Orange/Meridian Placemaking

This project creates a neighborhood park and community gathering space at Orange Avenue and Meridian Street with the opportunity for trails and vendors as well as a children’s play area. The East Drainage Ditch between South Monroe and Meridian streets will be improved and enhanced. Additionally, $1 million will be contributed to Star Metro for the development of a planned South City Transit Center.

Current Status: The park concept was approved by the IA Board, and the final design is underway. Planning and design of the Park are expected to be complete by Q2 2024. Construction will follow later in Q2 2024

Stormwater modeling for a replacement ditch of the portion of East Drainage Ditch between Meridian and S. Monroe streets is also underway. It is anticipated that the final draft concept for the East Drainage Ditch will be presented to the IA Board in Q2/Q3 2024, with construction anticipated in 2026.

“On February 7, 2023, the project was awarded a $572,052 grant through the Resilient Florida Grant Program.”

Blueprint Project Manager: Junious Brown

Project Snapshot – Orange-Meridian Placemaking

Project History and Community Engagement:

Design work for the park and the new multi-use path began in January 2021. Throughout February and March, meetings with neighborhood groups and opportunities for residents to share their ideas for the park were held both in-person and virtually. Project team members attended the Walker-Ford Farmers’ Market, hosted a Community Conversation and BBQ, and partnered with the Tallahassee Peacemakers Initiative and the South City Foundation in a Pop-Up Pancake Breakfast.

Participants at events and online were encouraged to complete a survey to share their preferences for the new park regarding recreational, cultural, and environmental aspects, and to share their overall ideas. A total of 284 individuals completed the survey, including 124 people who indicated they live within a mile of the park. The strong representation by nearby residents is important as this is envisioned as a neighborhood park.

Stay Involved: In addition to updates on this website, you can sign up to receive email updates that will be delivered directly to your inbox. Join the Orange-Meridian project emailing list here.