7-Eleven demolition paves way for Lake Eola Park expansion
A former convenience store is no more in downtown Orlando, making way for a small addition to Lake Eola Park, and the culmination of a seven-year effort to beat back high-rise developments there.
Demolition began Monday morning on what had been a 7-Eleven, and frequently a target for developers who wanted to construct high-rises with sweeping views of the city’s signature park. In 2015, the last time such a proposal was considered, two neighbors of the park — Lynn Long and Eugenia Sefcik, dubbed the “Little Old Ladies” — set off on a mission to take control of the land.
Through the founding of the Orlando Land Trust and an aggressive fundraising campaign that garnered more than 600 donations ranging from pocket change to $200,000, the trust purchased the building and donated it to the city last year.
“This was the cornerstone. Without this piece, a 35-story building could be erected, and we did not want that to happen,” said Long, who founded the trust with Sefcik, Ted Haddock and others. “We tried to take the piece that we thought would be the most important for the preservation of green space.”
The planned park expansion is adjacent to the lake that welcomes about 3 million people annually, hosts dozens of festivals and is home to five of the world’s seven varieties of swans. But it doesn’t directly connect to the park because of two other buildings next to the now-vacant site.
The city or land trust could move to buy them, which would create a western gateway to Lake Eola, with views from Rosalind Avenue and Central Boulevard, City Commissioner Patty Sheehan said.
“There’s always a price [at which] someone is willing to sell,” she said. “Granted, we’re going to have to make another acquisition. But I think this group is very successful and motivated and I think we’re going to make that happen.”
Mayor Buddy Dyer agreed and said the city has had talks with the owners of the parcels over the years. The city gaining control of the corner of Rosalind and Central, which makes high-rise redevelopment there impractical, could help those advance, he said.
“Taking that parcel that was donated by the Orlando Land Trust kind of stems any thoughts of redeveloping this whole thing, so I think we can have some additional talks now,” he said.
In the meantime, officials brought forward a plan to a city advisory board with a layout for the news space, including concrete pavers, four palm trees, an oak and planters. Work could begin later this year.
Long said a butterfly garden dedicated to grandmothers who donated to the acquisition will also be included, with the names of their grandchildren. A butterfly sculpture is also in the works, Sheehan said.
The land trust raised $3.25 million to purchase the land, including a $1.625 million contribution from Orlando’s Community Redevelopment Agency.
After the donation last year, the CRA kicked in another $175,000 to terminate the lease early, paving the way for the demolition.