Groveland Seizes Control of Centennial Train Depot

The City of Groveland now holds the deed to its downtown train depot, ending a nearly 20-year campaign to place the 101-year-old structure under municipal control. The transfer removes private ownership barriers, allowing the city to proceed with restoration and public use of the landmark.

City leaders have earmarked $500,000 for the initial phase of repairs. Construction is scheduled to begin in 2027. The long-term plan involves restoring the building, creating an event space, and constructing a historic brick plaza. Officials aim to establish a new entry point to downtown and link the area to nearby trails.

The property was privately held for decades. The Avalon Group and Carabao International were the most recent private owners. The depot originally functioned as a major rail connector between Sanford and St. Petersburg. For residents, the building represents the city’s early growth and the historical significance of rail travel in the community.

Vice Mayor Barbara Gaines framed the acquisition as a pivotal moment for the community. “You know, there are moments in a community’s life when a building becomes more than brick and mortar,” Gaines said. “It becomes a symbol, a symbol of what we have been, what we have endured, and who we choose to honor.”

The site is also linked to one of Florida’s most notorious racial injustice cases. In 1949, 16-year-old Charles Greenlee was arrested at the depot. Greenlee was one of the Groveland Four, four Black men whose convictions became a defining example of the state’s history of racial bias. Gaines noted that Greenlee was “convicted of a crime he did not commit,” tortured, and imprisoned for 11 years.

A statement from Greenlee’s daughter expressed gratitude to those who preserved the site’s history. “His spirit has been here for every key moment in the journey to justice,” the statement read. “Today, the Greenlee family is so thankful to so many people.”

Local resident Janet Baysinger O’Steen described the emotional weight of the transfer. “When I stepped into it today, it just brought back not specific memories, but it also brought back the importance of the depot to the community,” she said. She added that the project will bring “beautification and life and the history of Groveland, Florida,” ensuring the area is appreciated for its past rather than viewed as a small, rundown town.