THE OFFICIAL RELOCATION PUBLICATION OF
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If your Lennar home could talk...
If your Lennar home could talk what would it say? It would tell you everything’s included with features that most builders charge extra for. And, the memories your family will soon be sharing…
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• Homes Priced From the $150s To $500s • 877-205-1120 • Text: 407-310-7677 • Email: LennarOrlando@Lennar.com
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Lake Minnehaha
Finding the perfect community for your Lennar home isn’t hard to do. From golf, tennis, fitness, swimming, biking, hiking, boating and social activities, there’s a community right for you.
McCulloch Rd.
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Get Up To $10,000 Toward Closing Costs**
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Copyright © 2014 Lennar Corporation. All rights reserved. Lennar and the Lennar logo are registered service marks or service marks of Lennar Corporation and/or its subsidiaries. CGC 1518166
Welcome Home Center Hours: Monday-Saturday 10am–6pm Sunday 11am-6pm
ORLANDO.COM *On select inventory homes. **Offers available on select homes, as determined by Lennar, must purchase and close by 2/28/15. Paid closing costs on select homes will vary, not to exceed $10,000. Closing costs cannot exceed maximum amounts dictated by specific mortgage program. All prices and offers subject to change without notice. Features, amenities and designs vary per plan and community and are subject to changes or substitution without notice. Copyright © 2014 Lennar Corporation and Universal American Mortgage Company, LLC. Lennar, the Lennar logo, Everything’s Included, Universal American Mortgage Company and the UAMC logo are registered service marks or service marks of Lennar Corporation and/or its subsidiaries. CGC1518166. 10/14.
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Your Orlando Relocation Expert
I will find the right home and community for you
Beatriz Estevez
Beatriz@RegalRealtyOrlando.com | 321-662-6262
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table of contents PUBLISHER My New City, LLC EDITOR Barbara Haiss Martin ASSISTANT EDITOR Kathleen Johnson
ORLANDO - SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE Welcome to Orlando........................4 Orlando............................................8 Orange County..............................10 Seminole County...........................12 Osceola County.............................13
FOUR GREAT COMMUNITIES Winter Park.............................14 Baldwin Park...........................18 Windermere........................... 20 Lake Nona.............................. 22
FINDING YOUR HOME Finding Your Home........................26 Apartments....................................30 Homebuilders................................36
HEALTH AND EDUCATION Health Care............................ 40 Public Schools........................ 46 Private Schools.......................47 Higher Learning..................... 48
THINGS TO DO Arts................................................52 Attractions......................................54 Sports............................................56 Shopping.......................................58 Restaurants...................................60
NEWCOMER RESOURCES
Settling In.................................................................62
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EDITORIAL ASSISTANTS Wilma Huey Spacht, Don Spacht CREATIVE Rick Blount II COVER PHOTO Rick Blount II EDITORIAL CONTENT
We would like to thank the following individuals and organizations for their editorial and/or photography contributions to the publication: Mayor Buddy Dyer, City of Orlando; Mayor Teresa Jacobs, Orange County; Mayor Gary Bruhn, City of Windermere; Craig O’Neil, City of Winter Park; Mark Pino, Osceola County; Lorelie Johnson, Bright House Networks; Rob Adams, Lake Nona; Scott Merritt, Greater Orlando Builders Association; Orlando Regional Realtor Association; Chip Tatum, Apartment Association of Greater Orlando; Brett Blake, Baldwin Park; Orange County Visitors & Convention Bureau; Seminole County Visitors & Convention Bureau; Osceola County Visitors & Convention Bureau John Pierce; Scott Cook; UCF Athletics Communications; VisitOrlando.com; VisitSeminole.com; ExperienceKissimmee.com; Orlando Magic; Walt Disney World® Resort; Universal Orlando® Resort; SeaWorld® Orlando THE OFFICIAL RELOCATION PUBLICATION OF
A Publication of
My New City© , LLC.
407-896-RELO (7356) www.mynewcityorlando.com For advertising information, publisher@mynewcityorlando.com Although every attempt is made to be as comprehensive and accurate as possible, MyNewCityLLC.com is not responsible for any misprints, errors, omissions, deletions, or the accuracy of the information in the publication. MyNewCityLLC.com does not accept responsibility for any loss, injury or inconvenience sustained by anyone using this publication. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying or otherwise, without the written permission of the Publisher. MyNewCityLLC.com 2014
0909
Choose
and Save!
912 13-07
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www.EPASSToday.com E-PASS Sample Savings*
Did you know that paying for tolls with E-PASS costs less than paying with cash? Visit www.EPASSToday.com, call 407-823-7277 or visit one of our E-PASS Service Centers to get yours!
Unpaid Toll Notice
Toll Plaza
E-PASS
Cash
SR 417 University
$0.82
$1.00
$1.10
SR 408 Conway
$1.09
$1.25
$1.35
SR 408 Pine Hills
$1.09
$1.25
$1.35
Unpaid Toll Notice Mail Fee
$3.00 $3.00
$3.50
$6.80
Sample Trip Lake Nona to Downtown Orlando $2.73
$3.25
$6.55
* Calculated based on roads owned and operated by the Central Florida Expressway Authority. Additional discounts may apply. Unpaid Toll Notices include a $3 per notice charge. Use E-PASS to pay parking fees at Orlando International Airport.
Valid for only the Mini Sticker on a new or existing account and does not include prepaid tolls. Activation requires $25 in prepaid tolls. Free Mini Sticker is only available to residents and businesses in Brevard, Lake, Orange, Osceola, Seminole and Volusia counties (offer subject to change). Please allow 2-3 weeks to receive the Mini Sticker by mail. To register, you’ll need your drivers license number and vehicle license plate number.
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Orlando
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rlando, like many cities in Florida, started out as a sleepy little town surrounded by citrus groves and lakes. As the city grew, it absorbed both urban and rural areas around it. Today the City is 114 square miles covering 72,990 acres with a population nearing 250,000. Ethnically diverse, the city is 57 percent Caucasian, 31 percent African-American, 27.6 percent Hispanic, 8.9 percent listed as other or two races (U.S. Census Bureau) and 3.1 percent Asian/Pacific Islander. Orlando defines its downtown areas as Main Street districts. Here is a closer look at each one:
Downtown Orlando
Downtown Orlando is the center of a bustling urban core that is alive with fine dining, exciting night life, fabulous shopping, year-round outdoor activities, arts and culture, professional sports and abundant parks. The area’s most celebrated event was the recent opening of the Dr. P. Phillips Orlando Center for the Performing Arts in Downtown Orlando. Two-thirds of the $386 million venue was obtained through public funds and the rest came from private donations, the largest coming from the estate foundation of Dr. Philip Phillips, a noted doctor, businessman and philanthropist. Currently under construction is the Orlando City Stadium which will be home to the Orlando City Lions, a Major League Soccer team. The stadium is slated to open in 2016. Amenities: Downtown Orlando Information Center; 2.5 mile Downtown Historic Walking Tour and American Ghost Adventure Tours. Entertainment/ nightlife venues include: Amway Center, Mad Cow Theatre, Bob Carr Auditorium, The Plaza Cinema Café and SAK Comedy Club.
Lake Eola, Downtown
Lake Eola is surrounded by the restaurants and shops of Thornton Park, South Eola District and the Central Business District. With its majestic fountain, which has two choreographed water, light and sound shows, five different varieties of swans and swanshaped paddle and electric gondola boats, it is an exceptional amenity to the area. The park also includes a nearly
Take a close up look at Downtown Orlando one-mile trail around lake/park and a Farmer’s Market on Sundays.
Thornton Park, Downtown
Thornton Park, the City’s most stylish district is just the place to unwind as you stroll its brick-lined streets. Just east of Lake Eola in Downtown’s green heart, the residential neighborhood has oak-shaded bungalows, many built in the original Florida “cracker” style with wraparound front porches. This colorful district thrives with a European feel to the restaurants and boutiques. Amenities include a popular Wine and Art Walk held every 2nd Thursday of the month.
Loch Haven Park
Loch Haven Park covers 45 acres and is the region’s premier cultural park. Nestled between three lakes, the park’s lawn area is a wonderful place to sit and enjoy the lake views shaded by majestic oak trees. Amenities: The park has one of Central Florida’s oldest and largest oak trees, “The Mayor” and six cultural venues: Orlando Shakespeare Theater, Orlando Science Center, Orlando Repertory Theatre, Orlando Museum of Art, Orlando Fire Museum and Mennello Museum of American Art.
Harry P. Leu Gardens
Explore this 50-acre botanical oasis on scenic Lake Rowena. The Leu House Museum, a restored 19th century home
listed on the National Register of Historic Places, reveals turn-of-thecentury living for the families who once called this home. The gardens and home were donated to the City in 1961 by Mr. Harry P. Leu and his wife, Mary Jane. Amenities: Three miles of scenic walkways and sculptures are featured throughout the gardens.
Orange County Regional History Center The History Center offers interactive permanent exhibits exploring 12,000 years of Central Florida history and is located in the restored 1927 historic Orange County Courthouse. In 2006, the museum was accepted as an Affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution and was accredited by the American Association of Museums. This is the highest honor a museum can receive.
Ivanhoe
This north Orlando neighborhood has antique shopping, eclectic boutiques, award-winning bistros, trendy restaurants and cafes and beautiful city parks. Amenities: Sand volleyball courts; paddle boarding and other water sports; Antique Row, Orlando’s Statue of Liberty and the Urban Bike Trail. To learn more about Orlando, please visit cityoforlando.net
MyNewCityOrlando.com | 9
Greetings, There are many reasons that our citizens call Orange County our home. In addition to our thriving and continually transforming economy, we share a strong culture of service – one that our citizens, municipalities, faith-based organizations, non-profits, community partners, and businesses have all played a role in nurturing and creating. Orange County’s “neighbors helping neighbors” philosophy lives within our communities and for that reason, our neighborhoods and families are stronger and more unified. Whether you are a visitor, a resident, or a business looking to grow or expand your footprint, I am confident that you will soon share our community’s distinctive vision: Orange County is truly the best place in the world to live, learn, work and raise a family. Since 2010, we have experienced a steady and dramatic decline in Orange County’s unemployment rate from 11.3 percent to 5.8 percent - representing 77,042 new jobs created. For a second year in a row, countywide property tax revenue has increased and housing starts are also on rise with more than 2,000 new homes being built in the last year. For the third year in a row, we’ve also exceeded the national record for tourism, hosting 59 million visitors in 2013, and generating $187 million in tourist development tax. Orange County’s transformation continues with our region serving as a magnet for life science and high tech companies from around the world - driving global innovation from our strong gaming, digital media and robust modeling, training and simulation sectors. In addition to SunRail changing the way we live, learn, work and play Orange County is also preparing for the nation’s first new multi-modal hub at Orlando International Airport that will connect air, rail, commuter rail, people movers and ultimately, All Aboard Florida. Through transformational community venue projects, we’re creating a richer future for our children and generations to come, as well as visitors from around the world. By Thanksgiving, the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts will be open, ushering in a new era of creativity and culture for Central Florida. The Florida Citrus Bowl, currently being renovated, has played host to numerous outstanding athletic events including World Cup Soccer, Florida High School Athletic Association events and many high-profile college and bowl games. The renovated stadium will accommodate more than 65,000 guests and will feature a newly constructed lower bowl, a vibrant open-air façade, and a 10,000-square-foot party deck. And to kick off 2015, we’re well on our way to planning for a new soccer-centric stadium for our Major League Soccer team, the Orlando Lions! Central Florida has already won the right to host seven NCAA Championships from 2016 to 2018, to be held at the new soccer stadium, December 2-4, 2016 and December 1-3, 2017. I encourage you to stay connected and updated on Orange County’s news through our new online Newsroom by downloading our new OCFL News app on your mobile device. I also invite you to download the OCFL Alert, the first-of-its-kind emergency notification app and OCFL 311, an app that assists citizens in reporting non-emergency community issues efficiently and conveniently from their devices. You may also connect with me on Facebook by searching OrangeCountyMayor and @Mayor_Jacobs on Twitter. You can also subscribe to my monthly newsletter, the Orange County Connect, at https://bitly.com/OCConnect. We’re glad that you have chosen Orange County as your new residence and welcome you and your family to your new home! Sincerely,
Teresa Jacobs Orange County Mayor
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Orange County
reated in 1988 as one of the first county charter governments in Florida, Orange County has a “strong mayor” form of government, led by an elected, non-partisan Mayor who oversees the annual $3.3 billion budget and is served by six districtelected commissioners. Today, Orange County is home to more than 1.2 million residents and welcomes more than 59 million visitors from around the world annually. The county has 80 divisions and 7,445 employees and covers 1,003.26 square miles, of which 903 square miles are land and 99 square miles are water. The county is home to the University of Central Florida (UCF) (the second largest university in the nation) and is the number one, world-wide destination for tourism and travel, generating more than $187 million in tourist development taxes. Thirteen cities and towns are located within the county’s borders, including the cities of Apopka, Bay Lake, Belle Isle, Edgewood, Lake Buena Vista, Maitland, Ocoee, Orlando, Winter Garden, Winter Park, the town of Oakland and Windermere as well as the historic Eatonville, the first incorporated African American municipality in the United States.
The Orange Country Convention Center
A great place to live, learn, work & raise a family already made a profound impact on the creation of high-wage and high-value jobs in Central Florida. The Army, Navy, Marines and Air Force, are at the core of the simulation and training industry, contributing nearly $5 billion to Florida’s gross state product, nearly 30,000 high-tech jobs, with salaries averaging $70,000 per year. When combined, with indirect and induced jobs, the industry employs more than 60,000 residents. Lake Nona Medical City and its life science sector also plays an significant role in the development of the economy creating nearly 30,000 jobs with $2.8 billion in annual wages, generating $460 million in annual tax revenue and spurring $7.6 billion in annual economic activity for the region.
rate, Orange County’s City of Orlando is ranked No. 9 on Forbes’ 2014 list of the fastest-growing cities in the U.S. Additionally, Techie.com recently ranked Orlando among its list of the “Most Promising Tech Hubs to Watch in 2014.” Additionally, the UCF Technology Incubator has assisted 55 high tech start-ups over the past decade. Home to the eleventh largest public school district in the nation as well as the presence of UCF, Rollins College and other colleges and universities, Orange County offers extraordinary educational opportunities that provide unparalleled undergraduate, graduate and doctoral program options.
Orange County’s dynamic economy is anchored by strong tourism and hospitality sectors, a robust Modeling, Simulation and Training (MS&T) cluster, a thriving biotechnology and life science research hub, cutting-edge film and digital media training facilities, and exciting arts and cultural venues.
