Reimagining or rebuilding? A peek into the future at Railroad Square after tornadoes

The sun is out. The power is on. And in many places the tornadoes’ assault on Tallahassee last week is quickly giving way to other news.

But not in those spots where tree branches still sprawl across beds or pink insulation dangles from the kitchen fan, nor where business and store owners stare through the rafters at passing clouds and wonder where the future leads.

The Railroad Square Art District was one of the hardest hit sections of the city.

When reached hours after the tornado struck, Railroad Square Art Park owner Adam Kaye told the Democrat he was still shaken and not ready to talk about the widespread damage to the arts district.

In the past, Kaye has explored redeveloping the property while maintaining that "the heart and soul of Railroad Square has always been, and will continue to be, an eclectic blend of artists and creative entrepreneurs." But since the tornado outbreak, he has not spoken publicly about the future of the property. Instead, he and his sister and co-owner, Lily, pointed the Democrat to the Railroad Square Facebook page.

"We know you have lots of questions about what’s going on with your beloved Art District, and we will try to provide updates in between working with contractors, helping our tenants, meeting with Commissioners, and trying to ensure public safety," one post read.

While the "heart and soul" is hurting after the tornadoes peeled back roofs and soaked art and equipment, there are three proprietors who have landmark businesses in the square – who even as they talk about what may have been the worst day in their lives – offer hints of optimism and large doses of gratitude.

You can help: Fundraiser for Railroad Square set for Saturday in Downtown Tallahassee | Brew Bend

'Gone, baby, gone': Arts community grapples with next steps after Railroad Square tornadoes

The Mickee Faust Club: 'Friends of Faust' appear and offer hope that the hijinks will continue

Terry Galloway is the co-founder of the Mickee Faust Club, a venerable institution of tongue-in-cheek theatrical revelry incorporating LGBTQ themes and opening arms to seniors, those with disabilities, as well as adoring audiences.

Over decades, according to Galloway, “more than $100,000 of our own money has been invested in lighting, costumes, sets, and sound equipment.”

Yet last week, she saw much of that physical history disappear as the roof lifted off and wrapped around a tree; the rest of the ceiling fell in on the stage and seating; and all of the props, the sets, the lighting, the sound equipment, and costumes were drenched in torrential rain.

And yet, even as the storm’s last rumbles sounded in the distance, the “friends of Faust” began to appear.

“There were 35 or 40 people there — with their cars, their vans, U-Hauls they had rented — all helping to salvage what we could. There was even a Girl Scout troop that came to help us clean up.”

Galloway says that volunteers filled 50 large bags with wet costumes and took them to be cleaned.

Another friend rented storage space for Faust to store what was usable.

“All of the seating in the theater is gone,” she said. “Our lighting and light board not useable.”

And finally she said, “I would actually be reluctant to go back into that space.

But she adds more quietly, “What must happen now is a reimagining of Mickee Faust.”

“COCA is helping to find us another space, for which we are so appreciative. But what I really would love is for there to be another venue not only for us, but for other small theatre groups — Theatre With a Mission, Southern Shakespeare, the Irish Repertory Theatre that thrive in this community. A 'funky' space, a modest place, where we can bind with other theatre ensembles without a home."

For now, Galloway is concentrating on figuring out how to put on the two shows already rehearsed.

“We’ve been doing it for 17 years. We don’t want to stop now.”

A miracle at 621 Gallery: 'Artists make stuff out of nothing'

“It was grotesque!” says Josh Johnson, owner of the 621 Art Gallery steps from Mickee Faust’s destroyed building. “It was around 8 a.m. and I was in my classroom at Godby High School where I teach, when I got the call.”

Johnson says he raced to Railroad Square and “it looked like a junkyard of tin and live electric wires.” A policeman who knew him let him onto the site to survey the damage at the gallery.

“There were punctures in the ceiling and the drywall lining the walls had come down, insulation and water everywhere.”

But miraculously, though Johnson had two artist’s work on display, “the dry wall that fell was between the hanging pieces. The art survived untouched.”

Maybe that had something to do with the slightly upbeat tone in Johnson’s voice.

“We’re artists and artists make stuff out of nothing. We see nothing and yet find inspiration.”

“I know that some other businesses fared much worse than we did," Johnson continued, "but we’ve been here for 45 years in this contemporary art space… We’d like to keep it going.”

Tallahassee Film Society: A temporary home as All Saints Cinema gets temporary IMAX upgrade

“We’ve been around 25 years,” says John Fraser, a co-founder of the Tallahassee Film Society, which operates All Saints Cinema. In 1999, Fraser described a group of friends who met together every six weeks for dessert and a film, and who decided they’d like to share the indie films and documentaries they loved with others.

They rented films and showed them at theaters around town. Then it happened, Fraser says, that he was also a “railroad buff” and spent lots of time at the old Amtrak station.

“In 2005 when Amtrak stops ended and the station was vacated, I approached the county about allowing us to use the space to show films. We’ve been here ever since— except during COVID and the renovation that followed.”

Indeed, for the year of COVID the TFS did not show films, and was shut for the following two years during which the city renovated the other half of the old station to become the Tallahassee Visitor’s Center.

“We had been open almost a year to the day when the tornadoes came through,” says Fraser.

And even though the roof of the theater was ripped off, and the seating thoroughly soaked, Fraser says that he thinks the old theater seats will survive with a cleaning.

“The screen is iffy, but I think can be cleaned and used.” The sound equipment — equalizers, speakers — did not fare as well.

And yet, “Just this morning (Wednesday) the county put on a new temporary roof — plywood and the like.” He says the building is secured, with changed locks. And once its cleaned the popcorn machine will be up and popping again.

Fraser is hoping for some FEMA money to help with more substantial costs and understands that once more is known there will be a fundraiser for all affected businesses in the Railroad Square Art District. He hopes they all survive.

But with a big breath and a sudden lift in his voice, Fraser says that the TFS just got some “wonderful news” on Wednesday. “Alan Hanstein, the Executive Director of the Challenger Learning Center and the IMAX theater told us that we will be invited to show our films there. " 'Not a problem,' he said!”

Fraser jumped at the invitation. The Tallahassee Film Society will show its first film “Taking Venice,” on May 24 and 25 at its new temporary home.

Marina Brown can be contacted at: mcdb100@comcast.net.

CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story had the wrong last name for gallery owner Josh Johnson and included an inaccurate characterization about Railroad Square Owner Adam Kaye's reaction after the storm.

How to help

For ways to help, contact:

John Fraser at filmnews@tallahasseefilms.com

Terry Galloway at TLGalloway@aol.com

Josh Johnson at 621galleryinc@gmail.com

This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Railroad Square landmarks 'reimagining' future after tornado strike