AMELIA ISLAND, FL (#TALACC2014) -- Anyone who has lived in Tallahassee can tell you that the landscape of downtown has changed drastically in the past few years. But the city says it still has more planned.
Cascades Parks, Gaines St, and the Kleman Plaza have many things in common. One of which was the condition they were in before they were developed into what they are today.
Before Kleman Plaza was Kleman Plaza, it was an old rundown area in the middle of downtown Tallahassee filled with abandoned businesses. When the city was working to develop that land, it knew that it needed to create something that would have a return on its investment. Michael Parker with the City of Tallahassee called the development in 1989 a game changer.
Since Kleman Plaza, the city has followed that theory on the rest of development downtown.
There is more to keeping the economy moving upwards. Roxanne Manning, also with the city of Tallahassee, remembers that a local business on Gaines St had a sign in front telling the city to "fix the damn road."
It may have been a painful process for the business on Gaines St but Manning said that most would agree that it needed to be done.
The city has its eye on more mixed uses developments and improvements to down town.
Manning said some of the things that are to come include:
- The Porch Swing Project
- The Downtown Bike Coral
- Sand Vollyball Court and Food Truck Court
- More Public Art
Another big idea to come to the Cascades Park area is the Edison Project. A mixed use building in an old electrical building. In addition to housing and a restaurant, there will be space for other local business, such as a coffee shop.
The city is also working on bringing a summer concert series to Cascades Park in 2015.