Building upon the successes of the world-class theme parks and professional sports teams like the Orlando Magic and the Orlando City Soccer Club, Major League Soccer’s (MLS) newest expansion team, Orange County continues to transform the future with Central Florida’s new commuter rail system, SunRail; the new SimLEARN National Simulation Center; the opening of the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts; and soon, a soccer-centric stadium that will house the league’s 21st club.
Orange County was established in 1824 as Mosquito County. In 1845, when Florida became a state, the name was changed to reflect the orange groves that constituted the county’s main crop for export.
The region’s MS&T sector, strong life science and tech industries have
Citing the region’s median average salary and a 5.8 percent unemployment
About Orange County’s dynamic economy
Orange County’s history
World famous attractions, the nation’s second largest convention center and year-round sunshine help make Central Florida a top business and vacation destination of travelers from all over the world. To learn more about Orange County, please visit ocfl.net.
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Seminole County condominiums, town houses and stores. CNN’s Money magazine ranks Lake Mary as the number one small town in Florida in which to live. Each year Lake Mary hosts Holiday in the Park and The Lake Mary Heathrow Festival of the Arts.
Longwood
Mainly residential, some of the city’s past has been preserved and restored in Longwood’s historic district and includes the Bradlee-McIntyre house (1885), the “Inside-Outside” House, one of the oldest prefabricated houses in the U.S. and the elegant Longwood Hotel. Shops featuring antiques, collectibles and decorative accessories dot its walking tour. With a population of 14,000, Longwood hosts an annual haunted house and an arts and crafts festival. Downtown Sanford
Seminole’s past and present thrive side-by-side
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tep back in time by taking a canoe down the scenic St. John’s River. See alligators sun themselves on shore and sentries of snowy great egrets grace the cypress swamps. Later take a walking tour of historic Sanford and see late 19th century Florida architecture. Enjoy any one of the county’s 2,000 pristine spring-fed lakes or rivers and much will be the same as it was when first settled as part of Mosquito County in 1825 and later established as Seminole County in 1913. Then, as it is today, the county’s borders are defined by freshwater lakes and rivers on three sides. With seven cities and four townships, the oldest city, Sanford, was founded in 1870 and is the county seat. While Seminole works to maintain its heritage and natural wonders, one city, Winter Springs is poised as the next high tech corridor for the area. Part of that future has arrived with the new SunRail commuter train, with four Seminole stations– Altamonte Springs, Lake Mary, Longwood and Sanford.
Altamonte Springs
Sixty percent of the city’s residents reside in either apartments or condos and new homeowners buy and renovate existing homes due to lack of land. City centerpieces include the all-underone-roof Altamonte Mall and Uptown
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Altamonte, a regional mall center. Both are adjacent to Cranes Roost Park, currently undergoing a $3 million renovation, a popular gathering spot for special events such as Altamonte’s Red, Hot & Boom! an Independence Day celebration that attracts more than 150,000 visitors.
Oviedo
In 2013 Oviedo was ranked as a Best Place to Raise Kids by Bloomberg BusinessWeek. Numerous new communities have sprung up and the arrival of a multitude of shopping, medical and restaurants support new “settlers” to Oviedo each day. Each year Oviedo hosts Oktoberfest, Taste of Oviedo and Snow Mountain.
Sanford
Once a sleepy agricultural town, Casselberry is a city with 15 parks, 25 lakes and a diverse mix of retail establishments, restaurants, offices, commercial space and housing at all price levels. Home to a county library and county business offices, Casselberry hosts a Halloween Spooktacular and Latin Jazz & Art Festival.
Sanford’s historic district offers a glimpse of nostalgia with quaint shops lining the streets. Home to the Central Florida Zoo, Sanford is situated on the shores of beautiful Lake Monroe and touts an international airport and the southern terminal of Amtrak’s Auto Train. The marina is part of the St. John’s River intercostal waterway. Each year, Sanford hosts the Memorial Day Parade, July 4th Celebration, Golden Age Games and the Christmas Parade.
Lake Mary
Winter Springs
Casselberry
A suburban city with a small town feel, Lake Mary was voted by Family Circle Magazine as a 2014 10 Best Towns for Families. The city has ample housing developments to complement the business growth with upscale neighborhoods such as Heathrow and Timacuan. Commercial development includes the Heathrow International Business Center where AAA’s National Headquarters is located and issues motorist advisories and provides roadside assistance to members. Colonial Town Center offers residents a wide variety of eateries, office
In 1882 one could travel by steamship down the St. John’s River from Jacksonville all the way to Winter Springs where travelers disembarked for a wagon to Orlando. Today city officials are so transparent that they have had the city’s checkbook online since 2010 for the 32,000 residents to examine. The city celebrates July 4th, a Christmas Parade and the Scottish Highland Games where participants enjoy Scottish dances, entertainment and athletic events. To learn more about Seminole County, visit seminolecountyfl.gov
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Osceola County
he region’s largest county in area and smallest in population, Osceola, offers a distinct way of life. As a testament to that lifestyle, there are more than 200 cattle ranches in the southern part of the county alone. In fact, not long ago, cattle outnumbered people in Osceola. Founded on May 12, 1887 from portions of Orange and Brevard counties, Osceola became Florida’s 40th county. Named after the famed Seminole leader, this area was a transportation hub in the late nineteenth century for riverboats and the railroad. It supported a bustling cattle, sugar, and lumberbased economy. Besides ranches and citrus groves, the natural landscape of the county contains acres of prairie lands and hardwood hammocks. There are two viable industries in Osceola County – tourism and agriculture. The original investors left a legacy of ranching as their heritage making the county home to the largest cow-calf operation in the continental United States. Just as significant, is the tourism industry along its northwest border, where Walt Disney World property overlaps into Osceola County. Hotels, restaurants, souvenir shops, etc. popped up to fill the gap for tourists who needed a place to sleep, eat and buy necessities after a long day at the parks. This huge influx of business since Disney’s opening in 1971 shifted the demographics and economy of the county and development in that area hasn’t slowed down since. The impact of tourism plays a major economic role as the county is now the 10th largest collector of hotel bed tax dollars in the nation – around $38 million a year. F o r b e s Magazine recently l i s t e d O s c e o l a Downtown Celebration County 10th among the fastest-growing counties in the United States. By 2040, the Orlando metropolitan area is projected to double in population from 2.5 million to 5 million. It is predicted that much of that growth will happen in Osceola County,
Osceola Country Stadium Spring Training
Ample land and ambitious plans point to growth which has more than 100,000 acres available for development. The fact is that Osceola County has 100 times more developable land than Seminole County and 10 times more than Orange County, within defined urban growth areas. The county has two cities, St. Cloud and Kissimmee and several significant geographic areas and/or unincorporated communities, including: Poinciana, Celebration, Harmony, ChampionsGate, Campbell City, Intercession City, Narcoossee, Holopaw, Kenansville, and Yeehaw Junction. In 1909, St. Cloud was named after a French suburb and founded on the former St. Cloud Sugar Plantation on East Lake Tohopekaliga (Lake Toho). It was an early home to the largest concentration of Union Army veterans in the South 50 years after the Civil War. Formerly known as Allendale, Kissimmee was incorporated in 1883, four years before the creation of Osceola County as it is known today. Kissimmee was first settled by Confederate Major J. H. Allen, who later became a riverboat captain. His steamboat, the Mary Belle, was the
first cargo steamboat on the Kissimmee River. The beauty of the county can be enjoyed in any number of outdoor recreational opportunities; from canoeing the headwaters of the Everglades along Shingle Creek, to championship-caliber bass fishing in its chain of lakes from Lake Toho to Lake Kissimmee at the county’s southwest border. Shingle Creek Regional Park offers a unique blend of nature and history, in a setting quietly hidden within an urban area. Located just minutes from the busy tourist corridor of U.S. Highway 192, the park is in the middle of a destination that offers a myriad of accommodations with direct access to the Walt Disney World Resort as well as other local attractions. The park allows visitors to experience vivid encounters with an untamed and vanishing Florida wild life. Bald eagles, wild turkey, great blue heron, yellow-bellied slider turtles, white-tailed deer and river otters are some of the animals that can be spotted in the area especially on an air boat tour. Osceola’s combination of natural beauty, history and industry make it a great place to visit or to call home. To learn more about Osceola County, visit osceola.org
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Winter Park Hall. In addition, the museum displays American art pottery, late 19th- and early 20th-century American paintings, graphics, and decorative art. Cornell Fine Arts Museum is on the beautiful Rollins College campus overlooking pristine Lake Virginia. The museum houses one of the oldest and most distinguished collections in Florida, with more than 5,000 objects from antiquity to the contemporary. Exhibitions are mixed in with the permanent collection on a rotating basis.
City delights all with its old world charm
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escribed by some as a small New England village with a European flavor, quaint shops and exquisite restaurants, Winter Park is as beautiful as it is unique. Located just three miles north of Orlando in Orange County, the City of Winter Park is nine-square miles with more than 28,000 residents. It is known for its Old World charm, elegant homes, quaint bricked streets, extensive tree canopy, first-class shopping and dining experiences, world-class museums, and highly-rated schools. With its rich heritage, strong sense of community, vast parks system, diverse economic base, and beautiful chain of lakes, the city provides a high quality of life to both its residents and visitors alike. Originally developed as a winter resort for wealthy Northerners seeking refuge from the harsh winters, Winter Park was named by its founders, Loring Chase and Oliver Chapman in 1881. In 1887 the town’s 613 permanent residents voted to incorporate. It is not only known for its abundance of upscale shopping and unique restaurants, but also its historic Hannibal Square district, Winter Park Village and nationally-ranked schools which include Winter Park High School, Rollins College and Valencia College. With five museums including Albin Polasek Museum & Sculpture Gardens, The
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Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art, Cornell Fine Arts Museum at Rollins College, Hannibal Square Heritage Center, and Winter Park Historical Museum, the city is a Mecca for those interested in world-class art and rich, cultural experiences. The Albin Polasek Museum & Sculpture Gardens is dedicated to preserving the works of Czech sculptor Albin Polasek, celebrating representational art and exhibiting both regional and international artists. It hosts events such as the Winter Park Paint Out in addition to being available for wedding and meeting rentals. The Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art, on North Park Avenue, houses the world’s largest collection of stained glass created by Louis Comfort Tiffany from 1893 to 1933. The collection also includes the artist and designer’s jewelry, pottery, paintings, art glass, leaded-glass lamps and windows; his chapel interior from the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago as well as art and architectural objects from his Long Island country estate, Laurelton
The Hannibal Square Heritage Center was established in 2007 by Crealdé School of Art, in partnership with residents from the Hannibal Square community and the City of Winter Park. It is a tribute to the past, present, and future contributions of Winter Park’s historic African-American community. The Heritage Center hosts the award-winning Heritage Collection: Photographs and Oral Histories of West Winter Park, a permanent, museumquality exhibition of more than 100 framed, archival pieces that capture the lives of Winter Park’s African-American community spanning the 20th century, and The Hannibal Square Timeline which documents significant local and national events in African-American history since the Emancipation Proclamation. The mission of the Winter Park Historical Association is to collect, preserve, promote and research the history of Winter Park and its surrounding area, and share that history with the public through educational programs and the operation of a museum. The Historical Museum hosts various exhibits and events throughout the year. Walking tours of the city are available as well as a one-hour, open-air boat ride on the Winter Park Scenic Boat Tour, located at the east end of Morse Boulevard. The City of Winter Park partners with Full Sail University’s SPARK program to create webisodes which give online viewers an inside look at many of the city’s amenities. To see the webisodes follow this link (click here) to the city’s
(844) 288-6054
MyNewCityOrlando.com | 15
Winter Park official website. More than 30 years ago, Full Sail University provided a place where people could take their passion for entertainment and turn it into a career they loved. The Downtown Winter Park Historic District is listed on the “National Register of Historic Places,” the official list of the nation’s most historic areas worthy of preservation. The district, which runs along Park Avenue, was deemed
significant in the areas of early settlement, architecture, community planning, commerce and transportation. Eight buildings in Winter Park are also listed on the registry, including the Albin Polasek Museum & Sculpture Gardens, All Saints Episcopal Church, Annie Russell Theatre, Comstock-Harris House, Edward Hill Brewer House - ‘The Palms,’ Knowles Memorial Chapel at
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Rollins College, Winter Park Country Club Clubhouse and Woman’s Club of Winter Park. Among the city’s 75 beautiful large and small parks, the main parks include Central Park, Mead Botanical Garden, Kraft Azalea Garden, Ward Memorial Park, Fleet Peeples Park, Shady Park, and Martin Luther King, Jr. Park. Be sure to make plans to attend the nationallyrecognized Winter Park Sidewalk Art Festival during the third weekend in March, the Winter Park Autumn Art Festival during the second weekend in October, the Olde Fashioned 4th of July Celebration, and many other community and city-sponsored events that are held throughout the year. Park Avenue, the city’s main boulevard of distinctive boutiques, restaurants and shops, serves as a refreshing respite from mall or chain store shopping. Window boxes filled with vibrant reds, yellows and greens overlook Park Avenue accentuating its quaintness. Besides picturesque shops, patrons can dine at one of many four-star restaurants serving French, English, Italian, Mexican, Thai, Vietnamese and American cuisine. The most well-known park in the city is Central Park - a six-acre village green located in the downtown area bordered to the east by Park Avenue. Central Park, which hosts many of the city’s annual events, features two significant fountains (Emily and Veteran’s Memorial), winding walkways, a beautiful rose garden, colorful hanging baskets, and flower beds. On the west side of Central Park is the new Winter Park Train Station serving both Amtrak® and SunRail® passengers. Featuring Craftsman-style architecture and solid beams of rich cherry wood etched with delicate carvings the city’s new train station warmly greets and bids farewell to rail passengers as they arrive and depart the city.
