Gainesville - Duval Heights Neighborhood

The Duval Area Neighborhood is located in East Gainesville, close to the city’s downtown area. With nearly 4,000 residents, the neighborhood contains about 5 percent of the city’s population.

Residents of the Duval neighborhood are active in their community, participating with the East Gainesville Development Task Force Neighborhood Coalition to preserve and improve the quality of life and the economic prosperity of the East Gainesville area. The neighborhood also has an active Crime Watch group and many residents serve on city boards as well as the city commission.

Duval Heights is currently proposed as Gainesville’s fourth redevelopment district. DEP’s Northeast District is actively seeking to provide the neighborhood with technical assistance for infrastructure improvement, educational needs, recreational development and outreach.

Flooding and steep ditches are problematic throughout the neighborhood. The department is coordinating with the St. Johns River Water Management District to identify potential funding for a community-wide master plan for drainage improvement.  While looking for opportunities to improve and beautify parks and open space, district personnel are providing scientific expertise on a wetland of concern. 

Grant Writing Assistance - The DEP recently responded to community needs by providing technical assistance on a community grant to solve neighborhood flooding problems.

Computer Donations - On Thursday, October 10, DEP delivered computer donations to the Northeast Gainesville Duval Area Front Porch Florida Community.  This delivery is the first of a large contribution of more than 50 computers donated by DEP to the community.

The Gardenia Gardens Neighborhood Network Program, located in the Front Porch community, received computers for use in an after school program that serves over 40 children from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). Programs that provide adults and seniors computer training will also benefit.

“When the DEP heard that we needed computers for an after-school computer training center they set out to find some for us,” says Juanita Miles-Hamilton the community’s liaison.“These computers will help to enhance the technological skills for the residents of the community.” 

The DEP began working with the neighborhood after they were designated the community as a “Florida Front Porch Community.”  With this designation the DEP and 19 other state agencies have been assisting the neighborhood to meet goals developed by the community to revitalize their neighborhood.

Duval Heights Priority Project - Residents of the Duval Heights community identified the following goals as priorities for neighborhood revitalization: