TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - The area around Cascades Park could see major development if city officials move forward with a multi-million dollar proposal.
This could be huge for the city's downtown area.
We're talking about bringing housing, retail and restaurant space right next to cascades park and there's a lot more to this proposal going before the city in two weeks.
The goal is to transform East Gaines Street with apartments, townhouses and space for arts and culture, with more than $150 million being invested in this area.
The project hopes to make the area more pedestrian and bike-friendly and to create a special "Festival Street" that can be closed off for events.
There's a lot of history in this part of town and developers want to preserve it. The Firestone building used to be the old county jail and the goal is to reuse the tower and wings for a boutique hotel.
Developers are also working to create a memorial to remember those who were jailed during the Civil Rights Movement.
The group meets with the Board of the Community Redevelopment Agency on January 26th. They'll vote on whether or not to continue with these plans.
Developers told WTXL Friday that this project is "unprecedented" and they want the Cascades Park area to be an "iconic destination."
