Downtown Update: May 2012

Last Updated on Thursday, 10 May 2012 19:33 Tuesday, 01 May 2012 22:12

Written by UrbanTallahassee

Four Points Sheraton Downtown Tallahassee URBAN UPDATE: This is the first official Downtown Update for 2012 and there is heavy emphasis on developments we dub: "Signature Projects". These projects, mostly government funded, are the type that will not only create a sense of place, but those which should catalyze private investment when they are complete.

Many familiar with the construction projects we're covering understand that while the first segment of the Gaines Street reconstruction project has been completed, the second phase of the project continues, mostly west of Railroad Avenue. Due to construction along this segment of the road only westward traffic is permitted during this point of the construction project.

UrbanTallahassee incorporates Gaines Street into the downtown area as well as many parallel streets nearby. For that reason, many of the infill student housing projects along the corridor have been included into this update. We were excited to discover construction of the new Saint Francis Flats project in the All-Saints district downtown underway. The design of this project continues the crafty post-industrial architectural style we've grown accustomed to. This project will be complete this August so we will bring you an update prior to the publication of the next Downtown Urban Update.

Construction is also well underway on the Chance Partner's new Horizons development on College Avenue. This project replaces an old house that was damaged by fire in 2010, again another quality infill project. When complete we will see new structures along both College Avenue and Martin Luther King Blvd. associated with this project. Expect completion this fall.

Work on the refreshed dome on the Historic Florida Capitol building is now complete and a photo has been added to THIS ARTICLE to showcase the new copper color. All we can say is we miss the classic green look -- which BTW will return when the metal recently applied to the dome begins to rust. Who ever thought "We the people" would be looking forward to some rust.

Gutting underway on the Seminole Tribe of Florida property near the intersection of Monroe and Jefferson Streets continues. There have been no announcements of any future improvements to the gutted out brown building -- we're hoping for an office building similar to the one depicted in the rendering on the project page, but the white building on the corner, we're told, will be "refreshed" to make it useful for a future tenant that may or may not give the public an opportunity to enjoy this property once again.

The photos for this urban update were all captured on May 1st, and since then the branding of the landmark "Round Holiday Inn" has officially changed. The newly remodeled Sheraton Four Points building towering over the North side of downtown now wears its name on both Easterly and Westerly faces of the building, unfortunately you won't see that in this update, neither will you see the glowing new lighting feature that comes on during the dark hours of night that project blue lights into the Tallahassee Skyline.

Again, we'd like to emphasize this update doesn't contain the more exciting "swinging crane" downtown projects, but many again much of the construction progress we see on Signature projects such as Cascades Park, and Gaines Street may soon change that. Until then we leave you with the following:

Historic Florida Capitol Dome

Saint Francis Lofts

Gaines Street Reconstruction

Lofts on Gaines

College Town

DOMAIN by Chance Partners

601 South Copeland Apartments

FSU Law School Annex

HORIZON by Chance

Hurricane Wings, DTWN

Four Points Sheraton Downtown

Seminole Tribe of Florida Property

FSU - Warren Building Reno

Cascades Park

Franklin Blvd. Reconstruction

The Villages at Tallahassee

Please feel free to add your comments to this update to tell us what you think about the progress underway downtown and what you would like to see. Don't forget to to visit daily as we continually update the site with new projects, news, reviews, and of course member feedback and information posted in our Urban Tallahassee Forums!

Next Update: South East Tallahassee

Member Comments:

Re: Downtown Update: May 2012 -- florida

Thursday, 10 May 2012 20:36

"Bamanoles" wrote:

I wish someone would put a fast food place in Kleman Plaza or somewhere near the Capitol. There would be a big lunch crowd and maybe some folks in the evening. Subway is the closest but otherwise there is only $8 sandwiches.

I agree!

and...

Welcome to UrbanTallahassee Bamanoles!

Re: Downtown Update: May 2012 -- florida

Thursday, 10 May 2012 20:13

Updated to include revision of Banquet Hall to Hurricane Wings, Franklin Blvd. Reconstruction, and University Villages of Tallahassee where structures have been demolished and land clearing is underway.