Tallahassee Commissioners are asking its community redevelopment agency staff to look into buying a large portion of the Railroad Square Art District. While they want to explore that idea, some commissioners are already expressing concerns.
The Kaye siblings, owners of the district, are giving the City of Tallahassee and its agencies first right of refusal to purchase the property. During Thursday’s CRA meeting, dozens of tenants and patrons of the arts district attended to ask the commissioners to save the art district.
One of them was Kevin Cole, owner of Cap City Video Lounge. He says Railroad Square has allowed creative businesses like his to thrive.
“I look around at every other local business in the square that collectively makes up this singular one-of-a-kind hub, and I realize the Cap City video lounge story is not unique. The creators and local businesses that make up the art district stand in stark contrast to the veritable cornucopia of high-end hotels and corporate fast-food shacks,” he said.
Another was Edward Dines, member of the Mickee Faust club community theater group. He says the district is part of what makes the city unique.
“Tallahassee doesn't have a beach. We don't have a theme park. We don't even really have an airport, to say. But, we have Railroad Square. We have the humanity. We have the love that brings people from everywhere, poor, rich, young, old, everyone together,” he said
Halfway through the speakers, City Commissioner Curtis Richardson said he would make a motion to have staff explore the options to buy the district.
“Obviously we have a lot of community interest in preserving and protecting railroad square in the Art Park, and I'm there as well,” he said.
The commission voted 4-1 on his motion, with Mayor John Dailey opposing it. Commissioner Dianne Williams-Cox supported the motion, but expressed some concerns about what the final options would look like. She believes what happens to the district rests with the owners.
“I also want to want to make this, this clear as well, that what happens to Railroad Square does not live and die on what this body does, because Mr. Kaye has options to that. He could preserve this set up himself, or seek assistance somewhere else,” she said.
This issue comes at a pivotal political time for Richardson. He came in second to a challenger during Tuesday’s primary, but the future of his seat will be decided during a runoff during the general election. The next CRA meeting, where the Railroad Square agenda item will come up, is a few weeks before that election.
Expect the future of Railroad Square to be a major issue in his race going forward.