Gaines Ave revitization officially begins.

Colleges & Universities A-Z Florida State University
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<p>The Gaines Street renovation is lifting off — as drivers will recognize beginning Monday when traffic on the four-lane thoroughfare is narrowed to two lanes daily from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. for the next 18 months. After that, it will be two lanes forever and hopefully a path to making Gaines Street a Tallahassee gathering spot.</p>

<p>"This is very exciting," said Roxanne Manning, director of the Tallahassee Community Redevelopment Agency. "City commissioners have worked very hard to move this project forward. It's great that it's finally coming together." The revitalization program — first broached in the early 1990s — begins with a ground-breaking Monday. City officials will bury a time capsule and allow citizens to sign one of the underground utility pipes that will be installed. For six to seven months, city crews will install new underground water, sewer and gas lines from Woodward Street to Monroe Street. In 2010, construction crews will begin renovating intersections in the same stretch, adding sidewalks, landscaping and on-street parking.</p>

<p>The $15 million remodeling is designed to make Gaines Street a pedestrian- and bicyclist-friendly area that spawns coffee shops, restaurants and retail stores. The one-time industrial corridor already has sprouted a hotel (The Marriott Residence Inn--my fav) plus a handful of bars, cafes and boutiques. A proposed performing arts center and Artspace, a planned residential-retail arts complex, have claimed spots along Gaines Street.</p>

<p>The city bought several parcels along Gaines Street to sell to developers. "We've had a number of potential developers come to town and when we show them this area between the two universities and downtown, everyone gets excited," said City Commissioner Mark Mustian. "If we did nothing, the area would change. But we hope we can push it faster and more dramatically."</p>

<p>Many drivers may find the change to two lanes dramatic. More than 34,000 cars daily travel the four-lane, east-west artery. Officials hope drivers will begin migrating to one-way Pensacola and Madison-St. Augustine streets on the north. In about three years, FAMU Way is expected to be widened and extended as an east-west thoroughfare on the south. "It's going to be an adjustment," Mustian said. "But we decided as a community a long time ago we wanted to do something (with Gaines Street). This is the first step."</p>

<p>Gaines</a> Street lanes to narrow at night as renovation begins | tallahassee.com | Tallahassee Democrat</p>

<p>I am sure that, temporarily, it will be challenging to deal with the construction. But this project is good for this area.</p>

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<p>this project sounds like a fine edition to tally.</p>

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<p>Todays paper also mentions that the state has buildings they are vacating or have vacated and FSU gets first refusal on the buildings.

The rest of the article is here:[Bill</a> Cotterell: FSU eyes state properties | tallahassee.com | Tallahassee Democrat](<a href=“http://www.tallahassee.com/article/20090706/COLUMNIST03/907060306/Bill+Cotterell++FSU+eyes+state+properties]Bill”>http://www.tallahassee.com/article/20090706/COLUMNIST03/907060306/Bill+Cotterell++FSU+eyes+state+properties)</p>

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<p>Excellent opportunity - I hope they find use for the available state space. Seems unreasonable to lease space when free state space is close and available. </p>

<p>This would further increase the access FSU students have to state government personnel and associated concerns.</p>

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<p>I think when we were there in the Fall they/FSU (?) were building a large parking structure on Gaines? That seems like a great idea ala if you build parking - they will come. What a great use of space - good planning that enhances the vibrancy of the campus.</p>