Florida State University and Tallahassee Memorial Healthcare are currently in the design planning stages of a new state-of-the-art academic medical center.
However, with the project expected to be close to homes in the Betton Hills neighborhood and the possibility of widening the road being considered, nearby residents are concerned about increased traffic, bright lights and loud construction noise.
“Our concern is that when this building is built, if we don't do something to manage traffic, it's not just Beton Street and Centerville Street. , which means the nearby streets leading to it will no longer be safe.” He lives in Beton Hills, he told the Democrat.
A draft document prepared by Tallahassee-based civil engineering firm Moore Bass Consulting, which is part of the project's design team, includes detailed plans for the center and information about its location.
“The general location for the new project is just south of Centerville Road and east of Physicians Drive,” Moore Bass Consulting said in a Jan. 9 site plan narrative document.
“This site plan shows a road extension from Surgeons Drive to Centerville Road (known as Nurse Drive). This road extension is not proposed under this permit. A separate permit is required for the construction of the road. submitted and subject to approval by the Canopy Road Citizens Committee.”
Centerville is one of nine designated canopy roads in Tallahassee.
The health center's placement means a new street could penetrate the canopy of Centerville Street and connect to future structures along the busy, narrow two-lane road.
Mr. Brezin is a member and former member of the Beton Hills Neighborhood Association, a group of residents who live downtown between Thomasville and Centerville roads near TMH, one of Tallahassee's oldest canopy neighborhoods. He is also the chairman.
He noted that Centerville Road is already congested in the morning and afternoon, and that adjacent Betton Road is often congested in the afternoon all the way from Thomasville Road. He said it was “No. 1.” 1 Concern. ”
FSU spokeswoman Amy Farnham-Patronis said the revised design takes into account neighborhood concerns and the university is expected to be completed in late May.
The five-story building will be 130,000 square feet and is the result of FSU securing $125 million from the Florida Legislature and Gov. Ron DeSantis two years ago. FSU and TMH recently signed a memorandum of understanding solidifying their partnership for a future academic health center scheduled to open in fall 2026.
related news:FSU and TMH sign agreement to build new academic health center in Tallahassee
The building will include space for laboratory, clinical, and digital health initiatives. The future center is proposed to have about 350 parking spaces, according to the draft plan.
In addition to Moore Bass Consulting, the project's design team includes firms such as HOK, a global engineering and architecture firm, and Cumming Group, an international project management and cost consulting firm. Both companies have offices across Florida in cities such as Miami and Orlando.
“Responsibility as a neighbor”
TMH held a February meeting led by FSU Chief Construction Officer Sadie Greiner to give neighborhood residents a general idea of what the initial plans for the project would be.
Meeting participants were given the floor to share their concerns with the Academic Health Center Project team.
“We're not expecting complete tranquility, but they just feel a sense of responsibility to get along with their neighbors and integrate a little bit into the neighborhood,” Brezin said.
Maida Williams, a local resident of the Pilkem Ridge community who has lived in Tallahassee for more than 40 years, says sound, light and traffic pollution need to be considered.
“We're very supportive of what TMH and FSU are doing because we need more medical training for our doctors and nurses here,” said Williams, former owner of Target Print and Mail, a commercial printing company. Ta. “But he only has two lanes on Centerville Road, so the extra traffic isn't really needed. It's just adding salt to the wound.”
If the new road were built, it would be about 200 feet from the entrance to her neighborhood, which is the only way for cars to get in and out of the neighborhood. A small residential area just north of Betton Road off Centerville Road is lined with upscale homes.
“There's also a concern that it's going to bring a lot of light pollution into our neighborhoods,” Williams said. “There's also the noise factor. In the Midtown area, which is very quiet, there are air conditioners and other machinery close to the house, and I'm concerned about noise pollution.”
Williams also mentioned a trash and recycling compactor, as well as a cooling tower that would be located at the rear end of the future building facing Centerville Road, according to existing building plans.
She hopes the final design plans for the center will be amended to ameliorate some of the foreseen nuisances. No design changes to the project have been announced yet.
“The university continues to gather input on the new building,” Farnham-Patronis said. “Residents have raised concerns about noise and traffic, and we have made some changes to the design based on their feedback.”
She added: “The FSU Health Academic Health Center project is an important milestone in the university's relationship with TMH.As we near completion of the design and development phase, the site is being cleared and initial infrastructure will be completed later this summer. We are planning to start construction.”
Contact Tarah Jean at tjean@tallahassee.com or follow her on X. @tarahjean_.
