Short answer: Tallahassee's places guides cover Frenchtown, Gaines Street and CollegeTown, Lake Ella, Myers Park, the Park Avenue chain of parks and Railroad Square. In October 2026 the Knott House on Park Avenue is closed for preservation, the final Railroad Avenue rebuild phase that began July 7, 2025 detours traffic via FAMU Way, and the Lake Jackson Greenway from Lake Ella finished phase I in early 2025.
Last verified: October 15, 2026, against the sources listed at the end of this page.
Which Tallahassee places does this section cover?
The Tallahassee places section covers six close-in districts and landmarks: Frenchtown, Gaines Street and CollegeTown, Lake Ella, Myers Park, the Park Avenue chain of parks and the Railroad Square Art District.
The City of Tallahassee park system counts 103 parks, about 4,000 acres and more than 70 miles of trails (City of Tallahassee Parks).
The City of Tallahassee Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) was created in August 1998 and works from 435 North Macomb Street, 850-891-8357 (About the CRA, Frenchtown/Southside CRA). The Frenchtown/Southside Community Redevelopment Area was created to revitalize the areas north and south of downtown, and a separate Downtown district plan and trust fund followed in June 2004 (About the CRA).
What is in Frenchtown, and where is the Lincoln Center?
The Frenchtown Renaissance Center at 435 North Macomb Street holds the City of Tallahassee Utilities customer office, the CRA lists the same address, and the city's Lincoln Center is at 438 West Brevard Street (City of Tallahassee Utilities hours and office).
The City of Tallahassee Commission established the Frenchtown/Southside Community Redevelopment Area in 1998 to revitalize neighborhoods north and south of downtown, and adopted its redevelopment plan and trust fund in June 2000 (Frenchtown/Southside CRA). A seven-member Citizen's Advisory Committee represents Frenchtown and Southside business and neighborhood interests.
The Lincoln Center (Lincoln Neighborhood Service Center) answers at 850-891-4180 and opens Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. (Lincoln Center). Its Lincoln Room is a museum honoring Lincoln High School, which stood on the site and served as the primary public education center for Leon County's African Americans from 1869 to 1970. The center also runs a six week Summer Enrichment Program with The Lincoln Foundation and The Riley House. The Tallahassee Frenchtown guide covers the neighborhood's history along Macomb Street in depth.
What is changing on Gaines Street and around Railroad Square?
The City of Tallahassee is rebuilding Railroad Avenue between Railroad Square and Gaines Street, adding a multi-use trail, medians and crossings and moving most overhead power lines underground.
Work began on Nov. 27, 2023, and the final phase began on July 7, 2025, with a round-the-clock full closure of Railroad Avenue from just south of the railroad crossing to Gaines Street (Railroad Avenue Improvements Project). The marked detour uses FAMU Way, Adams Street and Gaines Street, and local access for area residents and businesses stays open via side streets. As of October 15, 2026, the city project page gives no completion date for that final phase.
The CRA has paid for landscaping along Railroad Avenue inside the Gaines Street Revitalization Area, and runs a pilot grant of up to $5,000 for exterior painting of commercial buildings on Gaines Street and Lake Bradford Road (Frenchtown/Southside CRA). It also put $925,000 into the Goodbread Hills affordable apartments. The Tallahassee Gaines Street and CollegeTown guide explains how the street became a student district, and the Railroad Square Art District guide covers the warehouse studios and galleries.
What is at Lake Ella, and where does its new greenway go?
Lake Ella is the starting point of the 5.1-mile Lake Jackson Greenway, a planned multimodal connection to Lake Jackson Mounds Archaeological State Park.
Blueprint Intergovernmental Agency's phase I runs, from Lake Ella to the Trousdell Aquatic and Gymnastics Center, through sidewalks and on-street cycle routes (Lake Jackson Greenway). Construction began in July 2023 on the stormwater portion and the Pinewood Drive sidewalk, the remaining work began in mid 2024, and the rest of phase I was completed in early 2025. The project lists rectangular rapid flashing beacons at Tharpe Street, Dellwood Drive and Bradford Road among its safety improvements.
The City of Tallahassee counts over 50 lakes inside the city and over 200 in Leon County (City of Tallahassee Stormwater). Lake water quality questions go to the city Stormwater Department at 850-891-6860. The Tallahassee Lake Ella guide covers the lake's past and its role as a city stormwater facility.
What is open along Park Avenue and the downtown chain of parks?
On Park Avenue in October 2026, the Leon County Main Library is open daily, but the Knott House Museum at 301 East Park Avenue is closed for preservation work.
The Knott House was built in 1843, probably by George Proctor, a free black builder, and the Florida Division of Historical Resources has closed it while it preserves the interior and builds new exhibits (The Knott House). School and scout program questions go to 850-922-2459.
The Leon County Main Library at 200 West Park Avenue (850-606-2665) opens Monday to Thursday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. (Leon County Library). During renovations its Park Avenue entrance stays closed, so visitors use the lot and entrance at Call Street and Duval Street, and Tallahassee street parking there is free on weekends and weekdays after 6 p.m.
