Tallahassee’s beloved Railroad Square Art District may be on the brink of major changes. With the Tallahassee Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) rejecting a proposal to purchase the property many are wondering–what’s next?
An intense CRA meeting last month which featured city commissioners, Railroad Square business owners, and community members, ended with the future of the art district up in the air. The CRA unanimously voted against purchasing the property, but they ultimately decided to collaborate with the Railroad Square Revitalization Cohort to find financial suitors.
Since the mid 1970’s the Railroad Square Art District has been a cornerstone of Tallahassee culture and has become a hub for arts and entertainment in the city. In May 2024, a viscous tornado ripped through Tallahassee causing severe damages to business in the district. After struggling to financially support the property, Railroad Square owners Adam and Lily Kaye informed the city that it would no longer be sustainable for them to maintain sole ownership of Railroad Square Art District, offering to sell a portion of the land to the city.
If the city were to purchase the property, they would have full control of how it is used. The Kayes have also announced that they could potentially sell the property to developers or to a government entity.
Commissioner Jacqueline Porter said that she is concerned about the freedom that private investors and developers would have if they were to purchase the property and how it could affect the current business owners in the arts park.
“If someone is going in there with the intent to simply make money…then that’s not likely to be compatible with what railroad square is today,” said Porter. “Once it’s sold, that’s the end of it. There is no requirement for anyone to work with them or maintain any integrity.”
Porter also said that business owners and employees attended last month’s meeting in droves seeking answers from the CRA. Many of them shared their stories and the impact that the arts park has had on them.
“Both of our owners have attended the meetings, and a couple of our employees have as well, ” said Billy Lister, the manager of Kamelion Kava and Coffee. “I gave whoever wanted to attend time off and usually I work their shift for them,” he said.
While Lister believes their business is slated to be okay, he acknowledges that Railroad Square is another home to many in the community and that the loss of businesses will be detrimental to the arts community in Tallahassee.
“A lot of businesses that are around have a very strong customer base, there are people who go there every single day and it’s important to them,” said Lister. “A lot of people are going to end up losing their third space that is not home or school.”
If the property were to be sold to an outside developer, it could potentially be used for more student housing. Railroad Square is less than a mile away from the campuses of Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University and Florida State University. While some students may like the idea of housing that is walking distance from their campus, others appreciate what the arts district already offers.
“I would rather the arts district be used as a community for artists,” said Taria Burch, a pharmacy student at FAMU. “It’s a great venue set up for many things to take place.” Burch also mentioned some of the difficulties of adding more student housing into that section of town. “If student housing was placed there, traffic would be even worse with student housing,” she said.
The discussion will continue during the next CRA meeting on February 10.