Editing Gainesville, Florida (section)

==Geography==
Gainesville is located at 29°39'55" North, 82°20'10" West (29.665245, −82.336097),<ref name="GR1">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=April 23, 2011|date=February 12, 2011|title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990}}</ref>. According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the city has an area of {{convert|161.6|km2|order=flip}}, of which {{convert|158.8|km2|order=flip}} is land and {{convert|2.8|km2|order=flip}} is water. The total area is 1.74% water.<ref name="Census 2010">{{cite web| url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/G001/1600000US1225175| archive-url=https://archive.today/20200212175353/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/G001/1600000US1225175| url-status=dead| archive-date=February 12, 2020| title=Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Gainesville city, Florida| publisher=U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder| access-date=May 6, 2013}}</ref>

Gainesville's tree canopy is both dense and species rich, including broadleaf evergreens, conifers, and deciduous species; the city has been recognized by the [[National Arbor Day Foundation]] every year since 1982 as a "Tree City, USA". A 2016 ecological assessment indicates Gainesville's urban tree canopy covers 47 percent of its land area.<ref>{{cite report |last1=Andreu|first1=Michael G.|last2=Fox|first2=David A.|last3=Landry|first3=Shawn M.|last4=Northrop|first4=Robert J.|last5=Hament|first5=Caroline A.|date=March 1, 2017 |title=City of Gainesville Urban Forest Ecological Analysis 2016 |url=http://sfrc.ufl.edu/wp-content/uploads/GNV-ECO-Report-2016.pdf |page=16 |access-date=June 22, 2019 |quote="Based on Eco sample plot data collected, the estimated average tree canopy cover of Gainesville is 47%"}}</ref>

Gainesville is surrounded by rural areas, including the {{cvt|21,000|acre |ha|adj=on}} wilderness of [[Paynes Prairie]] on its southern edge. The area is dominated by the [[University of Florida]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ufl.edu/facts/ |title=University of Florida Facts |publisher=[[University of Florida]] |access-date=May 18, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110520030833/http://www.ufl.edu/facts/ |archive-date=May 20, 2011 }}</ref> which in 2008 was the third-largest university by enrollment in the US,<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.bizjournals.com/dayton/stories/2008/10/20/daily3.html |title=Ohio State named nation's largest college&nbsp;– again |work= [[Dayton Business Journal]] |date= October 20, 2008 |access-date=June 30, 2011}}</ref> and as of 2021 was the [[List of United States university campuses by enrollment|fourth-largest]].

===Cityscape===
[[File:University Corners, Gainesville, FL.jpg|thumb|Mixed-use student housing (left side) along US 441, viewed from near the main entrance to the University of Florida (bottom left)]]
[[File:Downtown Gainesville, FL.jpg|thumb|Gainesville's downtown]]

Since the 1990s, suburban sprawl has been a concern for a majority of the city commissioners. The "New Urbanization" plan to gentrify the area between historic Downtown and the University of Florida may slow the growth of suburban sectors and spark a migration toward upper-level apartments in the inner city. The area immediately north of the university is also seeing active redevelopment. Many gentrification plans rely on tax incentives that have sparked controversy<ref name=Alligator_2007-12-05>{{cite web|url=http://www.alligator.org/opinion/letters_to_the_editor/article_beac9169-4faf-5979-b991-439ad4b073ee.html|title=City shouldn't pay for University Corners|author=Randy Jewett|website=Alligator.org|access-date=October 17, 2017}}</ref> and are sometimes unsuccessful. University Corners, which would not have been proposed without a $98 million tax incentive program by the city,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.alligator.org/news/local/article_383786a3-4801-5878-9a81-3ab231e4a738.html|title=Court case makes future uncertain for University Corners|author=KATIE GALLAGHER|website=Alligator.org|access-date=October 17, 2017}}</ref> was to be "a crowning jewel of the city's redevelopment efforts",<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gainesville.com/article/20071020/NEWS/71020005|title=Will University Corners see daylight?|author=JEFF ADELSON|website=Gainesville.com|access-date=October 17, 2017}}</ref> 450 condos and hotel units and {{convert|98,000|ft2|m2}} of retail space in eight stories covering three city blocks,<ref name=GVilleSun-2011-01-06>{{cite web|url=http://www.gainesville.com/article/20110106/ARTICLES/110109693|title=Work on Stadium Club to resume; University Corners still on hold|author=Anthony Clark |website=Gainesville.com|access-date=October 17, 2017}}</ref> on {{convert|3.4|acres|ha}} purchased for $15.5 million.<ref name=GVilleSun-2008-07-11>{{cite web|url=http://www.gainesville.com/article/20080711/NEWS/813519470|title=University Corners cleans up for church|author=Megan Rolland|website=Gainesville.com|access-date=October 17, 2017}}</ref> 19 thriving businesses<ref name=Alligator_2007-12-05/> were demolished in April 2007,<ref name=GVilleSun-2008-07-11/> but in May 2008 deposit checks were refunded to about 105 people who reserved units,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.alligator.org/news/local/article_13498303-fbde-588f-a022-5da58ec2971b.html|title=Developers of stalled University Corners complex return checks|author=APRIL DUDASH|website=Alligator.org|access-date=October 17, 2017}}</ref> and in July 2008 developers spent "$120,000 to beautify the site, so we won't have this ugly green fence".<ref name=GVilleSun-2008-07-11/>

