Winter Park delights with its old world charm

Whether you are relocating, moving or already living in Winter Park, Florida you will find 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 AlbinPolasek Museum & Sculpture Gardens, The 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.

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.

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 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 (cityofwinterpark.org/Pages/Media/Videos/Webisodes.aspx) to the city’s 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 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 nationally-recognized 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.

Visitors to Winter Park will find a wonderful selection of hotel accommodations within walking distance of the downtown corridor including the new Alfond Inn, and the elegant Park Plaza Hotel (built in 1922).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 award-winning 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.

We are sure you will agree that after visiting our parks, shops, restaurants, museums, historic sites and other points of interest throughout the city such as the award-winning Farmer’s Market or enjoy you stay at the award-winning Alfond Inn, you’ll find the City of Winter Park is truly a unique community with an international appeal.

To learn more about Winter Park, visit:
City of Winter Park
Moving to Winter Park
Experience Park Avenue
Winter Park Chamber of Commerce
The Alfond Inn
Winter Park Scenic Boat Tour

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Nestled between the city and the burbs

Just two miles north of downtown Orlando is 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 pre-1940’s Orlando. 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 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.

With the development of luxury apartments along Lake Baldwin and construction of the remaining custom home lots completed, approximately 10,000 residents call Baldwin Park home. Find your new home visit Baldwin Park’s newest luxuryapartment communities Azul Baldwin Park and Baldwin Harbor.
Overlooking Lake Baldwin is the Baldwin Park Village Center, a mixed use development that includes apartments, office space, retail space, restaurants and bars.
At the heart of Village Center though is a thriving social and culinary experience 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 Jason Chin’s Zagat-rated Seito Sushi and his newly opened Osprey Tavern, Provisions and Buzz, Caddy Shanks Sports Pub, Calibri Mexican Cuisine and Gator’s Dockside Restaurant. Farris and Foster’s Chocolate Factory offers a wide variety of chocolates .

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.

View Featured Websites
Baldwin Park
Baldwin Harbor Luxury Apartments
Azul Luxury Apartment Living
Seito Sushi
The Osprey Tavern
Taste of Baldwin Park Food & Wine Festival

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Innovator in Living, Working, Learning, Thriving

On 11-square-miles in Southeast Orlando, a new kind of community has emerged. Designed from scratch and built by private investment organization Tavistock Group, Lake Nona, Orlando, Florida has evolved into one of the nation’s fastest growing communities that inspires institutions, people and business to thrive.

Anchored by clusters of excellence in health, sports, education and technology, Lake Nona has been intentionally planned with a pervasive culture of health and wellness. Lake Nona’s eco-system promotes activity, sustainability and social connection. A living lab, Lake Nona is defining what a healthy city can look like, where learning can be shared and reapplied in other communities.

World-class learning opportunities are numerous, as are trails, parks and lakes, which characterize the landscape. Lake Nona offers an abundance of home options, diverse workspaces and recreational features. New retail and entertainment venues sit alongside Lake Nona Medical City, a life sciences cluster pioneering modern health care innovations. The United States Tennis Association’s National Campus will open later this year and will serve as the hub of Lake Nona’s Sports and Performance District, which will also be home to the Orlando City Soccer Club’s training campus. The emerging athletic district focuses on research, design, innovation and technology.

A home for everyone

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. Below is an overview of some of Lake Nona’s residential communities.

Lake Nona Golf & Country Club

Lake Nona Golf & Country Club is a world-class, luxury community nestled along the shores of Lake Nona. The 600-acre community features a Tom Fazio-designed championship golf course, clubhouse, guest lodge, Bath & Racquet Club, children’s programming and 24-hour security.

Laureate Park

Laureate Park is an altogether wired-in, 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 modern transitional architecture. The community’s Village Center is home to a multi-million dollar Aquatic Center, Canvas Restaurant and Market, fitness facility, and features a glass house by renowned artist Tom Fruin.

Lake Nona Water Mark Apartments

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.

Landon House Apartments

Landon House is the newest addition to the Lake Nona community. The residences combine modern luxury and sophistication with Lake Nona’s focus on sustainability, health and wellness for an unmatched lifestyle. Each of the 280 apartment homes features open floor plans with high-end finishing’s across a variety of one, two and three bedroom floor plans. Landon House embodies the active, high-energy lifestyle Lake Nona is known for, with community-focused, resort-style amenities and entertainment options.

