Renovations in south Gainesville are spurring a downtown renaissance.
Lynch Park, formerly a space used largely by the homeless, will get a name change and a makeover, including turning much of the open space into a dog park, according to Kelly Huard Fisher, a spokeswoman for the Gainesville Community Redevelopment Agency.
Anticipating the park’s new look and the facelift the city is conducting on Main Street, surrounding businesses are inspired to create a miniature artistic haven.
Chris Fillie, the owner of two renovated storefronts at Main Street and Fifth Avenue, referenced New York City’s SoHo when describing the new mindset of downtown business owners.
“When the owners of our businesses get together, we now refer to the area as SoDo, which is short for South of Downtown.”
Fillie owns George’s Meet and Produce, a gathering place at 435 S Main St. that holds performances, classes, lectures and provides general studio production space for artists.
Fillie said the only thing that has changed about the store in 50 years is its spelling. The location was a grocery store called George’s Meat and Produce, and the name seemed too fitting to change.
He also owns Coming Soon, which will exhibit and sell local handmade products at 437 S Main St.
Because of the stores’ proximity to the area undergoing to makeover, Fillie said he’s excited about the city’s plans.
But not everyone agrees with the improvement.
James Schmidt, manager of the Civic Media Center, 433 S Main St., sees the changes as an excuse to push the poor around.
“I don’t like fences,” Schmidt said. “This is just a removal of public space in order to create another control zone.”
He expressed concern for the homeless, who will be forced to abandon the park in favor of a less public area.
The west side of Main Street’s Fifth Avenue separates the park from a new steak and seafood restaurant under construction.
The restaurant will be called Warehouse Dining Restaurant and Lounge and is the dream of Richard Yoh, who has owned the property for 30 years.
Previously, he rented the site to an imported auto parts store and repair shop, but now the neighborhood finally seems ready for an upscale eatery and nightclub, especially with the dog park and street remake that’s in the works, he said.
Fisher said the new park’s north side will be reserved for dogs, while the south side will have benches, lighting and plants indigenous to the region.
The new park will be named Halsey Lynch Park in honor of the woman who donated the approximate 1 1/2-acre plot, and the project has a budget of about $85,000, according to minutes from 2008 city meetings.
According to Fisher, the downtown projects will be financed by the city parks department and subsidized with special district taxes. She explained these taxes are provided by added revenue from the increased property values of projects the agency has already funded.
Fisher said the city is awaiting building permits, but the park should be completed within two to three months.