Gainesville's east side houses the majority of the city's African-American community, while the west side consists of the mainly student and White resident communities. West of the city limits are large-scale planned communities, most notably [[Haile Plantation, Florida|Haile Plantation]], which was built on the site of its eponymous former plantation.

The destruction of the city's landmark [[Victorian architecture|Victorian]] courthouse in the 1960s, which some considered unnecessary, brought the idea of historic preservation to the community's attention. The bland county building that replaced the grand courthouse became known to some locals as the "air conditioner". Additional destruction of the downtown area's historic buildings has left a small handful of older buildings, like the [[Hippodrome State Theatre]], at one time a federal building. However, revitalization of the city's core has picked up, and the city is replacing many parking lots and underutilized buildings with infill development and near-campus housing that blend with existing historic structures. There is a proposal to rebuild a replica of the old courthouse on a parking lot one block from the original location.

Helping in this effort are the number of areas and buildings added to the [[National Register of Historic Places]]. Dozens of examples of restored Victorian and [[Queen Anne style architecture in the United States|Queen Anne style]] residences constructed in the city's agricultural heyday of the 1880s and 1890s can be found in the following districts:
* [[Northeast Gainesville Residential District]]
* [[Southeast Gainesville Residential District]]
* [[Pleasant Street Historic District (Gainesville, Florida)|Pleasant Street Historic District]]

Additionally, the [[University of Florida Campus Historic District]], consisting of 11 buildings and 14 contributing properties, lies within the city's boundaries. Most of the buildings in the Campus Historic District are constructed in variations of [[Collegiate Gothic]] architecture, which returned to prominence in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Historic structures on the Register in and around downtown are:
* [[Bailey House (Gainesville, Florida)|Bailey Plantation House]] (1854)
* [[Colson House#Colson House (Gainesville, Florida)|Colson House]] (1905)
* [[Matheson House (Gainesville, Florida)|Matheson House]] (1867)
* [[Hotel Thomas|Thomas Hotel]] (1910)
* The [[U.S. Post Office (Gainesville, Florida)|Old Post Office]] (now the [[Hippodrome State Theatre]]) (1911)
* [[Masonic Order Lodge No. 41 (Gainesville, Florida)|Masonic Temple]] (1908)
* [[Dixie Hotel (Gainesville, Florida)|Seagle Building]] (1926), downtown Gainesville's tallest building.
* [[Baird Hardware Company Warehouse]] (1890)
* [[Cox Furniture Store]] (1875)
* [[Cox Furniture Warehouse]] (c. 1890)
* [[Epworth Hall (Gainesville, Florida)|Epworth Hall]] (1884)
* [[Old Gainesville Depot]] (1907)
* [[Mary Phifer McKenzie House]] (1895)
* [[Star Garage]] (1902)
* [[A. Quinn Jones House]]

===Some 21st century developments===
* Innovation Square<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.innovationsquare.ufl.edu/|title=Innovation Square » Innovation Square. Innovation and Community Redefined.|website=Innovationsquare.ufl.edu|access-date=October 5, 2016}}</ref>
* The Standard – Student Apartments Near UF<ref>{{cite web |url=https://thestandardgainesville.landmark-properties.com/ |title=Raise Your Standard-  Apartments Near UF |publisher=Landmark Properties |access-date=November 24, 2023 }}</ref>
* The Continuum – Graduate and Professional Student Housing<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thecontinuumforufgrads.com/|title=The Continuum Apartments|website=Thecontinuumforufgrads.com|access-date=October 5, 2016}}</ref>

