The more than 250-acre area that is referred to as the "Midland" is booming with construction and economic development for housing, retail and green space.
Construction of the new $35 million Midland Apartments is underway with a completion date of 2024, and Solis Phase two should be off the ground by early fall bringing 180 apartments and 5,000 square feet of retail.
Community and Economic Development Director Rusty Ligon says Grub's Market will be located at 511 Main St. and offer farm-to-table meats, cheeses and some prepared foods. It should open sometime in August.
"I think that'll be really attractive to the people living in the apartments that are going out there in Midland," Ligon said. "I think it will serve a need that will begin to grow in that area as more and more people live there."
Ligon also said that the city of Gainesville is currently in the design phase for the two-mile connector connecting the Midland Greenway to the Highlands to Islands trail.
"Once that's put into place, we'll have about eight miles of Greenway on the ground from Lake Lanier to the Longwood Park area, and then all the way south to the Gainesville campus of UNG," Ligon explained.
Not only is the Greenway going to provide a way for people to get outside, Ligon told AccessWDUN that it's driving economic development in the area. This was certainly the case for the latest Midland area business.
NoFo Brewery started in 2019 in Forsyth County and announced earlier this year that they would be building a second location at an old warehouse on the Greenway.
Eliana Barnard told AccessWDUN that "adventure" is a big part of their company branding and philosophy.
"Having a greenway where people are naturally adventurous, whether you're walking with your family or biking or running, it ties so well into who we are as NoFo," Barnard explained.
She said that just because they were started in North Forsyth does not mean they would limit themselves to that area.
"Gainesville is an awesome happening town where we've had roots," Barnard said. "Gainesville is just a city that we love."
With all of the new developments coming to the area, traffic and transportation are concerns. Still, Ligon believes that the people seeking accommodations in the area of the Greenway are looking to have walking access to amenities.
"The plan is a lot of this development will be more pedestrian-oriented," he said. "There is still plenty of opportunity [for development] in and around downtown."
