HISTORY
The Dutton cotton gin circa 1883, located where South Main Station is now. Photo courtesy of the Matheson History Museum.
The town of Gainesville was founded and named as the county seat in 1854, after it was decided that the first Florida Railroad would run through what is now Depot Park. Like many southern towns, Gainesville’s pre-Civil War economy relied heavily on the labor of enslaved people. Cotton, citrus, and phosphate were shipped from Gainesville on the railroad. These exports were the reason Gainesville and many of its businesses prospered. In 1882, H.F. Dutton & Company purchased what is now South Main Station and built Gainesville’s largest cotton gin.
After the cotton gin burned down in 1907, the Baird Hardware Company purchased the property. In 1910, they built a warehouse for its proximity to the Gainesville Depot (the site of a Civil War skirmish four decades earlier) and access to Florida’s major rail lines. The railroad ran to the old Baird warehouse along South Main Street. South Main Station is located at the site of the old Baird Hardware Company Warehouse; the historic brick building stands largely unaltered today. You can still see what remains of the train tracks along the south deck.
OUR STORY
Hoch Shitama came to Gainesville to study Philosophy at The University of Florida. After getting his masters, he founded Akira Wood with the objective of creating beauty in the world through fine woodworking, inspired by both the Japanese and European traditions. In 1981, Hoch purchased the former Baird Hardware Warehouse property for his burgeoning woodworking business.
Shortly after moving into the Baird Center, Akira landed its first major job: reproducing 203 legislative desks for the Old Florida Capitol Building, followed by the Speaker’s and Supreme Court Justices’ benches. This catapulted Akira into the premium architectural woodwork market. After more than 45 years, the confluence of skilled creation and honored history informs our vision to build a charming community space.
Hoch and his wife Celeste raised five children in Gainesville, and three generations of their family now live here. Their oldest son, Ben Shitama, works with Hoch at Akira. South Main Station is the manifestation of a vision to carry the legacy of Akira’s work and its historic space into the next generation. Mariko Shitama, the oldest daughter, will continue to develop this dream with her dad and the help of her siblings.
Akira Wood in the early days, circa 1979
OUR VISION
Akira has created beautiful spaces throughout the country for four decades. Now, we want to add to the beauty and charm of our hometown. We hope to bring all the things we love into one place: good food, drink, music, art, and community. South Main Station will be a vibrant neighborhood gathering place with a variety of indoor and outdoor spaces that promote connection–family, friends, couples, and colleagues can gather at SMS for an hour or a day. South Main Station will be a pedestrian-oriented redevelopment celebrating local business, sustainability, and the iconic history of the place.
SUSTAINABILITY
Our vision includes a commitment to sustainability and renewable energy. When approaching the Baird Center from the south, you can see most of the south-facing roofs are covered with panels to a 75 kilowatt solar electric system. Ours was the first large-scale system installed in Gainesville. We will continue to put ourselves at the forefront of creating a greener future.
A locomotive from the first Florida Railroad in Gainesville, Florida in 1881. Photo from the University of Florida.
