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FORT MADISON, IOWA -- You can watch efforts to revitalize Fort Madison's historic train depot from the comfort of your own home.

Check out this time lapse video of the work done to the Santa Fe Depot on Fort Madison's City Website. The project was completed late last year.

The renovation project was done in four phases. In the video you can clearly see the first phase of the project which elevated three buildings by about five feet. This was done to protect the depot from any potential flooding in the future.

Thanks to the $3 million dollar project, the old Railroad Depot along Fort Madison's riverfront is back to its original job as the hub for Amtrak passengers getting on and off the train.

The depot is listed on the National Register of Historic Places—and is now located above the projected high-water mark of a 500 year flood. The Iowa Historical Society, which is also the State Historic Preservation Office, agreed that the elevation of the buildings was the best solution to avoid repeated flooding that might threaten their structural integrity. Click here to read more from Great American Train Stations.

Work was done in four phases.  First the buildings were raised and attached to new foundations. Second the parking lot was raised, graded, and paved. The third phase included constructing a concrete platform with edging and a canopy. The fourth step was renovating the interior to accommodate Amtrak and museum functions.

The total cost for the project was $3.2 million dollars. Nearly $1.5 million to renovate the depot came from the Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA) Transportation Enhancements program, with the city providing a $753,227 local match.

Click here to watch the video.