Out with the old

Tommy Amodeo, owner of Demolition and Excavation knocks down Goldman’s Block building downtown in Ocala, Florida on Friday November 13, 2020. Most recently the building was the Brother’s Keeper thrift shop and was going to be renovated to be a Mellow Mushroom pizza restaurant. Builders spent a year trying to save the historic building but it was just to unsafe. A new building in the style of the old one will be built for Mellow Mushroom. Alan Youngblood/Special to the Ocala Gazette

Crew demolishes Goldman Block building to make way for artisan pizza company

A piece of architecture that had stood watch over downtown Ocala for generations crumbled under the bucket of a demolition team to make way for a new building and a new business. Demolition and Excavation, Inc. razed the Goldman Block building on Friday, Nov. 13. It was built in 1891, as a general merchandise store. In 1903, Ocala’s first Black hospital was established on the second floor. In 1925 it became the Goldman Furniture store. Most recently the building was the Brother’s Keeper thrift shop and was going to be renovated to be a Mellow Mushroom pizza restaurant. Builders spent a year trying to save the historic building, but it was deemed too unsafe, so plans were made to demolish it and build a new structure in its place.