Gainesville commission unanimously approves local historic designation for Florida Theater on first reading

The Gainesville City Commission voted unanimously at a January 2025 meeting to place the Florida Theater, at 233 West University Avenue, on the city's local register of historic places on first reading under Ordinance No. 2024-879.

The designation, presented by the city's historic preservation officer, was intended to make the property eligible for local and federal preservation grants, tax incentives and other program support that can be stacked to help finance a planned restoration to a live-music venue.

Kathleen Kaufman, the city's historic preservation officer, gave the commission a historical overview, noting the theater opened Sept. 10, 1928, originally seated about 800 people, and later housed the Great Southern Music Hall. Kaufman said the building retains much of its neoclassical exterior despite decades of alteration and periods of vacancy and heavy wear. She told commissioners the designation "is something very positive and very beautiful for the community," and that the…