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Depot
Designs Presentation
University of Florida College of Architecture Students presented
designs on December 10, 1999, at the Matheson Museum for the
Depot / South Downtown area including designs for the proposed
stormwater park. These designs will be incorporated into an
analysis for making recommendations to the City of Gainesville
for revitalization in the Depot/South Downtown area to be completed
in Summer, 2000. The event was well attended and provided an
opportunity for the students to interact with citizens and City
Staff about their projects. Thank to all who attended and look
for the many opportunities to participate in the projects and
planning in the Depot / South Downtown area in the coming months.
Please contact Professor Tina Gurucharri, tel: 392-6098, and
Professor Kim Tanzer, tel: 392-0215, for more information about
the involvement of the College of Architecture in urban planning
projects in Gainesville.
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East
Gainesville Sprout Project Task Force
The East Gainesville Sprout Task Force (EGSTF) meets the first
Tuesday of every month at 4:30 at the GRU Multi-Purpose Room.
The EGSTF is the citizen advisory group that addresses issues
related to the redevelopment of the proposed Depot Park area
at the southeast corner of the intersection of S. Main Street
and Depot Avenue and Brownfields redevelopment in Gainesville
in general . The next meeting is January 4, 2000 at which project
updates will be given. If you live/work in the area or have
any interest in the project, please come to the meeting to find
out how you can participate. Please contact Matt Dube, Brownfields
Coordinator, City of Gainesville, Tel: 334-5029 for more information.
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Old
Gainesville Depot Kiosk Design Competition
The Depot Kiosk Design Competition is intended to create a prototype
trail shelter / public art sculpture at the proposed Depot Park
site along the Depot Avenue Rail Trail. The competition is open
to anyone and the deadline for submittal is February 9, 2000.
The budget for construction is $5,000 and the winning designer
will receive $1,000. The Powell Center for Construction and Environment
is working with the City of Gainesville to create this project
and it will be constructed by a team of AmeriCorps*NCCC members
in March for a ribbon-cutting on April 22, Earth Day. For more
information please call Matt Dube, Brownfields Coordinator,
City of Gainesville Tel: 334-5029, Brad Guy at 392-7502 or go
to the Powell Center for Construction and Environment web site for
the time-line and design criteria: http://www.bcn.ufl.edu/sustainable.
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St.
Francis House Neighborhood Meetings
The St. Francis House, 413 S. Main Street, hosts meetings once
a month on the 4th Saturday of the month at 12:30 pm to discuss
the homeless problem in the area and solutions. Neighborhood
residents are particularly invited to attend and anyone who
is interested in learning about this situation and what St.
Francis House does. Please contact Bob Tancig, Director, St.
Francis House, Tel: 378-9079 for more information.
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AmeriCorps
*NCCC Working in Depot Area
The Powell Center for Construction and Environment and several community
partners will be hosting two AmeriCorps*National Civilian Community
Corps (NCCC) teams from January to April, 2000 in Gainesville,
Florida. Partnering organizations include the Alachua County
Housing Authority, Neighborhood Nutrition Network, Neighborhood
Coalition - East Gainesville Development Task Force, Community
Outreach Partnership, Alachua County Partners for a Productive
Community, Mt. Olive / Springhill Neighborhood Group. The AmeriCorps*NCCC
teams will assist in the Depot Avenue area with three neighborhood
cleanups, Sweetwater Branch and Tumblin Creek clean-ups, construction
of the "Depot Kiosk" and help with research and development
for alternative solutions to assisting the homeless population
in the area.
All are
invited to assist in the neighborhood clean-ups: Sugarhill Neighborhood,
January 29; Mt. Olive/ Springhill Neighborhood, February 26;
and Porters Community, March 18, 2000. The Sweetwater Branch
clean-up will occur (TBA) and the Tumblin Creek clean-up will
occur (TBA). Please contact Janet Kreischer Tel: 376-6332 for
neighborhoods or Stu Pearson, City Public Works Tel: 334-5070
for creeks.
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Depot
Design Center
The Depot Design Center will be established as a temporary use
for the Old Gainesville Depot in the east-end waiting room building
in order to provide aPCCEss to the community and neighborhood
residents about planning activities and projects in the area.
The Center will house models, drawings, and information about
ongoing City, university, and other projects in the Depot/South
Downtown area. The design center is expected to open by February
1, 2000 in time for the Historic Gainesville, Inc. (See Pg.
4) tour of the building. Please contact Kim Tanzer Tel: 392-0215
or Brad Guy, Tel: 392-7502 for more information.
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Depot
Avenue Neighborhood Grants Program
The Powell Center for Construction and Environment is sponsoring a
neighborhood grants program for the neighborhoods that surround
the proposed Depot Park, over the next year until December,
2000. The neighborhoods included in the program are the Porters
Community, the Depot Neighborhood, the Southeast Historic District,
the Mt. Olive / Springhill Neighborhood, and the Sugarhill Neighborhood.
For more information contact Janet Kreischer, Tel: 376-6332.
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Mt.
Olive/Springhill Neighborhood
The Mt. Olive/Springhill Neighborhood is organizing to take
back its neighborhood and wants participation from its residents
and neighbors. The Mt. Olive AME is also leading an effort to
rehabilitate the "Warehouse" on SE 7th Avenue and SE 9th Street
as a community-serving facility. Please contact Vivian Filer
Tel: 395-5709 or 376-9956 for more information.
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Tour
of The Depot and Porters Community
Historic Gainesville, Inc. is planning a talk on February 7,
and a tour on February 12, 2000 in the Porters Community and
Depot Neighborhood, including the Kelly Power Plant, and the
Baird Center, the Cox Warehouse and the Old Gainesville Depot,
which are all within a few blocks of each other in South Downtown.
The latter three buildings are all listed on the National Register
of Historic Places. The Old Gainesville Depot will be open with
models and drawings of designs for the building and the area
for viewing. This building is a symbol of Gainesville's founding
as a railroad transportation hub and is the last significant
rail-related structure un-renovated in downtown. Please contact
Historic Gainesville, Inc., Tel: 378-2280 for more information
or see their website at http://www.afn.org/~hgi/.
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Housing
Design Studio
Department of Architecture Housing Studio Professor Kim Tanzer's
will be conducting a housing design studio with students from
the Department of Architecture, focusing on the Depot Avenue
area, during Spring, 2000. Professor Tanzer has been involved
in neighborhood planning involving students and residents in
several Gainesville neighborhoods for many years and has been
nationally recognized for this work. Tel. 392-0215.
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