Gainesville Jane’s Walks spotlight downtown changes and innovative housing

Press release from Gainesville City Commissioner Bryan Eastman

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – On May 1 and May 2, Gainesville residents are invited to step outside and see their city from a new perspective.

Two free, community-led Jane’s Walks will highlight how design shapes daily life, from a reimagined downtown street to a neighborhood built around shared space and connection.

Inspired by urbanist Jane Jacobs, Jane’s Walks take place in cities around the world the first weekend of May and are volunteer-led community walks that bring neighbors together to talk about their city. These walks are informal, guided conversations where participants explore neighborhoods, share observations, and discuss how places evolve.

The walks are organized by Gainesville City Commissioner Bryan Eastman, with each focused on a different approach to building stronger, more connected places.

Friday: The Streatery

Reimagining Downtown Streets

Friday, May 1, 6:00 p.m.
Location: SW 1st Ave & Main Street

The first walk will explore the Streatery, one of Gainesville’s most visible pedestrian-focused projects.

Originally created as a temporary response during the pandemic, the Streatery is now evolving into a permanent public space designed for walking, dining, and gathering.

Participants will walk the corridor with City staff and project leadership, getting a behind-the-scenes look at how a project like this comes together with the project managers overseeing the project. The conversation will cover design decisions, construction challenges, and the tradeoffs cities face, from usability and business access to creating vibrant public space.

Part of the walk will venture into an active construction site, so walkers are encouraged to bring close-toed shoes.

Saturday: Gainesville Cohousing

Designing Neighborhoods for Connection

Saturday, May 2, 10:00 a.m.
Location: Gainesville Cohousing, 2570 NW 47th St. Gainesville, FL 32606

The second walk will take participants through Gainesville’s co-housing community, a neighborhood intentionally designed to bring people together.

Built around shared spaces like a central green, gardens, and gathering areas, co-housing emphasizes collaboration, resource sharing, and strong neighbor-to-neighbor relationships.

Participants will hear directly from the people who helped design and sustain the community and explore how physical design shapes social life from everyday interactions to long-term community resilience.

Parking is available at the visitor spaces at the cohousing community.

“These walks are about seeing how design shapes the way we live,” said Bryan Eastman. “From streets to neighborhoods, we’re inviting people to explore what’s working, what’s not, and how we can build better communities together.”

Both walks are free and open to the public.