GAINESVILLE, Fla. (WCJB) – At a meeting, Alachua County commissioners gave the green light to sell a property in Micanopy and purchase another in Gainesville.

At an Alachua County Commission meeting on Tuesday, August 13, members voted to allow the City of Micanopy to purchase the property once slated to house a Dollar General near the intersection of SE Tuscawilla Rd and US 441.

RELATED: The Micanopy City Council proposed purchasing land from Alachua County

Local residents have been concerned for some time that this property might lose its historical significance, which is why Alachua County originally purchased it.

County commissioners say the city uses its money for wilderness areas and public spaces.

The county purchased the two properties in June for a total of $850,000. Micanopy authorities have now purchased the land from the county for $170,000.

A county commissioner told me that this was the right thing to do, given the community’s determination to preserve its historical significance.

“This will create a large, contiguous piece of land with historical and archaeological significance, and hopefully people will soon be able to visit it, hike it and understand why it was so important to us to save it,” said Mary Alford, chair of the Alachua County Board of County Commissioners.

During the meeting, commissioners also voted to proceed with the purchase of the Sunrise Residence Inn.

RELATED: Alachua County Commissioners Meet to Approve Purchase of Sunrise Residence Inn from St. Francis House

The permanent housing program property had been owned by St. Francis House since 1999. St. Francis House officials had originally purchased it for $460,000.

Because of the financial difficulties facing St. Francis House, commissioners are now purchasing it for about $2 million. This will prevent the displacement of the residents of the 35 housing units, many of whom rely on HUD project-based vouchers.

Residents who live there say they are partially happy that Alachua County is taking over the building, but they still have some questions and concerns.

“I’m a retiree on welfare, and if they take away these apartments, if something like this happens, I’ll have nowhere to go,” said Tammy Reinhardt, a resident of the Sunrise Residence Inn.

County officials say there is still work to be done on the buildings. They say the studio apartments will require extensive renovations, including asbestos, lead, mold and structural repairs, which would cost about $4.2 million.

“Our problem is that some of the units are not in the best condition, so we either have to raise money to rehabilitate those units or look for partners who might be able to rebuild them better,” Alford said.

Reinhardt has lived in the complex for 10 years and says St. Francis officials have been inconsistent in maintaining the building.

“Water is leaking from my neighbor’s bathroom into mine and they never finished the repairs,” Reinhardt said.

Other residents who live there say they hope the county will address what they consider poor living conditions.

The executive director of St. Francis House told TV20 that during her tenure, all inspections were successful and only minor repairs were identified.

County commissioners say they look forward to renovating the complex. They are also excited to see what the city of Micanopy does with the land.

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