Butler Plaza may become a tourist attraction.
The City Commission met Wednesday night to discuss amending an already approved process that would allow Butler Plaza to expand by about 150 acres and include an upscale town center.
The plan, which would allow buildings up to eight stories high, divides the plaza and incorporates surrounding areas into four subareas.
The plan calls for large retailers, such as Walmart and Lowe’s, to move out of the current strip facing Southwest Archer Road and to migrate to a new complex, slated to occupy the undeveloped area north of the strip toward Southwest 24th Avenue.
The current Archer Road strip would become a sort-of town center that would house small retailers and boutiques.
The goal for the developments is to achieve a balance of retailers, boutiques and restaurants to best serve Gainesville as “a college town and emerging tech center,” said Gerry Dedenbach, director of planning and GIS services at Causseaux, Hewett, & Walpole, Inc.
The proposed development would be walkable and pedestrian-friendly, he said, with reduced block sizes, more sidewalks and updated parking.
Dedenbach showed diagrams of historic U.S. communities to illustrate the type of interconnectivity he hopes to foster through the project.
However, Commissioner Thomas Hawkins pitched an amendment that would standardize the block size within the development to less than 2,000 feet.
Mayor Ed Braddy described the proposed amendment as “a rigid conformity in all four areas.”
His motion was defeated, and instead, the commission passed a motion to cap the block size within the development at 3,200 square feet.
Engineering for the development will begin in the fall, Dedenbach said, and construction is scheduled to begin in January.
Once completed, Rebecca Maccardini, a former chairwoman of the International Council of Shopping Centers, said the expansion will enhance Gainesville culture for students and their families.
“It’ll add convenience and experience, which is always important for students,” she said.
However, Gainesville resident Becky Hart expressed hesitancy about expanding the plaza because she said it could create even more traffic problems.
“I have in recent years resigned myself to simply avoiding Archer Road due to traffic congestion. It’s not worth it,” she wrote Wednesday in an email to city commissioners. “The expansion of Butler Plaza basically doubles that issue.”
Commissioner Lauren Poe said the project has already been characterized by compromises.
“I don’t think there is anyone in this room that thinks this is the perfect project,” he said.
Despite the lengthy discussion and compromises, Commissioner Yvonne Hinson-Rawls expressed optimism toward the project.
“I understand the need to have this high-profile gateway to not only attract shoppers but also tourists,” she said. “I’m excited about the possibility.”
Contact Kelcee Griffis at kgriffis@alligator.org.
