The city of Gainesville’s plans for Citizens Field and the entire 8th Avenue and Waldo Road complex remain in the air, but newly developed design plans and costs have started giving potential forms to the project.
In the shadow of Citizens Field lies Veterans of Foreign Wars Post #2811, just 30 feet from the stadium’s bleachers.
The post received the deed to its five-acre property on May 14, 1945—just six days after Germany surrendered in World War II. According to the deed, Mervin McGilvray, Roy L. Holder and Louis Pennisi bought the property from the city for $10.
For years now, rumors that the city wanted to acquire the property have filtered through the post, Quartermaster Avery Owen said. When the city reached out two weeks ago, Owen said it felt inevitable for some members.
Owen, who served with the Florida Army National Guard for 32 years, said a lack of detail into why the city wanted to discuss their property added to the feelings of uncertainty. A press release followed shortly.
“The future of a landmark building on North East Waldo Road is in jeopardy as the City of Gainesville eyes the property for a recreational complex around Citizens Field Stadium,” the release said.
Rick Smith, director of the Gainesville Community Reinvestment Area (GCRA), said the request to talk about the VFW’s property is nothing special. The city always reaches out to stakeholders for its major projects, and he said the VFW will be more impacted than anyone else since the city’s property surrounds them on three sides.
“We wanted to let them know the different design scenarios that might come down the pike and then impact them,” Smith said.
A meeting is scheduled for May, and Smith said the VFW members will get a full presentation on the two current design scenarios and look for any opportunities for collaboration. The design plans were just finished in January and February.
One of the design scenarios would relocate the Martin Luther King Jr. Multipurpose Center to the northern side of Citizens Field. Smith said that would bring activity closer to the VFW post.
Smith said it’s still to be determined if the city would want to use any part of the VFW’s property for the redevelopment. Any acquisition or easement would be a discussion, he said.
“They certainly are a private property owner, and we don’t have any interest in acquiring it without their cooperation,” Smith said. “So, we’ll see what they’re interested in and whether there’s opportunities for collaboration.”
When the city first reached out, the VFW asked for more information on the development. Owen said the presentation that was sent caused head-scratching. None of the design plans showed the VFW’s property being included.
“Looking at the plans, we were like, ‘OK, this has nothing [on our property],’” Owen said. “So, why are you even talking to us?”
Nationwide, Owen said the VFW is at an interesting juncture as it tries to get rid of old stereotypes while continuing with its motto, “To honor the dead by helping the living.”
He said a lot of people hear VFW and think of a smokey bar with veterans crying in their beers or trying to outrun cops on their scooters. In some ways, Owen said posts may have let mission creep impact their operations, slowly turning into just a bingo joint.
But Owen said the new VFW trying to emerge wants to give back to the community.
“We ain’t your grandpa’s VFW; well, we are, but we got younger people who want to give back, especially to fellow veterans,” Owen said.
The VFW stays busy trying to bring veterans together. Isolation can be natural for veterans, Owen said, and the COVID-19 pandemic enforced it.
The post started a chess club on the first and second Fridays and the rest of the monthly calendar was packed with Guitar4Vets, bingo, a picnic, dart nights, a bike night, a Pop-up Flea Market and a Buddy Poppy drive.
Owen said he’s proud of a new partnership with Grow Gainesville. He said it has a great turnout with diverse attendees from across the city. They each learn about gardening from each other.
Owen said the post hasn’t really thought about leaving its spot. The post is mostly volunteer-run, and any funds go into operations and supporting veterans. The five-acre property along Waldo Road would sell for more than $10 today, but Owen said the price tag wouldn’t be large enough to relocate somewhere else.
He said a lot of veterans want to see the city invest in the Citizens Field property to help that area of Gainesville and city commissioners want the investment to spur more economic growth. Just renovating the stadium could cost $10 million to $35 million, and a new multipurpose center and pool would increase the cost.
Just south of Citizens Field is Gainesville Fire Rescue Station 3. The City Commission signaled that it would like to find a new home for the station to provide more room for the redevelopment of the site. City consultants said having the station’s three acres would change how the design looks.
Smith said the city has reached out to the Ace Cash Express on the corner in past years to see if the business was interested in selling.
Owen said the members will wait to hear from Gainesville staff in May, see how the discussions move forward and wait for any ask the city might have. But for now, he said the members don’t have plans to roll its tanks off the front lawn.