ORLANDO, Fla. — The City of Orlando is moving forward with plans to buy four properties in Orlando’s downtown area.

Officials with the Community Redevelopment Agency say they plan to revitalize the four properties into public parks and a potential affordable housing development.

City leaders say this is one way to further the city of Orlando’s goal in creating a safer and more vibrant downtown for residents and visitors.

What You Need To Know

  • Orlando City Council has approved a plan for the Community Redevelopment Agency to purchase of four sites within the downtown core
  • Agency officials say they plan to redevelop some of the sites into parks and open space uses, and the remaining building at 1. N. Orange would be repositioned for future redevelopment

  • The nearly $20 million project also comes with plans to redesign Lake Eola Park

"One of the key components is we are fortunate to be in one of the No. 1 tourist destinations in the country, and in the world," CRA executive director David Barilla said. "We don’t take that for granted. We obviously want to enhance the relationship that tourist have in downtown Orlando."

The project would result in a nearly $20 million investment into downtown Orlando, which includes the purchase of the four properties.

Rendering of proposed redevelopment at 30 South Orange Avenue in Orlando. (Downtown Orlando)
Rendering of proposed redevelopment at 30 South Orange Avenue in Orlando. (Downtown Orlando)


Right across from Lake Eola Park, owners of I Love Orlando Café said next to the lake was a perfect location to start their business.

“We’ve been working on the past six months where we saw this corner available, being that it’s right in front of Lake Eola," co-owner Joseph Aintabi said. "We thought it was a great opportunity to make it a coffee shop."

The coffee shop is also owned by Carlos Croes and open in February.

Aintabi isn’t new to the Orlando area and said he’s seen the city grow tremendously over the years, but would love to see more be done. 

With the CRA’s plan to purchase the four properties in the downtown area, Aintabi's wish is coming true.

While this process is still in its contractual stage, Barilla said the building located at 1 North Orange Avenue is a historic building and has been vacant for about 15 years.

“So taking that building and being able to reintroduce it to downtown in a proactive way that reactivates it and provides an opportunity for businesses or attainable housing, is really the vision there,” he said.

Barilla said officials are looking at turning one of the buildings off of Central Boulevard into an event venue. Other parts of this project include the redesign of Lake Eola Park.

Aintabi he’s excited for the what the future of downtown could like look like.

“We were actually just a part of the Olympic marathon that just went on a couple weeks ago," he said. "It was amazing. I love to see the city and this part of Lake Eola full of people, and I think it’s great."