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85-466: Downtown Orlando is the largest of urban centers in Central Florida . It is home to residential and commercial towers; local, state, and federal government offices; sports facilities; performing arts theaters; art galleries; retail; restaurants; nightclubs; and parks. Downtown is removed from the tourist areas located in the southwestern half of the city, but it draws visitors seeking to experience

170-575: A tropical climate . Unlike South Florida, where temperatures below 32 °F (0 °C) practically never occur, Central Florida can see occasional freezing temperatures in the some winters (though brief). Consequently, most of Central Florida cannot accommodate the same tropical plants found in Southern Florida with the exception of coastal areas in the Tampa Bay area , Brevard county , and Indian River county due to maritime influences of

255-437: A 1,700-seat multiform theater achieves an N1 sound rating–the highest possible acoustical rating. The acoustically remarkable Steinmetz Hall can transform into three different theater styles (symphony concert hall, proscenium hall, and banquet hall) to accommodate multiple events and performances. Construction for Steinmetz Hall began on March 6, 2017 and officially opened on January 14, 2022. The final performance space to complete

340-405: A detrimental ripple effect on the economy. The hard-packed sand of Volusia County's beaches lent itself to auto races beginning in 1903 before paved roads were common, leading to the area's reputation for cars and racing. Ormond Beach was a popular spot for those who liked fast cars after the turn of the 20th century because the hard-packed beach was ideal for going fast. The same beach had led to

425-449: A handful of small restaurants, bars and boutiques along E Washington St. The neighborhood also has a small fountain located in the center of the intersection of E Washington St & N Hyer Ave which has become a focal point, and is described here: The Fountain is a replica of a fountain found in a Paris city center that is 25 times its size. In 1999 the "Taste of Thornton Park Event" was organized specifically to raise enough money to purchase

510-469: A high speed rail between Orlando and Miami is currently being developed by Brightline , who plans to extend the rail to Tampa after completion. Florida's public primary and secondary schools are administered by the Florida Department of Education . 28°55′37″N 81°43′17″W  /  28.92694°N 81.72139°W  / 28.92694; -81.72139 Dr. Phillips Center for

595-620: A large swath of peninsular Florida. This area encompassed the interior, including the Orlando metropolitan area , and coastal stretches from the Citrus County south to the Hillsborough County in the west and from Volusia County south to Sebastian in the east. Central Florida is one of Florida's three most common directional regions, the others being North Florida and South Florida . Lamme and Oldakowski note that

680-600: A much lesser extent: Disney's Animal Kingdom and SeaWorld Orlando . Central Florida also has a wide variety of natural attractions including the Bok Tower Gardens , Wekiwa Springs State Park , Blue Spring State Park , Rock Springs Run State Reserve , Canaveral National Seashore , and Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge . The region also boasts an extensive network of recreational trails (jogging, biking, equestrian, etc.). While many connections are already in place, construction continues and will link all of

765-480: A north–south commuter rail that will run mostly along existing CSX / Amtrak rails. Launched in 2014, it provides service between the northern suburb of DeLand to the southern suburb of Poinciana. A large transfer station, the LYNX Central Station, currently handles Lynx bus transfers and was constructed to accommodate the large capacity expected from SunRail. Further development is underway to extend

850-623: A series of hearings and votes, culminating in final votes in the Orange County Board of County Commissioners on July 26, 2007, and the Orlando City Council on August 6, 2007. The design for the new venue was revealed on August 21, 2008. The venue features a 2,700-seat amplified hall, Walt Disney Theater, for Broadway musicals and multi-genre concerts as well as a 300-seat venue, Alexis & Pugh Theater, for smaller shows and events. The third theater, Steinmetz Hall,

935-559: A stage at the front of the venue. The series was meant to run until June 2020, but was extended another six months and had its final event on December 13, 2021. The Frontyard Festival™ won the Silver Stevie® Award for “Most Valuable Non-Profit Response to COVID-19” from The American Business Awards and the Golden Brick Award for “Innovation” from Downtown Orlando Partnership. The venue costs US$ 613 million, with

