by Beth Kassab | Dec 5, 2024 | City Commission, Historic Preservation, Library, News, Uncategorized
New Public Art Collection map reveals hidden treasures
The project catalogs Winter Park’s vast collection, which includes every “Best of Show” piece from the annual Sidewalk Art Festival
Dec. 5, 2024
By Beth Kassab
For the first time, the city’s collection of more than 90 pieces of art is searchable through a detailed catalog that provides photos, descriptions and an interactive map.
The new database, which is the handiwork of the Public Art Advisory Board and the city’s communications staff, provides the most comprehensive and publicly accessible ways of finding and viewing — in-person or online — Clyde Butcher’s photography, Albin Polasek’s sculptures and dozens more artists who create everything from jewelry and tapestry to watercolors and woodwork.
This photograph called “Ochopee” by Clyde Butcher taken in the Florida Everglades is part of the city’s public collection.
“The advisory board has been working on this for about a year,” said Craig O’Neil, the board’s liaison and assistant director of communications.
O’Neil said he couldn’t venture a guess as to the dollar value of the city’s collection, but that it would be an interesting figure to track down.
A number of pieces are undoubtedly valuable. For example, the public collection includes five sculptures by Polasek, whose former Lake Osceola home is now a museum, and whose work has sold at auction for tens of thousands of dollars.
A little less than a decade ago, city leaders decided to dub Winter Park the “City of Arts & Culture” and lean in to its identity as the place recognized for sidewalk art festivals, at least six museums, historic homes and a liberal arts college known for its music and theater programs.
“Mother Crying Over the World” is a sculpture by Albin Polasek in the city’s collection.
That effort also includes the formation of the Arts & Culture Alliance, which aims to market Winter Park as an arts destination.
O’Neil said the hope is that more people will utilize the map and catalog to take more notice of the art in public spaces such as local parks, City Hall (where the current “Best in Show” winner is displayed) and the library and events center. Most of the former “Best in Show” winners dating back to 1969 are housed in the library.
The city is actively accepting donations to its collection. And there are more public acquisitions in the works.
Leaders are planning to put out a call to artists for works to be installed at Seven Oaks Park, which is under construction. The Public Art Advisory Board would lead that process.
Last year the City Commission unanimously approved a plan to dedicate 10% of any increase in the Unassigned General Fund each year to the board, it’s first-ever dedicated funding source. That’s the same formula the city uses to devote money to the acquisition of park land, a plan that has raised about $1 million since it went into place in 2003 at an average of more than $50,000 a year, according to city estimates at the time of the approval.
You can search the collection catalog and map here.
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by Beth Kassab | Nov 26, 2024 | City Commission, Library, News, Uncategorized, Zoning and Development
City lets go of Post Office dream and will spend dollars elsewhere
The new spending plan for the Community Redevelopment Agency will focus on infrastructure that could help lure workforce housing near Interstate 4
Nov. 26, 2024
By Beth Kassab
After years of hoping the federal government would sell the land for the Winter Park Post Office on New York Avenue so that the city could expand Central Park, commissioners decided to use the money they saved for the purchase on other projects.
The nearly $7 million set aside in the Community Redevelopment Agency budget for the post office land will be used instead to help pay for a number of other needs such as intersection improvements at West Fairbanks Avenue and Denning Drive, new restrooms in the West Meadows and more.
Mayor Sheila DeCiccio noted in the meeting of the CRA board earlier this month that if the federal government ever does decide to sell the land, the city could finance the acquisition in other ways such as floating bonds.
She referenced how the Public Art Advisory Board is currently seeking permission to restore the historic mural on the side of the post office building — yet another project that will require the hard-to-comeby cooperation from the federal agency.
“The arts board is trying to clean up the mural and they will have to deal with them so good luck to them,” DeCiccio said.
With the reallocation of the post office funds and expected additional dollars as a result of the new expanded boundaries of the CRA down Fairbanks to Interstate 4, the board approved the outline of a new spending plan. The agency’s revenue is projected to be $9.1 million this year and grow to $10.4 million by 2029, according to city documents.
