Lake Eola Gateway: Orlando votes to buy 4 city properties to create entrance to iconic park

ORLANDO, Fla. - The City of Orlando will buy two buildings at Lake Eola Park's southwest corner and two other properties to create a new entrance to the iconic park.

One day, the smaller of the two buildings adjacent to Lake Eola may become venues for weddings and other events, and the other may be torn down to make a new entrance to the park.

The city released renderings of how it could look if they demolished the unused City Center building at 205 E. Central Blvd. and redeveloped the property.  At the city council meeting where they voted on the plan to buy the properties, former Orlando mayor Bill Frederick said they couldn't pass up this chance. 

"It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and I'm happy to say that every living mayor is in support of this purchase," he said.

The city council had little trouble approving the buy. 

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David Barilla, executive director of the Orlando CRA/DDB, said this was a significant step in acquiring this property. 

"And be that driving force that puts those pieces together to allow it to be reintroduced and flourish and meet the type of activities we're trying to be more prevalent throughout the area," he said.

Project organizers say Lake Eola Park is the heart of downtown, with more than two million visitors each year. 

"Lake Eola has undergone many changes through the years, but it remains the central core of downtown and a place of respite and shared activities for families and visitors," said Lynn Long, a founding member of the Orlando Land Trust.

The city says the project could take 18 to 24 months once all the paperwork is done. People downtown had mixed opinions about the plan. 

"Whatever they're building is cool," said resident Kiante Henson, "but they're destroying a lot of history, is what I think."

"That looks good to me," said resident Daniel Sampson, "because who's using that?" he asked, gesturing toward the vacant City Center Building.