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1020-740: A threat to the coastal cities as evidenced by the 2004 hurricane season , which brought three major hurricanes to the Central Florida area: Charley , Jeanne , and Frances . Winters are dry and temperate with the average winter high temperature in Orlando being 71 °F (22 °C) and the average winter low temperature being 49 °F (9 °C). Summers are hot and humid with high temperatures averaging 92 °F (33 °C) and low temperatures averaging 75 °F (24 °C). Peak summer heat generally arrives in early June and continues to early October. The combination of high temperatures, high humidity, and opposing sea breezes from both

1105-468: Is a large contributor to Central Florida's economy. The area has economically diversified in the past decade. As a high-tech industrial hub, Metro Orlando has the seventh largest research park in the U.S., Central Florida Research Park , the engineering and business school of the University of Central Florida . It has defense companies such as Lockheed Martin and Siemens . Medical research

1190-814: Is a residential area with a large number of high-intensity entertainment and office institutions; such as the Amway Center , Bob Carr Performing Arts Centre , US Courthouse for the Mid-District of Florida, Florida A&M University School of Law, county & state buildings, and Orlando Police Department headquarters. Smaller businesses include grocery stores, barber shops, and soul food restaurants. Orlando officially considers Parramore to be three separate neighborhoods: Lake Dot (between Colonial Drive and Amelia Street), Callahan (between Amelia Street and Central Boulevard), and Holden/Parramore (between Central Boulevard and Gore Street). All three are bounded on

1275-553: Is being developed in Central Florida. The first of these initiatives, SunRail , is a commuter rail line that runs from DeLand south to Kissimmee . The first phase was completed in 2014 with the full system in place in 2015. Amtrak also serves Central Florida running on CSX Transportation 's A line and stops at the Orlando Amtrak station . The Auto Train stops in Sanford, Florida , north of downtown Orlando. As of 2022,

1360-669: Is due to the Orlando Executive Airport location just east of downtown. The airport's flight path is over the city center, thus the Federal Aviation Administration has imposed height restrictions. Downtown Orlando is served by three main arteries, two limited access highways, several secondaries, and many byways. Limited Access Arterials Secondaries Public transportation Bus The Central Florida Regional Transportation Authority (CFRTA), better known as Lynx , operates

1445-572: Is in Marion County , was included. Although Citrus , Hernando , Hillsborough , Pasco , and Pinellas are also considered to be the Tampa Bay area. Like many vernacular regions, Central Florida's boundaries are not official or consistent, and are defined differently by different sources. A 2007 study of Florida's regions by geographers Ary Lamme and Raymond K. Oldakowski found that Floridians surveyed identified Central Florida as comprising

1530-518: Is located on north Orange Avenue. The US District Court Middle District of Florida's courthouse is located at 401 West Central Boulevard. The United States Postal Service downtown office is located at 51 East Jefferson Street. Loch Haven Park , north of downtown on Mills and Princeton Avenues, serves as the cultural center of Orlando and consists of the following: The "Cultural Park Master Plan" published in 2009, details plans to expand Loch Haven Park to former USDA property located adjacent

1615-520: Is located one city block east of Lake Eola Park. The streets creating its border are: Summerlin Ave, E Robinson St, N Brown Ave, E Central Blvd to S Hyer Ave, and S Hyer Ave south to Florida State Road 408. The area is similar to the Lake Eola Heights neighborhood in that it contains historic homes and the streets are paved with bricks, although it is roughly half the size. Thornton Park also enjoys

1700-471: Is now located on the fort site). In 1850, a man named Aaron Jernigan built a post office north of the fort and the area became known as "Jernigan". In 1856, Jernigan was relieved of his command of the post office due to "notorious acts" and the area was renamed "Orlando". The village remained little more than a backwater during and after the Civil War until 1875 when The "Town of Orlando" was incorporated. It

1785-507: Is prominent at Tampa's University of South Florida and Orlando's University of Central Florida , as well as the Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute biomedical research facility. USF in particular is a national leader in cancer and dementia research. The Tampa Bay area has become a center of high-tech manufacturing and research, while both Orlando and the Tampa Bay area are centers for

