ARTSCULTURE · HISTORICAL MARKER
Golden Gate Building
Arts & Culture
11
Built in 1925 by R.I. Robb Construction Co. for the Golden Gate Development Company, the Golden Gate Building is one of Martin County's most distinctive historic structures. The two-story trapezoidal building was designed in the Mission/Mediterranean Revival style and featured interlocking hollow clay tile. The words "GOLDEN GATE" appear in raised stucco on the facade. Its elaborate roof line, with clay barrel tiles and decorative brackets, contains a parapet topped with spindles and an inset for a bell. The arched main-entrance doors are flanked by pilasters with composite order capitals, and the pilasters support a second-story wrought iron balconet. The building originally served as the office for the Golden Gate Development Co. In 1926, the Port Sewall post office moved in, and when Port Sewall incorporated in 1927, the building became town hall. After the dissolution of the Golden Gate Development Company in 1940, the building was sold to the Church of God at Port Sewall. In 1952, it became the residence of renowned artist of Seminole culture James Hutchinson and his family. In 2011, Hutchinson was inducted into the Florida Artist Hall of Fame, and his artwork remains on the walls in the stairwell. Ownership changed several more times, and the building was vacant after 1959. Under threat of demolition by neglect, the Golden Gate Neighborhood Advisory Committee requested in 2002 that Martin County purchase the building. Restoration began shortly thereafter with contributions from Martin County and the Community Development Agency and historic preservation grant funds from the Florida Department of State. The 2004-2005 stabilization included the installation of interior metal studs for wall support, new trusses, and a new roof. Replacement windows and doors, stucco repairs, and exterior painting were completed in 2007. The Friends of the Historic Golden Gate Community, Inc. was formed in 2008 to support the project's completion. Martin County leased the building to House of Hope Inc., which managed the interior finishing and the addition of restrooms and an elevator, transforming it into the Golden Gate Enrichment Center. The Golden Gate Building was listed on the Martin County Historic Places in 2017. Constructed as a showcase for the Golden Gate development, it continues to serve as an important symbol of the neighborhood.
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