Winter Park Visitors to Winter Park will find a wonderful selection of hotel accommodations within walking distance of the downtown corridor including the new Alfond Inn, the elegant Park Plaza Hotel (built in 1922) and the affordable Best Western Mount Vernon Inn. The Alfond Inn is Winter Park’s newest hotel. Guests will enjoy the boutique atmosphere with amenities to rival even the most luxurious hotels. With on-location dining, The Alfond Inn is an inviting space where new relationships can be forged and friendships can be maintained over food and drink. With a lush courtyard, elevated pool and fitness center, The Alfond Inn is poised to satisfy the casual traveler seeking quiet relaxation, and business clientele alike. Situated on Lake Virginia, Rollins College was built in 1885 and is the oldest private college in Florida. Started with a generous gift by Chicago businessman Alonzo Rollins, who gave the largest single donation of $50,000, the liberal arts school was founded by the First Congregational Church of Winter Park. The primary
founders of the college were Frederick Lyman, Dr. Edward Hooker, Frances B. Knowles and William O’Neal. Today, the college is known for its academic excellence, Mediterranean architecture and commitment to cultural pursuits. It has been praised by Time Magazine and listed consistently as one of “America’s Best Colleges” by U.S. News and World Report. Each year the college sponsors a Spring Arts Festival, the Bach Festival Society of Winter Park and student-produced plays at the Annie Russell Theater which is named
after an American actress who made her home in Winter Park. After visiting the parks, shops, restaurants, museums, historic sites and other points of interest throughout the city, such as the award-winning Farmer’s Market, visitors will find a unique community with an international appeal. To learn more about Winter Park, visit cityofwinterpark.org and/or the Winter Park Chamber of Commerce at winterpark.org
Rollins College
MyNewCityOrlando.com | 17
Baldwin Park pedestrian-friendly plan, enhance the feeling that you are far from the hustle and bustle of the urban life unfolding just a mile away. Overlooking Lake Baldwin is the Baldwin Park Village Center, a mixed use development that includes apartments, office space, retail space, restaurants and bars. Both large recognizable chains such as Publix supermarkets, CVS Pharmacy and Hair Cuttery, as well as locally-owned and operated businesses including Magic Pet Store, Orlando Metro Gymnastics & Swim School, and Farris & Fosters Chocolate Factory can be found in Village Center. Residents will find every day conveniences like dry cleaning and coffee shops, as well as necessary services like banking, dentist, accounting and legal offices.
Nestled between the city and the burbs
J
ust two miles north of downtown Orlando lies Baldwin Park, one of the most unique neighborhoods in Central Florida. It’s traditional, but modern in so many ways. It’s urban, but with all of the high standards families expect to find in a suburban community. It’s close to all of the businesses and entertainment that downtown Orlando has to offer, but you might never need to leave the neighborhood to work, shop, eat or play. Families, retirees and young professionals have all made this neighborhood-friendly and city-smart community their home. Baldwin Park is a neighborhood inspired by the past. The thoughtful design of the community is reflective of pre1940’s Orlando, and the influence can be seen in everything from the building facades, to traditional street lamps, beautiful landscaping and elegantly simple signage. The instant you enter Baldwin Park, especially from the heavily traveled and commercially-developed Florida Hwy 50 (Colonial Drive), you get the feeling that you have been instantly transported into a very different Orlando than the one you know. The 1,100 acre development was built on the site of the former Orlando Naval Training Center, turning the defunct military property into a thriving sustainable community. Designed to ultimately hold
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nearly 4,500 residences, 355,000 sq. ft. of free standing commercial space, a 12-acre office district, and 128,800 sq. ft. of live/work units, the neighborhood includes two “A” rated public schools, Audubon Park Elementary and Glenridge Middle School, several churches, and family-friendly amenities such as two community centers with a junior Olympic-size pool, children’s pools, exercise rooms, play grounds and gathering rooms. Currently, approximately 8,000 residents call Baldwin Park home. When development of luxury apartments along Lake Baldwin and construction of the remaining custom home lots are completed, it is expected the area will be home to nearly 10,000 residents. Despite the large population, it almost magically never has the feel of being too crowded. Voted “Central Florida’s best residential neighborhood to live in” by Orlando Business Journal readers in 2013, it includes more than 50 miles of walking paths, 200 acres of parks and open spaces, 250 acres of lakes and several conservation areas. The many wide-open green spaces, and the
At the heart of Village Center though, is a thriving social and culinary experience where one can encounter the excellent experience that the restaurants, bars and events held there provide and after just a few visits, the proprietors will almost certainly know you by name. With numerous choices, one could enjoy a different culinary experience every night at venues like Zagat-rated Seito Sushi, Jack’s Steakhouse, CaddyShanks Sports Pub, Colibri Mexican Cuisine and Gator’s Dockside Restaurant. Seito Sushi owner Jason Chin’s upscale casual restaurant, Osprey Tavern, will open there in early 2015. Community events held in Village Center, like the monthly series Baldwin Park First Friday Festival & Art Stroll, and annual events Baldwin Park Independence Day Bash and Winter Spark in Baldwin Park-Holiday Parade & Festival, add to Baldwin Park’s unique home town feel. Whether it’s an upscale suburban lifestyle, a hometown community feel, or the conveniences of urban living that you’re looking for, you’ll find it all in Baldwin Park. To learn more about Baldwin Park, visit baldwinparkfl.com
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Windermere than 90 percent of the communities in America. And Windermere has more people who work in computers and math than 95 percent of the places in the US.
Windermere’s Town Hall
Luxurious natural beauty enhances appeal
P
ristine sand bottom lakes surround the town of Windermere, a small west Orange County community. The largest lake, Lake Butler, is located on the west, Lake Down on the east and Lake Bessie on the southeast side of town. The boating, fishing and water enthusiast will revel in the system of canals that connects eleven lakes that range in size from 25 acres to 1614 acres. Known as the Butler Chain of Lakes, this chain was designated by the Florida legislature as “Outstanding Florida Waters.” Windermere was bestowed its name from Dr. Stanley Scott, whose father purchased 160 acres in this picturesque location in 1885. Dr. Scott built his home on the shore of Lake Butler, and it is believed by many that he named this town after England’s famous Lake Windermere. Mainly a resort area in the early 1900s, visitors built winter cabins to enjoy the local fishing. By 1920 the population was 182 and in 1925, the town was incorporated, thereby restricting its boundaries, causing the population to decrease to 153. During World War I the women of the town would meet regularly to make surgical dressings and eventually formed the Windermere Women’s Club. In 1927, their clubhouse was moved to its present location in the center of town and is now the historic
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Town Hall and is listed on the National Historic Registry. Today, Windermere is a quaint architectural mixture ranging from small homes to estate homes with sand roads to preserve the small town charm for the almost 3000 residents. The community, bases its success not on how rapidly it grows, but on how natural and pleasant a community it is in which to reside. Windermere is focused on preserving the town’s nature and strong community atmosphere and its quality of life is its most distinguishing feature with ten parks, three piers, a swimming area, boat ramps, tennis courts, basketball courts and a library. Windermere has been named “Tree City USA” for its commitment to a natural environment for 17 consecutive years. According to Neighborhood Scout, a neighborhood information search engine, Windermere was selected as the No. 1 place in Florida for families with children. According to the site: “Windermere has more artists, designers and people who work in the media
“Windermere is home to many people who could be described as “urban sophisticates,” or people who are not only wealthy and employed in professional occupations, but highly educated. Urban sophisticates support bookstores, quality clothing stores, enjoy luxury travel, and are truly the patrons of the arts, attending and supporting institutions such as opera, symphony, ballet, and theatre. Because of many things, Windermere is a very good place for families to consider, with an enviable combination of good schools, low crime, college-educated neighbors who tend to support education because of their own experiences, and a high rate of home ownership of single-family properties. Windermere really has the features that families look for when choosing a good community to raise children.” The town’s recent $2.5 million downtown improvements of roundabouts, town greens, bricked streets, extensive landscaping, pedestrian sidewalks and underground utilities provides the ambiance, streetscape and a quaint downtown area not only for its residents, but for the immediate surrounding area. The Windermere downtown district has become an area where families gather for breakfasts and lunches during the day, ice cream in the afternoon and evenings and the periodic events on Main Street that draw thousands. The Annual Car Show, Fall Festival, Treebute, Easter Eggstravaganza, and Halloween Spooktacular are just a few of the annual events that residents enjoy. To learn more about Windermere, visit town.windermere.fl.us
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Lake Nona VillageWalk
VillageWalk at Lake Nona blends resort-style homes with a unique neighborhood design. Quaint bridges lead to a town center and connect to amenities, including lighted walking trails, pools, parks and sport courts. VillageWalk’s newest community, The Enclave will open the end of the year with luxury homes on larger lots.
NorthLake Park
Situated on 500 acres, the neotraditional NorthLake Park community has single- and multi-family homes in addition to stylish apartments. The community’s expansive amenities is comprised of award-winning schools, an Olympic pool, sport courts and fields, and a dog park.
Waters Edge at Lake Nona
Technology-savvy, amenity-rich community
N
estled on 7,000 acres in southeast Orlando, a new kind of community is quickly emerging. It began with a desire to create a place for smarter, more sustainable everyday living; Lake Nona has evolved into one of the nation’s fastest-growing and most innovative communities. The community offers an abundance of amenities and diverse home options spread amongst a burgeoning employment center. Retail and entertainment options reside next to a new health and life science cluster.
A home for everyone
Developed by private investment group Tavistock, Lake Nona has worked to implement the best in planning principles as well as design and smart growth practices. This design has led to a unique integration of neighborhoods, modern infrastructure and commercial development via cutting edge technology, which should enable a simplified, more energyefficient way of life.
Lake Nona Golf & Country Club is a private, world-class rated, luxury community nestled along the shores of Lake Nona. The 600-acre community features a Tom Fazio-designed championship golf course, clubhouse, lodge, Bath & Racquet Club, children’s programming and 24-hour security.
“When you build out a community like this with this infrastructure, it’s going to have legs for decades in terms of sustainability,” said John Chambers, CEO of Cisco Systems, Inc., a firm that designs, manufactures and sells networking equipment.
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Lake Nona is redefining the great outdoors with its vast collection of parks, lakes and amenities strategically intertwined throughout the community. It offers modern neighborhoods with a rich array of living options. From expansive lakefront homes to neighborhood options and townhomes, Lake Nona has created a dynamic environment for residents of all ages.
Lake Nona Golf & Country Club
Laureate Park
Laureate Park is an altogether wiredin, future-evoking community where townhomes, cottage homes, urban bungalows and garden homes sit along landscaped green belts connecting parks, amenities and trails. Laureate Park features energy-efficient homes with transitional architecture and has a multi-million dollar aquatic center.
Waters Edge is the gated community within NorthLake Park, offering the rare opportunity for true waterfront living. Set on the shores of Lake Nona, Waters Edge houses charming residences and townhomes alongside a waterfront park, boat dock and boat storage areas.
Lake Nona Water Mark
Lake Nona Water Mark is a collection of luxury apartments with six unique floor plans ranging from one to three bedrooms. The community is anchored by a 7,515-square-foot clubhouse with resort-style pool, fireside veranda, outdoor kitchen, and a business center. As the 13th fastest-selling community in the nation according to real estate research firm, RCLCO, Lake Nona promises greatness in the way of future development and the enrichment of an already strong and vibrant community.
Lake Nona paves the way for new commercial space Lake Nona has more than five million square feet of commercial space either currently available or in the pipeline and the area is seeing a boom with all types of retail. Businesses, shops, restaurants, medical offices and other commercial entities are opening. Tavistock’s proficiency in integrating advanced solutions and cutting-edge systems into its master plan is laying the foundation for these unique commercial options. Office centers throughout the
HAPPENING. NOW. Real-time vital statistics of Orlando’s smartest community. HOMES SOLD
CONSERVED GREEN SPACE
450
40%
OVER LAST 12 MONTHS
LAKES
INTERNET SPEED
1GB PER SECOND
1,000+ ACRES YOUNG MINDS INSPIRED
COUNTLESS
NEW DOCTORS
DOGS
OODLES
480 EACH YEAR
Numbers and stats. Boring. But not when they represent the number of jobs created. The percentage of land protected.
LEARNLAKENONA.COM
The number of innovations developed. And the number of people living, working, learning and thriving in Lake Nona. And it’s happening now — actually, as you read.
MyNewCityOrlando.com | 23
Lake Nona
A new global destination for medical innovation
The 650-acre health and life sciences cluster known as Lake Nona Medical City, is more than just an architectural landmark. It represents a deliberate strategy to create a centralized focus on sophisticated medical treatment, research and education in Central Florida.
community offer countless variety of forlease and built-to-suit options planned with professionals in mind. One of the most anticipated projects is the Lake Nona Town Center, destined to become one of the premium shopping venues in the region and will provide an impressive collection of shops, from department stores and large-scale retail to trendy fashion boutiques. The open-air center will include restaurants, hotels, plus a variety of entertainment and building options. The first phase will open next year and include two hotels, five restaurants and an 80,000 squarefoot office building.
Yard Clean Ups
Another major commercial project is already nearing completion. The 75,000-square-foot Lake Nona Gateway Building is scheduled for completion the end of the year. This impressive medical office building will welcome anchor tenants Florida Hospital and the University of Central Florida’s Pegasus Health, both of which will contribute internal medicine and outpatient facilities along with imaging, surgery and diagnostic centers. The building will complement the array of medical services offered at Medical City now and in years ahead.
Based on the proven theory that a cluster of health care and bioscience facilities in close proximity to one another will accelerate innovation, this intellectual hub opened in a coordinated fashion with pioneering institutions that include some of the nation’s top hospitals, universities, research institutions and life sciences companies, all of which are forming networks to discover untapped bioscience and technological endeavors to promote industry-wide evolution. Lake Nona Medical City has more than 1,000 employees and will soar to 5,000 in the next 12 months. The cluster has also been projected to have a multibillion dollar impact on Central Florida’s economy. And as Medical City grows, the job creation engine will grow with
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Lake Nona it, bringing new physicians, nurses, researchers and faculty members to the region. “When you have willing partners come together with a combined vision and a commonality that truly is shared, you can actually make anything happen,” said GE healthymagination CEO Sue Siegel. GE healthymagination is a company which brings together technology, people and partnerships to improve the quality, access and affordability of health care. Lake Nona Medical City has more than two million square feet of facilities completed or in the midst of construction. Notable anchors at the cluster include: The University of Central Florida College of Medicine, Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute, University of Florida Research & Academic Center, Nemours Children’s Hospital and the Orlando VA Medical Center.
First gigabit community
Lake Nona teamed up with Dais Technologies in 2011 to make complex technology integrated and intuitive for everyday use. At Laureate Park, Dais brought fiber optic lines to each home,
giving residents some of the fastest internet speeds in the country. This high bandwidth capacity infrastructure delivers residential internet at the speed of one gigabit per second – 200 times faster than the average US internet connection speed. This unprecedented rate has made Lake Nona the first gigabit community in the state of Florida as was designated by Cisco last year as one of only nine Iconic Smart + Connected communities in the world. “Our collaboration with Lake Nona marks a significant new chapter in urban development in the US and abroad,” said Wim Elfrink, EVP of Emerging Solutions and chief globalization officer at Cisco. “It will create a vision and global reference model for 21st century cities working to design, pilot and deploy economically competitive infrastructures and environmentally responsible and socially inclusive ecosystems for citizens and businesses alike.”
