributions to benefit our entire community,” read the proclamation.
Following is the proclamation approved by Tryon Town Council on Tuesday, Sept. 27 in recognition of Andy Millard, of Millard & Company’s restoration of the town’s 1906 depot.

WHEREAS, The Town of Tryon endeavors to promote awareness of and appreciation for Tryon’s historic architectural catalog; and further, to celebrate the selfless generosity of spirit by individuals who contribute to the preservation of our community’s historic architectural assets; and further, to recognize the powerful positive communal effects that these preservation efforts have in Tryon and Polk County to build citizen awareness of our local architectural history and to instill community pride through our collective sense of heritage; and
WHEREAS, Andy Millard entered into a public/private partnership with the Town of Tryon to renovate the 1906 Tryon Depot; and
WHEREAS, Andy Millard completed the Tryon Depot renovation with appropriate attention to historic preservation models, coordinating with the Tryon Downtown Development Association’s Streetscape Master Plan by Milone & MacBroom; and
WHEREAS, Andy Millard was assisted in this project by Brady/Trakas Architects of Tryon who developed the project plans with partial funding from an Economic Innovation Grant and a Building Reuse Pre-Development Grant from the North Carolina Rural Economic Development Center; and
WHEREAS, the 1906 Tryon Depot renovation project enhanced the local economy through employment of local skilled workers and local materials; and
WHEREAS, Andy Millard, whose proactive civic generosity, by means of personal vision and use of personal funds, has considerably enhanced a significant, historic downtown property and architectural focal point and created a vibrant business and gathering place in Tryon’s Central Business District; and
WHEREAS, Andy Millard’s renovation of the 1906 Tryon Depot serves as a shining magnanimous example to inspire others to similar civic acts and contributions to benefit our entire community; and
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED:
That, I, J. Alan Peoples, Mayor of the Town of Tryon, North Carolina, do hereby take great pride in proclaiming that the Town of Tryon honors Andy Millard for his outstanding service to the Town of Tryon and his fellow citizens of Tryon and Polk County.