Gainesville City officials announced Thursday morning the so-called "Bridge to Nowhere" will turn into the "Bridge to Somewhere" come 2024 with an aggressive development plan for residential and commercial properties in the midtown area.
The property in question, located on the south end of the city's bridge at Jesse Jewell Parkway near E.E. Butler Parkway, was left vacant following the economic downturn of 2008-2009.
At an unveiling of the project, the city said it will partner with Terwilliger Pappas on the planned mixed-use development.
In 2012, the city purchased the four-acre plot where the old Hall County Jail was with the plan to develop the property in the future as a part of the transformation of the midtown area, Gainesville City Manager Bryan Lackey, said. In January 2019, the city purchased an additional 6.8 acres at the former City View site.
Along with the plot investments, the city also invested in the Highland to Island Trail, the Midtown Greenway Park, the new Gainesville Public Safety Building, Fire Station #1 and a future skate park.
"We feel these are transformative projects with the Highlands to Islands Trail running right through them. We feel this will spur other types of redevelopment both residential and commercial and better industrial investment in the midtown area," Lackey said.
According to information shared by the City of Gainesville, the project will consist of two phases. Phase One will be the construction of a 220-unit mixed use development with about 10,000 square feet of retail space on the City View site. The second phase of the project will be a 180-unit mixed use development with about 5,000 square feet of retail space where the Hall County Jail used to be.
"We are excited about these plans," Gainesville Mayor Danny Dunagan said. "These developments will shape the future of midtown and be a catalyst to transform the area."
Terwilliger Pappas has completed urban mixed-use projects in Decatur, Suwanee, Atlanta, Charlotte, Durham and Nashville. Executive Vice President Greg Power said the company is excited to add Gainesville to the list.
"The units will be a mix of two and three bedroom homes averaging 900 square feet and rent will range from $1,200 a month all the way to $2,000 a month" Power said.
The project is in the works to break ground in 2020 and will take four years to complete. The total cost of the project budgets at just over $80 million.