VA Medical Center
Inspiring an active community
As part of its commitment to conservation, more than 40 percent of Lake Nona has been left as untouched, conserved or enhanced park areas. Forty-four miles of planned paved and unpaved trails ideal for running, biking, rollerblading, hiking or walking, meander through the community, lakes and canals. A collection of community pools, dog parks, aquatic and amenity centers, and a city park with soccer, baseball, and softball fields offer residents plenty to stay busy. To learn more about Lake Nona, visit learnlakenona.com
A
t Nona Park Village, we’ve created an apartment community that blends upscale elegance with a friendly, free-spirited attitude; and you’ll love the result.. Spacious one-, two - and three-bedroom apartments feature gourmet kitchens with granite countertops, wood plank flooring, garden tubs, a full-size washer and dryer in every home.
Come Experience Luxury!
Location Location Location… Near: Nemours Children’s Hospital and VA Medical center
Convenient to: SR528, SR417
9100 Dowden Road Orlando, FL 32827
(844) 296-4433 www.EpochLivingNonaParkVillage.com MyNewCityOrlando.com | 25
Finding Your Home value. That knowledge helps you get the best deal possible. • Finding just the right home and neighborhood: Whether you want a house in a suburb with great schools, a bungalow near downtown or a high rise condo, your Realtor® can help you find it. And if you’re not so sure what it is you want, a Realtor® is prepared to help you determine your priorities and direct you toward properties most likely to fulfill your wish list. • The Realtor® multiple listing service: Out of all the reasons to use a Realtor® for assistance in the purchase or sale of a home, one reason stands out: Realtors® have access to a multiple listing service.
Turn to a Realtor® for professional homebuying assistance
B
uying your dream home in Central Florida is exciting, whether you’re selecting a second home for family vacations or a new place to set up permanent residence. However, it can be a challenging experience as well, especially if you’re relocating from outside of the area. When you’re buying (or selling) a home in Orlando, it’s wise to work with a state licensed real estate agent. However, not all real estate agents are Realtors®. Only those who belong to the National Association of Realtors® along with their state and local Realtor® associations can call themselves by that term. Your Realtor® can be the most important ally you have during the sale or purchase of a home in Orlando. Realtors® subscribe to a strict code of ethics and are expected to maintain a higher level of knowledge about the process of buying and selling real estate than what is demanded by the state of Florida’s licensure standards.
Advantages of using a Realtor® • Trust: Realtors® follow the Realtor® which means they full fiduciary duties
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are obligated to Code of Ethics, owe their clients including loyalty,
confidentiality, accountability, and full disclosure of all pertinent facts. Essentially, a Realtor® is a consumer’s trusted advocate. • Training that’s second to none: All Realtors® are members of the National Association of Realtors® and their local Realtor® associations, and they are obligated to follow the codes and standards that ensure Realtors® offer the highest levels of service and integrity. • Financing help: At the heart of it all, the buying and selling of homes are complex financial transactions. Realtors® deal with these every day, so they are well-versed in financing options for consumers. Because of this knowledge, your Realtor® can be an invaluable resource for sorting through pre-qualification, approval, and even negotiation of mortgage rates. And, through their network of contacts, Realtors® can help you find the lender that can best meet your needs. • Getting a great deal: Realtors® know their stuff — and they know the market. Whether you’re buying or selling, your Realtor® can tell you what similar properties have sold for in your target area; how long they were on the market; how they compare; and whether they’re overpriced, underpriced or at a fair
A multiple listing service (MLS) is a Realtor®-owned, shared database of homes available for purchase. These highly sophisticated databases are used by cooperating Realtors® to both market a seller’s home and to find the perfect home for a buyer. Most MLSs offer advanced features ranging from automated tax and mapping functions to market calculations. In Orlando, the local MLS also offers a companion site just for consumers, www. myfloridahomesmls.com. Consumers can use the site to search for homes by criteria such as size, location, and price range, and, of course, view plenty of photographs or videos uploaded by the homes’ Realtors®. The site is even available for mobile device users! • Negotiation: Your Realtor® has been to the bargaining table many times on behalf of clients. One of their most important jobs is to help you get the price you want on the home you want – whether it’s a buyer’s, a seller’s, or a neutral market. Because your Realtor® often has this information at the ready, it will put you in a position to negotiate the best price and take advantage of any opportunities. • Deciphering contracts: Negotiation and contracts go hand in hand, and your Realtor® is a pro at facilitating this process. In fact, Realtors® have at their disposal dozens of forms and contracts for all types of circumstances, and many of these forms are not available for use by agents who are not Realtors®.
MyNewCityOrlando.com | 27
Finding Your Home • Inspection and evaluation: Once you’ve found the house of your dreams, your Realtor® provides due diligence during the evaluation of the home. Depending on the area and the property, this could include inspections for termites, dry rot, asbestos, faulty structures, roof conditions, septic tanks, and underground wells, just to name a few. Your Realtor® can assist you in finding qualified, responsible professionals to do these investigations and provide you with written reports. You will also want to see a preliminary report on the title of the property. Title indicates ownership of property and can be mired in confusing status of past owners or rights of access. Title can be particularly convoluted on homes that have been foreclosed upon or are being sold under a “short sale” agreement. • Closing: Finally, there is the closing, or settlement, aspect of the transaction. Your Realtor® will be with you every step of the way as you sign document after document, answering questions and making sure everything goes smoothly. To find an Orlando Realtor®, or for more information about Realtors® and Orlando real estate, visit the Orlando Regional Realtor® Association website at orlandorealtors.org.
The critical role of a Realtor® Read about the 230 possible actions, research steps, procedures, processes, and review stages that a Realtor® may provide in a typical residential real estate transaction. Visit: www.orlandorealtors.org, “Consumers/Critical Role of a Realtor®.”
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Renters need Realtors®, too Realtors® aren’t just for homebuyers and sellers. The assistance of licensed real estate professional in your search for a rental home can prevent you from becoming a rental-scam victim. Combine lots of empty foreclosures, lots of free online portals, and lots of people in need of rental housing, and you’ve got rich ground for con artists who fraudulently pose as real estate agents and property managers in order to ply their schemes on potential tenants. Who better to recognize and uncover these frauds than a true real estate professional? Use a Realtor® to help you find your next rental home, and they may just help you from becoming the next victim of a rental scam. But then how do you know a real estate professional is who they say they are? Some scammers go to enormous lengths to assume the appearance of an authentic real estate professional — from creating letterhead and websites to full-on identity theft — and uncovering these sophisticated criminals can require FBI-level detective skills. However, there are a few ground-level steps you can take to validate the identity of someone who claims to be a real estate agent or a property manager. In Florida, any individual who receives compensation to provide real estate services on behalf of another must
be licensed. You can confirm that someone is a valid real estate licensee by going to the Florida Department of Business and Professional website at myfloridalicense.com then clicking on “Verify A License.” Don’t forget that a true real estate professional will be happy to provide their license information and additional identification; resistance to your request to do so is a red flag. Renters in the Orlando area can also confirm that a real estate licensee is a Realtor®, which means the licensee is a member in good standing of the National Association of Realtors®, Florida Realtors®, and the Orlando Regional Realtor® Association. To confirm membership in the Orlando Regional Realtor® Association, visit www.orlandorealtors.org and click on the words “Find A Realtor®” located at the very top of the homepage. At the next screen, you can search by either the individual’s name or by their company’s name. Finally, many property managers voluntarily belong to either the National Association of Residential Property Managers or their local chapter of that association (in our area, it’s the Orlando/Central Florida chapter). Their websites also have “Find A Member” search functions. What’s the best way to avoid falling prey to a rental scam? Employ the services of a licensed Realtor® or property manager to assist you in your search for a rental home.
Finding Your Home
Tips for successful house hunting Hunting for a new home, especially when relocating from a distant city or state, can be a stressful endeavor. Here are seven tips to make the experience a rewarding one: • Location counts. How far are you really willing to commute to your place of employment? How good are the local schools, shopping centers, public transportation, senior services and other public amenities? Even a pictureperfect dream home can be a mistake if it’s in an undesirable location, and a poor-location home can be a particularly bad choice if you anticipate reselling the home within a few years. • Make a list. Do you really know what you need and want in your home? You’ll save yourself many hours of shopping if you make a list ahead of time. Zero in on the features you must have, would like to have, definitely don’t want, and would prefer not to have. Start compiling your wish list by thinking about what you like and dislike about your current home. • Do your homework. Not long ago, consumers had very little access to information about recent home sales prices, market trends, homes on the market, neighborhood statistics and the home-buying process. Today, all this information and more is available on the Internet. Go surfing. Get educated. Become empowered. • Use a checklist. Touring multiple homes is a confusing experience for most people. Rather than relying on memory, take notes or even pictures/ video of the homes you visit. Turn your priorities into a personalized homeshopping checklist and use it track
the features of each home.
be doing to increase their chances of securing that dream home?
• Wear comfortable clothing and shoes. House-hunting can be tiring, especially if you’re relocating to a distant community and want to see a dozen homes in one day. Plus, it can be flat-out hot in Orlando almost any time of the year.
First off, carefully evaluate your finances and get prequalified or preapproved for a mortgage. You’ll be able to make a firm commitment to buy and your offer will be more appealing to the seller.
• Be prepared to make an offer. House-hunting can also be frustrating, especially if you know in your heart you’re not really emotionally or financially ready to buy a home. If you’re not ready, don’t put yourself through the exercise. If you are ready, go through a blank purchase contract ahead of time so you’ll know what decisions you’ll face when you make an offer.
Keys to a unique housing market The spring/summer buying season always means a surge in the number of those on the hunt to purchase a home, but in Central Florida those conditions can last all year long. And even though the tri-county area has recently welcomed increases in inventory, many prospective buyers are still having trouble finding a home. This situation is not limited to Orlando; a new survey by the National Association of Realtors® reveals for the first time that difficulties finding the right property have surpassed challenges obtaining financing as the most cited reason clients are not purchasing homes. Throughout the country there simply aren’t enough homes available to purchase, which creates a market in which buyers must compete with each other. Fortunately, the market is showing signs of improvement for buyers. Housing inventories here have seen several months of increases that are creating choices and easing competition. So now that future is looking brighter for potential buyers, what should they
Making a clean offer with as few contingencies as possible can also help buyers who find themselves competing with multiple bidders. The best offer isn’t always the one with the highest price. It’s often the one with the fewest hassles and restrictions. A Realtor® can suggest actions such as eliminating or reducing specific contract contingencies like preoffer inspections to make their buyers’ offer stronger. That’s just one example of how working with a Realtor® can benefit you during the home buying process. Learn more by visiting www.orlandorealtors.org, “Consumers/For Homebuyers.”
Orlando housing by the numbers • The Orlando median home price finished out 2013 nearly 25 percent higher than in 2012. • Orlando home sales were 7 percent greater in 2013 than in 2012. The sale of “normal” transactions increased by 42 percent while “short sale” transactions decreased 33 percent. Visit: www.orlandorealtors.org, “Market Info” or contact an Orlando Realtor® for the most up-to-date, localized housing market data and analysis.
MyNewCityOrlando.com | 29
Apartments equipment and software as well as fax machines, high-speed Internet access and comfortable conference rooms are especially popular with those who work from home. Besides paying less in utility, insurance and taxes, renters can also save the time since maintenance guarantees provide an on-call team 24 hours a day.
Luxury living defines Metro Orlando’s lifestyle
W
hile many move to Metro Orlando due to work relocation, others from around the country and the world, come to the area for its laid-back lifestyle, warm climate and beautiful lakes and parks. Still others decide to relocate because it has become the world’s playground with all the best and most exciting theme parks, as well as endless attractions, outdoor recreation and sensational eateries. Who doesn’t want to live in such a vibrant and beautiful place? Once here, Metro Orlando offers a wealth of new luxury properties throughout Orange, Osceola and Seminole counties. Whatever you are seeking, the area has it, be it a downtown Orlando high-rise close to the action of professional sports teams or cultural events, a loft that is above or part of a regional shopping mall, a studio apartment with tree-lined streets in the city center where arts galleries, antique or retail shops beckon or an luxury apartment adjacent to a tranquil park where you can observe the swans enjoying their day. The new luxury communities include apartments with granite counter tops, 42-inch cabinets, stainless steel appliances, spacious walk-in closets, patios or balconies and state of the art private fitness centers with some
30 | MyNewCityOrlando.com
featuring a yoga or exercise studio. And your luxurious apartment home, many times, is all just steps from great shops and restaurants making your life easier. Whatever size apartment you need, Metro Orlando has it. From one to four bedrooms, screened lanai or solarium, bottom, middle or top floor, lake view, pool view or garden view, finding the right fit really is a matter of defining what’s most important to you.
Central Florida renters can enjoy luxury apartment homes with a lifestyle which allows for more flexible family and leisure activities. No more time and money spent on home and yard maintenance. Instead, tenants can now spend their time on the plethora of activities and entertainment amenities modern apartment communities provide such as equipment-stocked fitness centers, tree-lined nature trails, game rooms, libraries, lounge areas and clubhouses for entertaining guests. Business centers with up-to-date
One of the most popular amenities are pools some apartments include water exercise classes or movies near the pool during the evening hours. Be aware it is swim at your own risk; there are usually no lifeguards. Adjacent to pools are bar-b-que cooking and dining areas for your next pool party. Grill centers may simply consist of charcoal or gas grills; however some have included pavilions, running water and electricity as well as a view overlooking a lake. Also available are recreational areas, a private beach, or boat launch, pier and nature trails. Parking and transportation are important considerations when choosing the location of your apartment. Many parking spots are street or lot parking and some complexes may have reserved spots. The better option is controlled access parking garages. A covered garage connected to your building will assure you of staying dry as well as cool from the hot Florida sun. You may have to pay extra for additional parking spots. Transportation may consist of bus or train lines and Zagster, a bike sharing program. Most apartments offer in-unit laundry and may provide leased equipment while others only provide the hookups. Equipment may range from fullsize machines in a separate laundry room to a stackable set in your kitchen. Some complexes have separate laundry facilities with several machines. Remember laundry is heavy and if you decide to forego in-unit machines, you may want to make sure you are as close to a laundromat or the complex’s laundry facilities as possible. For tenants with pets, small pets less than 20 pounds are generally accepted at most places, as long as you can provide a vaccination list and veterinarian health check. There may be a small one-time fee for your pet as well as noise and nuisance rules you will need to know and make your pet abide by.
