Gainesville honors local historic preservation champions
Published on May 14, 2025
At right, Gainesville Mayor Harvey Ward, far left, and Gainesville City Commissioner Ed Book, far right, join Ricky Ryan and Matty Pelletier (accepting on behalf of Thomas Santilli, the 2025 Restoration of Architectural Character Award recipient); Joe and Cindy Montalto, the 2025 Mary Besalski Barrow Award recipients; John Fleming of Trimark Properties, the 2025 Exceptional Restoration Award recipient; Deloris Rentz, the 2025 Vivian Washington Filer Award recipient; Melanie Barr, the 2025 Preservation Champion Award recipient; and Linda Dixon, 2025 E. L. Roy Hunt Award recipient.
It was an evening to celebrate the accomplishments of those who’ve helped Gainesville retain its unique historic buildings, cultural traditions and treasured sense of community.
In turn, this year’s recipients of the City of Gainesville’s Historic Preservation Awards celebrated their love of Gainesville and shared the passions that drive their work. The fourth annual Historic Preservation Awards ceremony honored six recipients whose dedication to the field spans decades.
2025 Mary Besalski Barrow Award
Cindy and Joe Montalto were named the recipients of the Mary Besalski Barrow Award which recognizes those who are committed to preserving Gainesville’s rich heritage through restoration of historic buildings. The award is named for the local preservation pioneer who restored 24 historic Victorian homes in Gainesville during the last quarter of the 20th century.
Like Barrow, the Montaltos have restored six historic structures, beginning with the Baird Mansion in 1991, which became Gainesville’s first bed and breakfast – The Magnolia Plantation. In 1990, the Gainesville City Commission approved an ordinance allowing B&Bs through a special use permit. The process proved challenging, recalled Joe Montalto, as were their efforts to secure financing for the restoration.
“No banks would lend us money, but the city came to our rescue with a construction loan – with the stipulation we get the project done in 120 days,” Montalto said.
With help of family, friends and city staff, they met the deadline – and The Magnolia Plantation opened May 3, 1991, just in time for graduation weekend. In the decades since, he and Cindy convinced 18 family members and friends to join in the effort to restore properties in the Southeast Historic District. Together, they’re known affectionately as “the Sucker Club” and several members were in attendance at the recent ceremony.
“The neighborhood that we share is the most beautiful and vibrant,” Montalto said. “With the help of the Sucker Club, they have made this a wonderful place to live.”
2025 Vivian Washington Filer Award
Deloris Rentz was presented the Vivian Washington Filer Award for championing the preservation of Gainesville’s cultural heritage. The award is named for the local historian and preservation advocate who was in attendance and is the award’s inaugural recipient.
Rentz serves on the board of the Cotton Club Museum and Cultural Center, including terms as financial secretary and as chair of the Facilities Committee. She manages several historic preservation grants for the Cotton Club Museum and also serves as the docent during museum hours and special events.
“It means a great deal to share the things that we do at the Cotton Club Museum,” Rentz said. “We don’t get the support that we need because people don’t know about us. So the one charge that I would ask of you tonight is to come to visit us and spread the word.”
2025 E. L. Roy Hunt Award
Linda Dixon was honored with the E. L. Roy Hunt Award that recognizes exceptional leadership and contributions to historic preservation. The award is named for Roy Hunt, a founder of the Florida Trust for Historic Preservation, and the award’s inaugural recipient.
Dixon is the director of planning in the University of Florida’s Department of Planning, Design and Construction whose responsibilities include stewardship of UF’s 30 historic buildings and the Campus Historic District. She has been actively involved in many campus historic building rehabilitations, and her preservation work continues with UF’s Historic Preservation Program to expand the documentation of the university’s campus historical assets.
Exceptional Restoration Award
Trimark Properties received the Exceptional Restoration Award for its investment and care in the restoration of the Seagle Building, one of Gainesville’s most iconic downtown historic structures. Construction of the 11-story Seagle Building was begun in 1926 and completed in 1937.
Trimark Properties, which owns the first six floors, embarked on a restoration project eight months ago that includes restoration of the windows on the first two floors; new energy-efficient windows on the remainder of the building; and a new custom-steel canopy above the main entryway that reveals the decorative trim work and bas-relief above the entryway. Restoration of the precast stonework unveils more of the structure’s true beauty.
“The exterior was all painted over,” said John Fleming, a partner at Trimark Properties. “Now you can see so much more detail, like the two gators set in stone on either side of the building’s name above the entrance.”
The restoration project is expected to be completed in two years at a cost of more than $10 million.
Preservation Champion Award
Melanie Barr was presented with the Preservation Champion Award for her decades of commitment through education and advocacy to further the cause of historic preservation. She has actively worked on National Register nominations for 11 properties in Gainesville, including the Seagle Building, the Star Garage and the Pleasant Street Historic District. Her work included preparing historic tax certification applications for 14 properties; completing nine historic site surveys and inventories; and documenting the histories of key Gainesville sites.
Restoration of Architectural Character Award
Thomas Santilli was honored with the Restoration of Architectural Character Award for his work to restore the historic front porch of a home in the Pleasant Street Historic District.
The porch is an important architectural element that contributes to the vitality and urban fabric of historic neighborhoods. In districts where houses were built on small lots and sit close to the street edge, front porches were common gathering places for neighbors. As part of renovations to the main house, Santilli restored an original outdoor porch that had been enclosed 30 years ago.