ALACHUA ‒ A new development in the city of Alachua is poised to bring over a thousand households as well as science and technology research companies to the area.

Concept Companies and The Roberts Company broke ground on The Convergence, a 420-acre development. Anchored by Momentum Labs, the development will be located adjacent to Progress Park and is designed as a hub for major science and technology research companies. The development will feature a mixed-use sustainable community with residential housing adjacent to high tech businesses as well as miles of adjacent nature trails, sports facilities and adjacent community recreation amenities.

The Convergence is strategically located near Sid Martin Biotech incubator in Progress Park and will offer incubator employees, as well as employees of already established life sciences, biomedical research, medicine, and chemical sciences companies, an opportunity to live close to their work. The development will also attract additional high-tech industry by offering expanded research and development facilities and commercial space.

Officials from Gainesville and the City of Alachua as well as business leaders gathered on a chilly Friday, Jan. 7, to witness the groundbreaking ceremony and to hear about the development.

To emphasize the collaborative nature of The Convergence, in addition to the groundbreaking, San Felasco Research Ventures, a joint enterprise by Concept Companies and The Roberts Companies, organized a community concert headlining local favorite Sister Hazel and gave away 1,200 free tickets to the general public. Georgia songwriter Carly Burruss opened the show as the sun set and the temperature dropped. Despite the cold, the audience continued to build as Sister Hazel took the stage for an almost two-hour show.

“Our goal is to create a collaborative community where people can come together and work on their projects, live in the same place and really do extraordinary science without sacrificing lifestyle,” said Brian Crawford, CEO of Concept Companies. “We’re estimating approximately 1,000 households and as much as three thousand square feet of commercial space. That commercial space is mixed use so there’s predominately research type space but also community space for retail and fitness centers,” said Crawford.

“The addition of this project within Alachua will strengthen research and business activity in our biotechnology sector,” said City of Alachua Mayor Gib Coerper, “With the combination of this new project and existing assets, our region is poised to become the epicenter of science, research and technology in the State of Florida.”

“It’s been a pleasure and an honor working with the City of Alachua on several critical projects in the region, including Copeland Park and Foundation Park,” said Crawford.

According to Crawford, they expect to start building homes and tech companies later this year. “There are lots of moving parts to a project of this size.”

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ALACHUA ‒ Almost every community in America honors the memory of Martin Luther King, Jr. King inspired millions of people in his lifetime, and he changed the face of American society by bringing awareness about equal rights. During the 1950s and 1960s he rose to national prominence, and his death on April 4, 1968 at the hands of an assassin shocked and angered the nation. But his legacy and accomplishments live on.

King was one of many people who became involved in the Civil Rights movement, but his speaking ability and organization of non-violent protests, large marches and economic boycotts made him the most visible leader of the movement. He helped organize the 1963 March on Washington where he delivered his famous “I Have a Dream” speech to a crowd of over 250,000 people. On Oct. 14, 1964, King was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts to fight racial inequality through nonviolent protests. King was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the Congressional Gold Medal.

Martin Luther King Day was enacted as a federal holiday through legislation signed by President Ronald Reagan in 1986. Now each year, on the third Monday in January, Martin Luther King Day is celebrated to mark his birth on Jan. 15, 1929.

In High Springs, Reverend and current Mayor Byran Williams has led a memorial march down West U.S. Highway 27 from City Hall to Catherine Taylor Park for the past 10 years.

“My church, Mount Carmel United Methodist Church, has been holding remembrance services for MLK day for over 20 years,” said Williams. “About 10 years ago it was decided to open the services to the whole community by creating a walk that all could participate in, similar to the marches that King organized, to honor the day and unify the community.”

This year, on a cold Monday morning, about 50 people gathered at High Springs City Hall to make the almost mile walk accompanied by a police escort. Once at the park, there was singing by Spiritual Excellence followed by Noah Brock describing Dr. King's life and achievements and keynote speaker Reverend Jon Ingraham.

For the past 16 years the City of Alachua has hosted a celebration of Martin Luther King Day with an event at the Cleather Hathcock Community Center. The City provides a catered lunch, equipment, law enforcement and some of the entertainment for the event. City employees from the parks and recreation department and the city manager's office volunteer their time and services for the event. Volunteers from churches and community organizations also offer their time to serve the food, prepare desserts and provide entertainment and information.

This year’s event started at 11 a.m. with an opening prayer by Pastor Gregory Pelham and the National Anthem sung by Antionette Hunt. Master of Ceremony Carol Richardson introduced speakers Alachua Mayor Gib Coerper, State Representative Yvonne Hinson and Florida State Senator Keith Perry. Entertainment from the Smooth Flava Dance group followed. Inside the Hathcock Center, Alachua born artist Kenneth Kith displayed his artwork while caterers set up lunch outside on the porch.

Speakers included Dr. Micha Johnson who spoke of his early life of homelessness and poverty and the childhood trauma that many minority children face. Born and initially raised in South Florida, Johnson was uprooted at a young age to Brooklyn, New York. Living in impoverished conditions, often homeless in a volatile family situation, Johnson's neighborhood was a dangerous place with gangs, drugs and poverty.

Many of the New York kids called him a farmer or hick due to his accent and background in the south. Johnson had low self-esteem and fear of not being accepted, especially due to his homeless situation. “I was afraid that once my friends found out about living in homeless shelters I would be shunned,” he said. But the opposite happened. “They all accepted that I was in a hard situation and never once mentioned or joked about my situation.”

Sleeping in cars and homeless shelters, Johnson graduated from high school and was accepted at the University of Florida where he pursed three degrees, including his doctorate in Sociology. He now teaches at the University of South Florida about childhood trauma and its effects on self-worth and ability to achieve.

Events held throughout the country not only honor King and his legacy, but they also memorialize the changes in society that King helped bring about.

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L - R: Deputy Director of the Office of Ag Water Policy at the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Chris Pettit; Florida Farm Bureau President Jeb Smith, 2021 CARES recipient Scott Emerson, Executive Director of Suwannee River Water Management District Hugh Thomas, Dean for UF/IFAS Extension Dr. Andra Johnson.

BLAND ‒ Scott Emerson of Emerson’s Little Dam Farm, Bland, Florida, has been recognized as a 2021 CARES recipient. Florida Farm Bureau’s County Alliance for Responsible Environmental Stewardship (CARES) program publicly recognizes Florida farmers and ranchers who demonstrate exemplary efforts to protect Florida’s natural resources by implementing Best Management Practices. The program highlights the many ways farmers and ranchers use best management practices to leave the land and its resources in better shape for the next generation.

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