Photo of Frenchtown mural (Alaiya Saulsby/The FAMUAN)
As new apartments and commercial developments reshape Frenchtown, longtime residents are questioning whether the historically Black community can grow without losing the culture that has defined it for generations.
Located near downtown Tallahassee, Frenchtown has long been a center of Black-owned businesses, culture and community. For O’Neal Jackson, a lifelong resident who has lived in the same home for more than 80 years, the neighborhood’s transformation represents a significant shift from the community he remembers.
“It used to be like Black Wall Street,” Jackson said. “Now it’s more like apartments for Florida State students.”
Jackson’s memories reflect concerns that new development could overshadow Frenchtown’s history. While construction brings investment and new housing, many longtime residents question whether they will be able to remain in the neighborhood and preserve the community they helped build.
Housing affordability is part of that concern. According to the U.S. Census Bureau’s QuickFacts data, Tallahassee’s median gross rent was $1,293 per month for the 2020-2024 period. Although the figure reflects the city as a whole rather than Frenchtown specifically, it provides context for the housing costs residents face.
The City of Tallahassee’s Frenchtown Neighborhood First Plan identifies preventing displacement and preserving the neighborhood’s character as priorities. The plan calls for evaluating how publicly funded development could affect affordable housing and existing residents.
Gail Timmons, who has lived in the area for over a decade, says that those changes have affected the sense of community she once knew.
“It’s not the same community it used to be,” Timmons said. “People who have been here for years are being pushed out, and it just isn’t fair.”
While some residents worry about what development could take away, Joshua Cobbs, an entrepreneur in the area, sees an opportunity to preserve Frenchtown’s identity through local business ownership.
“I think Frenchtown has lost a bit of its original identity,” Cobbs said. “But as a new business owner in the area, I’m helping revamp its identity and keep that culture alive.”
Cobbs’ perspective highlights the role Black-owned businesses can play in maintaining the neighborhood’s cultural roots while contributing to its future. For him, growth and preservation do not have to be opposing goals.
Still, balancing new investment with the needs of longtime residents remains a challenge. Development can create opportunities, but residents’ concerns raise questions about whether those opportunities will benefit the people who have sustained Frenchtown for generations.
For Jackson, Frenchtown’s transformation is measured against decades of memories. For Cobbs, its future includes finding new ways to keep that history alive. Between those perspectives lies the challenge facing the neighborhood: ensuring that as Frenchtown changes, its cultural legacy and the people who carry it forward are not left behind.