ORLANDO, Fla. — The Orlando City Council on Monday voted unanimously to extend an agreement for completion of Creative Village in downtown by 12 years to February 2043.

The project is part of a three-phase project to redevelop the area.

What You Need To Know

  • The Orlando City Council approved a 12-year extension on the completion of the Creative Village project

  • The project has had several delays because of the COVID-19 pandemic and rising construction costs

  • All three phases of the Creative Village project were originally scheduled to be completed by 2031. Now the project will wrap up in 2043

  • Phase II, The Beacon mixed-income affordable housing project and the redevelopment of the Bob Carr Theater and plaza, are under construction

The city first entered into an agreement with the developer, Creative Village Development LLC, for the construction of the Creative Village in 2011, with a completion date in 2031, but the remaining two construction phases are now behind.

Phase I, which included the UnionWest student housing, the Julian Apartments and the Luminary Green Park, was finished in 2022.

Crews currently are working on Phase II, which includes the redevelopment of the Bob Carr Theatre and adjacent plaza and The Beacon, which is a mixed-income affordable housing project.

“We're looking to add some additional residential and office space as we continue to work through the ultimate vision for that site,” said David Barilla, executive director of the Downtown Development Board and Community Redevelopment Agency.

Despite the project delay, District 5 Interim City Commissioner Shan Rose said the goal is not changing.

“There's a huge need. So what we are doing here at the City of Orlando are two things," Rose said. "We are not only just building new buildings, but we're also looking to actively reactivate space, renovate space available to make sure that we keep people in their homes.”

While the project’s first phase reduced the number of affordable housing units from 194 to 88 in 2021, Rose said the city is working hard to continue addressing the housing needs with more projects.

“We are looking at potentially putting a new affordable housing unit on Orange Blossom Trail, between Jefferson and Polk Street. So as a city, we are looking at alternative opportunities within that same 1-mile corridor,” she said.

Officials said the COVID-19 pandemic and rising construction costs caused the delays in the project.

"As you know, things take time. Construction costs, COVID did happen, and a lot of moving parts," Rose said. "But we're actively trying to make sure that this project is a success. And so, we've got to make sure we, the developer, has time to raise the capital to build quality buildings.”