Railroad Square

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Railroad Square Art District
Railroad Square Art Park Gallery 621 inside.JPG
Inside Gallery 621
Railroad Square
TypePublic Art Space and Shopping
Location661 Railroad Square, Tallahassee, Florida, United States
Area10 acres (4.0 ha)
Established1970;55 years ago (1970)
Website 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.

Contents

In 2021, a skateable art park was added in partnership with Team Pain. [1] The skatepark features Florida's longest snake-run. [2]

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. [3] Railroad Square claims to have originated as a World War II-era rail yard. [4] [ better source needed ]

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. [5] 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 ]

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. [6] The hotel opened in February of 2021, [7] and in December of 2021, it was sold to the minority-owned hoteliers Noble Investment Group. [8]

Tornado damage

On May 10, 2024, the Railroad Square Art District was struck by an EF2 tornado, one of two in Tallahassee that day. [9] [10]

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. [11]

Mickee Faust Club

The Mickee Faust Club is a prominent local community theater organization that has been operating in Tallahassee since 1987 [12] that operates an LGBTQ+ and disabled-inclusive venue on the south side of Railroad Square. [13]

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. [14] Business owners at Railroad Square report that these events are a crucial source of income. [15]

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References

  1. ↑ "Blueprint Intergovernmental Agency in final planning stages for new skate park". 21 January 2021.
  2. ↑ "New $2.8 Million Skateable Art Park in Tallahassee | Skate the States". 27 July 2022.
  3. ↑ "Railroad Square Art District".
  4. ↑ "RAILROAD SQUARE Art District".
  5. ↑ Ensley, Gerald (31 May 2014). "Railroad Square Art Park began as sawmill, lumber yard". Tallahassee Democrat. Retrieved 25 April 2022.
  6. ↑ Waters, TaMaryn (22 Jan 2019). "New Hyatt House Hotel brings excitement, anxiety for Railroad Square". Tallahassee Democrat. Retrieved 25 April 2022.
  7. ↑ "Olympia Hotel Management Opens Hyatt House Tallahassee Capitol – University in Florida". Hotel Online. Retrieved 25 April 2022.
  8. ↑ Waters, TaMaryn (17 Dec 2021). "Hyatt House site at Railroad Square Art District sold to minority-owned hotelier group". Tallahassee Democrat. Retrieved 25 April 2022.
  9. ↑ "Tornado damage hits home for 3D printing CEO, Railroad Square tenant, Red Cross volunteer".
  10. ↑ "Railroad Square owners call on city, county leaders to step in as art district faces extensive storm cleanup". 21 May 2024.
  11. ↑ "Business Directory". Art District. Retrieved 25 April 2022.
  12. ↑ "Mickee Faust Club". Visit Tallahassee. Retrieved 25 April 2022.
  13. ↑ Halvorson, Sandra (28 Feb 2022). "The Mickee Faust Club: Rules-averse theater is governed by the spirit of inclusivity". Tallahassee Magazine. Retrieved 25 April 2022.
  14. ↑ "First Friday is Back at Railroad Square Art District". Tallahassee Arts Guide. Retrieved 25 April 2022.
  15. ↑ Cho, Micah (23 Apr 2021). "First Friday to return to Railroad Square June 4". WTXL Tallahassee. Retrieved 25 April 2022.

30°25′59″N84°17′31″W / 30.433°N 84.292°W / 30.433; -84.292

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