Orlando officials advanced a plan Monday that could they say could spur redevelopment Downtown, despite pleas by preservationists who fear it could lead to landmarks flattened.
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Any development plans within the historic district, which spans eight blocks and snakes through the city core, would be able to bypass the city’s Historic Preservation Board for three years. That citizen’s advisory board has been tasked with reviewing building plans, big and small, in Orlando’s several historic districts.
It’s the latest tug-of-war between the desire to spark growth in the region’s urban center and the goal of maintaining the slices of Old Florida that dot the growing neighborhood. Ahead of the vote Monday, the plan was blasted by preservationists and praised by builders and business leaders.
“Has the historic overlay, despite its good intentions, become an obstacle to the future we want Downtown?” said Commissioner Roger Chapin ahead of the 6-1 vote. “We can honor our history without standing in the way of our future.”
After news of the proposal was reported by the Orlando Sentinel last week, the Historic Preservation Board met the following day and unanimously opposed the new rules.
Commissioner Patty Sheehan, who cast the lone vote in opposition, blasted the idea and said city staff should have briefed the HPB first before bringing it forward.
“Bob Snow is rolling over in his grave,” said Sheehan, referencing the legendary entrepreneur who founded the Church Street Station entertainment complex, themed to complement the 1889 railroad station.
The historic district spans eight blocks along Orange Avenue, taking in Church and Pine Streets and other properties through the city core. It was created in 1980 and includes buildings constructed from the 1880s to the 1940s.
“Surrounded by modern skyscrapers, approximately 60 historic buildings in this district offer a glimpse into the City’s dynamic past,” according to a map of a guided walking tour of the district. “The historic district designation has helped preserve buildings that might otherwise have been demolished due to the rapid rate of growth and demand for commercial space in Downtown.”
City officials contend that while the district’s outskirts have seen substantial redevelopment in all directions over the past decade, within its boundaries there has been no development completed exceeding $5 million.
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The plan is an ordinance, meaning it will need to be voted on a second time to be adopted. It’s considered a pilot program, and after three years the city could continue the test, scrap it altogether, or tweak it.
Mayor Buddy Dyer said the plan could be a “catalyst” to make dormant Church Street viable once again. The restaurant and bar scene there was once so popular it led to Walt Disney World recreating it with its Pleasure Island, but has gone into a major decline following COVID-19 closures in 2020.
“I think we can all remember when Church Street was a major entertainment district,” he said.
Developer Craig Ustler, who hasn’t built in the historic district, said he thinks the three-year plan is worth trying.
“Great cities have great old buildings and great new buildings – they don’t have one or the other,” he said.
Jeff Thompson, who has served on the HPB for nearly two decades with appointments by three mayors, argued the board isn’t a detriment to development and hasn’t rejected a proposal in the district over the past five years.
David Martens, another HPB member, listed off landmarks he believes are in danger.
“Do you want to be responsible for seeing the Metcalf building torn down, the Kress building torn down, Church Street Station torn down?” he said. “Do you want that to happen? Because with your vote today, you could do that because it’s going to bypass Historic Preservation.”
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