Years after closing SW First Avenue to vehicle traffic to provide more open space during the COVID-19 pandemic, the city of Gainesville officially started construction Monday to redevelop the roadway into a permanent, pedestrian-only space for future programming.
The City Commissioner approved $4.5 million for the project, called The Streatery. Construction should last through October, and the design calls for a curbless street that can host art and music festivals, farmers markets and other events. It will include outdoor lighting, seating and spots for food trucks.
The city has recently used the space for its winter and spring markets. How Bazar, a downtown arts and music venue, also closed the street for its Big: Culture and Arts Festival that drew 4,000 attendees.
In a press release, Mayor Harvey Ward said he was excited for construction to start this week.
“This will make Downtown more accessible, more usable and more fun for all of us,” Ward said in the release. “The Streatery will be a boost to Gainesville’s overall economic development.”
Ward has stood by The Streatery since its start. But the project has also had detractors.
As Gainesville changed regulations of parking, limiting the number of free spaces in the core downtown, business owners pointed to 25 prime parking spots cut off from use.
In 2024, Gainesville created the Downtown Advisory Board. In the first few months of operation, the board voted to recommend stopping The Streatery and debated the city’s new parking scheme.
The Streatery construction has also been tied with the development of Lot 10, which fronts SW First Avenue. In January, commissioners voted on another path forward for Lot 10, and interim City Manager Andrew Persons said staff would do everything it could to allow Lot 10 to proceed to construction this year.
With construction, the city said crews will work with be fenced and pedestrians will be able to access businesses that front the street.
“I am excited about The Streatery construction getting started. It’s gonna be awesome,” Danny Hughes, owner of Loosey’s Downtown Gainesville, said in a release. “We want customers to know we’re open and we’ll do our best to make sure everyone knows the best way to get to us while the construction is happening.”
The funding for the project comes from the Gainesville Community Reinvestment Area funding by the city and county. Gas tax was also used for the project.