The Swamp Restaurant broke ground Wednesday kicking off a projected 10-month construction plan to revive the Gainesville landmark.

The restaurant closed down in 2020 when a developer bought the land and tore down the building.

According to The Swamp Restaurant press release, public outcry led to owner Ryan Prodesky choosing to rebuild. The restaurant’s new location will be at 1026 SW 2nd Avenue in Gainesville’s Innovation District.

“Breaking ground is an exciting day,” Prodesky said in the release. “It makes it feel real. The Swamp Restaurant is coming back, and we just took major steps forward today.”

The two-story, 6,000-square-foot building will include keeping the appearance of a historic house, the white picket fence and the front lawn. Updates will include more seating, a larger bar and restrooms, and the kitchen will be designed to be more efficient.

The old murals and memorabilia will stand beside new pieces of art and a brick walkway leading up to the building will include both old and new engraved bricks that guests can have personalized.

The Swamp Restaurant is expected to reopen in time for the 2022 college football season.

The Swamp Restaurant had been a fixture in Gainesville for 25 years. To check on more updates about The Swamp Restaurant’s reopening, visit their website.

Local architecture, engineering and construction companies involved in the project undertaken by Trimark Properties include the Monarch Design Group, Wayland Structural Engineering, CHW Engineering, and Campbell Spellicy. Scorpio is managing the construction process.

“The Swamp Restaurant is iconic,” said Domenic Scorpio, president and CEO of Scorpio in the release. “These types of opportunities are rare. As a community-centered construction firm, Scorpio is thrilled to bring to life a structure so deeply rooted in the heart of the Gator Nation.”