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1870-563: Is the closest port for tourists and Orlando residents alike to cruise on Disney Cruise Lines and Carnival Cruises . Future plans for the port include a rail and natural gas line running directly to Orlando International Airport. Another major seaport of the region is Port Tampa Bay , which is one of the busiest in the state and is on the verge of a huge expansion which will allow it to compete on an international level. Limited Access Freeways and Expressways : Major Surface Arterials: * U.S. Highway 41 A regional commuter rail network

1955-516: Is the historical hub of Orlando's African-American community. The area is located just west of the Central Business district along Division Ave and West Church Street. Now considered an economically depressed area, Orlando leaders are working with business owners in the community to improve the area's reputation. While some parts of the neighborhood have been gentrified, Parramore still maintains its historical African-American identity. It

2040-603: Is the present day Orlando International Airport ; and Orlando Air Force Base , which was transferred to the Navy in 1968 and renamed Naval Training Center Orlando until its BRAC -directed closure in 1999 and conversion to the present day Baldwin Park neighborhood. The other major U.S. Government installations in Central Florida is the Kennedy Space Center , a NASA facility located adjacent to Cape Canaveral SFS, and

2125-440: Is what the local news channels in each respective metro area call their region). It is one of Florida's three directional regions, along with North Florida and South Florida . Under the previously mentioned "usual" definition, it includes the following 13 counties: Brevard , Citrus , Hernando , Hillsborough , Lake , Orange , Osceola , Pasco , Pinellas , Polk , Seminole , Sumter , and Volusia . Sometimes Ocala, which

2210-554: The 2000 Presidential election . Central Florida's economy is very similar to that in South Florida. Compared to the more diversified North Florida economy, tourism is by far the most significant industry in Central and South Florida, along with a much smaller but significant agricultural industry. Lamme and Oldakowski's survey also found some cultural indicators that characterize Central Florida. In general, Central Florida

2295-602: The Angebilt Hotel and San Juan Hotel. By this time, the city's population had grown to 9,000 people. The federal government's Works Progress Administration programs during the Great Depression helped Orlando remain economically stable. New parks were developed, the Municipal Airport (now Orlando Executive Airport ) was built, and the city also built a new football stadium at Tinker Field (now

2380-938: The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Outpatient Clinic at Baldwin Park (former Orlando AFB Hospital / former Naval Hospital Orlando) and the VA Hospital at Lake Nona. Central Florida has four major zoos , the Central Florida Zoo and Botanical Gardens in Sanford , the Brevard Zoo in Melbourne, the Busch Gardens Tampa Bay animal park, and Lowry Park Zoo in Tampa. There are also two theme parks in Orlando featuring animals, albeit to

2465-626: The Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Ocean . However, winters are still warmer than most other areas of the United States in winter. Central Florida’s typical high temperatures in the winter are around 70 °F (21 °C). The low temperatures near 50 F. At the end of the Civil War, aside from the cattle, cotton, and coastal lands, much of Central Florida was wetlands. It took a major drainage project financed by businessman Hamilton Disston in

2550-576: The Kennedy Space Center . Deltona was developed in 1962 as a planned retirement community. It is now the largest city in Volusia County. The construction of the Walt Disney World Resort was a transforming event for greater Orlando. Walt Disney wanted a location with abundant available land that was more accessible for the residents of the eastern United States to visit. Not only was there ample land in Central Florida, but it

2635-745: The South , people in the southern part of Central Florida did not typically identify their area as part of " Dixie ", while people in northern Central Florida did. People from Central Florida usually did not consider their region part of the Bible Belt . Politically, while North Florida overwhelmingly was considered conservative and South Florida was considered more liberal, the majority of Central Florida residents (52%) considered their area moderate; 41% considered it conservative, and 7% liberal. Lamme and Oldakowski's survey tracks with Barney Warf and Cynthia Waddell's studies of Florida's political geography during

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2720-890: The St. Johns River , the Halifax River , the Ocklawaha River and the Econlockhatchee River . Major lakes include Lake Apopka , Lake Tohopekaliga , East Lake Tohopekaliga , Lake Louisa , Lake Monroe , Lake Jessup , and the Butler Chain of Lakes. There are over 100 miles (160 km) of coastline in Central Florida along the Atlantic Coast. Major beaches include Canaveral National Seashore , New Smyrna Beach , Daytona Beach , Cocoa Beach , and Indialantic Beach near Melbourne . Hurricanes are