===Climate===
Gainesville's climate is defined as [[humid subtropical climate|humid subtropical]] ([[Köppen climate classification|Köppen]]: ''Cfa''), with tropical-like summers, warm to hot shoulder seasons, and mild winters. Due to its inland location, Gainesville experiences wide temperature fluctuations, and it is part of USDA Plant [[hardiness zone]] 9a.<ref>{{cite web|title=USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map|url=http://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/PHZMWeb/|publisher=United States Department of Agriculture|access-date=March 22, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140227032333/http://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/PHZMWeb/|archive-date=February 27, 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref> During the hot season, from roughly May 15 to September 30, the city's climate is similar to the rest of the state, with frequent afternoon thunderstorms and high humidity. Average temperatures range from the low 70s (21–23&nbsp;°C) at night to around {{convert|91|°F|0}} during the day.

In the cool season, Gainesville experiences 15 nights of temperatures at freezing or below and sustained freezes every few years. The record low of {{cvt|6|°F|0}} was reached on [[Great Blizzard of 1899|February 13, 1899]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.srh.noaa.gov/jax/gnv_records_February.shtml |title=Gainesville Records for February |publisher=[[National Weather Service]] |access-date=July 21, 2007}}</ref> and the city experienced light snow and freezing rain on Christmas Eve, 1989. Traces of snow were also recorded in 1977,<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.alligator.org/news/snow-in-gainesville-here-s-what-it-looked-like-in/article_59548270-f404-11e7-b1f1-07d0e62a8553.html|title=Snow in Gainesville? Here's what it looked like in 1977.|last=Kneale|first=Dennis|date=January 19, 1977|website=The Independent Florida Alligator|language=en|access-date=December 9, 2018}}</ref> 1996, 2010<ref>{{cite web |last1=Alexander |first1=Jackie |title=NWS confirms Sunday morning snow flurries for Gainesville |url=https://www.gainesville.com/news/20101226/nws-confirms-sunday-morning-snow-flurries-for-gainesville |website=The Gainesville Sun |date=December 26, 2010|access-date=September 30, 2018}}</ref> and 2016.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.gainesville.com/news/20180102/snow-in-gainesville-could-happen-wednesday|title=Snow in Gainesville? Could happen Wednesday|last=Callahan|first=Joe|date=January 3, 2018|website=Gainesville Sun|language=en|access-date=December 9, 2018}}</ref> The daily average temperature in January is {{convert|54.8|°F|1}}; on average, the window for freezing temperatures is December 4 to February 24, allowing a growing season of 282&nbsp;days, although the 1949–50 winter season did not record a freeze.<ref name="auto">{{cite web
| url = https://w2.weather.gov/climate/xmacis.php?wfo=jax
| title = NOWData − NOAA Online Weather Data
| publisher = [[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration]]
| access-date = June 2, 2021
}}</ref> Like the rest of the state, cold temperatures are almost always accompanied by clear skies and [[High pressure area|high pressure systems]]; snow is therefore rare. Temperatures reaching {{convert|100|°F|0}} or falling below {{convert|20|°F|0}} are rare, having respectively last occurred on June 4, 2019, and January 11, 2010.

The city's flora and fauna are also distinct from coastal regions of the state, and include many deciduous species, such as [[dogwood]], maple, hickory and [[sweet gum]], alongside palms, [[live oak]]s, and other evergreens. This allows the city to enjoy brief periods of fall color in late November and December and a noticeable, prolonged spring from mid-February through early April. This is a generally pleasant period, as colorful blooms of [[azalea]] and [[redbud]] complement a cloudless blue sky, for this is also the period of the lowest precipitation and lowest humidity. The city averages {{convert|48.31|in|sigfig=3}} of rain per year. June through September accounts for most annual rainfall, while autumn and early winter are the driest.

