Providing What Downtown Gainesville Needs
Within accessible distance of East Gainesville and reachable from across Alachua County, Abode brings what downtown Gainesville has been needing.
- Several hundred new homes positioned to support a daily downtown economy and liveability.
- Cafés, makers, classes, residencies, family programming, and public gathering space active throughout the day.
- Theatre, gallery, cinema, studios, and performance venues.
- Built to bring East-side residents and broader Alachua County back into downtown, through programming designed in conversation with those communities
Residential & Hospitality
A NEW WAY TO STAY IN GAINESVILLEBlending residential and hospitality to create a flexible environment that accomodates the variety of ways people live in cities.
Residences
Small Footprint Units
Thoughtfully designed units that make the most of space at an affordable rate. Strong materials focus, including lime-wash finished walls.Flexible
Community Housing Residency
A term-based (1-24 month) housing program for residencies and those contributing meaningfully to Gainesville’s community.
Flippable Student Housing
Intuitively designed housing that converts to hotel rooms during school breaks.Long-Term
Luxury Units
High-end living options designed to subsidize affordable units and support the creative ecosystem.Residential Breakdown
Micro-studio
Studio
1-bed
2-bed (small-family)
3-bed
Penthouse / luxury
Total Residential
200-350 SF
350-450 SF
450-650 SF
700-900 SF
900-1,200 SF
1,200-2,000 SF
~510 SF Avg
50
100
140
60
40
10
400
Workforce
Workforce + market
Workforce + market
Workforce + market
Workforce + market
Luxury
Short-Term & Hospitality
Micro-Hotel Units
Small footprint private rooms with shared kitchens and laundry.80-150 SF · 20 Keys
Pods
Affordable private accomodations for travelers, creatives, and collaborators.
Comfort Units
Roomier wellness-focused rooms closer to communal amenities.Shared Rooms · 5 Rooms · 30 Beds
Hostels
Affordable shared accomodations.Total Hospitality: 85 keys + 30 beds
Abode Functions As Community Infrastructure
From arts and culture to wellness and commerce, Abode integrates the infrastructure that makes places livable and loved.
Co-Work & Learning Spaces
Flexible spaces activated for skill shares, classes, gatherings, and residences.Cultural
Creative & Entertainment Facilities
Arts studios, exhibition space, cinema, performance venues, galleries & more.Community Kitchens & Laundries
Reduces rent burden, encourages food sharing, lowers waste. Accessible to residents & general public.Commercial
Retail & Maker Spaces
Low-barrier, flexible-term space for local entrepreneurs and creatives.
Food & Beverage
- Central café with artisan latte shop (matcha, hojicha, hot chocolate)
- In-house bakery with distribution to tenants and local/regional restaurants
- Micro-restaurant food hall (reference: The Citadel, Miami)
- Farm-to-shelf grocer (reference: Fatty Mart)
- Staple restaurant experiences
A Big Park
On what was once the grounds of Big: Culture & Arts Festival, will be a universally accessible park. A multi-level green system layered into the building itself. Ground level plazas connect to mid-level podium terraces and rooftop terraces through ramps, elevators, and graded paths. Everyday public infrastructure, used freely by residents and the broader community regardless of mobility.
Key Features:
- Continuous ground-level public park accessible to all
- Mid-level podium terraces with shaded gathering room
- Resident sky gardens and rooftop green spaces
- Year-round residencies, installations, markets, and community programs
- Flexible infrastructure: container hubs, solar pavilions, teaching kitchens
- Florida-climate-suited shade planting throughout, integrated at every level
Education
A real-world education model layered into daily operations and tenancies.
- Youth and adult programming embedded into the building's operations
- Partnerships with the University of Florida, Santa Fe College, and local K–12 schools
- Integration with the broader Ecosystem
Potential Mobility & Transportation Integration
Future infrastructure could anchor Gainesville as a regional cultural-transit hub.
Brightline / High-Speed Rail Terminal (proposed)
- Potential to re-position Gainesville as a regional rail hub
- Increases cultural tourism and academic collaboration
- Drives sustained foot traffic and ecosystem revenue
Local Micro-Mobility Loop
- Inspired by Miami’s MetroMover
- Electrified, art-branded tram connecting Downtown and Midtown
- Potential expansion to key high traffic areas (i.e. Butler Plaza) or regional expansion to neighboring cities (i.e. Alachua, Newberry)
Sustainable Transit Design
- Climate Ribbon- style infrastructure with passive cooling and natural air circulation
- Smart parking and EV charging
- Micro-retail and public art along transit corridors