2805-480: The U.S. state of Florida . Different sources give different definitions for the region, but as its name implies it is usually said to comprise the central part of the state, including the Tampa Bay area and the Greater Orlando area , though in recent times the Tampa Bay area has often been described as its own region, with "Central Florida" becoming more synonymous with the Orlando area (most notably, this

2890-658: The trails and greenways . Major trails include the Cady Way , Cross Seminole and West Orange Trails . Many of the top ranked beaches in the United States are located in Central Florida. Major international airports include: Port Canaveral , located in Cape Canaveral 45 minutes east of Orlando, is a cruise, cargo, and naval port. It is one of the busiest ports in Florida and is economically tied to Orlando. Locally perceived to be Orlando's seaport , Port Canaveral

2975-975: The "Real Orlando". It is also the location of numerous festivals, parades, concerts, political demonstrations, and other high-profile events. There are seven official neighborhoods with significant portions inside the Downtown Orlando Community Redevelopment Area (CRA): The CRA also includes small pieces of College Park (portions east of Peachtree Road, and along Orange Avenue between Magnolia and Highland Avenues), Lake Cherokee (portions west of Delaney Avenue and north of Ponce de Leon Place / Palmer Street), Lorna Doone ( Camping World Stadium only), Park Lake/Highland (portion north of Lake Highland), South Division (portion north of Gore Street, mostly highway right-of-way), South Orange (portion north of Gore Street), and Thornton Park (portion north of Central Boulevard and west of James Avenue). Located north of Colonial Drive,

3060-663: The 1880s to make these wetland areas available for settlement. Sanford was incorporated in 1877 as a port city at the Lake Monroe intersection and the St. Johns River. It was envisioned as a transportation center; the city's founder, Henry S. Sanford, nicknamed it "the Gate City of South Florida". It became a hub for shipping agricultural products, which earned the city another nickname, "Celery City". Kissimmee, originally named Allendale, after Confederate Major J.H. Allen, who operated

3145-644: The 1960s, but the name "Bumby" is still famous in the city. The location of the hardware store is now a Hamburger Mary's . By the 1920s, Orlando had grown from a cattle town to a major citrus growing center. The Florida land boom of the 1920s brought many newcomers to the city. The population increase led to the construction of the Orlando Public Library in 1923, the Orlando Municipal Auditorium (now Bob Carr Performing Arts Centre) in 1926, and several grand hotels; namely

3230-486: The 2000s decade. New commercial towers sprouted along Orange Avenue and residential towers were constructed around Lake Eola and along Magnolia Ave. CNL Financial Group established a major footprint in downtown with the construction of CNL City Center Commons, a complex of office towers surrounding Orlando City Hall. CNL continues to expand their presence downtown. As a result of the construction boom, downtown density doubled and Orlando's skyline dramatically changed. In 2005,

3315-703: The CBD. Church Street Station is also located in this area. Many of Orlando's historic buildings are located within the CBD standing next to modern skyscrapers. The Rogers Building (built in 1886), originally an English Gentlemen's Club built in the Queen Anne style, is the oldest building in downtown Orlando and now is home the Downtown Art's District. The Downtown Arts District provides funding support, manages and operates CityArts—a multi-use arts and cultural destination where visual and performing arts co-exist inside

3400-503: The Gulf and Atlantic coasts, results in significant thunderstorm activity from June to September for the interior counties. Central Florida records more lightning strikes per area than any other region in Florida, and Florida records more lightning strikes than any other state in the US. As a result, Florida, and more specifically, Central Florida, is often referred to as the "Thunderstorm capital of

3485-828: The Navy Pinecastle Impact (Bombing) Range, and the Avon Park Air Force Range located inland. These are augmented by major commands that are tenant activities at these installations, such as the headquarters for United States Central Command (USCENTCOM) and the headquarters for United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) at MacDill AFB , the Naval Ordnance Test Unit and Coast Guard Station Port Canaveral at Cape Canaveral SFS , and other Active, Reserve, Army National Guard , and Air National Guard activities that are located as either stand-alone facilities or as tenants on

