During his State of Downtown address this week, Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer unveiled a new plan to radically reshape downtown Orlando: the “DTO Action Plan.”
“This is a big, ambitious plan that will set the stage for Downtown to own the future,” Dyer said. “In the blink of an eye, our urban economy has shifted to one now focused on a demand for non-conventional offices and residential buildings that offer a total lifestyle, not merely a workplace.”
One of the project’s largest components is the creation of an upgraded transit network by revamping streets, sidewalks, bike lanes and public transportation options. The plan includes extending sidewalks and public areas on Magnolia Avenue, one of downtown Orlando’s most bustling streets, and comes only six months after a study deemed Orlando the least walkable city in the country.
The Orange Avenue strip at the very center of downtown — the epicenter of city government’s attempts to tamp down on nightlife — is also set to undergo renovation. Two-way traffic lanes will be established on Orange and Rosalind avenues, and pocket parks such as 30 South Orange are set to pop up along the strip.
Ride DTO, which offers $1 on-demand rides within downtown, has launched as well, providing residents with an affordable and eco-friendly transportation option through the city. Services run 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily.
From Orange Avenue to Lake Lucerne, new fitness equipment, jogging paths, dog parks and playgrounds are slated to pop up in the coming months. A repurposing of unused infrastructure under I-4 known as “The Canopy,” the latest iteration of the “Under-I” urban park plan, looks to finally be on the way.
Expansion of Lake Eola Park is another facet of the DTO Action Plan. A new southwest entrance, infrastructure upgrades, expanded sidewalks and art installations are planned over the next decade.
There’s some good ol’ gentrification in the mix too! Parramore is set to be the staging ground for the Westcourt mixed-use complex (formerly eye-poppingly monikered the Magic Entertainment District). It will reportedly feature a hotel, a 3,500-seat entertainment venue operated by LiveNation within a stone’s throw of the Dr. Phillips Center and the Beacham, a dog park and residential units.
Dyer’s plan also aims to address the affordable housing problem in the City Beautiful. The Accelerate Orlando initiative plans to use federal funds to create more affordable housing options, with a very optimistic goal of a 50% reduction in homelessness by 2027.
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Orlando City Council passes permanent limits on downtown nightclubs that take effect this fall
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This article appears in Oct 16-22, 2024.