City Beautification Board honors area businesses and organizations

Published on April 24, 2025

At a recent ceremony, the Gainesville City Beautification Board recognized 10 local businesses and organizations with 2025 Gainesville Beautification Awards for their outstanding efforts in improving the city’s urban environment. The recipients were selected across four categories: Commercial & Community Hubs, Community Initiatives (Non-Profit), Public Amenities, and Public Art.

Commercial & Community Hubs Category:

Curia on the Drag: A vibrant space blending a coffee shop, food truck, bar, lounge, boutique and more, Curia fosters a dynamic environment for relaxation, work and community activities, celebrating Gainesville’s art, festivals, and local businesses since 2014.
4th Avenue Food Park: This evolving multi-eatery and gathering space has been transforming an underutilized area into a social hotspot, offering a variety of local food and drinks while celebrating Gainesville’s artistic, eclectic, and welcoming culture since 2020.
South Main Station: At the renovated former Baird Center, South Main Station serves as a community hub with local eateries, a brewery, a music venue and a bookstore. With a diverse range of events throughout the year, it strengthens the connection between Depot Park and downtown Gainesville.
The Lynx: Opened in 2024 and situated within South Main Station, this bookstore promotes free expression and the freedom to read. It also serves as a cultural hub, providing access to banned books and fostering community engagement through literature.

Community Initiatives, Non-Profit Category:

GROW HUB (Growing Real Opportunities to Work-Harvest of Urban Business): A non-profit plant nursery that employs adults with disabilities, GROW HUB enriches the community by selling plants and promoting nature’s beauty.
Plant for Pollinators (UF Natural History Museum): This program hosts pop-up plant giveaways, educating the public and expanding pollinator- and wildlife-friendly habitats in north central Florida’s suburban and urban landscapes.
Operation Catnip: Advocating for community cats, this organization has been serving Alachua County since 1998, offering sterilization services and educational programs to improve the lives of cats and their caregivers.

Public Amenities Category:

UF Health Urgent Care Center – Eastside: Opened in 2024, the UF Health facility provides essential medical care to residents of east Gainesville. The center was partially funded by the City of Gainesville and Alachua County, with plans for nearby development, including a Regional Transit System (RTS) transfer station.
Lincoln Yard Park: Opened in 2024, this new park offers a nature loop, playground, and shaded areas under a lush tree canopy. The municipal park was built using funding from the Wild Spaces & Public Places half-cent sales tax.

Public Art Category:

UF Arts in Medicine HeART Wall: Recognized for its vibrant heart mural, this public art installation on Southeast Fourth Street features more than 2,000 colorful heart-shaped mosaics, created by community members in 2024.

“This is a wonderful event, and I am honored to be part of it,” said Gainesville Mayor Harvey Ward. “These award recipients have made a lasting, positive impact on our city.”

The Gainesville City Beautification Board, a City of Gainesville advisory body, focuses on addressing environmental and aesthetic issues by promoting stewardship, improving community assets, and supporting coordinated beautification programs and excellence in design.

“The Beautification Board is very pleased to be able to recognize these ten truly special initiatives that shape and highlight Gainesville’s unique culture,” said Board President Lynn Janoski. “All of these projects carry the imprint of many hands, many hearts and so much caring and persistence.”