Downtown Orlando - Misplaced Pages Continue

3570-538: The Orange Avenue corridor, north to Florida Hospital and south to Michigan Avenue. There is also an east/west connection from the Citrus Bowl to South Eola. Rail Downtown is served by an Amtrak station about a mile south of the central business district. The Silver Meteor and Silver Star lines provide train service to New York City , Miami and Tampa. Construction began in 2012 on SunRail ,

3655-545: The Orlando Ballet and Orlando Opera making their home here. Diverse Word, the oldest open mic night in Orlando, is held at Downtown Credo North Quarter on Tuesday nights. With such close proximity to the Central Business District for working professionals, this has become a valuable area for those who seek the convenience of work/play/live in downtown Orlando. Established in the 1880s, Parramore

3740-399: The Orlando City Council chose to implode the 1950s building. The event was met with much local fanfare and was filmed for use in the opening scenes of the 1992 film Lethal Weapon 3 . The area cleared is now occupied by CNL City Center Commons. Until the late 1990s, downtown was relatively small compared to other cities of Orlando's size. A building boom began in 1998 and continued through

3825-681: The Performing Arts 28°32′17″N 81°22′41″W  /  28.538032°N 81.378192°W  / 28.538032; -81.378192 Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts (commonly known as Dr. Phillips Center ) is a performing arts center in Downtown Orlando, Florida , United States . It joined the Bob Carr Theater , which originally opened as the Orlando Municipal Auditorium in 1927, to become Orlando's main performance venue. The center's grand opening

3910-494: The Performing Arts , home to Steimetz Hall, one of the world's most acoustically perfect halls, designed to achieve an N1 sound rating. Many major events take place in the Central Business District throughout the year. Creative City Project hosts the annual Immerse Arts Festival, an annual performing and interactive arts event. The festival takes place across 10 city blocks in Downtown Orlando every October. In November,

3995-516: The Roger's Building. Visited by more than 100,000 people annually, CityArts showcases an infusion of local and international works of art, and is home to six independently operated art galleries as well as art collective, Red Tape. In addition to the plethora of bars and corporate offices, the district hosts several prominent theaters including the Mad Cow Theater and Dr. Phillips Center for

4080-667: The South and Thornton Park on the East side of the lake. The park is historically significant and is a frequent venue for events and festivals. The park's most iconic landmark is the Linton E. Allen Memorial Fountain (locally known as the Lake Eola Fountain), permanently embedded to the bottom with concrete beams in the center of the lake. The fountain is illuminated nightly in various colors with two nightly water shows. In addition to

4165-580: The Thornton Park Fountain for around $ 17,000 + $ 23,000 for fountain foundation. Howard Middle School, which was the original Orlando High School , is located here. Prior to the arrival of European settlers in 1837, the Orlando area was occupied by the Native American Creek and Seminole tribes. In 1838, Fort Gatlin was built a few miles south of downtown Orlando on the shores of modern-day Lake Gatlin; (a historic marker

4250-507: The USA", or "Lightning Alley." These severe thunderstorms often make Central Florida prone to many tornadoes. However, they are usually small, short lived, and almost always rated as EF0 or EF1 size storms. According to the Köppen climate classification , Central Florida has a subtropical climate. A climate that is typical for the majority of the state, except for South Florida, which has

4335-454: The active duty installations. Additional former facilities that have since been closed and converted to civilian use include Hillsborough Army Air Field , a World War II training range which is now part of a neighborhood, Busch Gardens Tampa Bay , and the University of South Florida ; Naval Air Station Sanford , which closed in 1968 and is the present day Orlando-Sanford International Airport ; McCoy Air Force Base , which closed in 1975 and

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4420-493: The agency and other state and outside entities, including the Florida Department of Transportation . This definition covers much of the same area as in Lamme and Oldakowski's survey, with some exceptions. The central region includes the Orlando metropolitan area ( Orange , Lake , Osceola , and Seminole Counties), and Sumter , Polk counties in the interior, Citrus , Hernando , Hillsborough , Pasco , and Pinellas counties on

