Old Florida Longleaf Heartpine – How the Old Becomes New

The old Melting Pot building in Gainesville, Florida is now home to the Matheson History Museum’s Library and Archives.

Constructed in 1933, this building was originally the Gainesville Gospel Tabernacle and later became the Barrow Family Antique Store before it was most recently The Melting Pot Fondue restaurant. The building’s interior is being finished with the Goodwin Company’s Old Florida longleaf heart pine flooring reclaimed from old growth hurricane damaged forests. Harvesting these damaged trees does not contribute to deforestation and still produces a wood similar in hardness to Red Oak.

Goodwin’s flooring, laced with red toned growth rings, complement the building’s original ceiling beams, contributing to the authenticity and aesthetic of this historic Gainesville building. The Matheson received private donations and a $300,000 grant from the Florida Department of State’s Division of Historical Resources to help finance this adaptive reuse project, which was completed by Joyner Construction, Jay Reeves Associates, and Rudy Ditmar of Rudy’s Professional floor sanding.

We can’t wait to see this restoration finished and for the building to once again become a gathering place in our community!