Developing a strategic plan to both spur and manage growth in downtown Gainesville has been on the wishlist of city officials since 2012, when a comprehensive plan for the entire city’s growth was approved, revealing that downtown needed its own identity and goals. City officials have conducted focus groups and interviews with a variety of residents, from students to retirees and business owners to workers, representing Gainesville’s diverse racial, ethnic, age, gender and class population over the last few months. They hope to finish the development process in August and present the plan to the City Council in September.