4505-682: The area outside of City Hall hosts FusionFest. The festival is sponsored by the Downtown Arts District and support from Orange County Government, the Orlando Downtown Development Board, the Dr. Phillips Center, and a growing grassroots movement. Lake Eola Park is located in South Eola , east of the CBD. The park is bordered by the Lake Eola Heights neighborhood north of the lake, South Eola Heights to

4590-564: The arrival of the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad in 1890 brought tremendous growth. Commercial activity shifted away from the courthouse and moved to the new railroad depot located on Church Street. Settlers from England arrived in Orlando and established homes and businesses. One of the newly arrived Englishmen was named Joseph Bumby. He and his family settled in the town and built a hardware store known as "Bumby Hardware Store". The store remained an Orlando fixture until

4675-455: The arts center is Judson's Live, a dynamic music room with cabaret-style seating hosting intimate events and live entertainment, which opened on January 21, 2024 In response to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the Dr. Phillips Center came up with a concept for an outdoor, socially distanced venue to continue offering performances in a time when so much of the world had shut down. In May of 2020,

4760-419: The border of this area is Interstate 4 to the west, and Highland Avenue to the east, the north border is N Orange Ave & the I-4 on-ramps at Lake Ivanhoe. This is a vibrant area that has seen many apartments and condominiums built, bringing a diverse collection of businesses including dining and shopping to the area. As one of the cheaper neighborhoods in the downtown area, with many artists including members of

4845-415: The completion of Steinmetz Hall. Two-thirds of the funding comes from public funds, largely from the Orange County tourist development tax. The other one-third comes from private donations, including a large grant from the Dr. P. Phillips Foundation, the philanthropic organization funded through the estate of Philip Phillips . A slow-down in the tourist development tax and other economic conditions forced

4930-413: The development of a tourist resort by Henry Flagler. It later attracted Flagler's former business partner John D. Rockefeller, who had a winter home in Ormond. During and after World War II, the U.S. Army Air Forces (U.S. Air Force after 1947) and the U.S. Navy established several training facilities and operational bases in the region, mainly for aviation activities, followed by space exploration sites. In

5015-453: The directional region is more commonly used in the interior areas rather than on the coast. In fact, while coastal areas often have their own regional vernacular identities such as the Space Coast and the Nature Coast , no vernacular regions were reported on the interior of the state other than Central Florida. Enterprise Florida, the state's economic development agency , identifies "Central Florida" as one of eight economic regions used by

5100-413: The downtown area. During this time, development in downtown was mainly focused upon the construction of office towers, such as the Citrus Center and the original Sunbank building. However, downtown began to fall into a state of decline. The Angebilt Hotel and San Juan Hotel were abandoned and left to crumble. The San Juan was eventually demolished in 1980, but the Angebilt Hotel at 37 N Orange Ave which

5185-511: The east by Interstate 4 and on the west by Orange Blossom Trail . The central business district is Orlando's Financial District and is the most recognized feature of downtown. The majority of Orlando's night clubs are also in this area. Located here are corporate offices for banks Wells Fargo , Seacoast, FifthThird Bank, and Suntrust banks, tech companies, restaurants, Orlando City Hall , foreign consulates , and many hotels. SunTrust Center and City Commons are two large office complexes within

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5270-410: The financial industry, especially insurers and back-end operations for large banking companies. Active military installations in the region include Patrick Space Force Base and Cape Canaveral Space Force Station located on the Atlantic coast; MacDill Air Force Base , Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater and Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg on the Gulf Coast; and Naval Support Activity Orlando ,

5355-408: The first cargo steamboat on the Kissimmee River, boomed in the 1880s. It was the headquarters of Hamilton Disston's drainage company. The city was an important regional steamship port, owing that status to its location on Lake Tohopekaliga. Expanding the railroads into Central Florida eliminated the need for Kissimmee's steamship industry. The Great Freeze of 1894-1895 ruined citrus crops, which had

