Redevelopment is crucial in preventing sprawl but it often lacks proper government incentives to make it more appealing than new development.  The Gainesville Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) tackled this problem head-on by sponsoring the first publicly-funded, single-family residential subdivision in Gainesville, Florida.  Heartwood is a 34-lot subdivision located on the site of a derelict housing project known as Kennedy Homes.  The engineering challenges involved significant wetland impacts and drainage improvements. 

Wetland mitigation was provided on-site by utilizing an innovative “bay” system that provided wetland habitat while preserving the drainage conveyance of the overall community.  The mitigation was so successful that it provided compensatory mitigation for another CRA development in the same watershed. 

The eastside of Gainesville needed a development like the Hearthwood Subdivision to spark growth in an area that needed a catalyst.  The lots are projected to sell for above market value and have already stimulated growth in the area even before homes were constructed.