Prime piece of downtown real estate to be developed

GAINESVILLE - Gasoline pumps are returning to a street corner in downtown Gainesville where they were a fixture for 38 years until this summer.

F. Keith Ward is asking the City of Gainesville for a building setback variance for the lot at E.E. Butler Parkway and Spring Street that was the home to the Jerry Nix Chevron Station until Nix closed the station in early August.

Ward, whose request is scheduled to be heard by the Gainesville Planning & Appeals Board, proposes to construct a convience store on the site, complete with gasoline pumps and a sandwich shop.


Nix opened for business in 1966 when Butler Parkway, now a busy four-lane, was a two-lane street, kown as Sycamore Street.

Nix said at the time he closed up shop in August the four-laning was good for business, but the cost of his lease and the continually rising cost of gasoline just made it impossible to continue.