The Standard at Gainesville will begin moving in its 1,200 residents over the course of the next two days, likely causing congestion and traffic delays in the Midtown and downtown areas.
The Standard, located on the corner of West University Avenue and Northwest 13th Street, had about 500 residents moving in today, said Taylor Fulford, a leasing agent for The Standard. The massive move into the 10-story apartment complex is expected to cause traffic delays, and Gainesville residents should allow themselves extra time if they need to pass through the area.
Gainesville Police spokesman Officer Ben Tobias said The Standard hired GPD to help facilitate move-in traffic for today and Friday. Despite help from police, Tobias said anything around the intersection of University Avenue and 13th Street is likely to be congested. His best advice is simply to avoid the area if possible.
"Stay far away," he said. “Maybe look at a map, and learn a different part of the city.”
The Standard is a 10-story apartment complex with floorplans ranging from studios to 6-bedroom apartments. Each unit comes furnished and rent prices range from $650 to $1,200. The complex is just steps from UF’s campus and boasts amenities like a tanning deck, gym, study lounge and rooftop pools.
Although residents are moving in, The Standard isn’t entirely complete. The Gainesville Sun reported that the first-floor retail space and the lounge are still empty spaces needing to be filled. Fulford said the retail space will include a Target Express, which is aiming to open its doors by Sept. 2, the first home football game.
The Standard originally intended to move all 1,200 residents in Friday, said Taylor Fulford, a leasing agent for The Standard. After receiving approval from the city to begin moving in residents early, the complex sent out an email to its residents and allowed the first 500 residents who responded to move in today. Fulford said the complex didn’t turn away residents today who didn't make it on the first-500 list.
"We have several people who didn't apply or make the list but we're still allowing them to come because we like to accommodate our residents," Fulford said.
Move-in was set to begin today at 8 a.m., but residents who arrived as early as 7 a.m. were permitted to begin moving in, Fulford said. The Standard staggered move-in times throughout the day, beginning with the top three floors and allowing 2 to 3 hours for each floor. Today’s move-in is set to end around 6 p.m. and Friday’s move-in will last from around 9 a.m. to 6 p.m, according to an email sent to The Standard’s residents. GPD will be present both days to help control traffic flow, but Tobias still warned residents to take note of the possible congestion and how it may affect their daily commute.
Some Gainesville residents are concerned about the traffic issues The Standard's move-in may cause.
Dawn Peters, a 50-year-old Gainesville resident and mother of a UF sophomore, said the goal to move in 1,200 residents in two days seems farfetched.
"I'm hoping next year they have a better plan," she said.
For now, Peters said there isn't much to do except avoid the area and accept the inevitable congestion.
"People just need to have patience," she said.
Contact Jessica Giles at jgiles@alligator.org and follow her on Twitter @jessica_giles_
Stephanie Doikos, a 19-year-old UF business administration sophomore, and her mother excitedly move into her new apartment at The Standard at Gainesville. Doikos said the move-in process was surprisingly smooth.
Mathew Zwijacz, a 22-year-old UF masters student in Information Systems and Operations Management, and Chet Ghioto, a 22-year-old UF economics senior, hang out in one of The Standard at Gainesville’s rooftop pools with lifeguards Matias Matonti, a 20-year-old UF business administration junior, and Tyler Silcock, a 23-year-old UF alumnus.
The Standard at Gainesville’s tenth-floor lounge, which has two pool tables, a kitchen, a bar, couches, multiple flat-screen TVs and classic arcade games.
