Breaking Ground on Archer Place Condominiums: A Milestone for Gainesville’s Future—and for eda consultants
On a warm, sunny morning in Gainesville, Florida, the ceremonial shovels hit the dirt, marking the official groundbreaking of Archer Place—a bold, mixed-use development that promises to energize the city’s growing southwest corridor. For our team at eda consultants, inc., this event was more than just a celebration; it was a proud milestone nearly four years in the making.
Since 2020, we’ve worked behind the scenes as the civil engineer of record, surveyor of record, and permitting specialist for Archer Place. From initial site design through every phase of the regulatory process, we’ve been deeply embedded in shaping what’s now becoming a tangible part of Gainesville’s future. Watching this project move from concept to construction is a reminder of the role we play in helping bring visionary developments to life—and the kind of trust and collaboration it takes to get there.
A Vision Comes to Life: What is Archer Place?
Archer Place is the latest project from BAI Capital, a U.S.-based investment firm known for connecting global investors to high-quality, strategically located real estate opportunities. Under the leadership of Arturo Venti, Archer Place was envisioned as a vibrant, walkable community combining luxury residences, commercial retail space, and modern amenities—all located just minutes from the University of Florida, Shands Hospital / UF Health Medical Complex, and two of Gainesville’s premier shopping destinations: Butler Plaza and Celebration Pointe.
Strategically situated along SW Archer Road, this development is poised to serve as a bridge between Gainesville’s innovation hubs and its residential neighborhoods. Once complete, Archer Place will provide a unique live-work-play environment that meets the demands of Gainesville’s expanding population of students, medical professionals, and working families.
Archer Place represents the kind of project we’re proud to stand behind—visionary development that brings long-term value to Gainesville. Being part of its journey from concept to groundbreaking is a reminder of how collaboration, persistence, and local expertise can truly shape the future of our community.
Sergio Reyes, PE
President
eda consultants’ Role: From Groundwork to Groundbreaking
At eda consultants, we pride ourselves on being more than just engineers—we’re collaborators, navigators, and local experts. Our involvement with Archer Place began in the earliest planning stages, and since then, we’ve been responsible for the comprehensive civil engineering design of the site, as well as guiding the project through a complex regulatory permitting process with local and regional authorities.
This work included:

- Zoning & Future Land Use Map Amendment: Changing the designation from Mixed Use Low (MUL) to Planned Use District (PUD) to establish Archer Place as a permitted use under the City of Gainesville’s Comprehensive Plan.
- Zoning Map Amendment: Rezoning the property from MU-1 to Planned Development (PD), complete with a zoning master plan outlining permitted uses, development conditions, and a conceptual site layout.
- Major Site Plan Approval: Delivering the full engineering design for all horizontal site improvements—grading, drainage, utility infrastructure, lighting, landscaping, and more. This plan was approved by the City of Gainesville in June 2023, and continues to go through refinements as it moves to the vertical construction phase.
- GRU Utility Coordination: Securing utility permits from Gainesville Regional Utilities for water, sewer, electric, natural gas, and communications connections.
- Environmental Resource Permit (ERP): Ensuring stormwater and environmental impacts were properly mitigated and compliant with St. Johns River Water Management District regulations.
Each of these steps involved rigorous documentation, review cycles, and close coordination with city staff, engineers, planners, and utility providers. Our team worked diligently to keep the process moving forward efficiently while addressing challenges and changes as they arose.
Collaboration at the Core
A project of this scale and ambition doesn’t come to life without strong partnerships. We were fortunate to work closely with Arturo Venti and the team at BAI Capital, whose vision and leadership were instrumental throughout the development process. Their clarity of purpose and commitment to quality helped streamline decisions and keep momentum strong.
The architectural design provided by DLW Architects seamlessly integrated with Gainesville’s evolving landscape. Their commitment to delivering aesthetically pleasing and operationally sustainable structures ensured that Archer Place not only meets the functional needs of its future residents and businesses but also enhances the community’s architectural fabric.
We also worked in collaboration with the City of Gainesville’s planning and development departments, Gainesville Regional Utilities, the St. Johns River Water Management District, and a wide network of consultants and contractors. It truly takes a community to build a community.
We’re proud of the trust BAI Capital placed in us to guide this project through such a significant regulatory journey—and we look forward to the possibility of working together on future developments that help shape Gainesville and beyond.
A Morning to Remember: Groundbreaking Ceremony Highlights
The groundbreaking ceremony took place at the project site and featured speakers, live media coverage, guided tours of the model home, and a chance for local leaders and community members to celebrate this new addition to the neighborhood. The morning began with networking and onsite demonstrations, followed by the ceremonial ribbon cutting at 11 a.m.
For our team, it was a powerful moment to see so many stakeholders and partners come together to mark the official start of construction. Standing on the site we’ve poured years of thought and care into, surrounded by the people who helped make it happen, was a proud and humbling experience.
Building Gainesville’s Future—One Project at a Time
At eda , we’ve been part of Gainesville’s development landscape for nearly 50 years. Locally owned and operated, our firm brings deep expertise in civil engineering, land planning, surveying, and permitting, with a unique understanding of North Central Florida’s regulatory environment and development dynamics.
Archer Place is just one example of how we help transform ideas into impactful, built environments. Whether it’s a large-scale mixed-use development, a commercial site, or a single-family subdivision, we’re here to support visionary developers with responsive service, local insight, and a solutions-oriented approach.

To learn more about Archer Place, visit archerplace.us.