Just east of the Historic Capitol Museum at 219 Apalachee Parkway, the Union Bank Museum, built in 1841 and moved in 1971 from Adams Street between College and Park Avenues to Apalachee Parkway, opens Friday and Saturday, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., free (Union Bank Museum). The Tallahassee Park Avenue chain of parks guide explains why downtown has its run of parks in a row.
What public facilities are on Myers Park Drive?
Myers Park Drive holds the City of Tallahassee Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Affairs office at 1201 Myers Park Drive and Wade Wehunt Pool at 1206 Myers Park Dr.
The parks office answers at 850-891-3866, and Wade Wehunt Pool at 850-891-3985 (City of Tallahassee Aquatics). Single or double lane reservations at Wade Wehunt Pool go through the reservation hotline at 850-891-4903, Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The Tallahassee Myers Park guide covers the 1920s neighborhood around the park.
Which Tallahassee places guide answers which question?
Each Tallahassee places guide answers one district or landmark question in depth, and the table pairs each with a fact checked on October 15, 2026.
| Question | Key fact | Guide |
|---|---|---|
| What is Frenchtown, and who is redeveloping it? | Frenchtown/Southside CRA since 1998 | Frenchtown |
| How did Gaines Street change? | Painting grants up to $5,000 | Gaines Street and CollegeTown |
| Is Railroad Avenue open? | Final phase began July 7, 2025 | Railroad Square Art District |
| What is at Lake Ella? | Greenway phase I done early 2025 | Lake Ella |
| Is the Knott House open? | Closed for preservation | Park Avenue chain of parks |
| What is on Myers Park Drive? | Wade Wehunt Pool, 850-891-3985 | Myers Park |
Last verified: October 15, 2026, on the City of Tallahassee, Leon County and Florida Division of Historical Resources websites.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Knott House in Tallahassee open?
No. As of October 15, 2026, the Florida Division of Historical Resources lists the Knott House Museum at 301 East Park Avenue in Tallahassee as closed while it preserves the historic interior and creates new exhibits. The Union Bank Museum on Apalachee Parkway opens Friday and Saturday.
Is Railroad Avenue in Tallahassee closed?
The final phase of the Railroad Avenue Improvements Project began July 7, 2025, with a full closure from just south of the railroad crossing to Gaines Street. Traffic follows a marked detour using FAMU Way, Adams Street and Gaines Street, with local access for area residents and businesses kept via side streets. The city page gives no completion date as of October 15, 2026.
Where does the Lake Ella greenway go?
The Lake Jackson Greenway is planned as a 5.1-mile multimodal connection from Lake Ella to Lake Jackson Mounds Archaeological State Park. Phase I, from Lake Ella to the Trousdell Aquatic and Gymnastics Center, was completed in early 2025.
Where is the Lincoln Center in Tallahassee?
The Lincoln Center, also called the Lincoln Neighborhood Service Center, is at 438 West Brevard Street in Tallahassee, phone 850-891-4180. It opens Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and holds the Lincoln Room museum on the former Lincoln High School site.
Where is parking for the Leon County Main Library on Park Avenue?
The Leon County Main Library entrance is reached from the library lot at Call Street and Duval Street, since the Park Avenue entrance is closed during renovations. On-street metered spaces are on adjacent streets, and street parking is free on weekends and on weekdays after 6 p.m.
Sources
- Parks and Trails, City of Tallahassee https://www.talgov.com/parks/parks Used for: park, acreage and trail counts
- Frenchtown/Southside Community Redevelopment Area, City of Tallahassee CRA https://www.talgov.com/cra/cra-gfs Used for: F/S CRA dates, Gaines Street grants, Railroad Avenue landscaping, CRA office
- About the CRA, City of Tallahassee https://www.talgov.com/cra/cra-about Used for: CRA creation date, districts
- Lincoln Center, City of Tallahassee Parks https://www.talgov.com/parks/centers-lincoln.aspx Used for: address, phone, hours, Lincoln Room, Lincoln High School years
- The Knott House, Florida Division of Historical Resources https://dos.fl.gov/historical/museums/the-knott-house/ Used for: address, construction year, current closure
- Union Bank Museum, Florida Division of Historical Resources https://dos.fl.gov/historical/museums/httpsmuseumoffloridahistorycomvisitunion-bank-museum/ Used for: hours, admission, 1841, 1971 move
- Leon County Library https://www.leoncountyfl.gov/Library Used for: Main Library address, hours, entrance and parking
- Railroad Avenue Improvements Project, City of Tallahassee https://www.talgov.com/projects/railroad Used for: project dates, closure, detour, trail, undergrounding
- Aquatics, City of Tallahassee Parks https://www.talgov.com/parks/aquatics Used for: Wade Wehunt Pool and parks department address on Myers Park Drive
- Lake Jackson Greenway, Blueprint Intergovernmental Agency https://blueprintia.org/projects/lake-jackson-greenway/ Used for: 5.1-mile greenway from Lake Ella, phase I completion
- Stormwater Lake Monitoring, City of Tallahassee https://www.talgov.com/you/stormwater-lake-monitoring Used for: lake counts, Stormwater phone
- Customer Operations hours, City of Tallahassee Utilities https://www.talgov.com/you/you-customer-helpful-hours Used for: Frenchtown Renaissance Center at 435 N. Macomb St.
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