Four of five houses in Lake Eola Park in downtown Orlando are available for free to move to new lots. These houses were built from the years of 1915 to 1925. Three of them are located along East Washington Street, with one house on Eola Drive. The Trust for Public Land bought the property in 2009 to avert the construction of a proposed office tower. The city of Orlando bought the property from the Trust in August for 8.5 million under an exclusive option.
The land is planned for recreational use by Mayor Buddy Dyer’s administration. The 4,300 s. ft. house nearest the lake will be kept and used for community meetings and a new park office. Although some residents suggested retaining all of the houses for public use, city officials rejected the idea, citing prohibitive maintenance costs.
Prospective owners need to fund $100,000 escrow. The check, location of the new lot, and the proposed route must be sent to The Trust by December 28th. Expenses would include fees for the moving company, relocating power lines, a new lot, permits, and repairs.
Trespassing on the property is being discouraged by the presence of security guards as there are tenants still in some of the buildings. The deadline for removal is March 2013. After the deadline, the building will be salvaged and demolished by the city.
CONTACT INFO
Greg Chelius
Project Manager
The Trust for Public Land
Tallahassee Office
850-222-7911
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