Identifying Local Opportunites

With Gym Still Closed, Local Climber Left Hanging

In December 2015, the owners of the Gainesville Rock Gym were forced to close after discovering critical flaws in the building's foundation.  Their insurance company has still given no word on whether they will cover the cost of repairs, or opt to just cut a check for the value of the building and walk away.

In the meantime, the community of rock climbers that has developed in Gainesville is left without a dedicated climbing facility, and there's no word on when or even if this gap will be filled anytime soon.

County to Consider Fixes to Funding for Arts Groups

Disputes have arisen between local artists, the Tourist Development Council, and other local organizations regarding issues of funding allocation and autonomy.  A change in the system used to award money to artists and groups had led to a funding surplus of nearly $179,000, of which more than $100,000 was allocated to pay for international artists to create murals in downtown Gainesville.

Local artists have taken issue not just with the project itself, but the lack of opportunity for the local artists to have access to these funds.  Since the change in how funds are allocated, many artists and organizations are now finding themselves underfunded, and struggling to get by.  Local artists also seem to lack a strong voice in the decision making process, which tends to be handled at the county level.

ASO: Another Skimmer Found at Gas Station Near I-75

Skimming is a means by which criminals are able to obtain a person's credit or debit card information by acquiring the data when a card in run through a card reader controlled by the criminal.  These devices are often placed on pumps at gas stations, and while attempts have been made to make skimmers easier to detect, the systems in place are woefully inadequate.

When gas stations are found to be unsafe, it hurts their image and can lower sales.  Additionally, customers are at great financial risk when their data is stolen, and are in need of better solutions for preventing these breaches.

Trees Down, Power Down after Storm Blows Through

A storm caused power outages for 4,000 Gainesville residents, many of them being without power for most of the day.  The outages were caused by trees falling onto power lines.

Above ground power lines offer significant vulnerabilities, particularly in areas with many trees and high likelihood of storms, i.e. Central Florida.  This causes problem for citizens, local governments, and local utility companies alike.

No Buyers on Horizon, Owners to Develop Newberry Road Site

Parkwood Alachua Land Investments has been struggling since 2014 to sell a 31-acre property approved for traditional neighborhood development.  This type of development requires the incorporation of commercial and residential sites into a neighborhood, and can complicate the development process by requiring differently specialized developers to coordinate on plans.  After failing to sell the property for two years, despite substantial price drops, the owner is going to begin development themselves.

Those in need of housing are currently hurt by the two year delay on this development, and the owner is holding a large piece of land from which they definitely need to recoup their investment.  This may depress prices and lead to opportunities for business owners once the commercial properties have been developed.