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The Retreat at Windermere
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CENTRAL PARKWAY (Altamonte Springs) 599 Calibre Crest Parkway rentcentralparkway.com
GRANDEVILLE AT RIVER PLACE (Oviedo) 2980 Grandeville Circle grandevilleatriverplace.com
ABACO KEY (Orlando) 10712 Mystic Circle abacokeyapartments.com
CHARLES TOWNE AT PARK CENTRAL (Orlando) 5277 Wellington Park Circle charlestowneorlando.com
HAWTHORNE GROVES (Orlando) 204 Hawthorne Groves Boulevard hawthornegrovesapts.com
AQUA AT MILLENIA (Orlando) 5451 Millenia Lakes Boulevard aquaatmillenia.com BELMONT AT PARK CENTRAL (Orlando) 5009 Park Central Drive belmontorlando.com CALIBRE BEND (Winter Park) 3924 Calibre Bend Lane calibrebend.com
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ELAN TOWNE CENTER (Sanford) 12500 Solstice Loop elantownecenter.com EVANDER SQUARE AT CELEBRATION (Celebration) 1764 Malvern Hill Circle evandersquareapartments.com THE GALLERY AT MILLS PARK (Orlando) 1650 North Mills Avenue thegalleryatmillspark.com
HERITAGE ON MILLENIA (Orlando) 3757 Millenia Boulevard heritageonmillenia.com MANOR ROW AT PARK CENTRAL (Orlando) 5009 Park Central Drive manorroworlando.com MARINA LANDING (Orlando) 6315 Westgate Drive marinalanding-apts.com
Grandeville at River Place
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MIDDLEBROOK FARMS (Orlando) 4000 Middlebrook Road middlebrookfarmsapts.com PARKS @ HUNTER`S CREEK (Orlando) 3000 National Parks Drive parksathc.com PROMENADE CROSSING (Orlando) 4000 Maguire Boulevard promenadecrossing.com THE RESERVES AT ALAFAYA (Orlando) 3715 South Alafaya Heights Road reservesatalafaya.com THE RETREAT AT WINDERMERE (Windermere) 5820 Nature View Drive myretreatapts.com
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SANCTUARY AT EAGLE CREEK AT LAKE NONA (Orlando) 9800 Sanctuary Approach Road sanctuaryateaglecreek.com SIGNAL POINTE (Winter Park) 2500 Howell Branch Road signalpointe.com SKYHOUSE ORLANDO (Orlando) 335 N Magnolia Avenue skyhouseorlando.com STONEBROOK (Sanford) 1000 Stonebrook Drive stonebrookorlando.com
SUN KEY (Winter Park) 7502 Sun Key Boulevard sunkeyapts.com URBANA (Orlando) 4404 Urbana Drive urbanaluxuryapts.com WINDERMERE CAY (Winter Garden) 8200 Jayme Drive windermerecay.com WINDRIFT APARTMENTS (Orlando) 949 Crowsnest Circle windriftapts.com
STONECASTLE (Winter Park) 2015 New Stonecastle Terrace stonecastleapts.com
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Apartments Just as location is important concerning your work commute, location in respect to where your apartment lies in the complex is important. Windows and natural light brighten and cheer you up so consider checking the views from several different apartments before you decide on a specific one. People who don’t like storms may want an apartment that faces inward toward a courtyard, garden or pool area, while
others who love to people-watch may want theirs to overlook an interesting street or a nearby park. Of course, if you have children, you may want to be close to play areas. Not having a mortgage is a real benefit, if you want to move. No problem. You don’t have to wait for your house to sell if that job opens up across town. You may, however, have to wait until the end
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Renting gives newcomers a chance to get to know the community and not make rushed decisions when buying a home. Some newcomers will rent an apartment closer to the tourist areas even though it’s a little farther from work. They take in all the theme parks for a year or so and then move to a more urban or suburban area visiting the theme parks only occasionally or when the relatives come to visit. Ask if any concessions and discounts are available. Sometimes management will offer the first month free or a discounted rate if you work for a particular company or if you are in a particular occupation such as a firstresponder or in the medical field.
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of your lease term.
Make sure you see the apartment you will be renting, not just the model. Inspect for problems and request a written repair schedule before agreeing to sign a lease. Using the same worksheet the owners check when a person vacates is a good place to begin your inspection. Always check out the plumbing for leaks, mold and temperature. Then look at the airconditioning unit filter to see if it needs replacing. Also, ask how frequently pest service is provided. Especially check to see if all window and door screens are in good repair and properly installed. Getting all the things you want in your ideal apartment may be a tall order so you might want to enlist the help of a professional when looking for an apartment. Those who locate apartments generally offer their services free to the renter and collect fees from either the apartment management company. Since apartment locators deal in real estate, most are real estate agents or brokers and are licensed by the Board of Realtors. For those looking for short-term housing while searching for a new residence, Central Florida has any number of extended-stay hotels/motels to provide what you need. If this is a corporate move, check with your company to see if they have arrangements with a lodging facility for a corporate discount. For more information, contact the Apartment Association of Greater Orlando at aago.org.
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Homebuilders and interior designs. For that reason, builders are installing minimal streets and more natural-looking sidewalks and they bring recycling right into the home with recycling centers either in the kitchen, utility room or garage. Many developers incorporate expansive green spaces for walkways and parks into the community design. Buyers want natural tranquility and privacy that doesn’t come from a fence. Large shrubbery that has been there a while, or at least looks like it’s been there a while, adds to that feel. Florida homes capture that feeling of bringing the outdoors inside so more builders extend the living space into the outdoors through an expansive lanai, screened-in porch and sparkling pool or a sun room.
Florida homes are built around a lifestyle
L
ooking for a new home? Don’t expect to buy what you’ve been used to, especially if you have suffered through last year’s hardhitting winter and are outdoors only a few months of the year. Florida home builders build homes around a lifestyle that emphasizes enjoying the climate.
one room needs to be ready for office needs.
New Florida homes are light, bright and airy with cathedral ceilings, patios, sunrooms, solar panels and ceiling fans in every room -- and usually only one story tall.
“New home starts for the first quarter of this year reached a number that hasn’t been seen since before 2008,” said Merritt. “Buyers have been more cautious (especially first-time buyers) where they may not be purchasing as large a house as they once desired, but more of what they need versus want. First-time homebuyers are buying homes in the $160,000 to $170,000 range.
Newcomers often tend to shop for two-story homes; however, when they see the open floor plans and vast vaulted ceilings, presenting unexpected volume, they find the look irresistible. Most newcomers to the state eventually decide that “when in Florida, live like a Floridian” and they forego their twostory expectations. Trends in new homes include in-law suites, environmentally conscious features, gourmet kitchens and home offices. In-law suites are popular because families are coming back together, either with parents or children and people want to be prepared for that eventuality while still maintaining their privacy. Plus, the Internet age has moved many former commuters into a home office environment so at least
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While the industry has taken a hit in recent years, according to Scott Merritt, Executive Officer of the Greater Orlando Builders Association, the Central Florida area has regained momentum.
In Central Florida homes are being built for all size families and budgets. Keeping in mind that a stand-alone home may not always be the best fit; duplexes are still being built and offer home ownership as well.” Buyers are interested in energy efficiency and want to know the cost to maintain a new home. Fortunately, the industry has adopted many standards that help with these requests. Homeowners also want increasingly environmentally-conscious exterior
Today’s kitchens also have many imaginative features, such as stainless steel appliances, six-burner gas stoves, built-in steam and convection ovens. There are large walk-in pantries, wine or beverage coolers and under the counter and sub-zero refrigerators as well as compact or drawer refrigeration units besides the outdoor barbeque pit or as part of the built-in summer kitchen. According to Merritt, while all demographics are buying homes, “We have been seeing a decline in college graduates returning home which plays a factor in the rental market and entry level homes sales.” “It takes three to six months for a new home to be built,” said Merritt. “There are many factors that are playing into it, however. Many of the trades are facing a labor shortage which causes a lag in the project timeline. A second factor is material. Costs are constantly changing and depending upon the material it may take longer for it to arrive onsite.” Some builders, however, have built homes on speculation and can accommodate those who want to move in within 30 days. Hot spots for new homes are in west and south Orange County (think tourist area) and the southeast part of Orlando where a private investment company has brought together people, partnerships, innovative technology, state-of-the-art medical facilities and research colleges
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For More Information On Our Communities & To Register For Upcoming Communities, Call: 855-310-9819 Sales Center Hours: Sunday - Monday 12pm - 6pm & Tuesday - Saturday 10am - 6pm • Follow us: Please note that square footages and room dimensions may vary slightly from shown. Prices and availability subject to change without notice. 10/01/14. CGC1512500 MyNewCityOrlando.com
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Homebuilders community in the state of Florida.
creating a distinctive smart community intermixed with commercial space and first-class residential neighborhoods called Lake Nona.
While there are some who want more – more closets, more bedrooms, more entertainment areas, there are also some who want less, such as, less maintenance which is available when developers build larger homes on smaller lots. Adding a pool and minimal landscaping to the back yard of a small lot means there is practically no yard work. New homes also offer the appeal of less repair work -- or at least minimal repair work for a long time.
In one Lake Nona neighborhood, Laureate Park, there are fiber optic lines to each home, giving residents some of the fastest internet speeds in the country. This high bandwidth capacity infrastructure delivers residential internet at the speed of one gigabit per second – 200 times faster than the average U.S. internet connection speed. This unprecedented rate has made Lake Nona the first gigabit
Since building a home is one of the largest investments families will make during their lifetimes, it’s important to rely on your builder’s experience. When looking for a home site, it’s best not to sign a contract until your builder has reviewed the site. He/she is aware of local inventory, pros and cons of communities, HOA restrictions, home sites and governmental requirements, and, especially in Florida, they
understand the unique soil conditions and engineering necessary to build on different soil types. For those looking for older homes, people still focus in on workable kitchens, comfortable baths and gracious and elegant entertainment areas. Home buyers want to make sure that the floor plan flows nicely for entertaining but still has some privacy. A separate family room is very popular and a lot of older homes have those. The great room, which was popular a few years ago, has almost gone out of style. Whether looking for a new or cozy older home, people are not expecting as much space as previously. Prior to the recession of 2008, an average new home was built with about 2,000 to 3,000 square feet while older homes without additions averaged 1,200 to 1,800 square feet. Today, average new homes are 2,000 to 2,400 square feet. So while home buyers will say they want more windows, more closets and more conveniences, they are buying homes with a smaller square footage and expecting only some of their desires to be there.
Full Service Real Estate • Homes For Rent • Homes for Sale, Buyer Representation • Mortgages & Investments
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Homebuilders Besides the option of having a new home built by a local homebuilder or buying a speculation home, others choose to buy existing homes in wellestablished neighborhoods and have them renovated before moving in. With affordable updating, an older charming home would add to the craftsmanship and solid construction that may not be available in that price range.
The Greater Orlando Builders Association has 650 members including production and custom home builders, remodelers, other contractors and vendors from Orange, Osceola and
Seminole counties. To contact the association, call them at (407) 629-9242 or check their web site at: GreaterOrlandoBA.com.
The Greater Orlando Builders Association, whose members are made up of both production and custom home builders as well as remodelers, is a great place to look for a wellcredentialed, well-referenced and highly-recommended home builder or remodeler. Each year in the spring the Greater Orlando Builders Association hosts a Spring and Fall Parade of Homes event. The 15-day event kicks off the new season of homes offered by local production and custom home builders. Thousands attend each year, some to buy a home, some to hire a builder or remodeler and some just to see the new products or get decorating or remodeling ideas.
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Health Care The final hospital system is Health Corporation of America (HCA) which owns two of three hospitals in Osceola County and provides health care services to the Walt Disney World area. HCA also owns a hospital in Seminole County as well as same-day surgical centers. Following is more detailed information about the hospitals and the listings of their hospitals and auxiliary facilities as well as information about Lake Nona’s Medical City.
FLORIDA HOSPITAL
Compassion, quality & state-of-the-art technology
T
he Metro Orlando area has an extensive network of 18 hospitals meeting the needs of more than 2.5 million residents. Mainly comprised of three hospital systems, they are also available to the more than 59 million annual tourists who come to the area for sun and fun. From simple births to serious illnesses, Metro Orlando area hospitals provide every imaginable service necessary and do so while closely watching costs. Besides the in-hospital experience, each medical facility has any number of stand-alone urgent care and/or surgical centers in certain neighborhoods. Hospitals today contract with multiple managed care companies, whether preferred provider organizations (PPOs) or health maintenance organizations (HMOs), to deliver the quality care and low cost that patients want. Stateof-the-art technology means shorter hospital stays (or no checks-in at all) as hospital outpatient surgery centers allow patients to be in by 8 a.m. and out by noon. In addition to the three major hospital systems, there is a 7,000-acre development in southeast Orlando named Lake Nona. It is the most innovative master-planned community of which the centerpiece is a 600-acre medical city. Lake Nona’s Medical City
40 | MyNewCityOrlando.com
is a life sciences cluster and is home to a medical school, hospitals and research centers and is quickly becoming a hub of learning and health technology. Leading the list of impressive hospital groups is Florida Hospital, which has been a fixture in Metro Orlando since its founding by the Seventh-Day Adventist Church in 1908 when Orange County was known as Mosquito County. During the past 106 years, the healthcare facility has changed considerably from its small beginnings to what it is today: the largest private, not-for-profit hospital and the second largest hospital system in the state. It has eight hospitals in the tri-county area. Second on the list with two less hospitals, but just as impressive is Orlando Health. In 1918, 5 years after Mosquito County split into Seminole and Orange counties, the area’s second health care system was founded as Orange General Hospital; today the main facility is known as Orlando Health. The company makes patient satisfaction a high priority, with a consistent goal to be in the top 10 percent of the country. The patients of Orlando Health have rated the system as the best in nearly all aspects of patient satisfaction in the most recent government report of patient satisfaction scores.
Florida Hospital cares for more than 2 million patients a year at its 22 campus locations throughout Central Florida which have collectively been recognized nationally and internationally for their programs. The Florida Hospital system treats more patients than any other hospital in the United States, with the largest family medicine residency in Florida. In addition, Florida Hospital is also recognized for the following accolades: providing more care and services for cardiology, neurology and vascular surgery inpatients than any other nationally recognized hospital; treating more cancer patients than any hospital in Florida; and serves more patients each year than any hospital in Florida. Florida Hospital is one of the largest employers in Metro Orlando, according to the Orlando Business Journal. And the Orlando Sentinel has consistently ranked Florida Hospital in its “Top 100 Companies for Working Families.” The American Hospital Association ranked Florida Hospital first in the country for number of inpatient admissions. Florida Hospital’s ranking as Florida’s #1 hospital by U.S. News & World Report in 2013 is another one of the most recent in a long succession of prestigious awards the staff has received. In 2011 and 2012, U.S. News & World Report ranked Florida Hospital as the #1 hospital in the Metro Orlando area and one of the best hospitals in the nation overall. Florida Hospital has the largest family practice residency program in Florida and one of the largest programs in the nation.
Our physicians provide individualized care for patients aged 16 and up. Whether you’re looking for a family or specialty medicine you’ll receive expert care from the physicians who are training the next generation of doctors at the UCF College of Medicine.
