Ocala's Historic Downtown Square

SE First Avenue

For many decades a northbound one-way street, SR First Avenue is one of many corridors around Downtown Square in the midst of a makeover. A portion just north of State Road 40, was recently upgraded into a one-lane, one-way street with a dedicated bicycle lane, new sidewalks and curb extensions.

The 107-room Hilton Garden Inn Ocala Downtown opened in June 2020, overlooking Downtown Square at the intersection of Silver Springs Boulevard and SE First Street. Roughly 12,000 square feet of the ground floor will serve as a food hall with 15 food options. Other future amenities include fine dining and a rooftop bar. Eventually, a second mixed-use building with two restaurants and nine one-bedroom apartments will be developed on the property.

Osceola Greenway

The Osceola Greenway is a pedestrian and bicycle corridor being developed along Osceola Avenue and the freight railroad line that runs down the center of the street. According to the Ocala Downtown Master Plan, eventually a streetcar could be added to the railroad line for transit and entertainment purposes as the central business district continues to develop.

Built in 1917, the Ocala Union Station was served by Amtrak’s Palmetto service until 2004. Currently Amtrak operates a daily bus service to Lakeland and Jacksonville from this location. On December 22, 1997, it was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.