5440-542: The fountain, the park features swan boat rentals and the Walt Disney Amphitheater . Every Independence Day , the park is host to a large fireworks display which draws thousands of people to downtown. A 0.85-mile (1.37 km) recreational pathway circles the park and leads to a playground. Lake Eola Heights is unique in Orlando as it contains some of the oldest homes in the city and is one of Orlando's historic districts. There are many historical "Florida style" bungalows and century-old oak lined brick streets. Thornton Park

5525-407: The idea for creating the Frontyard Festival™, presented by AdventHealth began and officially launched on December 5, 2020 with its first show. Located on the front lawn of the Dr. Phillips Center, the Seneff Arts Plaza, the Frontyard Festival™ offered socially distant boxes that could seat up to six people. Food and drinks were delivered from on-site restaurants while performances and events were put on

5610-466: The late 1940s, the U.S. military established a missile testing facility on Merritt Island near Cape Canaveral. The land was largely undeveloped and the agreeable climate allowed for year-round operations. When NASA later searched for a long-term base in the 1960s to launch spacecraft, it chose the Merritt Island site next to Cape Canaveral for its access to the testing facility and nearby communities. NASA purchased over 100,000 acres (400 km ) of land for

5695-428: The park around the same time the annual "Orlando Shakespeare Festival" was established. On the other hand, downtown's population base still had yet to rebound to previous levels and major corporations were still opening locations outside of the city center. The Orlando City Hall building, the city's third, opened in 1991 directly behind the previous City Hall, constructed in 1958. To clear the area for future development,

5780-552: The park, and calling for additional cultural institutions to be housed onsite. Major hotels in downtown Orlando include: Downtown is home to the Kia Center (formerly Amway Center) which hosts the Orlando Magic NBA team, the Orlando Solar Bears ECHL team, and the Orlando Predators Arena Football League team. Camping World Stadium in addition to being home of the Orlando Guardians XFL team and Orlando City Soccer Club for 2015 & 2016 also hosts The Capital One Bowl in addition to other events year round. Tinker Field

5865-433: The past thirty years. As of 2007 there were 70,000 Asians in Central Florida according to the U.S. Census . There were almost 1,900 Japanese persons, making up 3% of the Asians. Selected cities in Central Florida arranged by population: Agriculture has occupied a large portion of Central Florida's economy, with winter strawberries, citrus, timber, vegetables, and aquaculture all making major contributions. Tourism

5950-477: The plans to become phased into two stages of construction. Walt Disney Theater and Alexis & Jim Pugh Theater were part of Phase I. Phase II included Steinmetz Hall and Judson's. Groundbreaking took place in June 2011. The center occupies two city blocks. Some of the existing structures demolished to clear room for the center include Orlando Fire Department Station #1 (which moved to Central Blvd.); an annex building of First United Methodist Church of Orlando ; and

6035-412: The regional bus service with its central station and offices located at 455 N Garland Avenue. Lynx Operates a zero-fare bus route called Lymmo (Link 31) along a completely separate and dedicated right-of-way . Because this bus system runs on its own right-of-way and controls the traffic signaling, in most cases it is superior to automobile travel within the downtown area. Lymmo service also runs along

6120-550: The service to multiple additional points south. Connections to the Orlando International Airport (MCO) and to other lines connecting to South Florida (All Aboard Florida) are being evaluated. Air The Orlando Executive Airport is located 4 miles (6.4 km) east of the CBD. While technically not in downtown proper, the airport serves the downtown district. Orlando City Hall is located on Orange Avenue and South Street. The Orange County Courthouse

6205-593: The site of Florida Citrus Bowl ). By 1944, enough jobs were created to increase the city's population to 45,000 people. Orlando became a major military center when World War II brought the development of McCoy Air Force Base and Pinecastle AFB, located southeast of downtown. This status intensified with the 1968 opening of the Orlando Naval Training Center east of downtown. Walt Disney World 's 1971 opening in southwest Orange County brought major development to Orlando, but relatively little to

