Construction will pave way for $300,000 South Tallahassee super bus stop
Karl Etters
A formerly empty dirt lot on Orange Avenue being transformed into a south Tallahassee bus stop is undergoing temporary improvements as the first step in a large-scale revamp of the area.
The Leon County-owned lot at the corner of Orange and South Meridian Street was at times the site of community food distribution, pop-up yard sales and a gathering place for after work. Temporary work there will bolster those community uses while final designs are completed.
More:Blueprint-funded projects begin construction in 2019
The bus stop upgrade is part of a larger $4.1 million Blueprint 2020 revitalization of the area between the TownSouth shopping center and Meridian Street, being touted as similar to Lake Ella in Midtown.
On the horizon:
- 5 projects, 600 units, 2,200 beds: New student apartments to open before crush of students
- Canopy unfolding: Development presses forward, awaits permit to build next wave of construction
- Developments abound for Tallahassee by 2020 | Living Here
The $300,000 in temporary construction is underway and slated to be completed by the end of summer.
The intent of the StarMetro super stop is to provide shelter where several bus routes intersect at a high ridership area. The site will receive covered seating, bus bays, sidewalk upgrades, a parking area and a public bathroom.
Work includes upgrades to the East Drainage Ditch to improve stormwater and pedestrian access from adjoining neighborhoods to nearby grocery stores and retail locations.
A stormwater pond across the street also stands to receive upgrades in the larger project, being turned into a park-like amenity.
The upgrades are meant to complement other developments driven by the Tallahassee Housing Authority and Graceful Solutions, a developer with plans to build multi-family housing units.
Contact Karl Etters at ketters@tallahassee.com or @KarlEtters on Twitter.