The development replaces The Swamp and will offer single bedrooms between $800 to $900 a month, developers said Thursday.

Out-of-town developers on Thursday revealed their long-awaited student-housing proposal, which involves demolishing and reopening a popular restaurant known as The Swamp, while adding hundreds of residential units near the University of Florida.

The Tampa-based 908 Group, a student housing development group that built The Nine apartment complex on Southwest 13th Street, sought a special-use permit to allow more density at Gainesville’s plan board meeting on Thursday.

The plan board approved the permit with a 4-2 vote, allowing additional residential units to the development that includes two multi-story buildings and pair of parking garages across the street from the UF.

Board member Terry Clark, who voted against the permit, said the plan lacked public engagement and doesn't provide anything new to the area, adding that half the units should address affordable housing and inclusionary zoning.

“This just continues that canyon-like development along West University, and I’m not a fan of that,” he said.

The rendering provided at Thursday’s meeting was the first look at the proposed development and paints similarities, though on a smaller scale, to The Standard, a mixed-use student housing development located at the corner of West University Avenue and Northwest 13th Street. No streetlights, power lines, students or vehicles are shown in what is generally a densely-populated intersection.

The multi-colored structures are four- and six-stories high and feature balconies and flat rooftops. The permit approved Thursday won’t increase the heights of either building but allows 100 additional units, allowing 604 units in all. Pricing for a single bedroom will be priced between $800 to $900 a month, developers said Thursday.

Construction will involve ripping up part of the $3.5 million streetscape renovations along Northwest First Avenue completed last summer by the Community Redevelopment Agency.

One structure will include a parking garage and residential units, while the other will have housing, parking, office space, retail space and a new 11,000-square-foot space for The Swamp Restaurant. The fate of other local businesses, such as Larry’s Giant Subs, Planet Smoothie, a post office and Chain Reaction Bicycles, remains unknown.

The development group, by right, already had the ability to build the structures without the special-use permit, but it previously only had the ability to build 504 residential units as part of the project.

Most of those who spoke during public comment opposed the plan, though some supported it.

Gainesville resident Melanie Barr said she was concerned about the lack of preservation of existing trees, which will all be replaced with palm trees, according to the rendering.

Richard Johnson, a former resident and UF graduate, said the The Swamp was a beloved meeting place for friends who visit the college town.

Developers met with UF officials in May to help advise on designs of the plan, as it aligns with UF’s goals to create more student housing around campus.

The project also includes nearly 300 parking spaces, something chair Bob Ackerman said was a need created by UF’s reduction in parking around campus.

“This is going to sound bitter, but UF never consults with us about their buildings,” he said.

The development puts the future of Midtown — in its current state, at least — in question.

At the March 29 trustees meeting, UF Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Charlie Lane, who was involved in the new development plans, presented a campus framework plan that showed UF’s desire to increase student housing close to campus.

A rendering of what Midtown could look like in the future shows the popular student hotspot area on West University Avenue replaced by student apartments — not coveted bars and restaurants. It is possible the residential complexes could also offer ground-floor retail.