The Orlando City Council on Monday approved a $3.9 million pre-construction agreement with Turner Construction Company to design the Lake Eola Gateway Entrance and a new pocket park at 30 S. Orange Ave. — a combined project estimated at $18 million that represents the first visible step in a sweeping downtown transformation funded by bonds approved just two weeks ago.
The project is part of a broader slate of downtown improvements backed by $160 million in Tax Increment Revenue Bonds that the council and Community Redevelopment Agency approved unanimously on Feb. 9. That bond package also funds The Canopy — a park beneath Interstate 4 — the conversion of Orange Avenue and Rosalind Avenue into two-way streets, and the transformation of Church Street into a festival street.
The agreement covers Phase I design work. A companion CRA agreement formalizes the three-way partnership between the city, CRA and Turner Construction. The city and CRA will remain involved in the design phase, and Turner will not begin construction until a guaranteed maximum price is agreed upon at a later CRA meeting.
What’s planned
The pocket park at 30 S. Orange Ave. will convert what the city describes as “an underutilized vacant lot” into a public gathering space. Plans call for hardscaping, decorative lighting, shaded seating areas, and sustainable landscaping designed to reduce the urban heat island effect.
Separately, the Lake Eola Gateway component focuses on the primary entrance to the park from the Central Business District, at the corner of Rosalind Avenue and Central Boulevard. Improvements include pedestrian safety enhancements, wayfinding signage, and signature “gateway” landscaping intended to create what the city describes as “a seamless transition between the Central Business District and Lake Eola Park.”
The city calls the combined effort “the boots on the ground implementation of the DTO Action Plan,” describing it as moving “away from abstract visioning and toward physical projects that reshape how people experience downtown Orlando.”
How we got here
The CRA has spent years and millions assembling the land for these improvements. In March 2024, the city council approved the CRA’s purchase of four downtown properties in a roughly $20 million acquisition. That included 30 S. Orange Ave., 1 North Orange Ave., and properties at 205 and 215 E. Central Blvd. The two East Central properties were purchased for a combined $8.39 million to be incorporated into the park as part of the gateway entrance.
The six-story City Centre building at 215 E. Central Blvd., built in 1925, is expected to be demolished to create the entrance.
Meanwhile, 1 North Orange Ave. — the 1924 former State Bank of Orlando & Trust Company building, which has sat vacant for more than a decade — is also on Monday’s CRA agenda. The CRA is bringing on First Capital Property Group to market the building for adaptive reuse, with a vision for active ground-floor commercial and residential or hospitality on the upper floors.
The city issued a request for proposals in April 2025 seeking a design-build firm for both components. An advisory committee reviewed proposals from several firms and ranked Turner Construction Company first. Council approved the ranking in October 2025 and authorized negotiations. Turner, which has operated in Central Florida since 1984, was selected.
Lubbe House: Mayor says no demolition, but opposes landmark protection
Monday’s discussion of the Turner contract sparked a significant exchange about the Lubbe House, a 1930 Mediterranean-style home at the corner of Rosalind Avenue and Central Boulevard — the last remaining private home ever built directly fronting Lake Eola.
Mayor Buddy Dyer told the council the city has “no intention” of demolishing the house, but said he does not support the historic landmark designation that preservationists are seeking. Turner Construction will conduct structural, ADA, and asbestos assessments on the house as part of the design process.
Read our full story on the Lubbe House discussion.
What’s next
With both agreements approved, Turner Construction will enter the design phase, which includes two community meetings. The five-story City Centre building adjacent to the Lubbe House will be demolished to open up the gateway into the park. The guaranteed maximum price for construction will require a separate CRA approval at a future meeting.
Updated Feb. 24, 2026: Updated to reflect city council and CRA approval on Feb. 23. Added Lubbe House discussion summary and link to separate Lubbe House story.
This story was developed using AI analysis of public records, official transcripts and interview responses from sources. See our editorial standards for more information about how we produce coverage.