Railroad Square
{{Short description|Art district in Tallahassee, Florida, USA}}
{{Use American English|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox park
| name = Railroad Square Art District
| photo = Railroad Square Art Park Gallery 621 inside.JPG
| photo_caption = Inside Gallery 621
| type = Public Art Space and Shopping
| location = 661 Railroad Square, Tallahassee, Florida, United States
| area = {{convert|10|acre}}
| established = {{start date and age|1970}}
| website = {{URL|https://www.artdistrict.com/railroad-square}}
}}
Railroad Square Art District is an arts, culture and entertainment district of Tallahassee, Florida, located off Railroad Avenue (south of the Amtrak station and FAMU), filled with a variety of metal art sculptures and murals, and stores selling artwork and collectibles.
In 2021, a skateable art park was added in partnership with Team Pain.{{cite web | url=https://www.wtxl.com/news/local-news/blueprint-intergovernmental-agency-in-final-planning-stages-for-new-skate-park | title=Blueprint Intergovernmental Agency in final planning stages for new skate park | date=21 January 2021 }} The skatepark features Florida's longest snake-run.{{cite web | url=https://skatethestates.com/skateable-art-park-skatepark-in-tallahassee/ | title=New $2.8 Million Skateable Art Park in Tallahassee | Skate the States | date=27 July 2022 }}
History
Railroad Square Art District is the site of the former McDonnell Lumber Company, and most of the warehouses there were originally constructed in the 1940s. The property later became the Downtown Industrial Park.{{cite web | url=https://www.theclio.com/entry/85884 | title=Railroad Square Art District }} Railroad Square claims to have originated as a World War II-era rail yard.{{cite web | url=https://www.artdistrict.com/railroad-square | title=RAILROAD SQUARE Art District }}{{better source needed|date=January 2025}}
In the 1950s it was acquired by The Boynton Family, who renamed the site to Railroad Square in the 1980s. The park is now owned by Lily and Adam Boynton Kaye.{{cite news |last1=Ensley |first1=Gerald |title=Railroad Square Art Park began as sawmill, lumber yard |url=https://www.tallahassee.com/story/life/2014/05/30/railroad-square-art-park-began-sawmill-lumber-yard/9778607/ |access-date=25 April 2022 |work=Tallahassee Democrat |date=31 May 2014}} The site has hosted a microbrewery, rock climbing gym, art galleries, art studios, and vintage shops, with over 70 tenants. Most tenants are located within railroad warehouses.{{citation needed |date=January 2025}}
In January 2019, discussion began on the construction of a Hyatt hotel at the entrance of the park. The decision was met with a mixed reaction from the park’s pre-existing tenants.{{cite news |last1=Waters |first1=TaMaryn |title=New Hyatt House Hotel brings excitement, anxiety for Railroad Square |url=https://www.tallahassee.com/story/news/money/2019/01/22/new-hyatt-house-hotel-brings-excitement-concern-railroad-square/2602722002/ |access-date=25 April 2022 |work=Tallahassee Democrat |date=22 Jan 2019}} The hotel opened in February of 2021,{{cite web |title=Olympia Hotel Management Opens Hyatt House Tallahassee Capitol – University in Florida |url=https://www.hotel-online.com/press_releases/release/olympia-hotel-management-opens-hyatt-house-tallahassee-capitol-university-in-florida/ |website=Hotel Online |access-date=25 April 2022}} and in December of 2021, it was sold to the minority-owned hoteliers Noble Investment Group.{{cite news |last1=Waters |first1=TaMaryn |title=Hyatt House site at Railroad Square Art District sold to minority-owned hotelier group |url=https://www.tallahassee.com/story/money/2021/12/17/hyatt-house-railroad-square-art-district-sold-hotelier-group/8926120002/ |access-date=25 April 2022 |work=Tallahassee Democrat |date=17 Dec 2021}}
=Tornado damage=
{{main|2024 Tallahassee tornadoes}}
