Some of my earilier posts feature scenes from the University of Florida campus. Today I am featuring scenes from University Avenue, which runs along the northern side of the UF campus.
This was supposed to feature luxury condos and mixed use property (retail/residential) but unfortunately it has been abandoned for many months. At times it seems the city leaders of Gainesville are more concerned about being trendy than exercising sound judgment and common sense. It seems that their are lower standards for high-end mixed use developments than other project. The Stadium Club and University Corners displaced several businesses but have never been completed. Several blocks of buildings were demolished for the construction of University Club but construction has never began. Ironically both were touted as revitalization projects. Yes, they would have catered to a more elite clientele and looked nicer than the businesses around the campus but now they are just an eyesore.
I was playing with the camera settings on this one. Think it is kind of cool how the lights all look like blurs.
The Dee Zone 
The last shot kinda reminds me of the Chinese New Year Parades with the dragons and such.
City planners are not so different from one city to another. In 1977 Raleigh tore up Fayetteville Street and replaced it with Fayetteville Street Mall — which was supposed to provide a lift to the downtown business sector. A couple of years ago (2006 I think) they finally got the message that it didn’t work, ripped up the mall and made Fayetteville Street a street again. The jury’s still out on whether or not un-doing what they did originally has done the job the original project was supposed to.
In another White Elephant parade, the old Civic Center was built right around the time the Mall went in and provided the southern terminus for the mall itself. Two years ago (roughly) they decided that wasn’t good enough and demolished it, building the new Civic and Convention Center.
These were just two of the more notable (and more expensive) projects that wound up being done over rather than done right. I can only hope they learned from the experience before it costs us any more money.
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Hopefully, the leaders of Raleigh did learn. However, I seriously doubt the elected officials here did. They are too caught up in being cutting edge and trendy.
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I love your photos. Great post!
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The supposedly wise city fathers often act like impulsive irresponsible teens.Sometimes one wonders where their brains have gone begging. Glad you got the eyesores off your chest.
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interesting post and enjoyed the photos.
have a great week and thank you for sharing with us.
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Sad when “development” doesn’t develop due to lack of foresight and planning.
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I like the last one where you blurred the lights.
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I like the churches….they are always cool buildings to photograph. Looks like a great campus.
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Antigoni, Erin: TY
Ariji & Louise: Yes the city government has come up with some real strange plans.
Quinn: Wish I could remember what I did.
Mary: Me too.
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