{{Weather box|width=auto
|location = Gainesville, Florida ([[Gainesville Regional Airport]]), 1991−2020 normals,<ref>Mean monthly maxima and minima (i.e. the highest and lowest temperature readings during an entire month or year) calculated based on data at said location from 1991 to 2020.</ref> extremes 1890−present
|single line = Y
| Jan high F = 67.2
| Feb high F = 70.9
| Mar high F = 76.0
| Apr high F = 81.5
| May high F = 87.6
| Jun high F = 90.3
| Jul high F = 91.1
| Aug high F = 90.6
| Sep high F = 88.1
| Oct high F = 82.3
| Nov high F = 74.7
| Dec high F = 69.3
|year high F = 80.8
|Jan mean F = 54.8
|Feb mean F = 58.4
|Mar mean F = 62.7
|Apr mean F = 68.5
|May mean F = 75.0
|Jun mean F = 79.9
|Jul mean F = 81.4
|Aug mean F = 81.3
|Sep mean F = 78.8
|Oct mean F = 71.4
|Nov mean F = 62.7
|Dec mean F = 57.3
|year mean F = 69.3
| Jan low F = 42.8
| Feb low F = 46.2
| Mar low F = 50.0
| Apr low F = 55.8
| May low F = 62.9
| Jun low F = 69.8
| Jul low F = 72.0
| Aug low F = 72.2
| Sep low F = 69.5
| Oct low F = 60.8
| Nov low F = 50.8
| Dec low F = 45.5
|year low F = 58.3
|Jan avg record high F = 80.8
|Feb avg record high F = 83.3
|Mar avg record high F = 86.4
|Apr avg record high F = 89.8
|May avg record high F = 94.3
|Jun avg record high F = 96.5
|Jul avg record high F = 96.0
|Aug avg record high F = 95.1
|Sep avg record high F = 93.3
|Oct avg record high F = 89.8
|Nov avg record high F = 85.1
|Dec avg record high F = 81.3
|year avg record high F= 97.8
|Jan avg record low F = 24.8
|Feb avg record low F = 27.7
|Mar avg record low F = 32.0
|Apr avg record low F = 40.4
|May avg record low F = 50.4
|Jun avg record low F = 63.0
|Jul avg record low F = 67.4
|Aug avg record low F = 67.6
|Sep avg record low F = 60.2
|Oct avg record low F = 43.4
|Nov avg record low F = 32.5
|Dec avg record low F = 28.3
|year avg record low F= 22.8
|Jan record high F =  89
|Feb record high F =  91
|Mar record high F =  96
|Apr record high F =  96
|May record high F = 102
|Jun record high F = 104
|Jul record high F = 102
|Aug record high F = 100
|Sep record high F =  99
|Oct record high F =  96
|Nov record high F =  91
|Dec record high F =  87

|Jan record low F = 10
|Feb record low F =  6
|Mar record low F = 22
|Apr record low F = 32
|May record low F = 42
|Jun record low F = 50
|Jul record low F = 60
|Aug record low F = 60
|Sep record low F = 48
|Oct record low F = 32
|Nov record low F = 20
|Dec record low F = 13
|precipitation colour = green
| Jan precipitation inch = 3.29
| Feb precipitation inch = 2.67
| Mar precipitation inch = 3.49
| Apr precipitation inch = 2.74
| May precipitation inch = 3.08
| Jun precipitation inch = 7.56
| Jul precipitation inch = 6.68
| Aug precipitation inch = 6.40
| Sep precipitation inch = 5.05
| Oct precipitation inch = 2.68
| Nov precipitation inch = 1.79
| Dec precipitation inch = 2.88
|year precipitation inch = 48.31
| unit precipitation days = 0.01 in
| Jan precipitation days = 8.2
| Feb precipitation days = 7.2
| Mar precipitation days = 7.4
| Apr precipitation days = 6.2
| May precipitation days = 6.9
| Jun precipitation days = 14.9
| Jul precipitation days = 15.9
| Aug precipitation days = 16.1
| Sep precipitation days = 11.0
| Oct precipitation days = 7.2
| Nov precipitation days = 5.8
| Dec precipitation days = 7.0
| year precipitation days = 113.8
|source 1 = NOAA<ref name="auto"/><ref>{{cite web
| url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&startDate=0001-01-01&endDate=9996-12-31&stations=USW00012816&format=pdf
| title = Summary of Monthly Normals 1991−2020
| publisher = [[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration]]
| access-date = June 2, 2021
}}</ref> }}