The owner of the former Paramount Plaza Hotel & Conference Center in southwest Gainesville is hoping to develop the property into an affordable housing complex. He is also looking for some assurances from local officials and nonprofits, however, that if built the rooms won’t sit vacant.
Rob Beyer, founder and CEO of Rise8 Companies, told The Sun on May 9, that he is looking to partner with local nonprofits in hopes of pre-leasing a number of the units to help guarantee occupancy. He also has reached out to the city of Gainesville, including Mayor Harvey Ward, and the Alachua County and Gainesville housing authorities about the idea.
“We’ve had a tough time with the investment, and we just need to make sure that someone’s going to be there on the other side this time,” Beyer said. “We just need to know that somebody’s going to live there.”…