KISSIMMEE, Fla. — The city of Kissimmee is planning to enhance the downtown area’s identity.

Several workshops are taking place for residents to weigh in.

What You Need To Know

  • The city of Kissimmee wants to hear from residents to figure out downtown's identity and future

  • Business leaders say they're looking forward to this collaborative approach

  • If anyone would like to give input on this project, a workshop will be held Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. at the Kissimmee Civic Center

Business leaders are saying the future of Kissimmee is bright and they can’t wait to be a part of it.

Ray Parsons, the owner of 1881 Restaurant & Bar, is keeping history alive in one corner of the city.

Before the restaurant’s inception, it was a hardware store over 140 years ago.

The restaurant pays tribute to the Makinson family, who helped make Osceola County into what it is today.

“We tried to honor the heritage of the Makinson’s and the 1881 hardware store which until we bought it was the oldest continually operated hardware store in the state of Florida,” Parsons said. 

Business development is a passion for Parsons and his family.

He’s an architect by trade and has had his hand in development for 35 years.

Now he wants to play a role in trying to figure out downtown’s identity.

“I personally hope it reflects the heritage in some way. It’s a diversified community now, and it’s going to be a task to find the right tools to do that with,” Parsons said. 

It’s that message, the city of Kissimmee leaders say they want to get right.

“We have a great history. We have prior chapters,” said Tom Tomerlin, economic development director for Kissimmee. “But what we want to do is set the table such that we’re able to communicate very descriptively and very easily, ‘What is it that Kissimmee offers both residents, businesses, and visitors?’”

Tomerlin says this effort is a brand strategy.

At this point, what city leaders want is to hear from residents.

“We need this to come from the stakeholders of the city. That is the residents, the businesses,” said Tomerlin. “This is all about trying to figure out what do they think we ought to be considering in this effort?”

And it just so happens, people are thinking ahead.

“Everybody has the same goal. Everybody wants a better downtown. There’s not going to be one plan that we all agree on, but we all have to agree on a plan,” Parsons said. 

Anyone that would like to give your input on this project, another workshop will be held Wednesday. It starts at 5:30 p.m. at the Kissimmee Civic Center.