I have visited Gainesville more in the past year and really like the area. The area has a lot of potential with UF and its role in the High Tech Corridor. Also I think that with those things in place it could be a role model for all of Florida, such as. 1. Healthiest County in Florida 2. Highest High School Graduation Rate 3. Highest College Entrance scores 4. Highest income in Florida 5. Best business environment for all businesses Good Luck in the Future Gainesville/Alachua County.

Downtown retail should be eclectic with a mix of trendy, vintage, boutiques. Make a shopping district. Make sure there is ample parking too

Greenville SC and other cities in the South have a "theme" for downtown areas. Greenville has people-size faux bears, colorfully dressed and each with personality (much like the Gators that used to be everywhere in Gainesville). Old buildings have been refurbished on exterior, and antique stores and historic centers flourish among restaurants + retailers. Empty buildings house artists 10-5 to sell their crafts while working on new items. Tourists/visitors need reasons to be downtown during day.

Along the lines of last comment. Why not a piazza next to Hippodrome instead of a large nondescript building that changes the whole face of that part of downtown.

That awful new building next to Hippodrome is a disgrace. Ugly, changes downtown from charming to boring. Gville development is always awful.

The former First Baptist church sanctuary has been vacant since the developer of the Continuum built the UF student apts next door. It’s a beautiful building, but what could it be repurposed for? Something quiet but worth investing renovation on, like an Apple Store maybe? Across the street is the Seagle Bldg, and further down are vacant land for sale that was planned for more apts. But why not owner-occupied workforce housing instead?

Street setbacks with outdoor seating will encourage more ground floor commercial businesses filling up all the vacancies. A building design can still have overhanging upper floors. But when possible make the outdoor areas face the southern exposure, for winter sunlight and summer shade. Even tall buildings have setbacks in very high rent Brickell district of Miami.

An urban village where all different kinds of people and families live, play, and work. Good urban design to maximize walkability and the opportunity to be outside. A place that can be accessed easily with multiple modes of transportation. A place where people, community, and culture are primary and cars and car infrastructure is secondary. The people living in area can support and sustain it, and outsiders will want to be part of it, generating additional economic and cultural activity.

While walking and biking access in downtown is amazing, my personal struggle is how to GET THERE by bike. I live in the Clark Butler area and my route to downtown goes through SW 20th and SW 34th, both of which are very dangerous and hostile to pedestrians and cyclists.

I like the current walkability to bars and restaurants, and the outdoor street seating set up during COVID. I am hopeful this seating continues and is expanded

Gainesville's Autonomous Transit Shuttle on SW 2nd Ave is a hazard to navigation. If it can't maintain a speed of greater than 10 mph in a 35 mph zone, then it shouldn't be allowed on the street. The program is universally lampooned by my friends and family as an example of government waste and their disconnect with reality. Driverless vehicles are the future and I can't wait for them to become ubiquitous. This shuttle is far from being ready to be on our roads.

Some sort free hop-on-hop-off electric trolley that runs from campus to downtown on a dedicated lane would be magnificent conduit for getting revenue into businesses downtown. Maybe creating a parking garage at the western endpoint of the trolley line... Or consider a rapid transit system with a park and ride on the OTHER side of I-75 so our western neighbors don't clog our roads trying to get to work at UF or get to nightlife downtown. The east/west congestion in our town is choking our growth.

A small community roller skating space — some polished concrete, preferably covered — could add life, culture and fun to Downtown. People of all ages and backgrounds enjoy roller skating. While always being connected to Black culture, roller skating also *exploded* in popularity during the pandemic. Add music and you'd draw skaters + provide a near-constant source of free entertainment to visitors, which would be a draw. The space would be multi-purpose enough for other events/activities.

As other local artists have shared, I also think that a subsidized artist studio/gallery block should be added into Depot Park. Many cities like Asheville, Albuquerque, Houston, Savanah, St. Augustine, (to name a few) have successfully supported local artists. These artist gallery/studio areas have historically always been a cultural, social and (very important to city commissions) economic benefits to their respective areas. I'm a local artist, long time resident and UF alumnus.

I disagree with the proposed pedestrian only downtown plan. I see this being an issue for people with mobility issues and possibly surrounding downtown neighborhoods. I live on NE 2nd street and don’t want more traffic coming down our already busy road to try to find parking. People FLY down my street already as is. No is my vote! And if it does end up happening a speed table or additional stop signs on my street are a must.