On May 10, 2024, the Railroad Square Art District was struck by an EF2 tornado, one of two in Tallahassee that day.{{cite web | url=https://www.tallahassee.com/story/news/2024/05/23/tornado-a-double-blow-for-railroad-square-tenant-and-red-cross-helper/73797124007/ | title=Tornado damage hits home for 3D printing CEO, Railroad Square tenant, Red Cross volunteer }}{{cite web | url=https://www.wctv.tv/2024/05/21/railroad-square-owners-call-city-county-leaders-step-art-district-faces-extensive-storm-cleanup/ | title=Railroad Square owners call on city, county leaders to step in as art district faces extensive storm cleanup | date=21 May 2024 }} Damage was compared to that of Hurricane Andrew in Miami, with one art gallery being entirely destroyed. Multiple buildings in the vicinity of the art district lost their roofs.{{cite web |url=https://www.yahoo.com/news/tallahassees-railroad-square-hit-hard-215714770.html |title=Tallahassee's Railroad Square hit hard by possible tornado. See the damage from above |first1=Ana |last1=Goñi-Lessan |date=11 May 2024 }} Railroad Square was reopened relatively quickly following the tornado. Various businesses suffered severe damage, with one closing permanently. The owners of Railroad Square stated that the building will never be able to be completely rebuilt due to the site's historic warehouse housing conflicting with modern building codes.{{cite web |url=https://www.fsunews.com/story/entertainment/arts/2024/10/07/railroad-square-business-owners-share-their-tornado-recovery-process/75513079007/ |title=Railroad recovery: Railroad Square business owners share their tornado recovery process |first1=Dulce |last1=Ordonez |date=7 October 2024 |access-date=26 February 2025 |publisher=FSU News }}
Art and Galleries
A large portion of the spaces at Railroad Square are occupied by art studios. There are also a couple of galleries which host painting parties and arts and crafts events.{{cite web |title=Business Directory |url=https://www.artdistrict.com/directory |website=Art District |access-date=25 April 2022}}
=Mickee Faust Club=
The Mickee Faust Club is a prominent local community theater organization that has been operating in Tallahassee since 1987{{cite web |title=Mickee Faust Club |url=https://visittallahassee.com/partners/mickee-faust-club/ |website=Visit Tallahassee |access-date=25 April 2022}} that operates an LGBTQ+ and disabled-inclusive venue on the south side of Railroad Square.{{cite news |last1=Halvorson |first1=Sandra |title=The Mickee Faust Club: Rules-averse theater is governed by the spirit of inclusivity |url=https://www.tallahasseemagazine.com/the-mickee-faust-club/ |access-date=25 April 2022 |work=Tallahassee Magazine |date=28 Feb 2022}}
First Fridays
On the first Friday of every month for the past twenty years, the district hosts the ‘First Friday Gallery Hop’ (known locally as ‘First Fridays’), an event in the evening featuring live music, open galleries, and food trucks.{{cite web |title=First Friday is Back at Railroad Square Art District |url=https://www.tallahasseearts.org/event/first-friday-is-back-at-railroad-square-art-district/ |website=Tallahassee Arts Guide |access-date=25 April 2022}} Business owners at Railroad Square report that these events are a crucial source of income.{{cite news |last1=Cho |first1=Micah |date=23 Apr 2021 |title=First Friday to return to Railroad Square June 4 |url=https://www.wtxl.com/news/local-news/first-friday-to-return-to-railroad-square-june-4 |access-date=25 April 2022 |work=WTXL Tallahassee}}
Gallery
File:Railroad Square Art Park.JPG|Entrance to Railroad Square.
File:Railroad Square Art Park Gallery 621.JPG|Typical First Friday night.
File:Railroad Square Art Park Mickee Faust.JPG|Mickee Faust Club House.
File:Damage Points SDE image-20240511-191417.jpg|Tornado damage at Railroad Square from May 10, 2024.
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.railroadsquare.com/ Railroad Square Website]
{{coord|30.433|-84.292|display=title}}
Category:Neighborhoods in Tallahassee, Florida