Swamp bar and restaurant being torn down for apartments

neteng

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Those apartments will be built, lived in and run down by the time we get new football practice facilities.
 

AlexDaGator

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We probably sat within arms reach of each other Alex. Spent most every Wednesday night during that time starting at the Porpoise for a beer special they had then finishing up at The Swamp for Ken and Andrew.

My (not so greatest) memory from The Swamp is my surgically repaired right hand that got broken over some Greek dudes face that made the mistake of screwing with and sucker punching my best buddy. Had to get my hand fixed but I'm pretty sure he had to have his jaw wired shut and eat out of a straw for several months...

We probably did.

I was in law school at the time. Porpoise had 3 in 1s on Wednesdays. You'd order a rum and coke and get a clear drink (maybe a shade lighter than ginger ale). Wednesdays were always the Porpoise/Swamp combo nights. I think Swamp gave you something like 5 free wings.

We'd go to Porpoise first to get banded so we wouldn't have to wait in line later. Then to Swamp for beer and the free wings and Ken and Andrew (had to get there early to get a seat at the outside tables). Then back to the Porpoise for serious drinking and associated skulduggery.

Damn those were good times. I only wish I could remember them.


Alex.
 

BruceWayne

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Joe's Deli? Not Jason's . I worked at Joe's on 13th a long time ago. It had the best sandwiches. It's an Adam's Rib co now. Which is also really good food.
 

soflagator

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A quiet place to stretch out after a game. Will surely be missed.

Had some fun times there in my younger days, but the bar area on gameday seemed more like a mid-80's trading pit than a bar. I'd normally double up on whatever I was drinking just to avoid the chaos of getting another round.

As others have said, still sad to see because of the history, even if I haven't gone in years. The name alone should make it an untouchable landmark.
 

Musclepug

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How bout the mad dash at halftime, when re entry was allowed. Hit the bars and frats for shots and stuff for a crazy 2nd half
 

78

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Had some fun times there in my younger days, but the bar area on gameday seemed more like a mid-80's trading pit than a bar. I'd normally double up on whatever I was drinking just to avoid the chaos of getting another round.

As others have said, still sad to see because of the history, even if I haven't gone in years. The name alone should make it an untouchable landmark.
Inside downstairs is a mosh pit on game day. No can do. We'd order drinks upstairs and take 'em down the stairs out back. The only reason anyone of sound mind goes to the Swamp is its proximity to the Swamp.
 

Musclepug

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Inside downstairs is a mosh pit on game day. No can do. We'd order drinks upstairs and take 'em down the stairs out back. The only reason anyone of sound mind goes to the Swamp is its proximity to the the swamp

Still better than apartments
 

ChiefGator

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Perhaps the development plan could accommodate some traditional type businesses and have traditional type architecture. Urban planning could have great apartments for students and keep some of the traditions alive as well.
 

Gator by the Sea

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I find "the social" to be the best current spot at midtown for before/after games but that's probably just because it's new and it hasn't started falling apart in every way possible which seems to be an inevitability of any decent spot midtown.

Being a Gator of the early '90s, I was so disappointed initially to see the Social because that spot to me will always be the Porpoise. But I gotta admit...it's pretty good. Wings are tasty and the bartenders (at least on a non football gameday) make good drinks.
 

aka

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I'm torn between...Not the Post Office!!..and..Can I help?
 

AlexDaGator

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How bout the mad dash at halftime, when re entry was allowed. Hit the bars and frats for shots and stuff for a crazy 2nd half

That was great. Leave the stadium just before halftime, sprint to the Porpoise for halftime kamikaze shots or those giant beers at Joe's Deli. All pre-made and warm because they knew the rush was coming. Then back to the stadium with your buzz refreshed. I swear for my first few years, I didn't even know the band performed on the field at halftime. The only game I didn't leave and come back for was the 14-9 game against FSU in 1991. Way too intense to leave.

After they changed the rule, we would get extra tickets to crappy games so we could leave and come back with the new ticket. I was one of the block chairmen for the law school block and there were always extra tickets left over that people never claimed. Somewhere in my box of college stuff at home there is a thick stack of unused vandy tickets.

Alex.
 

alcoholica

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The swamp was pretty mediocre in all areas that I would grade a restaurant/bar but I wish there was something other than more freakin apartments moving there.

I find "the social" to be the best current spot at midtown for before/after games but that's probably just because it's new and it hasn't started falling apart in every way possible which seems to be an inevitability of any decent spot midtown.

Watch your tab at the Social, they have a reputation for overcharging
 

Zambo

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Joe's Deli? Not Jason's . I worked at Joe's on 13th a long time ago. It had the best sandwiches. It's an Adam's Rib co now. Which is also really good food.
I used to work at Joe's Deli with some dude named Emmitt.
 

SC Gator

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Joe's Deli? Not Jason's . I worked at Joe's on 13th a long time ago. It had the best sandwiches. It's an Adam's Rib co now. Which is also really good food.


Joe's had Fox when you could not get it on your cable so I would go and watch The Simpsons there. (yeah, im old)
 

SC Gator

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You h
Perhaps the development plan could accommodate some traditional type businesses and have traditional type architecture. Urban planning could have great apartments for students and keep some of the traditions alive as well.


Here is the full article Midtown Makeover: Development Plan To Replace Swamp, Post Office With Apartments – WUFT News


The northern building will be four stories wrapped around a parking garage and the southern building will be six stories with ground-level parking and space for retail and restaurants on the first floor.


So this might be a good thing in the long run. 200 apartments at an average of what, $2000.00 per month, you have to sell a lot of burgers and beer everyday to match that.
 

Sec14Gator

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I guarantee you they will, just saying that I never saw anything special about that place. That was an overpriced Greek haunt. Much more upset about Burrito Bros, Purple Porpoise, Jason's Deli, etc.

Chaucer's definitely used to be there before it moved around the corner and then eventually closed. I worked one short summer at Chaucer's when it was at it's second location.

The whole area around campus is quickly losing all it's character. Sad really. Wasn't a huge fan of the Swamp but it's better than more freaking apartments.

These are both equally applicable here. The value of the Swamp was inviting outdoor/indoor recreational, street level space. Those type of spaces really help areas like University in that vicinity. Apartments kills all community interaction and hopefully don't spread. There is little reason to walk down university if there aren't bars, restaurants and stores for gamedays.

Hopefully someone in Gainesville is going to fight to ensure the ground level space still fosters walking patrons and the overall University Avenue area as a community gathering place. The city has made an effort in this regard already by closing the road (though that might have just been for safety).
 

ChiefGator

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You h



Here is the full article Midtown Makeover: Development Plan To Replace Swamp, Post Office With Apartments – WUFT News


The northern building will be four stories wrapped around a parking garage and the southern building will be six stories with ground-level parking and space for retail and restaurants on the first floor.


So this might be a good thing in the long run. 200 apartments at an average of what, $2000.00 per month, you have to sell a lot of burgers and beer everyday to match that.

Thanks for the input, and it appears that they are considering the previous businesses, and those students are a captive market (somewhat),
 

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