The Human Performance Institute

Helping leaders expand their energy and perform at their personal best is what the Johnson & Johnson Human Performance Institute has been a pioneer in studying since its co-founding by Drs. Jim Loehr and Jack Groppel. Built on more than 30 years of proprietary research and training with elite performers, the Institute’s team is comprised of expert performance coaches, exercise physiologists and nutritionists that together have trained countless elite performers in high stress areas from Olympic medalists, professional athletes, CEOs, hostage rescue teams and military Special Forces.

The Johnson & Johnson Human Performance Institute is situated on a nine-acre campus at Lake Nona and consists of a conference center, comprehensive testing and diagnostic facilities, a state-of-the-art fitness center and a world-class tennis center.

The institute is a division of Johnson & Johnson Health & Wellness Solutions, Inc., and its products and services underscore the global company’s commitment to promoting health and wellness as a way of reducing healthcare-related costs, improving overall employee health and increasing productivity.

Lake Nona Medical City

The 650-acre health and life sciences cluster known as Lake Nona Medical City is a landmark for Orlando and a premier location for innovative medical care, research and education. Carefully planned and laid out, Lake Nona Medical City represents a deliberate strategy to create a centralized focus on sophisticated medical treatment, research and education in Central Florida.

In just the last seven years, Lake Nona Medical City has become home to some of the nation’s top hospitals, universities, research institutions and health and life science companies. Already Lake Nona Medical City’s pioneering institutions are forming networks and synergies making Orlando a global destination for health care, research and medical education while creating an economic development and job creation engine for the region.

Medical City is anchored by:

University of Central Florida Health Sciences Campus
Orlando VA Medical Center
Nemours Children’s Hospital
University of Florida Academic & Research Center
GuideWell Innovation Center

Sports & Performance District

USTA

Opening in 2016, the United States Tennis Association’s $100 million USTA National Campus in Lake Nona will feature 102 courts which will make it the largest tennis complex in the U.S.

This 63-acre facility will house the USTA’s Community Tennis and Player Development divisions, and will be divided into dedicated areas that will focus on the complete tennis pathway – from the youngest players to recreational layers, to collegians, to future professional players and to professional tour level players. An on-site stadium will be able to accommodate two matches simultaneously and seat 1,200 spectators.

Orlando City Lions

Earlier this year, the Orlando City Soccer Club announced its arrival to Lake Nona with the development of a brand new, state-of-the-art 23-acre training facility, next to the U.S. Tennis Association’s National Campus. The new training facility will house the Lions of Major League Soccer (MLS), Orlando City B of the United Soccer League (USL), and the Club’s Elite Youth Academy. The campus will include six practice pitches (two lighted) and a training facility with a state-of-the-art fitness center, player’s clubhouse, locker rooms, film rooms, offices and an injury prevention and rehabilitation center.

Tavistock Development Company

Tavistock Development Company is a diversified real estate firm, specializing in the thoughtful planning, design and construction of new, innovative property developments, owned by Tavistock Group, the international private investment organization. Located in the vibrant and thriving City of Orlando, Tavistock’s real estate portfolio is highlighted by Lake Nona, the 11-square-mile, award-winning, master-designed community.

Fortune Magazine, in a June 2014 article entitled How to Build a Great American City said, “In the past decade, Tavistock . . . has created a thriving mini-metropolis at Lake Nona . . . one that may ultimately transform the region.”

To learn more about Lake Nona, visit lakenona.com

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Luxurious natural beauty enhances appeal

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.

Pristine 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.

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 3,000 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 more than 20 years.

According to Neighborhood Scout, a neighborhood information search engine, Windermere was selected as the No. 1 place in Florida for families with children. 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.
The town’s downtown roundabouts, town greens, bricked streets, extensive landscaping, pedestrian sidewalks and underground utilities provide 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 of people. On the fourth Friday of the month Windermere hosts its Food Truck Roundup. Add its Fall Festival, Treebute, Easter Eggstravaganza, Halloween Spooktacular and its Christmas Light Up Windermere and you have a community that prides itself in being family friendly.

To learn more about Windermere, visit:
City of Windermere
Isleworth

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