About Mike Hastings

I love Mid-Century Modern architecture. It’s pretty ironic too, since I never knew it. 

Seems growing up a military brat with years of moving from base to base and living in the same white, concrete rectangular house with terrazzo floors, exposed beams and jalousie windows should have been my first clue. But it wasn’t until becoming a Realtor that I learned to understand the nuances of Modernist design, specifically those types of homes found throughout Gainesville and around the University of Florida’s campus. It really hit home when I bought my first Mid-Century Modern home in Florida Park. Designed by Architect Arthur Campbell for the Vidal family, this 1950’s home was full of light and really had an amazing connection to the outside. 

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Years earlier, working with Clarissa Carr, I put together the beginnings of the first Mid-Century Modern home tour in Gainesville. It was 2013 and Clarissa was organizing a student conference for Historic Preservation at the University of Florida. I had worked with a number of clients on purchasing homes from the 1940’s, 1950’s and 1960’s over the previous years. Luckily five of them agreed and about 125 friends and enthusiasts came out to support the home tour. It was a beautiful day in March and we gave our proceeds to Habitat for Humanity and UF’s Historic Preservation Program. 

From those early beginnings came Gainesville Modern. Working with co-Founders David Forest and Marty Hylton, we formalized the organization and grew the tour to over 500 people. Gainesville Modern continues to provide leadership and advocacy for preserving Gainesville;s architectural past. Working with UF, Gainesville Modern also has helped create an archive in the special collections of the George A. Smathers libraries. Homeowners and architects can have their original home plans or photos scanned or copied, helping to document their home’s or building’s architectural and community significance. 

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I am excited by my work to continue to help document the unique connection between the University of Florida and Modernist architecture in Gainesville. This site highlights some of the neighborhoods that have mid-century modern homes, the architects and designers that built them and the experiences I have gained in taking care of my own mid-century modern homes in Gainesville.

If you have questions about your Mid-Century Modern home, need help or see that we are missing an architect or neighborhood, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Thanks, Mike Hastings Founder/Realtor Arista Realty