6290-495: The suburbs. Efforts to revitalize downtown began in the mid-1970s and continued into the 1980s. Bob Snow opened Rosie O'Grady's in 1974 at Church Street Station , which quickly became a popular attraction. In the mid-1980s, several skyscrapers were constructed; including SunTrust Center and Barnett Plaza (now Bank of America Center). Lake Eola Park was redesigned and the Walt Disney Amphitheater opened in

6375-467: The tallest towers in Central Florida are located downtown. Of the 79 existing high-rises in the Greater Orlando region, 46 are located downtown. The tallest high-rises in Orlando are: Towers built in downtown Orlando have not exceeded 441 ft (134 m) since the completion of the Suntrust Center in 1988. There has never been an "official" reason why, but local architects speculate it

6460-467: The term " Manhattanization " was locally applied to Orange Avenue when a large number of construction cranes loomed over downtown. The late 2000s recession slowed large intensity skyscraper construction; but infill development continued downtown including construction of the Amway Center in 2009. In 2011, construction began on phase one of the long-awaited Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts across from City Hall along Orange Ave. The majority of

6545-489: The west coast and Volusia and Brevard Counties on the east coast. The central cities of both metropolitan areas ( Orlando and Tampa ) are in close proximity (85 miles (137 km)), and as a result, their two metropolitan areas blend together in the area of Lakeland to make up a larger contiguous population center often referred to as the I-4 corridor . This is a population concentration that stretches from Tampa Bay on

6630-544: The west coast to Daytona Beach and Cape Canaveral on the east coast of the state. With the exception of hill terrain in Mount Dora , southern Lake County, Polk County ( Lake Wales Ridge ) Pasco County, and Hernando County (Brooksville Ridge). Central Florida is mostly flatland with significant amounts of open space and over 1,500 lakes and ponds. There is a mixture of wetlands, Cypress, Oak, Maple and Pine forests, pastures, prairies and coastline. Major rivers include

6715-404: Was a historic ballpark adjacent to Camping World Stadium. Inter&Co Stadium is the home of Orlando Pride . Resulting from Orlando's reputation as a major international destination and many countries establishing consulates in the city, Orlando now has the second highest number of foreign consulates in Florida next to Miami . Central Florida Central Florida is a region of

6800-404: Was built in 1923 would be transformed in modern times into an office building with retail on the ground floor. Lake Eola Park became a haven for prostitutes and drug addicts. In addition, downtown department stores and family owned businesses closed or moved to the newly constructed Orlando Fashion Square mall. After the opening of Interstate 4, the downtown population base moved out of downtown to

6885-454: Was centered around the original Orange County Courthouse in between today's Court Avenue and Magnolia Avenue (originally named "Main Street"). A fire in 1884 almost destroyed the entire town. Before the fire, most of the structures in Orlando were built with wood and the town was without fire protection. The town began to rebuild and a fire brigade was formed. Orlando became a city in 1885 and

6970-542: Was held on November 6, 2014. Barton Myers was the design architect with Artec Acoustic Consultants and Theatre Project Consultants co-designing the theaters. HKS Architects was the executive architect in association with Baker Barrios Architects, Inc. The venue was approved along with a new Amway Center (which replaced the Amway Arena ) and improvements to the Camping World Stadium after

7055-416: Was inexpensive, and the inland location offered some protection from hurricanes. Plans were announced in 1965, and the theme park opened to the public in 1971. Lamme and Oldakowski's survey identifies several demographic, political, and cultural elements that characterize Central Florida and distinguish it from other areas of the state. While people from all parts of the state associated their area as part of

7140-436: Was less popular in Central and North Florida, and more so in South Florida. In 2009, the estimated total population of the Central Florida, including the populations of Orange, Seminole, Osceola, Brevard, Volusia, and Lake Counties region was 3.3 million people. If the populations of Polk and Sumter counties were included, the estimated population would be 3.969 million people. Exponential growth has fueled Central Florida for

7225-471: Was similar to North Florida and differed from South Florida in these measures. In Central and North Florida, American cuisine was the most popular food, in contrast to South Florida where ethnic foods were equally popular. Additionally, while there was little geographical variation for most styles of music, there was regional variation for both country and Latin music. Country was popular in Central and North Florida, and less so in South Florida, while Latin

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