Orlando Central - Issue #4 (June 2019)

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OFM_TopTowns_0619FINAL.QXD_Layout 1 5 / 23 / 19 4 : 03 PM Page 2 Bicyclists ride through historic downtown Winter Garden iving in Central Florida is a blessing in itself in that there are so many communities here that provide everything a resident could be looking for : top - performing schools , Lwalkability , beautiful parks — the list could go on and on . With that in mind , we decided to take a look around the ’ hood to see how some of the Orlando area’s most coveted zip codes stack up against one another in home values , school graduation rates and median income . In addition , we’ve also brought you a snippet of what’s going on in your community from new local officials to what developments and improvements you can expect to see soon . increase that was meant to bolster county revenue and pay for transportation projects . If it had been approved , the tax Baldwin Park would have stayed in place for 30 years and it would have The city of Orlando’s Baldwin Park district could see a huge put Osceola County on par with Hillsborough for having boost in value from a nearby development project . Unicorp the highest taxes in Florida . National Developments is in the process of buying the land The Celebration area is also growing . Osceola County under the blighted Fashion Square Mall and plans to tear it commissioners have approved the first phase of Island Village , down to transform the property into a $ 1 billion mixed - use the fifth and final neighborhood for this formally Disney - development of retail , residential and office space . However , owned master - planned community . The Island Village com - to move forward , Unicorp will still need to negotiate with munity will be spread over 350 acres of land . the mall’s owner as the land and the building are owned by separate entities . College Park Residents of Baldwin Park can also look forward to Residents of College Park , one of the city of Orlando’s oldest getting a new free - standing emergency room . The new ER is neighborhoods , will be seeing a lot of development on the an extension of Oviedo Medical Center and is expected to western edge of the neighborhood as The Packing District open this month at the corner of Semoran Boulevard and takes form . This new 200 - acre district is taking shape quickly . Hanging Moss Road . The area’s YMCA is set to begin construction later this year , the city of Orlando recently awarded a contract to a builder Celebration for the area’s new tennis center and the construction of the Community members in Celebration , along with the rest of streetscape is expected to begin this month . Osceola County , recently voted down a one - cent sales tax ORLANDOFAMILYMAGAZINE.COM june 2019 ORLANDO FAMILY 13

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OFM_TopTowns_0619FINAL.QXD_Layout 1 5 / 23 / 19 4 : 03 PM Page 3 coveted railroad crossings by modifying sidewalks and curbs and adding extra cross arms and lights . Communities MetroWest Residents of the city of Orlando’s master - planned MetroWest community will vote this November on electing their new commissioner for District 6 . District 6 ’ s current commissioner , Samuel Ings , In other news , recently the main drag through has challenged incumbent Buddy Dyer in the College Park was made a little less green with the Avalon Park city’s mayoral race , which will also be decided in removal of 23 palm trees that lined Edgewater Oktoberfest November . Drive . Some residents were upset at the removal of munity , Lake Nona , continues to flourish with TheMetroWest community recently underwent the greenery , saying it should be replaced with new amenities and development . Orlando’s southeast a $ 1.2 million signage renovation project led by something else . MetroPlan Orlando , the area’s neighborhood is now home to the area’s first au - the MetroWest Master Association . The renovation transportation planning organization , is currently tonomous shuttle buses , which is fitting for a place updated the neighborhoods ’ monuments and beau - developing a plan to enhance walkability and land - that bills itself as “ a community of and for the tified the surrounding landscaping as well . Devel - scaping for the road but it could be years before future . ” The buses are run by a company called opment in MetroWest includes the possibility of the anything is implemented . Beep and are currently being tested on the neigh - 440 new apartments and 10,000 square feet of borhood’s roads . retail on Raleigh Street near Valencia College’s Dr . Phillips Lake Nona is home to the U.S . Tennis Asso - west campus . The project , led by Georgia - based Dr . Phillips residents will soon be able to see their ciation’s National Campus and now it is getting a real estate company Rise , went before the city’s community reflected in a new Oprah Winfrey TV second sporting complex . The 50,000 - square - foot municipal planning board in September and the show , which filmed in the area this past spring . XL Soccer World will have two boarded turf fields board recommended approving it . The show , called David Makes Man , will air in and two multi - surface fields . In addition to soccer , August . During production , a 1950s - style apartment the fields will be able to support lacrosse , flag Ocoee complex was built on the property of Dr . Phillips football and volleyball games . The complex is ex - Ocoee Mayor Rusty Johnson was reelected this High School and some of the school’s students pected to open in 2020 . past March after being the only candidate to were even able to serve as extras during filming . qualify . The city also had two commission seats There is plenty of development going on in Maitland up for grabs . The District 3 seat was nabbed by in - this census designated area too . Set to be constructed Although two council seats were up for election cumbent Richard Firstner , who was unchallenged . on the former Yogi Bear campground , a project this year , both incumbents were re - elected after Meanwhile , incumbent John Grogan was unseated has been approved for 134,000 square feet of being the only candidates to qualify . Those council by Larry Brinson for District 1 . commercial space , a 120 - room hotel and about members were Mike Thomas and Michael Wilde . Ocoee commissioners recently voted to allow 280 multi - family units . Orange County also has The city of Maitland is working to rebuild its city staff to apply for a historical marker that will plans to build a new relief high school in Horizon downtown park located next to City Hall . The 2 - honor the victims of the Ocoee 1920 Election West , which is set to open by 2021 and will lessen acre site is set to receive new restroom facilities , a Day Massacre . The massacre resulted in the death the number of students currently zoned for Dr . fountain , a courtyard and walkways , and it’s of a number of black citizens stemming from one Phillips High School . expected to be completed either by the end of this black man’s attempt to vote . The city of Ocoee is year or early 2020 . The city has also teamed up also working to build a new City Hall . The new Lake Nona with Winter Park to improve the safety of several $ 12 million building will be constructed at the The city of Orlando’s newest master - planned com - northeast corner of Bluford Avenue and McKey Street . The old city hall will eventually be demolished . Winter Garden’s July Fourth celebration Waterford Lakes / Avalon Park Orange County’s Avalon Park and Waterford Lakes ’ communities have a new commissioner . Maribel Gomez Cordero won Orange County’s November election for District 4 and officially began her term in December . She previously worked as an aide to former District 4 commissioner Jennifer Thompson . In development news , Waterford Lakes is in line to get a new ER , courtesy of AdventHealth . The facility is to be located at the intersection of Colonial Drive and Lake Pickett road and is expected to open later this year . The neighborhood will also be getting a 50,000 - square - foot “ action park ” at the Waterford Towers Shopping plaza . The facility will have trampoline courts , laser tag , an arcade , a zip line and more . Meanwhile , the de - veloper of Avalon Park is adding more office and retail space . Avalon Business Centre , a 38,000 - 14 ORLANDO FAMILY june 2019 ORLANDOFAMILYMAGAZINE.COM

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