The City Council agreed Monday to the $8.5 million purchase of 1.36 acres of downtown property to expand Orlando's signature Lake Eola Park. But city officials made it clear the five houses sitting on the land have to go.

"We're not going to leave five buildings, we're going to have open green space," Mayor Buddy Dyer said. City officials said they hope to close on the property by the end of the year, and they expect the houses to either be demolished or moved off-site before the closing. The city is evaluating whether one of the houses should remain to serve as a parks office.

The potential destruction of the houses and the short time frame to save them is certain to anger preservationists. Some of the loudest voices of opposition to the plan for an office building came from people who wanted to save the houses.

The homes were built between 1915 and 1930 on land now surrounded on three sides by Lake Eola Park. Four are along brick-paved East Washington Street, and one on Eola Drive. They range in size from 2,592 to 4,386 square feet. Three are two-story houses, and the other two are single-story.

Though none of the structures has an official historic designation, preservationists insist they're worth saving. One is the former home of the late Nobel Peace Prize winner John R. Mott, and all are examples of Orlando's dwindling past.

Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer and the City Commissioners voted Monday, Aug. 20 to spend $8.5 million on 1.36 acres of land along the perimeter of Lake Eola Park in downtown Orlando, but Mayor Dyer and the City Commissioners have decided to demolish the five beautiful historic homes which stand atop that land to create more “green space” for the park.

One of the five homes, which were built between 19
15-1930, belonged to John R. Mott – a 1946 Nobel Peace Prize winner.

Sadly, because the homes are not registered as historic sites, they do not enjoy protection from demolition.

The five historic homes are slated for demolition within months unless we as a community unite and fight to protect these precious treasures of Old Orlando.

They could be used as study halls, creative studios or even a small Lake Eola Park Museum, but they ought not be destroyed for there are thousands of other acres of green space within the city already.

LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD!!!! Contact Mayor Buddy Dyer & District 4 City Commissioner Patty Sheehan and their respective assistants immediately demanding that the Lake Eola Historic 5 not be demolished:

Mayor Buddy Dyer & Chief of Staff Frank Billingsley
buddy.dyer@cityoforlando.net OR (407) 246-2221
frank.billingsley@cityoforlando.net OR (407) 246- 2221

District 4 Commissioner Patty Sheehan & Commissioner’s Aide Bill Stevens
patty.sheehan@cityoforlando.net OR (407) 246-2004
bill.stevens@cityoforlando.net OR (407) 246-2106