By Aldranon English II

Outlook Writer

Live entertain-ment, music and free food were the perfect recipe for the Palmer Avenue Tr a n s f o r m a t i o n Block Party on Nov. 7. The com-munity came out in waves to celebrate the renovation of Palmer Avenue with free food and local music from Southside mer-chants. The event took place between S. Monroe and S. Adams streets.

Residents that attended the event noticed the street’s new amenities. Improvements in-cluded new side-walks, seating walls and landscaped areas specifically designed to filter storm water runoff. Through the addi-tion of gas lamps, patterned cross-walks and enhanced landscaping, the ambiance of the block has been up-dated as well.

The renovation of

Palmer Avenue, an effort supported by residents, business-es and community groups including the Knight Creative Communities Insti-tute (KCCI), is just the first project in a lager plan to create a sense of place in the Monroe-Adams corridor. This cor-ridor refers to the area near S. Mon-roe and S. Adams streets that is bound by Magnolia Dr. on the south, the cam-pus of Florida A & M University on

the west, the CSX tracks and Capital Cascades Park on the north and the Myers Park His-toric district on the east.

Heather Teter, public information specialist of the City of Tallahassee, gives some insight on the newly reno-vated street.

“Palmer Av-enue, since it has been renovated, is the only east-west street that connects

S. Monroe and S. Adams with side-walks,” said Teter.

StarMetro has bus routes and stops along Palmer Ave that provides pe-destrians and transit users a safe way to travel.

“Having side-walks, the area is supported and ac-cessible for resi-dents to use the bus and other transpor-tation safely,” Teter said.

The renovation is

part of a larger plan to bring the com-munity closer.

“The street would act as a gateway to the university (FAMU), residents and local mer-chants,” said Jay Schuck, Senior Planner of Planning Department. “The event is created to bring awareness and gain exposure to unaware citizens. The street can also be used for future events in the area for residents and

merchants. “We want people to pay attention to the area so it would gain popularity, shop for merchandise and enjoy themselves while they are there.”

City of Tallahas-see Mayor John Marks, City Com-missioners Nancy Miller and Andrew Gillum along with FAMU’s Interim President Larry Robinson headlined

Vol. 39, No. 46 Section 01 Tallahassee, Florida Nov. 14-20,2013

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Palmer Avenue Celebrates Transformation with Block Party

Photos by Aldranon English II FAMU's Interim President Larry Robinson, City of Tallahassee Mayor John Marks, Interim Planning Manager Cherie Bryant and Commissioners Nancy Miller and Andrew Gillum address scores of individuals during the Palmer Avenue Transformation.

see PARTY, page 2

2www.capitaloutlook.com Capital Outlook Nov. 14-20,2013

the event.

“The main point is to have a place where people would like to gather,” said Miller.

Miller also stressed the im-portance of having sidewalks installed to increase safety among students and residents.

“Students who lived across the street will now have the opportu-nity to utilize the sidewalks which makes it much safer.”

Miller said she would like to see people actually use the street for fel-lowship and gath-erings where they

can fully enjoy themselves as well.

“If a local musi-cian would like to come sit and play and attract people to come around; just a real sponta-neous get-together that is what I would like to see.”

Pending approv-al and funding, oth-er east-west streets in the Monroe-Ad-ams corridor that could see a facelift include sections of Magnolia Dr., Kes-tner St., Perkins St., Jennings St., Per-shing St., Harrison St. and Oakland Ave./ FAMU Way. The City Commis-sion approved the M o n r o e - A d a m s corridor action plan in 2011 as part of the City’s over-all “Place-making

Project.”

Project manag-

ers expect to be-gin construction on FAMU Way in

early 2014, further enhancing the en-tire Southside.

Residents, community leaders and business owners came out to enjoy the Palmer Avenue Block Party Celebration, which marked the completion of the avenue’s transformation.

PARTY CONTI-