It is very difficult to find affordable parking downtown (especially thanks to the new eyesore of a hotel). Closing roads and having “drop-off” zones and making this just a pedestrian area will not only create a massive accessibility issue for the disabled community but it will all but eliminate the accessibility of food delivery services to downtown restaurants. Any movement in this direction would take away business from downtown eateries and be quite ableist. Crackdown on panhandling.

Gainesville is building a rep as an arts community, due to the public art projects and the strength of the local arts movement. I would like to see Gainesville garner the acclaim in this region that Asheville has in NC by subsidizing art studio space. Specifically I think the city should build in Depot Park east of the Cade from repurposed school portables a boardwalk and string of studio spaces for artists with the caveat that those artists open them on Sundays for public walk-through.

Close the roads (for several blocks) heading to the Hippodrome from any car traffic Make it only for pedestrians. I have read that practically every city that has done it did well by it.

The lack of seating at Bo Diddly plaza is a travesty and a major impediment to it being a significant downtown asset. Benches there and throughout the downtown area would be terrific.

Add a playground to Bo Didley plaza to make the area even more family friendly. Perhaps south of the turf so that it does not interfere anyone's view of the stage.

There have been discussions about connecting parks and recreation assets in the Northeast between Tom Petty (Northeast) Park and Depot Park, which makes a lot of sense. Unfortunately, the ever dangerous University Avenue loom as a major, dangerous obstacle. This begs for a pedestrian footbridge over that thoroughfare, from the NE corner of NE Blvd and University over to the beginning of the trail through Sweetwater Park, supplemented with a sidewalk on NE Blvd between Univ and NE 2nd Av.

It will be very difficult to build a vibrant and economically thriving downtown if everyone walking through is asked for money every 50 feet. You simply cannot walk through downtown right now without being bothered multiple times. It is a fact that this is a big turn-off to most of the people that the city wants to attract for economic development.

Recovering as much land as possible and turning it into green spaces between the buildings should be a priority. With the visioning for a new city hall, please consider a parking garage so that the area south of the building can be turned into a true green space in the middle of the city.

I would like the commission to consider converting all of the space between SW 2nd St and SE 3rd St, and University Ave. and SE/SW 2nd Ave (except main street) to a pedestrian area. This would free up the space to be used more safely for families and visitors. A simple dropoff zone can be created on the section of current SE 1st St. between SE 1st Ave and SE 2nd Ave. I would love to see some produce stalls incorporated into the reclaimed space.

How will the Power District re-alignment affect Downtown Gainesville? If this has not been considered, it should be reviewed as an integral component in this overall redevelopment initiative. Phimetto

1. Reasonably Priced Parking 2. Family-Friendly Restaurants to diversify downtown patron demographics 3. Reasonably and effectively address downtown homelessness issue 4. Encouragement of business opportunities which will attract different levels of entrepreneurial experience and financial abilities 5. Downtown Gainesville needs an eclectic facelift (historic and modern) 6 Consider reasonable lease terms to avoid benign emptiness (24-36 months) Phimetto

Parking needs to improve out there. There also needs to be some improvement with outdoor seating for the local businesses. COVID is our new normal and we need to be able to expand seating outdoors.

DO NOT sell the power district property to an outside developer. Let it develop naturally by local parties, like the 4th Avenue Food Park area (which is awesome, by the way). Make it a multi-purpose space for food trucks, craft fairs, informational events, cultural festivals, National Funny Hat Day - whatever! Keep it local. Keep it simple.

Do whatever possible to attract employers and retailers to the downtown - and keep them there! That is what makes a downtown alive and vibrant, during the day and leisure hours. Restaurants and bars are already there and will follow employment and retail. Bring Bo Didley Plaza programing level back to pre-2020 level. Relocate the homeless. I know it isn't PC to say, but they hinder the development of the downtown (and everyone knows that).

Depot Avenue should be the dividing line with DT zone to the north. The DT zone north of Depot would allow taller buildings. The area south of Deport Avenue to SW 16th should be a separate protected area zoned for 2 to 3-story community-based neighbourhoods, commercial buildings and restaurants, etc. NOT high rise rentals. Depot Park should NOT allow loudspeakers with a reach beyond the park. No large crowds in outside venues that create loud noises.

The NEA Our Town Grant program for cultural placemaking Also Open Space Technology is a great way for sharing ideas. I am a facilitator.