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Health Care At the main facility in Orlando, hightech multi-specialties have developed such as the hospital’s organ transplant services; extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (a non-surgical procedure for removing kidney stones); neuroscience services, including a special care unit for brain and spinal surgery patients; and cardiac services, including angioplasties for unclogging blocked arteries and open heart surgeries. Florida Hospital, a 2,247-bed acute-care medical facility, also serves as a major tertiary referral hospital (specialized consultative care) for Central Florida and much of the Southeast, the Caribbean and Latin America. Adventist Health System operates 44 hospitals in 10 states, making it the largest not-forprofit protestant health care system in the United States. Florida Hospital Orlando (Main Campus) (407) 303-5600 floridahospital.com/orlando Florida Hospital Altamonte (407) 303-2200 floridahospital.com/altamonte Florida Hospital Apopka (407) 889-1000 floridahospital.com/apopka Florida Hospital Celebration Health (407) 764-4000 floridahospital.com/celebration-health Florida Hospital Centra Care 19 locations throughout Central Florida (407) 200-2300 centracare.org Florida Hospital East Orlando (407) 303-8110 floridahospital.com/east-orlando Florida Hospital for Children (407) 303-KIDS (5437) floridahospital.com/children Florida Hospital Kissimmee (407) 846-4343 floridahospital.com/kissimmee Winter Park Memorial Hospital (407) 646-7000 floridahospital.com/winter-parkmemorial
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ORLANDO HEALTH
Orlando Health is a $1.9 billion not-forprofit health care organization and a community-based network of physician practices, hospitals and care centers throughout Central Florida. The organization, which includes Physician Associates, one of the largest multi-specialty practices in Central Florida, and the area’s only Level One Trauma Center for adults and pediatrics, is a statutory teaching hospital system that offers both specialty and community hospitals. The facilities include: Orlando Regional Medical Center; Dr. P. Phillips Hospital; South Seminole Hospital; Health Central Hospital, the Arnold Palmer Medical Center, which consists of Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children and Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies; the UF Health Cancer Center – Orlando Health, South Lake Hospital (50 percent affiliation); and St. Cloud Regional Medical Center (20 percent affiliation). Areas of clinical excellence are heart and vascular, cancer care, neurosciences, surgery, pediatric orthopedics and sports medicine, neonatology, and women’s health. Orlando Health is one of Central Florida’s largest employers with more than 15,000 employees and nearly 3,000 physicians supporting their philosophy of providing high quality care and service that revolves around patients’ needs. They prove this with
more than 100,000 inpatient admissions and nearly 900,000 outpatient visits each year. In all, Orlando Health serves 1.8 million Central Florida residents and more than 4,500 international patients annually. Additionally, Orlando Health provides more than $270 million in support of community health needs. In April, 2014, Orlando Health’s four wholly-owned adult hospitals were honored with their fourth consecutive “A” Hospital Safety Score by The Leapfrog Group, an independent national nonprofit run by employers and other large purchasers of health benefits. The grades reflect Orlando Health’s commitment to providing high quality care to patients. In June, 2014, Arnold Palmer Medical Center (Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children and Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies) was included in U.S. News & World Report’s 2014-15 Best Children’s Hospitals rankings as one of the best children’s hospitals in the country. The hospital, when compared to all other hospitals in their survey, ranked among the best in eight pediatric specialties: #17 in orthopedics, #22 in neonatology, #26 in pulmonology, #27 in urology, #36 in gastroenterology and gastrointestinal surgery, #41 in cardiology and heart surgery, #41 in diabetes and endocrinology, and #47 in neurology and neurosurgery. Their facilities are located as follows:
Health Care Orlando Health (Main Campus) (321) 843-7000 orlandohealth.com Orlando Regional Medical Center (321) 841-5111 orlandohealth.com/ orlandoregionalmedicalcenter/Index. aspx Arnold Palmer Medical Center Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children (407) 649-9111 orlandohealth.com/ arnoldpalmerhospital/Index.aspx
Since two HCA founders were physicians, HCA highly values the strong relationships created with local physicians, providing them with a wide array of services and modern facilities in order to help them deliver the best possible care. Locations in Central Florida are: Central Florida Regional Hospital (407) 321-4500 centralfloridaregional.com
Osceola Regional Medical Center (407) 846-2266 osceolaregional.com Poinciana Medical Center (407) 530-2000 poincianamedicalcenter.com
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Dr. P. Phillips Hospital (407) 351-8500 orlandohealth.com/drpphillipshospital/ Index.aspx South Seminole Hospital (407) 767-1200 http://orlandohealth.com/ drpphillipshospital/Index.aspx Health Central Hospital (407) 296-1000 healthcentral.org
HEALTH CORPORATION OF AMERICA
At its founding in 1968, Nashvillebased Health Corporation of America (HCA) was one of the nation’s first hospital companies. HCA is the nation’s leading provider of healthcare services, with approximately 4 to 5 percent of all inpatient care provided by HCA facilities. The hospital system also maintains a significant presence in Metro Orlando, with a hospital in Seminole County and two hospitals in Osceola County, one of which just opened last year. The company also has one same day surgical center in each of the three counties: Seminole, Osceola and Orange. HCA typically invests about $1.5 billion annually to keep their facilities modern and up-to-date technologically, as well as to expand and add services where needed. Focusing primarily on communities where the company is a leading healthcare provider, HCA selectively adds new facilities in order to better serve its communities.
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Health Care
Lake Nona Medical City
LAKE NONA’S MEDICAL CITY
Lake Nona’s Medical City is home to Nemours Children’s Hospital, the University of Central Florida’s new College of Medicine and Health Sciences campus, UCF’s Burnett School of Biomedical Science, SanfordBurnham Medical Research Institute’s east coast campus, the University of Florida Research and Academic Center and the soon to be completed, Orlando Veteran’s Administration Medical Center. Lake Nona was developed by private investment group Tavistock which has announced plans to build the Lake Nona Gateway Building, a 100,000 square foot medical office building. Florida Hospital and UCF’s Pegasus Health will become anchor tenants in the new building. Florida Hospital expects to establish a combination of services including an urgent care center, imagining and diagnostics, an outpatient surgery cent and other specialist services.
University of Central Florida (UCF) College of Medicine
407-266-1000 med.ucf.edu Part of the nation’s second largest university, the UCF Health Sciences Campus at Lake Nona includes the College of Medicine and has now entered it’s sixth year with nearly 400 med students enrolled.
UF Research and Academic Center
The University of Florida Research and Academic Center at Medical City opened in 2012 moving from its original smaller location in Apopka, Fla. The expansion into a $53 million, 100,000+ square foot building accommodates its College of Pharmacy, College of
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Medicine, Center for Pharmacometrics and Systems Pharmacology, Institute for Therapeutic Innovation, Institute on Aging and Clinical and Translational Science Institute. For more information, research online the particular program for a website and phone number.
UCF’S Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences
407-266-7001 med.ucf.edu/biomed/ UCF’s esteemed research, graduate bio-med and undergraduate program has helped the College of Medicine build a research-intensive medical school where cutting-edge medical research spans the entire spectrum, from the laboratory bench to patient bedsides. The facility opened in 2010.
Nemours Children’s Hospital
(407) 567-4000 nemours.org Nemours is committed to improving the health of children. The 95-bed Nemours Children’s Hospital brings comprehensive children’s health care and research capabilities to the forefront of the emerging health and science sector of Metro Orlando. Its new pediatric health campus is devoted to a holistic approach featuring healing gardens, nature trails, pet therapy and water features to create a peaceful environment that fosters both mental and physical healing. The Nemours Children’s Hospital works with various organizations and community groups to address a variety of issues for families in Metro Orlando, such as: access to health services; health education; injury and safety; mental and emotional health; nutrition, physical activity and weight; prenatal and infant
health; vision, hearing and speech. The Nemours Children’s Hospital pediatric specialty programs were named among the nation’s best for 2014-2015 by U.S. News & World Report. Nemours was nationally ranked in all 10 pediatric specialties: cancer; cardiology and heart surgery; diabetes & endocrinology; (gap) neonatology; neonatology; nephrology; neurology and neurosurgery; orthopedics; pulmonology and urology.
Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute
407-745-2000 sanfordburnham.org A premier non-profit medical research facility focuses on diabetes and obesity research, Sanford-Burnham has created more than 300 research jobs at its East Coast operation in Metro Orlando. Sanford-Burnham is one of only four National Institutes of Health (NIH) comprehensive centers for chemical biology and drug discovery in the nation. It first opened in Orlando in May of 2009.
Orlando Veteran’s Administration Medical Center No phone or web site as yet Stay up-to-date at: va.gov The new 1.2 million square foot, stateof-the-art Orlando VA Medical Center will increase accessibility to health care for approximately 400,000 Central Florida veterans and will be the first VA hospital built in the United States since 1995.
Besides the medical center, the campus will include the Community Living Center and the Residential Rehabilitation Program. The center is expected to open next year.
CENTRAL FLORIDA’S COMMUTER RAIL SYSTEM
BENEFITS OF SUNRAIL
TRAIN SCHEDULES
Leave the car at home and discover how much time and money you’ll save by using SunRail as your commuting alternative. With free parking at suburban stations, free on-board WiFi and AC power outlets, you’ll have more time to get an early start to your day.
SunRail is a commuter rail system designed to operate Monday through Friday only. During peak commuter hours, SunRail will run service every 30 minutes. During non-peak hours, SunRail will offer service every two hours. A complete listing of all train schedules can be found under Train Schedule at SunRail.com
TICKET PRICING SunRail passengers will utilize a Tap -On/ Tap -Off system that allows for a fast and efficient way to pay your fare and manage your SunCard account. Pricing begins at $2 per trip with a $1 up -charge every time you cross county lines. Discounts apply for round trip ticket purchases, stored-value programs, monthly and annual passes, as well as for seniors, students, children and ADA approved riders.
SUNRAIL STATIONS • DeBary
• Winter Park
• Sanford
• Florida Hospital Health Village
• Lake Mary
• LYNX Central Station
• Longwood
• Church Street
• Altamonte Springs
• Orlando Health/Amtrak
• Maitland
• Sand Lake Road
For Station Directions, System Maps, Train Schedules and Ticket Pricing please visit SunRail.com MyNewCityOrlando.com | 45
Education All schools operate under the 2001 No Child Left Behind federal law which ensures a fair and equal opportunity to obtain a high-quality education and meet state academic standards of proficiency. This year all districts have implemented Common Core Standards.
Orange County
Public schools provide abundant choices
E
ducational choices in Orange, Osceola and Seminole counties are abundant, but how does a parent choose where to send their child? While some may decide based on location, logistics or finances, many are making decisions based on their child’s needs and interests. “For me, school is not a one-sizefits-all,” said Norm Dubois, father of five. “Where we place our children is where we think is the best fit for that child depending upon what needs they have.” Dubois and his wife, Dina, have 4 of their 5 children in school – two in public (a son, 13, a daughter, 7), one in private, (a daughter, 4) and one is home schooled (a daughter, 15). Their youngest is age 2. “For instance, I have a child who is very social and has a lot of social needs. Home school would not be a good fit for that child,” Dubois said. “My oldest daughter is in the Florida Virtual School. She’s very disciplined and can be selftaught so it is a good fit for her. With that in mind we require her to have other social outlets such as youth group and being part of the youth band.” The Dubois’ both pastor East Coast Believers Church in Oviedo where they live. For the Dubois’ a lot of the decisionmaking becomes a matter of prayer and
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of understanding what season of life each child is in. Public school districts are countywide and offer traditional schools for elementary, middle and high schools, but the three counties also offer: • Charter Schools – an independently run school allowing for greater choice. • Magnet Schools – a theme- or academic-focused school on such topics as mathematics, science, technology, business or performing arts. Parents can choose a school that matches a student’s interests. • Virtual Schools – Florida Virtual School provides technology-based education available online or on mobile devices. • Special Needs Schools or Programs – for children who have mild to moderate learning differences -provides individualized attention, multi-sensory learning methods and smaller class sizes. • Home School programs –Flexible programs where students may participate in interscholastic extracurricular student activities of public schools, scholarship and dual enrollment programs and be admitted to community colleges and state universities upon passing assessment tests.
Phone: 407-317-3200 ocps.net The district is creating digital classrooms and plans on spending 75 percent of their textbook dollars on digital learning within the next two years. A pilot program last year provided every student in seven schools with a digital device. They are expanding the program this year. They are renovating old schools and building new schools to handle growth, technology and security issues. Magnet programs offer customized curriculum in theater and performing arts, international studies, law and finance, science and technology, foreign language, criminal justice, medical technology, veterinary science and other specialties. Career and technical education programs are begin in middle school.
Osceola County
Phone: 407-870-4600 osceola.k12.fl.us The district has a lot to be grateful for this past year as they increased their FCAT scores in reading and math, had three students quality for Walt Disney World’s Dreamers and Doers Shining Stars and State Science Fair winners in biochemistry, engineering, environmental sciences, mathematics, physics and astronomy and zoology. One district school, The Osceola County School for the Arts, was one of only seven schools in Florida awarded as one of the best public schools for the arts. The district achievement highlights all that is being done for the students in Osceola County.
Seminole County
Phone: 407-320-0000 scps.k12.fl.us The district schools are consistently rated as one of the top school districts in Florida having received an “A” rating every year since 1999. Its long list of academic, arts and athletic achievements, award-winning arts programs and numerous state athletics
Education championships, are in keeping with the district’s mission to ensure that all students acquire the knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary to be successful in life.
Private education
Faced with the public school realities of crowded classrooms, government privacy concerns (i.e. Common Core requirements) and overworked teachers with high teacher-to-student ratios, parents see private school as their best hope for providing a solid education for their children. Private schools typically boast smaller classes, stricter discipline and a focus on moral development. Such benefits, however, do have a price which for many is worth it. Freedom from government funding and meddling (bureaucratic processes set down by politicians) that tend to hinder public schools, is why private schools are a promising option. Less governmental regulations enables the school to focus on the development of the child by providing academicallychallenging and socially-enhanced programs.
Parents can expect to pay anywhere from $3,500 per year for a K-6 program to more than $18,000 per year for a high school preparatory program. Most faith-based schools are supported by their congregations and are able to provide a more affordable experience. According to the Council for American Private Education (CARE), private school students scored higher on standardized tests, had more demanding graduation requirements and sent more graduates to college than public schools.
significantly more likely than others to feel safe and be safe in their schools.” Private education is also good for families as parents generally select a school that promotes the values they embrace. Regardless of a parent’s choice of schools, children spend the greater part of their youth inside a classroom, which means that finding the right academic, social and moral fit for their child is of the utmost importance.
