Gateway Tallahassee’s mission is to transform strategic pathways into the city into remarkable points of entry that clearly identify and brand Tallahassee as a vibrant, thriving and welcoming community.
Recent Update
The Gateway Tallahassee team hosted a meeting on Sept. 27 to share the draft report summarizing input form the July meeting of merchants and residents. The team recommended that North Monroe merchants move forward with the creation of a business association that could advocate for the area. Please review the PowerPoint at the link below:
The public is invited to attend the presentation by Florida A&M University urban design students who will showcase their design ideas for the North Monroe corridor. The presentation/reception is scheduled for the evening of Dec. 6, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., in the City Commission Chambers, City Hall, 300 S. Adams St.
Project Goal
The goal of our KCCI team is to be the catalysts for the transformation of the city’s most heavily traveled entryways into welcoming corridors that clearly identify and brand Tallahassee. This ‘Gateway Tallahassee’ project will strive to 1) be endorsed by local stakeholders, including nearby residents and merchants; and 2) include an aesthetically please, memorable, and affordable structure that represents Tallahassee; and 3) result in tangible corridor improvements that enhance the first impression of Tallahassee to visitors and residents alike.
Short-term Objective: The North Monroe Corridor
North Monroe Street serves as the primary gateway into our community. The goal of this initiative is to inspire economic development and to enhance the North Monroe Street Corridor from the I-10 interchange to John Knox Road- through a welcoming landmark feature that creates a “sense of place”, streetscape beautification and increased stakeholder engagment.
Long-term Objectives:
Additional “Gateways” in the city, such as coming into town from the airport, will be identified for needing improvement and beautification.
The North Monroe Corridor “Gateway” project will be a prototype that can be readily duplicated at other Tallahassee “Gateway” points.
Native plants will be used when possible for cost- and time- effective maintenance.
WHY NORTH MONROE?
Traffic- When considering city entry ways, the Gateway Tallahassee team decided to focus on North Monroe Street because of its high visibility. More than 40,000 vehicles travel Monroe between Interstate 10 and John Knox Road on a work week day. By comparison, the traffic on Thomasville Road between Woodgate and Interstate 10 numbers about 28,000. North Monroe with its wide median also offers great potential for a landmark site.
Stakeholders- We know that many businesses and nearby residents in the North Monroe area have a vested interest in making the corridor more aesthetically pleasing. There are more than 240 acres of commercial, retail or office parcels in this area that have a combined taxable value of more than $84 million.
A place to start- We know that there is community interest in revitalizing the North Monroe area, and we believe tangible corridor improvements would be a great beginning. We would like to see something created that could be replicated at other entries to Tallahassee.
Capital- North Monroe is the most direct way from Interstate 10 to the state’s capitol, Tallahassee’s primary landmark. Our hope is to clearly identify to travelers that they have arrived in the capital city and showcase Tallahassee.
Community Catalysts: Ned Fernandez, Jeff Bond, Sandra Whitehead, Nancy Mattimore, Melanie Yeager, Joe Foster, Sarah Duncan and Colleen Dwyer.
For more information please contact:
Melanie Yeager, mgyeager@cob.fsu.edu.
