After it appeared plans to redevelop the site were pulling out of the station, the former Ahnapee & Western Railway depot will likely stay put for now.

Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding had been eying the site for rezoning so it could build a new paint shop in anticipation of assisting Fincantieri Marinette Marine with its U.S. Navy contract to build Constellation-class frigates. Those plans changed when the Navy canceled the Constellation frigate program, opting instead to finish the two ships currently under construction and launch a new battleship program announced last week by the Trump administration.

In the weeks since, Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding has told the city it is no longer seeking rezoning at this time, hoping future contract opportunities may allow it to revisit the idea.

That means the status quo for the former train depot building, at least for the time being. The Sturgeon Bay Common Council passed a resolution in October stating the city would be interested in acquiring the depot and putting it to use if it could identify a public purpose. Mayor David Ward said last month that because of the government shutdown, there was renewed interest in the depot as the community waited to see Bay Ship’s plans.

The Sturgeon Bay Historical Preservation Committee recommended the depot receive a local historic designation in April, though that recommendation was tabled in June. Built in 1914 as a passenger train depot, the building has been used as a brewery, restaurant, theater and storage space in the years since it last saw passenger service in 1937 and freight service in 1969.