Porters on the cusp of gentrification

People who live in the small, weathered wooden homes in the Porters neighborhood can almost touch the modern apartments and offices across Southwest Sixth Street.

Porters separates the growing technology center, spurred by the University of Florida, from downtown. Porters has problems, including crime.

But it has property. Nearby public investments such as roads, utilities, parks and bike paths, along with private investments in offices and high-end apartments just beyond its borders are increasingly making sections of Porters valuable.

Soon people on the west side of Porters may see a 200-space parking garage.

The Heritage Investment Group of Gainesville, which includes Trimark Realty, last year bought several parcels on the corner of Sixth Street and Fourth Avenue for about $1.5 million.

It plans to build a parking garage primarily for residents of the apartments it owns across Sixth Street, Trimark Managing Partner John Fleming said.

Another Trimark office to augment its location on Southwest 13th Street across from UF is also planned.

Other property on the western side of Porters has been sold as investors see gold in the neighborhood.

Among the investors is attorney Jeff Rechtman, who this year bought two homes in Porters — one for $148,500 and one for $94,200.

“I love the location. I think it’s going to be a transitional neighborhood so I am betting big on it. I’m pretty bullish on Porters,” Rechtman said. “I love being near downtown and being the central point between the main Shands (Hospital) building, downtown and campus.”

But Porters not only divides UF from downtown. The neighborhood itself is divided — the east side, including Lynch Park along South Main Street, has been identified by the Gainesville Police Department as open drug market, while the west side is generally more stable and peaceful.

Police say little can be done about the crime because GPD doesn’t have enough cops to give much attention to the neighborhood.

“We know that there are issues there. When we direct our efforts there, we make a few arrests and clean the area up a little bit. But there are other areas that have issues and our resources are then directed in those areas,” said GPD Chief Inspector Jorge Campos. “The Porters neighborhood is on our list as a place we need to get back to, but we can’t address all of the areas all at the same time.”

When GPD does get back to the area, it will be too late for Ray Steele, who is taking his plan for Happy Town somewhere else.

Steele has been renting a former towing company site opposite the southwest corner of Lynch park. A musician and consultant to touring acts, Steele planned to create a community center called Happy Town featuring music and music education for youngsters.

But Steele said a man pulled a gun on him and he has been verbally threatened multiple times because he would call police about the illicit goings-on. So he has moved out.

“The city told me they would help, and it’s been four frigging years, and there has been no help,” Steele said. “I’m forced to move from danger. I can’t bring kids here. No way.”

The Porters neighborhood has founded in 1884 and is named after Canadian physician Watson Porter, who sold the land exclusively to black families.

Just southwest of downtown, it is bounded by Main Street to the east and Sixth Street to the west, Depot Avenue to the south and Southwest Fourth Avenue to the north. It contains about 250 homes.

Some Porters residents have lived there all their lives and love it despite its problems, which they are working to help solve.

The potential changes in the west side present a different concern — gentrification.

New development means higher property values, which means higher taxes. Some residents fear increased taxes or higher rents may put living in Porters out of reach.

Another concern is how the historical and social fabric of Porters could change with an influx of what will likely be younger, whiter and wealthier residents.

Porters does have UF students among its residents, but they blend into the community and get involved in it rather than stand apart, residents say.

Tom Fox has the most unusual house in Porters and maybe all of Gainesville. It’s three stories of solar-powered shipping containers.

Fox built the house in 2012 and enjoys living in Porters, adding that he decided to locate there because he got a good price on the lot from a tax deed sale. He said neighbors have no problem with the odd home — an acceptance that likely would not have occurred in some other neighborhoods.

“It’s been great. I’ve gotten to know my neighbors and we look out for each other. Generally, it’s good here,” Fox said. “I’m very concerned that they are going to try to put apartment complexes here. I know one day they are going to try to do something that will really break the neighborhood. It would be just another UF neighborhood with lots of construction.”

UF Senior Vice President Charlie Lane previously told The Sun that the university was considering whether to build more housing in the area, specifically for students, faculty and staff to live closer to campus. The plan is part of a strategic initiative to develop more eastward in the city.

UF officials, however, backtracked from those statements after Porters residents took issue with the idea. Now, they say, they want to be partners with area residents to preserve Porters’ history.

Gainesville City Commissioner Gigi Simmons, a lifelong Porters resident, said her neighbors are working hard to try to quell the crime issues that exist there.

Simmons points to collaboration between Porters residents and UF in future planning for the neighborhood as a benefit.

“Porters is further along than it has ever been as far as the cleanup. We all agree that more can be done,” Simmons said. “We understand that GPD has limited resources so the community stepped up and said we are going to take the initiative to address some of the issues. It’s a work in progress.”

Trimark’s Fleming said the properties the company bought were historically zoned commercial, adding that Trimark has no interest in buying homes in Porters to tear down for new development.

Trimark owns several apartment complexes in the Innovation Square area across Sixth Street from Porters, including the colorfully modern Savion Park.

Fox wondered why Trimark doesn’t build the garage there. He said traffic on Sixth Street backs up at Fourth Avenue at rush hour, adding a garage on the corner will make the situation worse.

“I don’t know why they don’t put it on the other side of Innovation Square if they really want (a garage),” Fox said. “I guess they want something to happen on Fourth Avenue.”

Rechtman, meanwhile, believes gentrification in Porters will happen but said it can be done responsibly to allow people to keep their homes.

“People are concerned — there are a lot of families that have been there for generations, and it’s their parents’ home. It’s a complicated issue and I don’t know the answers,” Rechtman said. “But I’d like to think if you invest responsibly and gentrify responsibly it will allow people to keep their homes. As the tide rises, so do all the boats in the sea.”