Gainesville Turns Abandoned Industrial Hub Into Park

Gainesville turns contaminated land into a contemporary public greenspace to serve as the city's “Central Park'.

Tricia Lopez, Project Manager for the Gainesville Redevelopment Agency, discusses Gainesville’s impressive Depot Park.

I understand that the area around Depot Park was initially declared a brownfield site in 1997. Did the Gainesville Regional Utilities own the entire tract of land at that time, or did GRU start to assemble various parcels piece by piece over a period of time?

The City of Gainesville acquired the first portion of land that would later be Depot Park in 1990. This was the former coal gasification plant that had been operated by the then defunct Gainesville Gas Co. The City acquired the adjacent land, including the former rail yard, a cement plant, and a gas station, in pieces. The final piece was acquired 2002.

When did talk of dedicating a portion of this brownfield site to what would later become Depot Park begin?

In 1996 the City Commission made the decision to convert the land into a public park. They envisioned a recreational area with a storm water pond and bicycle/pedestrian trails designed to follow the old train track lines.

Many public spaces are being created today through large stormwater and flood mitigation projects. How does Depot Park tie into Gainesville’s stormwater enhancements?

The park wraps around a large stormwater pond that collects runoff from Gainesville’s urban core (downtown) and filters it before flowing into the recently-opened Sweetwater Branch Wetlands Park and into Payne’s Prairie. The southern half of Depot Park is permanently conserved as natural wetlands with a braided stream.

Tell us about how the park was designed. What were some of the main elements that were identified as being important within the design process?

Many of the features within the park draw upon Gainesville’s history and culture. The train motif can be found throughout the park, beginning with the name of the park, the train-shaped jungle gym in the play area, and the tracks to the south of the building, to name a few. Elements of the restored depot building, such as the aluminum roof and rain barrels, were used in the construction of the restrooms, pavilions, and shade structure. The children’s play area’s main draw, the Blue Grotto, is a Florida springs-inspired splash pad which resembles a rock formation and has real Florida fossils embedded into it. Also in the play area is a custom-made replica of the smokestack that stood across the street at the Kelly Power Plant for decades, until its’ demolition in 2014. The trails are very important to Depot Park and there are a few elements in the design that give a nod to Gainesville’s bicycle culture, such as the Eastern Gateway, a massive corten-steel structure that resembles a bicycle wheel. The original footers from the Depot Building were saved and repurposed into benches and a bike rack.

What lessons were learned during the design and construction of the space?

Understanding this is yet to be the one year anniversary of the Park opening… here are some cursory thoughts:

• Dealing with a remediated site has its own challenges. Protecting what’s been done is a big part of what CAN be done. • It’s important to communicate the vision/goals of such a long-term project to all departments/agencies involved so decisions made in the field (and in design) help move the project closer to the desired end product. • “Sell” all benefits of the project and make sure everyone can buy-in to the story… it takes a great project and consistent management/upkeep to hold the public, the politics, the $ aligned to make a 20+ year effort come to fruition. Communication of the diverse public benefits is the key.

Downtown Gainesville and the Innovation District have been home to an impressive amount of redevelopment over the last decade. How does Depot Park contribute to the investments being made nearby?

Depot Park is acting as a catalyst for development in the industrial South Main corridor (commonly referred to as Soma). The rehabilitation and adaptive reuse of the Depot Building has allowed a structure that was once a center of growth in downtown Gainesville to regain its presence as a place of business and serve as a gateway between downtown Gainesville’s southern edge and Depot Park. The area has experienced a recent influx in new business tenants along South Main Street, which runs along the western border of the park. Businesses that have chosen to relocate to the area include a local craft brewery, an art/ design studio, a cycling advocacy group, and a new realty company. South Main Street is also about to go through its own redesign- the streetscaping project, which will soon be underway, will make the area more pedestrian friendly. The Power District, a 12-acre redevelopment project adjacent to the northeast corner of the park, is another community initiative that is planned for redevelopment. In the near future, Depot Park will no longer be thought of as on the edge of downtown. It will be in the center of an active district.

How was the park funded and how is park programming funded?

The remediation of the park was paid for by the City of Gainesville and GRU with the help of some state and federal grants. The building of the park was a combination of funding sources- the CRA’s Downtown District’s TIF trust fund, GRU, Public Works, and grants. Park programming is all coordinated and funded through the Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Affairs department.

Talk about how the renovated train depot building is being used

Last summer, we secured a 5 year lease of the Depot Building with Double 18, the owners of a handful of local businesses including the Top restaurant, the Atlantic nightclub, the Arcade Bar, the Wooly (an event space), and the Pop-a-Top downtown bodega. The newer 1910 building is now the home of the Pop-a-Top General Store. They sell snacks, prepared food, sundries, beach towels, kites, and other things a person would want or need at the park. The 1860’s building holds the Boxcar, an indoor/outdoor seating area with a small bar that is open on weekends. They usually have live bands and DJ’s in the evenings. The building is also used as an event rental space, and they are trying some different programming. In November they started having the monthly Indie Flea Market, which has been successful in attracting many people to the area.

Inside the Depot Building, occupied by Pop-a-Top

Two main elements of the park that stand out to me are the on-site cafe (which serves alcohol) and the construction of a future museum. Tell us about the park’s anchors and how important these elements are to the success of Depot Park.

Depot Park and the Depot Building tenants rely on each other. Depot Park on its own is an impressive place to visit, however, the addition of Pop-a-Top makes it a place where you can spend some time, then stay for lunch, then spend some more time. Once the Cade Museum opens, it will be even more of a destination and will draw visitors from farther away- hopefully bolstering the tourism in the area.

Rendering of the Cade Museum, now under construction at Depot Park.

Anything you want to add?

The Department of Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Affairs began managing the park once it opened. They have been working hard on programming the space and have been doing a great job of having a variety of activities for all ages. They have regular yoga and capoeira classes, live music, DJ’s, dance parties, races, kids’ arts and crafts, puppet shows, and more. For information about what is happening at the park, check their event calendar at: https://www.depotpark.org/events

NEXT: Images of Depot Park’s Transformation