A major redevelopment has been announced for the former Orlando Sentinel property at 633 North Orange Avenue. The plan was unveiled during the December 2 State of Downtown event and outlines a $2 billion investment by Miami-based Midtown Development in partnership with London’s Heatherwick Studio. The approximately 18-acre site is bounded by North Orange Avenue to the west, North Magnolia Avenue to the east, Colonial Drive to the north, and East Amelia Street to the south, and is bisected by Concord Street.
633 North Orange Avenue as of January 2025.
The property has remained vacant for more than five years. Three buildings on the parcel adjacent to the Orange County Courthouse were demolished in 2021, and only the former office building and press building remain standing. The Orlando Sentinel operated from its downtown headquarters at 633 North Orange Avenue for 69 years, from 1951 until the office was vacated in October 2020.
633 North Orange Avenue as of January 2025.
In an interview with The Orlando Real, which reported the announcement yesterday, Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer said the project will introduce unique design features intended to draw thousands of new residents and dozens of new businesses to the downtown core. He described the planned neighborhood as a future cornerstone of the city on par with Lake Eola, the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, and the upcoming Westcourt Orlando mixed-use complex.
“It will be a huge iconic catalyst in the history of the city of Orlando,” said Mayor Dyer. “I think 10 years from now, downtown Orlando will be a totally different place than what we see it as today.”
Midtown Development is partnering with Rosso Development and Proper Hospitality on a separate $2 billion transformation of Miami’s Midtown neighborhood, known as Midtown Park, announced in October. The plan includes new pedestrian connections, landscaped public spaces, 924 residential units, 60,000 square feet of office space, and more than 120,000 square feet of retail. While the Miami effort is unrelated to the Orlando Sentinel site, it illustrates the type of community-focused neighborhood the development team has delivered elsewhere.
Midtown Park. CreditL Arquitectonica.
A promotional video released by Heatherwick Studio referenced an early vision for thousands of new homes, dozens of new businesses, and a large green space integrated into the neighborhood plan.
“Our shared vision with the City of Orlando and Heatherwick Studio is to transform this integral downtown site into a vibrant, walkable neighborhood,” said Midtown Development Principal Alex Vadia in a prepared statement. “We’re focused on energizing the ground level with curated retail and food and beverage, open spaces, and gathering places that define what a true neighborhood can be in the heart of downtown Orlando.”
The Vessel. Photo by Oscar Nunez.
Heatherwick Studio’s portfolio features a range of public realm and mixed-use projects, including Little Island in New York City, the Vessel at Hudson Yards, Lantern House in West Chelsea, Azabudai Hills in Tokyo, and Davidson Park in Milwaukee. Founder and design director Thomas Heatherwick’s intent for the Orlando plan is to create a destination with its own distinct character.
Lantern House. Photo by Oscar Nunez.
Little Island. Photo by Oscar Nunez.
Tribune Publishing formerly owned the Orlando Sentinel property until a corporate reorganization in 2014. Midtown Opportunities, an affiliate of Midtown Development, acquired the site in 2016 for $35.1 million. The buildings were vacated when the Orlando Sentinel transitioned to remote operations in late 2020, and parking access has since been closed off with gates and barriers. In June 2020, Midtown Opportunities filed a lawsuit against the Sentinel for unpaid rent, several months before the newspaper fully vacated the property and shifted most staff to remote work.
Site plans, renderings, and specific timelines have not yet been released. Midtown Development noted that design work remains in the early stages and that full buildout of the neighborhood is expected to occur over a 20 year period.
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Love Heatherwick. This is what Florida cities desperately need.
Hmmm… What will Heatherwick come up with for this blank canvas?