Since 2001, the City of Gainesville has worked to accentuate its local economic competitive advantage which is the growth and development of innovative economy industry. This is due to:
1) the community’s profile that emphasizes the role of intellectual and social capital in community economic development with the University of Florida and Santa Fe College serving as primary anchors and
2) jusitifcation of these types of policy efforts in the current community economic development literature.
As a consequence, the City of Gainesville has positioned itself to capture the benefits of the New Innovative Economy through a number of local government policy actions which have recently led to its participation as an important partner in the Innovation Square project.
Innovation Square incorporates approximately 40 acres located between the University of Florida’s main campus and downtown. It is intended to be a sustainable new live and work community in which innovation in science and technology is a focus, along with the commercial opportunities that follow it. Once complete, Innovation Square is expected to comprise several million square feet of flexible office and meeting space, incubator space and supporting retail; restaurant and residential uses.
Click here to view project.