CRA moves forward with Downtown redevelopment

http://www.wctv.tv/content/news/CRA-moves-forward-with-Downtown-Cascades--411924995.html


TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV) --The joint Leon County-City of Tallahassee Community Redevelopment Agency voted to move forward with plans for redevelopment of Cascades Park and the Downtown area.
Staff will now begin negotiating the purchase and sale of the Bloxham Annex and Firestone properties with North American Properties (NAP). NAP was the only firm to propose plans for the land, offering the CRA more than $4 million to redevelop the properties as an urban mixed-use development.
Plans include apartments with views of Cascades Park, a hotel, restaurant, retail space, a Civil Rights Memorial, public parking, a cultural space and more. NAP expects to invest about $158 million in the project.
Once complete, NAP hopes to create an “18-hour downtown,” which captures the spirit, pride and culture of Tallahassee.
"That'll happen by putting residences down there, it'll happen by putting businesses down there, public spaces, retail and restaurants. So we're looking to create a destination downtown, not just an apartment complex on the park,” said Shawn McIntyre, Managing Partner with Florida North American Properties.

NAP also redeveloped the College Town area. However, McIntyre said to expect a different look for the downtown area. He described it as potentially having a more industrial and civic architecture.
Plans for the redevelopment can be found at www.Cascadesproject.com.

http://news.wfsu.org/post/city-negotiating-sale-firestone-bloxham-buildings

The City of Tallahassee is beginning to negotiate the sale of the Firestone Building and Bloxham Annex to the North American Properties company. The properties are located at the corner of Gaines and Gadsden Streets, just east of Cascades Park. NAP hopes to replace the abandoned state offices with a mixed-use community, complete with residential housing, and space for retail, dining and entertainment venues.

A conceptual design for a mixed-use development in Cascades Park. The City is beginning to negotiate the sale of the land to developer North American Properties.

Credit http://cascadesproject.com/

The City hopes the redevelopment will encourage pedestrian traffic between Cascades Park and downtown, and entice more residents and visitors to the area.
"This project will breathe new life into the downtown district,” said Leon County Commissioner Nick Maddox in a written statement.
The Firestone Building once served as the city jail, and played a significant role during the Civil Rights Movement. In 1960, students from Florida A & M and Florida State University staged lunch counter sit-ins and marches. Many were arrested and subsequently jailed in the building. Developers plan to work with the community to design a memorial commemorating the events that took place there. The city is also encouraging the developer to retain the building's historically significant details. NAP previously developed student housing units along Gaines Street.