The Orlando Business Journal reported that the Orlando City Council will consider approving a lease of the SE Orlando Gov't Center (and library) site controlled by GOAA on 12/6. Here is the article.
By Ryan Lynch – Staff Writer, Orlando Business Journal
Dec 1, 2021
The city of Orlando plans to create a multi-building government complex, called the Southeast Orlando Government Center, just east of Orlando International Airport.
Orlando City Council on Dec. 6 will consider approving a ground lease of the project's five-acre vacant site, which is owned by the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority, the agency that oversees the airport. The project would be located on Dowden Road and could cost $15 million to build.
One building is set to be 15,000 square feet and will include 1,700 square feet of government offices and a 4,300-square-foot Orlando Police Department substation, city spokeswoman Samantha Holsten told Orlando Business Journal. In addition, a library is expected to encompass 20,000 square feet of a separate building.
In total, the Southeast Orlando Government Center is estimated to cost $6.5 million to design, permit and build, while the library would cost $8.5 million.
"Through the development of the new government center, the city will be able to bring more services out into the community and the connection with the library will allow us [to] help extend more education opportunities for the residents," Holsten said.
The city will construct the building through a design/build team, which will include an architect and contractor. The city is preparing to advertise the design/build opportunity here and the selected team will set the project schedule. According to the city's agenda item, the construction is estimated to last two years, which is when the lease would start.
The initial annual rent is $87,500 per year for the first five years and would be subject to adjustments every five years based on future property appraisals. The lease would last 30 years, with the option for three additional five-year extensions.
Orange County Library System (OCLS) would sublease its space at the complex and would pay rent as well as a share of the common area expenses for the complex. OCLS representatives were not immediately available for comment.
The entire 130.2-acre property was once owned by Busch Properties Of Florida Inc., an entity tied to Budweiser parent Anheuser-Busch InBev (NYSE: BUD). The city bought the property from the beer company subsidiary for $18 million in 2005, according to Orange County property records.
The new complex joins an increase in investment activity within that part of Orlando. For example, The Walt Disney Co. (NYSE: DIS) has plans to relocate roughly 2,000 jobs from its California headquarters to the Lake Nona master-planned community.
Disney's move may attract other companies to Central Florida, creating more demand for vacant land for new homes, offices and more, Brad Parker, a land expert with Longwood-based Southern Realty Enterprises, previously told OBJ. "I don't think Central Florida has seen the excitement around land — even in pre-2008 days — like we're seeing now. There are so many factors that contribute to our growth, not just tourism. We're establishing ourselves as a world-class city."
Orlando added 69,273 people between 2010 and 2020 to reach 307,573 residents, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. The city government's 2020-2045 growth projections report expects the southeastern area of the city, which includes Lake Nona, to account for major population growth during that period.