Stephens County — The Stephens County Historical Society is planning for a large expansion.

Historical Society officials presented plans last week at a meeting of the Toccoa Historic Preservation Commission for a 4,000-square-foot expansion to the society’s current facility at the train depot on Alexander Street in downtown Toccoa.

Historical Society Board Member Steve Tilley said the expansion will provide much-needed space.

“That will house a larger bookstore, offices for our staff, a research room and library, storage, a little larger kitchen, and also a much larger Mitchell Allen Meeting Room,” Tilley said.

According to Tilley, the current Mitchell Allen Meeting Room will become additional exhibit space for items that the Historical Society currently keeps in storage.

Tilley went on to say the estimated cost of the project is $270,000.

“We will have to go out and seek some assistance for furnishings and that sort of thing on the interior,” Tilley said. “I think we are doing real well with that, so we are very excited to get the project underway.”

Historical Society officials are meeting with representatives from the Historic Preservation Commission to iron out the final design plans for the building’s exterior. During the meeting where Historical Society representatives presented the plans, members of the Preservation Commission expressed concerns about the positioning of the building, wanting to know if it could be aligned parallel to the railroad tracks, as was done traditionally with buildings constructed along rail lines. The Historical Society’s plans called for the building to be constructed at a slight angle.

Tilley said once the two sides iron out that issue, he feels work could begin quickly. He said the Historical Society would like to complete the addition by October.