The Streatery in Gainesville is now open for business, and businesses wasted no time putting out chairs, tables and awnings.
Orange construction fencing still squares off areas where lights will be installed, but pedestrians can now stroll down the pedestrian-only thoroughfare along SW First Avenue from S. Main Street to SW Second Street.
Mayor Harvey Ward held a media availability at The Streatery on Friday. He said the space is in soft opening mode and will be used in the coming days for fans visiting downtown before and after UF football games as well as by local businesses and The Fest concert series in October.
The city will host an official ribbon-cutting ceremony come November, Ward said. He said the business community believes it’ll be a success, placing private dollars behind opening new storefronts.
“Not only did we do an enormous amount of work to make this remain a vibrant part of downtown through the construction process, but we have more businesses on The Streatery open today than we did when we started the construction process. So that speaks to how well received this is likely to be by the greater community.”
Several storefronts have new signage and names but remain not yet ready for business, including Nest + Nibble and Brewing Thoughts Coffee.
The process to build The Streatery started six years ago when the City Commission closed SW First Avenue to allow more outdoor seating for nearby restaurants. A few months later, the commissioners voted to make the closure permanent.
It was not a straight line from vote to construction to opening. The city received some criticism, even from its own Downtown Advisory Board, but primarily the nearby Lot 10 construction plans slowed the progress.
The work started in April, costing $4.5 million, and finished a month early.
Ward said he’s glad the city could redo the decades old infrastructure underneath the street to allow better drainage and more reliability.
“That in itself is a win, and I’m very pleased with that, and I’m excited to be able to welcome folks to The Streatery this weekend,” Ward said.