Private school education is good for students. It’s determined, according to a joint report by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) and the Bureau of Justice statistics that private school students “are
MyNewCityOrlando.com | 47
Higher Learning FULL SAIL UNIVERSITY
fullsail.edu Full Sail is a leader for those pursuing a career in the entertainment and media industries. Its 212-acre campus in Winter Park serves more than 15,700 students tackling 48 degree programs. According to their web site, “education is delivered via immersive teaching methods, both in Full Sail’s real world production studios and classrooms, as well as through our online learning environment.” Their “accelerated degree programs not only serve to get students out into the industry in half the time of traditional schools, but by using 40-hour weeks and 24-hour schedules, our programs prepare them for the tough deadlines and intense creative demands of the entertainment field.”
Universities & colleges offer plenty of options
A
t campuses throughout Central Florida, there is a wealth of knowledge, whether one seeks a degree, a career change, or just wants to sharpen job skills. Here’s a sampling of the options available:
UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL FLORIDA (UCF) ucf.edu The UCF and its 12 colleges serve 60,000 students. Located in Orlando, UCF is the nation’s second-largest university. UCF is called a “Top Up-andComing” national university by U.S. News & World Report, a ‘Best-value University” by The Princeton Review and Kiplinger’s, and “one of the nation’s most affordable colleges” by Forbes Magazine.
UCF is an academic and research leader in modeling and simulation, optics, computer science, nanotechnology, education, business administration, hospitality management, digital media and other disciplines. It offers 212 degree programs and recently awarded its 250,000th degree. In addition to the 1,415-acre main campus, UCF operates 9 campuses throughout Central Florida. The Rosen College of Hospitality Management campus is located on Universal Boulevard in the heart of one of the world’s top tourist destinations. UCF
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has a 45,000-seat football stadium and a 10.000-seat convocation center and hosts basketball games, commencement ceremonies, concerts and other events.
UCF College of Medicine
med.ucf.edu Part of the nation’s second largest university, the UCF Health Sciences Campus at Lake Nona includes the College of Medicine and has now entered it’s sixth year with nearly 400 med students enrolled.
ROLLINS COLLEGE
rollins.edu Founded in 1885, Rollins College is Florida’s oldest recognized college and is consistently ranked by U.S. News & World Report as one of “America’s best colleges.” A comprehensive liberal arts college, Rollins provides strong and distinctive degrees and programs. The school offers 49 majors, 15 minors and a variety of interdisciplinary programs. The College’s Hamilton Holt School provides evening and weekend graduate and undergraduate programs to adults seeking professional advancement or personal enrichment.
University of Central Florida
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Higher Learning
ROLLINS COLLEGE – CRUMMER GRADUATE SCHOOL OF BUSINESS
rollins.edu/business The Roy E. Crummer Graduate School of Business is recognized among the nation’s top regional business schools. Among its honors: being ranked as the No. 1 “Best Colleges in the South” by U.S. News & World
Report. The ranking was given for the last 10 consecutive years. Forbes and Bloomberg BusinessWeek both ranked the college as No.1 in Florida and have both consistently ranked the college in the top ten in the nation during previous years. The school offers three different affordable Masters in Business Administration (MBA) degrees to fit students’ lifestyles and needs.
VALENCIA COLLEGE
valenciacollege.edu Valencia College is the third largest of Florida’s community colleges, boasting an enrollment of 77,000 students at several campuses. Valencia College has 33 Associate in Science career programs that offer the option to pursue a bachelor’s degree or go directly into a new career with a job placement rate of 93-95 percent.
Barry University School Of Law
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FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY law.famu.edu FAMU law school is the only public law school in Orlando. According to its web site, the college is affiliated with Florida A&M University in Tallahassee, historically a black university where the law school dates back to 1949. The school was fully accredited since July 2009 and serves as an attractive option for law school.
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barry.edu/law The Barry University School of Law is committed to providing graduates with the skills and knowledge needed to aid society through the competent and ethical practice of law. The 20-acre Orlando campus, established in 1999, is in east Orlando just off East Colonial Drive. The main campus of Barry University in Miami was founded by a Dominican Order of Catholic Nuns in 1940.
med.fsu.edu FSU College of Medicine provides thirdand fourth year clinical training through affiliations with local physicians, ambulatory care facilities and hospitals, such as at the Regional Medical School Campus-Orlando. Medical students work through eight different rotations in family, internal and emergency medicine, pediatrics, surgery, geriatrics, psychiatry, and obstetrics-gynecology.
SEMINOLE STATE COLLEGE seminolestate.edu SSC offers two-year college credit degrees and five four-year Bachelor degrees. The school also offers specialized career certificates, as well as professional development, personal enrichment and adult education courses. In all, SSC offers more than 190 degrees and programs. The college has been named 28th out of the top 100 community colleges in the U.S. for Associate Degrees awarded in Liberal Arts and Sciences.
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Arts Orlando’s CityArts Factory, which is home to seven unique art galleries, features monthly exhibits and twicemonthly artist talks. It has Orlando’s largest collective of art galleries and the place to find original art by local, national and international artists. The Zora Neale Hurston National Museum of Fine Arts located in Eatonville is the nation’s oldest incorporated African-American community. The museum celebrates the works of the local author and other artists of African descent.
New Dr. Phillips Performing Arts Center open
T
he much-anticipated Dr. P. Phillips Orlando Center for the Performing Arts opened recently with great celebration and applause. The 330,000 square foot center resides in the middle of a nine-acre urban mixed-use development. The center has a 2,700-seat theatre (Walt Disney Theatre), a 1,700-seat multiform flexible hall which can be configured for opera, dance, drama and concerts, a 300-seat community theatre, an outdoor plaza and performance place, rehearsal rooms, an educational programming space and administrative offices. Two-thirds of the $386 million venue was obtained through public funds and the rest came from private donations, the largest coming from the estate foundation of Dr. Philip Phillips, a noted doctor, businessman and philanthropist. Besides this crown jewel of the city, there are 11 major museums in Orange County with five of them located in the upscale City of Winter Park. One prominent museum is the Charles Hosmer Museum of American Art which houses the world’s largest collection of stained glass created by Louis Comfort Tiffany. The Museum Shop features exclusive merchandise derived from the works of Tiffany, including jewelry, stained-glass panels, glass bowls and vases as well as a wide range of
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items inspired by other artists in the museum’s collection. Winter Park’s four other museums are the Albin Polasek Museum & Sculpture Gardens, Cornell Fine Arts Museum, Hannibal Square Heritage Center and Winter Park Historical Museum. Nearby in the City of Maitland is the Maitland Art Center founded in 1937 originally as an artist colony by architect and artist J. Andre Smith, a war artist for the U.S. Army during WWI who later designed the Distinguished Service Cross. Also in Maitland is the Holocaust Memorial Resource and Education Center of Florida. The museum teaches the principles of good citizenship, has permanent exhibit space, archives and a research library. Other Orange County museums include CityArts Factory, Zora Neale Hurston National Museum of Fine Arts and the Orange County Regional History Center. The History Center is an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution and explores 12,000 years of the area’s rich history with interactive exhibits, artifacts, archives and special shows. Its Emporium carries items that reflect the cultural history of Central Florida, such as rare vintage photographs, quirky Florida souvenirs, delicious Florida treats and classic toys and books along with seasonal merchandise.
Another prized place in Metro Orlando is the Orlando Science Center, an interactive discovery and learning center with exhibits, programs, labs and giant screen films which are shown in the eight-story tall Dr. P. Phillips CineDome. Also shown are planetarium and laser light shows. Permanent exhibits include NatureWorks which describes the richness of the natural world, with a focus on the diverse ecosystems of Florida. Sitting atop the science center is The Crosby Observatory which contains Florida’s largest public refractor telescope as well as smaller powerful telescopes for star gazing. In Seminole and Osceola counties there are smatterings of community historical museums and art galleries dot the historic downtown area of Sanford. Sanford is also home to the Wayne Densch Performing Arts Center where concerts, plays, film festivals, ballet and individual performances enrich the community. For more information about the Dr. Phillips Orlando Center for the Performing Arts, go to drphillipscenter.org
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Attractions evening show is Shamu’s Celebration: Light Up the Night. At Christmas guests enjoy Shamu Christmas Miracles, Winter Wonderland on Ice and The Polar Express Experience. Four other attractions are Gatorland, a 110-acre theme park with thousands of alligators, crocodiles, birds, bears and the all-new Screamin’ Gator Zip Line. Medieval Times Dinner & Tournament, where guests go back to an age of bravery and honor and witness epic battles of steel and steed from ringside seats while feasting on a meal fit for a king. The Holy Land Experience takes visitors back to the land of the Bible through its musical theater, exhibits and exact replicas of biblical settings. Wet ‘n Wild Orlando is a premier water park with signature thrill rides which opened a new six-story waterslide, The Aqua Drag Racer.
The best attractions in the world are all here
B
efore there was Mickey Mouse, Shamu or Harry Potter, attractions in Central Florida consisted mainly of alligator farms, airboats rides, rodeos and visits to the zoo. Today, Metro Orlando has more than 120 attractions and the big three are: Walt Disney World® Resort; Universal Orlando® Resort and SeaWorld® Orlando. Walt Disney World® Resort has four parks – Magic Kingdom® Park, Animal Kingdom® Park, Epcot® and Disney’s Hollywood Studios® and two water parks – Disney’s Blizzard Beach and Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon. The company debuted Seven Dwarfs Mine Train Coaster, a family-friendly coaster and Disney Festival of Fantasy Parade, a daytime parade of characters and music from Disney films. At Christmastime guests enjoy Holidays Around the World, Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party and The Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights. Disney is transforming Downtown Disney into Disney Springs which will double to 150 shops, restaurants and other venues. Completion date is in 2016. Disney announced details about the new Avatar-inspired land, opening in 2017 and will feature floating mountains, bioluminescent rainforests and a Banshee flying attraction.
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Universal Orlando® Resort has two parks – Universal Studios® Florida and Universal’s Islands of Adventure® has built on the popularity of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Diagon Alley and ‘London’ is located within Universal Studios®, which is adjacent to Islands of Adventure®, the current location for Hogwarts and Hogsmeade. Recently opened, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter - Diagon Alley features shops, the Leaky Cauldron eatery and a thrill ride, Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts. Guests can travel between London’s King’s Cross Station and Hogsmeade Station aboard the Hogwarts Express. At Christmas, Universal offers Grinchmas and each year hosts, straight from New York City, the Macy’s Holiday Parade. At SeaWorld® Orlando guests enjoy the aquatic world with interactive experiences, up-close animal encounters and giant sea life sculptures at the all new SEA Garden. SeaWorld water park, Aquatica® opened Orlando’s tallest and steepest free-fall waterslide with slides nearly 80 feet tall. Ihu’s Breakaway Falls is the only multi-drop tower slide of its kind. At Discovery Cove® visitors can swim with dolphins and ride Manta®, a facedown, headfirst roller coaster as well as experience the power and grace of killer whales in the Shamu® show, One Ocean. The
There are more than 21 nature adventures in Seminole including nature trails, airboat swamp tours, zip lines, river cruises and the Central Florida Zoo. Visitors can go manatee sightseeing, take airboat tours and experience the only Butterfly Conservatory in Central Florida at Lukas Butterfly Encounter. Osceola County has its share of the outdoor nature adventure attractions as well with zip lines through the swamp, airboat tours and rodeos. Osceola stays close to its cattle heritage with twice-yearly Silver Spurs Rodeo. On Saturday nights Westgate River Ranch hosts a family-friendly rodeo with its “calf scramble” where boys and girls try to remove a ribbon from a calf’s tail. Fifty miles from Orlando on Florida’s east coast is Kennedy Space Center. Learn about space where unmanned rockets still launch on a regular basis. Take a tour of exhibits, artifacts and displays as well as meet astronauts and visit the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame. Featured websites: Walt Disney World® Resort: disneyworld.disney.go.com Universal Orlando® Resort: universalorlando.com SeaWorld® Orlando: seaworld.com Kennedy Space Center: kennedyspacecenter.com VisitOrlando visitorlando.com
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Sports level and professional football games, music concerts and religious crusades. Historically the Orlando Citrus Bowl was the site of the 1994 World Cup Soccer, 1996 Olympic Soccer, and host to legendary performers such as The Rolling Stones, The Who, Genesis, Pink Floyd, Paul McCartney, George Strait, Bill Joel and Elton John. In the mid-80’s it was the site of The Billy Graham Evangelistic Crusade. The site is expected to be “game-ready” for its first event on Nov. 22, 2014 when Bethune-Cookman plays Florida A&M in the Florida Blue Classic.
Bright House Networks Stadium
Sports lovers have plenty of reasons to cheer
T
here’s no doubt the most exciting sports news of 2014 was the University of Central Florida’s Golden Knights football team trouncing top-seed Baylor University Bears 52-42 in the Knights first-ever Tostitos Fiesta Bowl championship held in Glendale, Ariz. Considered the underdogs, the team was coached to its historic victory by head coach George O’Leary who has led the Knights since 2004. The Knights returned to a victory party at UCF’s Bright House Networks Stadium where a cheering crowd nearly filled the 45,000-seat arena. The team won the American Athletic Conference (AAC) title in December when they beat Southern Methodist University (SMU) 17-13 in the Gerald J. Ford Stadium, in Dallas making them eligible for the Fiesta Bowl. Orlando’s NBA sports franchise, the Orlando Magic, have seen great success in its relatively short history, winning five division championships with seven 50plus winning seasons and capturing the Eastern Conference title in 1995 and 2009. Off the court, on an annual basis, the Orlando Magic gives more than $2 million to the local community by way of sponsorships of events, donated tickets, autographed merchandise, scholarships and grants, while Orlando Magic community relations programs impact an estimated 100,000 kids each year.
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In 2010, the Magic moved into the stateof-the-art Amway Center. The sports and entertainment venue, which is located in downtown Orlando in the Church Street District, is one of the most technologicallyadvanced venues in the world and was honored with TheStadiumBusiness Awards’ 2013 Customer Experience Award and named SportsBusiness Journal’s 2012 Sports Facility of the Year. The complex is also home to the Orlando Solar Bears of the East Coast Hockey League, whose season runs from October to April each year. Also playing in the new center for the first time this season are the Orlando Predators. Entering their 25th year in the Arena Football League (AFL) are the Orlando Predators. The team was recently purchased by one of Orlando’s wealthiest residents, David Siegel, CEO of Westgate Resorts. Their season runs from March to July. They ended the season as the South Division Champs. The team has made 20 playoff appearances, including seven division titles and two championships in 1998 and 2000. Currently being renovated is the Orlando Citrus Bowl. Originally built in 1936 with 10,000 seats, the last major expansion in 1989 increased its capacity to 50,000 seats. This latest expansion will allow more than 65,000 fans to enjoy college-
One of the area’s most memorable sporting events each spring is Arnold Palmer’s Bay Hill Invitational Golf Classic held at the Bay Hill Club and Lodge. The course was opened in 1961 along the Butler Chain of Lakes near Windermere. For 30 days each March, 15 Major League Baseball teams come to Florida for Spring Training and play in the Grapefruit League. Playing in the Metro Orlando area are the Atlanta Braves and the Houston Astros. The Braves play at Champion Stadium in Lake Buena Vista, part of ESPN Wide World of Sports at Walt Disney World. The Astros play at the Osceola County Stadium in Kissimmee. Featured websites: Orlando Magic nba.com/magic UCF Knights ucfknights.com Orlando Predators myorlandopredators.com Orlando Solar Bears orlandosolarbearshockey.com
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Shopping department stores, such as Nordstrom, Saks Fifth Avenue, Dillard’s, Coach, MAC Cosmetics and Macy’s, anchor more than 260 stores. Connected to the 511-room Florida Hotel and Conference Center, the mall will add two restaurants and retailers, including Michael Kors, Original Penguin and The Art of Shaving. Other malls exceeding one million square feet of space are Altamonte Mall, Seminole Towne Center Mall and Oviedo Marketplace which are all located in Seminole County and the Orlando Fashion Square currently undergoing renovations.
