Pathway for Quality of Life

Quality of Life Pathway:

Quality of life efforts are essential to create sustainability in any neighborhood and the City of Orlando’s Department of Public Works along with the City’s Economic Development Department have led efforts to enhance and enrich the Parramore community.

Amway Center

The opening of the Amway Center in October 2010 will be a catalyst for new development and re-birth in Parramore. In addition to the thousands of jobs and opportunities created during its construction, operation of the Amway Center is expected to generate nearly 3,000 jobs. Parramore will welcome thousands of visitors each week, as patrons spend time before and after Amway Center events visiting local restaurants, shops, hotels and other establishments.

The direct economic impact related to the Amway Center will further transform the Parramore Heritage Community by providing jobs and opportunities for residents and local businesses.

BLUEPRINT

During the development of the Community Venue projects, Mayor Dyer and the Orlando City Council created the BLUEPRINT, a model for how communities nationwide can leverage public projects to create local jobs and local business growth. As of May 01, 2010 the following has been achieved:

Hired 373 individuals for jobs related to the Community Venue projects
Hired more than 50% from the target population (Parramore residents, homeless and ex-offenders)
Hired more than 800 individuals for jobs unrelated to the Community Venues projects
Hired 20% of the target population for jobs unrelated to the Community Venues projects
The City of Orlando opened the BLUEPRINT Employment Office, located at 1200 W. South Street, in the Lynx Building in September 2008. The BLUEPRINT Employment Office is a one-stop location designed to help residents overcome barriers to employment. Residents can access job databases and consult with job placement specialists.

Coalition for the Homeless of Central Florida New Men’s Service Center will assist the most underserved homeless population, men, and allow the Coalition to address critical hurdles to ending homelessness, including substance abuse recovery and homeless veterans.

The City of Orlando and Orange County have committed $1.6 million over two years in capital funding to build the Men’s Service Center at 639 West Central Boulevard and offer these men much-needed supportive services.
A groundbreaking is scheduled for fall 2010. Construction is estimated to take 12 months with a completion date estimated in fall 2011.
Z.L. Riley Park, Parramore’s new premier park, opens to the community on June 5, 2010 and consists of almost two acres of land at the corner of Parramore Avenue and Conley Street.
The design was created with input from residents in the Parramore community, includes a large shelter and stage area, space on each side of the interior sidewalk for festivals or farmers’ market use, a picnic area, steel drums and a shaded playground.
The park fence features decorative mosaics depicting African themes made by Parramore children and a local mosaic artist.
Total investment of more than $2 million through $418,000 of CDBG funds, $1,500,000 from the Orlando-Orange County Expressway Authority and $135,611 from the Florida Recreation Development Assistance Program (FRDAP) for the design, construction and maintenance of the park.

Parramore Heritage Park creates additional green space in Parramore for outdoor actitivies and gatherings within the community.

In partnership with State Senator Gary Siplin, the City was able to secure $200,000 in Department of Community Affairs appropriations to enhance the park by constructing the Pinder’s Kids Monument completed in April 2010. A children’s playground is planned for construction later this year.

National Register of Historic Places now lists the Holden-Parramore neighborhood as one of the nation’s communities that merit preservation because of its significance in American culture.
Founded in the late 1800s, the Holden-Parramore community is the oldest and largest African American neighborhood in Orlando and was home to several influential African American leaders.

The Sidewalks for Safety project included 22 new and repaired sidewalks in Parramore. The City invested $181,000 in CDBG funds for the project. The sidewalk construction and repair was completed in the summer 2009.

Streetscape Projects – The City is transforming Parramore’s main thoroughfares with streetscape projects on both West Church Street, Division Avenue and Gore Street, an investment of more than $18 million.

Division Avenue Streetscape is a $2.2 million investment through funds from the Orlando Community Redevelopment Agency for the construction of new sidewalks, improvements to intersections and the addition of street trees and historic-style street lights along Division Avenue between Washington Street and Church Street. Construction was completed in early 2009 with the opening of the new federal courthouse.
Church Street Streetscape is a $15.4 million investment in streetscape and transit improvements along Church Street from Division Avenue to Tampa Avenue made possible through the 2005 Federal Transportation Reauthorization Act. The project has completed the final design phase and right-of-way acquisition is in progress.
Gore Street Streetscape is a $400,000 investment made possible by funding through the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2008’s Economic Development Initiative - Special Project grant. The streetscape will include new handicap ramps at intersections, sidewalk replacement and repair, landscaping, decorative fencing and signage on Gore Street from Orange Blossom Trail to Interstate 4. The design should be completed in fall 2010.

For More Information
City of Orlando Economic Development Department
(407) 246-2821
http://www.cityoforlando.net/economic

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