PORT ALLEN - What was once a train depot in Port Allen is being transformed into a new welcome center.

The building has been given new windows, a fresh coat of paint and a new fence surrounding the property, though some work is still underway.

The second phase of the project began in September and will focus on the interior.

"Phase Two, we will start with the furniture, moving the furniture inside. Everything is freshly painted and the floors are freshly done inside," Port Allen Mayor Terecita Pattan said.

The center is expected to open in December and will offer resources for visitors.

"We're going to put racks with our brochures. We're going to put things that have to do with Port Allen, with our schools and just the history of Port Allen," Pattan said.

A message board is also being considered to keep the broader community informed.

"We do have another small surprise that could be coming. We're looking for a message board. I've said it in interviews before; I hate sticking signs in the ground and banners in the ground," Pattan said.

The renovated space will also preserve nods to the building's history as a train depot while Port Allen looks ahead.