World-class shopping experiences abound
I
t’s a mall world after all right here in Central Florida, the happiest shopping place on earth especially with one of the most opulent malls in the state, an array of upscale designer outlet malls and quaint shopping districts of antiques and art. All totaled, there are a dozen or more major shopping malls in Metro Orlando. The stylish, world-class Mall at Millenia is the area’s most luxurious mall with its glittering, architecturally-designed grand entrances, food court, hallways and event spaces. Opened in 2002, the mall has saved the wealthy those long treks to Palm Beach seeking wares from the most prestigious designers and fashionistas. And no need to fly to New York each September to celebrate Fashion Week. The Mall at Millenia celebrates in style with fashion and trunk shows, celebrity guest appearances and champagne receptions. With more than 150 stores, the mall offers everything from the latest Apple gadgets to high-end apparel and merchandise from retailers such as Neiman Marcus, St. Laurent Paris, Prada, Tiffany & Co. and Cartier. There is also high fashion from Bloomingdales, H & M, Burberry, Gucci, St. John, Louis Vuitton, Hugo Boss, Christian Dior and Kenneth Cole. Opening their first boutiques this year are world-
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renowned luxury Swiss watchmakers Hublot, Omega and Breitling. The 1.1 million square foot mall provides valet parking, full-service concierge and currency exchange as well as access to nearby restaurants such as P.F. Chang, Cheesecake Factory and Sushi Katana. Simon Properties owns several area malls including three outlet malls. Two are on International Drive – Outlet Marketplace and Orlando Premium Outlets which offers more than 180 stores including Baccarat/Lalique and the only Victoria’s Secret outlet in the Southeast. Savvy shoppers can enlist the services of a personal shopper at Last Call by Neiman Marcus or at Saks Fifth Avenue OFF 5th. The Outlet Marketplace has 40 stores including Calvin Klein, American Eagle, Nine West Outlet, Reebok, Tommy Hilfiger and Puma.
For a change of scenery and pace, Winter Park’s old world charm beckons shoppers with its brick streets, historic buildings and a mini-version of Manhattan’s Central Park. On this half-mile stretch of Park Avenue are small upscale clothiers like Tuni, John Craig, and Nicole Miller whose shops dot the avenue along with independent stationers, jewelers and florists. National retailers like Restoration Hardware, Talbots’s, Williams Sonoma and Pottery Barn share sidewalk space with locallyowned boutiques and restaurants. In Seminole County, the spot for quintessential antiques and art is Sanford’s historic downtown district. The city hosts a monthly walking tour of antique shops and art galleries as well as a street party with live music, artists and food. In Osceola County, visitors can head to the small historic downtown area of Kissimmee to seek antiques, collectibles and art where the city’s buildings reflect a bygone era. Lanier’s Historic Downtown Marketplace is 18,000 square feet of antiques. Just down Main Street is Makinson Hardware, founded in 1884, the oldest hardware store still operating in Florida.
Simon’s third mall, Orlando Premium Outlets on Vineland Ave is located about 10 miles south near Lake Buena Vista and has 150 stores including Armani, Banana Republic, Brooks Brothers, CH by Carolina Herrera, Diane Von Furstenberg, Elle Tahari, Coach and Nike.
Featured websites:
Central Florida’s largest mall, just minutes from the Orlando International Airport, is The Florida Mall with 1.8 million square feet of space. Upscale
Fashion Square Mall orlandofashionsquare.com
Mall at Millenia, mallatmillenia.com Premium Outlets simon.com Seminole Towne Center Mall simon.com/mall/seminole-towne-center
The Florida Mall simon.com/mall/the-florida-mall
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Restaurants Winter Park - Park Avenue
Historic Winter Park has been a popular restaurant town for decades, from the charming outdoor cafes that line toney Park Avenue to the many superb restaurants scattered throughout the city including award-winning Luma on Park and sister restaurant Prato. On or near the Avenue there’s Café de France, Park Plaza Gardens, 310 Park South, Bosphorous Turkish Cuisine, The Wine Room, and even a Burger Fi. The newest restaurant to open is Hamilton’s Kitchen in the Alfrond Inn.
Talented chefs create a culinary destination
W
ith local creative chefs seeking to please the palates of both visitors and residents alike, here’s a sample of Metro Orlando’s popular dining areas:
Restaurant Row –
A dozen or so restaurants are intermingled with wine shops, gourmet chocolate boutiques, a bookstore and other specialty shops along several blocks of Sand Lake Road. Vines Grille & Wine Bar and Eddie V’s Prime Seafood are excellent choices both with live jazz on most nights in their upscale bars. Then there’s Rocco’s Tacos, Roy’s Restaurant, Seasons 52, Bonefish Grill, Ruth’s Chris Steak House making restaurant row a unique dining destination.
Winter Park and North
Hillstone Restaurant, always an aweinspiring place to watch the sunset on beautiful Lake Killarney, serves American cuisine. The award-winning Ravenous Pig and Cask & Larder restaurants are both owned by Chefs James and Julie Petrakis. Other restaurants include: The Coop and 4 Rivers Smokehouse, both owned by award-winning Chef John Rivers, Paco’s Mexican Restaurant, open in 1981 serving Tex-Mex cuisine, The Winter
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Park Fish Company which serves one of the best crab cakes around and newly opened Shake Shack. A fine dining experience in Winter Park on Lee Road is Christener’s Prime Steak & Lobster, one of Orlando’s oldest steakhouses. Winter Park Village, a vibrant outdoor shopping village, has a mix of shops, eateries, upscale chain stores and Regal Cinema’s 20-screen movie theater. Dining options include Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse, Mitchell’s Fish Market, P.F. Chang’s, Brio Tuscan Grille, The Cheesecake Factory and Fleming’s. North of the Village is Maitland where you can listen to live jazz at Jazz Tastings while enjoying delicious wine and famous shrimp and grits. The restaurant was named in 2014 by USA Today as one of the 10 Best NightLife locations. Eden Bar at the Enzian serves a full lunch and dinner menu as well as a theater menu for hungry theater-goers. The trendsetting venue offers first-run independent features and special events, such as the nationallyrecognized Florida Film Festival and is frequented by area artists, musicians, writers and celebs. Also in Maitland is Francesco’s Ristorante & Pizzeria which serves authentic Italian cuisine by Chef Francesco Aiello.
A mainstay on Park Avenue is Pannullo’s Italian Restaurant. Chef Richard Pannullo and his partner Michael Schwartz opened their restaurant on Park Avenue more than 20 years ago. “Everything we do here is freshly made, prepared to order,” said Chef Pannullo. “We buy top quality ingredients and give high quality service to our customers for reasonable prices.” Our Publisher frequents Pannullo’s for his favorite fresh veggie pizza. Zagat-rated Chez Vincent serves traditional French cuisine and is owned by Chef Vincent Gagliano. One can walk through the restaurant into its sister restaurant/piano lounge, Hannibal’s on the Square, which serves casual French cuisine.
Downtown Orlando
Dining in downtown Orlando is an upbeat experience as more people flock to the urban center to live, work and play. Among the popular places are Anthony’s Pizza Café, Kres Chophouse, KASA Restaurant & Raw Bar, The Boheme and Ceviche Tapas Bar & Restaurant. Our Publisher heads over to Chef Eddie’s when he wants good home-cooked soul food, such as slowed cooked barbeque, fried chicken, chicken and waffles and his favorite -- fresh collard greens. Thornton Park offers Shari Sushi where the restaurant became known for its high quality sushi and its Sushi Happy Hour. Other notable venues are Mingos, Dexter’s, CityFish, and Graffitti Junktion all offering luscious selections.
Restaurants
Ivanhoe Village
Just north of Orlando’s city center is a stretch of stylish, hip restaurants such as Santiago’s Bodega, a tapasstyle restaurant and bar known for their famous Sunday Brunch with unlimited mimosas and Ethos Vegan Kitchen, rated frequently by consumers as the best vegan/vegetarian restaurant. Mike Hennessy, owner of the award-winning White Wolf Café, which has been featured on “Rachel Ray’s $40 a Day” show, just opened Wolfie’s Pizzamia. Award-winning Gargi’s Lakeside Italian Ristorante overlooks Lake Ivanhoe and serves classic Italian cuisine. Newly opened in the area is Firebirds Wood Fired Grill in the Market at Mills Park.
Baldwin Park
To dine in style, head to the Village Center of Baldwin Park on New Broad Street where majestic 30-ft palm trees line the street all the way to the quiet fountain area of Lake Baldwin. Along the way is an array of restaurants including Zagat-rated Seito Sushi, Jack’s Steakhouse, CaddyShanks Sports Pub, Colibri Mexican Cuisine and Gator’s
Dockside Restaurant. Seito Sushi owner Jason Chin’s upscale casual restaurant, Osprey Tavern, will open in early 2015. The gastropub will feature new American cuisine, craft beer, fine wines and cocktails featuring small batch spirits and is located just across the street from Chin’s highly-acclaimed sushi restaurant. Linda’s LaCantina Steakhouse, an Orlando tradition since 1947, sits at one entrance of Baldwin Park on the corner of Colonial Drive and Lake Baldwin Lane and diners have consistently voted Linda’s as “The Best Steak House in Central Florida.”
Winter Garden
Due west of Orlando is Winter Garden, an historic city giving rise to new restaurants, shops, a farmer’s market and a garden theatre. Built in 1927, the Edgewater Hotel houses the awardwinning restaurant, The Chef’s Table, owned by Chefs Kevin and Laurie Tarter. For an entertaining evening, the Attic Door is a wine bar with appetizers, small sandwiches and live music.
Networking Events –
Newcomers can make new professional and social connections. . . Our Publisher states, “Orlando has America’s best networking events” and recommends: RedCarpetMonday.com®, a sophisticated social and business network featuring successful busi ness owner s, professionals and entrepreneurs. PressOnEvents.com is known for their annual Black and White party and Orlando Networking Parties. WinterParkAnnual.com CEO Anthony Dinova hosts more upscale and trendy events which are musts to attend says our Publisher. They include the annual Derby on Park, the Winter Park Wine and Dine and the Baldwin Park Sip. Orlando’s Godfather of fun, aka Mr. Bob Lee, CEO of LifeOrlando.com hosts his annual Purple Rain and always has an over-the-top Halloween bash.
Follow Scott Joseph
Metro Orlando’s most respected restaurant critic will keep you up-to-date about the area’s restaurant reviews, dining news, drinks and chef recipes at scottjosephorlando.com.
Redefining the sushi scene of Orlando
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Sandlake 8031 Turkey Lake Road, #700 Orlando, FL 32819 Phone: 407.248.8888
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MyNewCityOrlando.com | 61
Settling In Natural Gas Peoples Gas System peoplesgas.com 1-877-832-6747 Florida Public Utilities (Gas) fpuc.com 800.427.7712
Driver’s licenses and Vehicle registration Florida Government Services Online myflorida.com
Transportation E-Pass (a pre-paid account for toll roads) oocea.com 407-823-7277 Lynx Bus Service golynx.com 407-841-5969
Settling In Guide
H
ere are a few things you will need to know to make your process of moving into Central Florida a smooth move.
Dish Network dish.com 888-226-8370
For example, setting up just the right TV, Internet and unlimited Home Phone services with Bright House Networks has never been easier for new residents. The company’s services are available in the Orlando metro area – including Orange, Osceola and Seminole counties. Bright House products and services are provided on a monthly basis and don’t require long term contracts, or costly equipment deposits.
Water Service
Just call 1-855-803-4198 or visit brighthouse.com/moving to schedule an installation appointment that works for you.
Seminole County – 407-665-0000 seminolecountyfl.gov
Cable TV/Internet services
Orlando Utilities Commission ouc.com 407-423-9018
Bright House Network brighthouse.com/support/moving.html 1-855-803-4198 Comcast comcast.com 407-226-2004 CenturyLink DSL/DirectTV centurylink.com 800-201-4099 AT&T DSL/U-Verse®TV connectyourhome.com 800-219-6035
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Orlando Utilities Commission ouc.com 407-423-9018 Orange County – 407-836-3111 orangecountyfl.net Osceola County –407-742-2275 osceola.org
Electric
Duke Energy (formerly Progress Energy) progress-energy.com 800-700-8744 Florida Power & Light Company fpl.com 800-226-3545
Wellness & Fitness Centers YMCA Central Florida Family Centers ymcacentralflorida.com
SunRail Train sunrail.com 1-855-RAIL-411 Amtrak/Amtrak Auto Train amtrak.com 1-800-872-7245 Orlando International Airport orlandoairports.net 407-825-2001 Orlando-Sanford International Airport orlandosanfordairport.com 407-585-4000
Regional Information Orlando Regional REALTOR® Association orlandorealtors.org Orlando Regional Chamber of Commerce orlando.org Orlando Economic Development Commission orlandoedc.com VisitOrlando visitorlando.com Winter Park Chamber of Commerce winterpark.org Kissimmee/Osceola County kissimmeechamber.com experiencekissimmee.com Seminole County sanfordchamber.com visitseminole.com
Meet your New Business Partner We are that familiar face when you first enter a crowded room. A firm handshake and a warm introduction. That connection between the status quo and the promise of extraordinary opportunity. Whether you are new to Central Florida or an established business professional in the community, Orlando, Inc., the Orlando Regional Chamber of Commerce, is your strategic partner for success. With high-level networking opportunities, innovative events, exposure to dynamic, regional leaders and access to a wealth of tools and resources, we ensure that our members are equipped to achieve their individual goals. And as a prestigious “Five-Star Chamber”—the highest level of achievement awarded by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce—you can rest assured that you have partnered with the best.
Learn how we’re connecting our members to success! Call 407.835.2444 or visit Orlando.org.
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