The spending plan includes:
- $10 million in 2028 and 2029 on U.S. 17-92 streetscape enhancements
- $5.1 million for MLK Park Improvements
- About $14 million on a variety of drainage, stormwater and other infrastructure improvements highlighted by recent studies to prevent flooding. The projects include MLK Park, West Fairbanks, Canton Avenue and Killarney Estates.
- $4.5 million for the intersection at Fairbanks and Denning, including the recently approved acquisition of land there.
- $1.2 million to add surface parking for the Library and Events Center.
- $1 million for a “Park Avenue Refresh.” The city is currently asking residents to fill out a survey that asks about satisfaction with landscaping, lighting, shade and other features.
- $1.2 million on construction of restrooms in the West Meadow of Central Park
City Manager Randy Knight said the improvements on West Fairbanks near I-4 in the newest area of the CRA have the potential to lead to big changes there.
“They lack the infrastructure for a serious redevelopment because of the flooding and septic there,” he said.
The work planned by the city along with potential new zoning will pave the way for more sweeping changes to the corridor and “we hope some workforce-type housing” in the area, Knight said.
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by Beth Kassab | Nov 22, 2024 | City Commission, News, Uncategorized, Zoning and Development
Winter Park Commission to consider how to fix storm flooding
The idea of floating new bonds emerged at a work session last month, but an increase in stormwater fees already in motion may do the trick
Nov. 22, 2024
By Beth Kassab
When commissioners meet next month for their final meeting of the year, they are likely to consider one of the city’s most pressing ongoing problem: how to control flooding highlighted by a series of major storms in recent years.
City staff is finishing recommendations for where to start when it comes to a list of as much as $40 million worth of proposed fixes in Winter Park and, in some cases, extending into neighboring Orlando, Orange County and Seminole County.
Those include running new pipes to connect lakes to better manage heavy downpours, replacing culverts and expanding ditches.
Such projects may not make for the most compelling City Commission debates — they are the kind of thing most residents don’t think about until they can’t drive down a street because of flooding or until they can see lake levels rising and threatening homes and businesses.
But it’s that nitty gritty of local government that has proven crucial to hurricane recovery and quality of life, especially in the wake of Hurricane Ian in 2022 and then Milton and Helene this year.
“There is politics and people can disagree on politics,” said Charles Ramdatt, director of Public Works and Transportation at a City Commission work session last month. “But science is science and what we observe is reality. And there’s no disagreement that we’re getting more frequent storm events. We have more frequent major events as well.”
Specific projects and estimated costs were identified in three studies the city paid for to determine ways to improve how stormwater is stored and managed.
They include $4.6 million to add a pump station and expand Lake Mendsen at MLK Park just outside the Library & Events Center. Surrounding neighborhoods have routinely seen flooding after storms. There’s also the idea of running a pipe (estimated at nearly $600,000) to connect Lake Mendsen to Lake Rose, the former Winter Park sinkhole just a few blocks away at the corner of Fairbanks Avenue and Denning Drive, which is known to flood at times.
Also on the list are about $600,000 worth of improvements to Lake Killarney. And there are multiple proposed lake connection such as from Lake Knowles to Lake Maitland (at $2.2 million) and Lake Grace to Lake Forest and Lake Sue (at more than $2 million).
In some cases, neighboring Orlando or the counties could contribute to the cost of the fixes.
Mayor Sheila DeCiccio said at the recent workshop that she wants to make sure the projects truly make a difference in the places where people have experienced storm flooding.
“I’m very concerned because I’m not sure how these fixes are going to fix the flooding on Morse (Boulevard) or Denning … into streets and homes,” she said. “I don’t know if it’s enough.”
Ramdatt said aging infrastructure is also part of the problem and told commissioners his department will soon have its own diagnostic equipment to help locate leaky underground pipes or other concerns.
“It’s like doing a cardiac cath,” he said, likening the investigations to when a doctor examines heart valves for leaks or blockages and makes fixes to improve the patient’s health and heart efficiency. “So we’re going to do that analysis to understand those and fix those.”
Commissioners also considered how residents will pay for the improvements.
In some cases, the newly expanded Community Redevelopment Agency — which is allowed to hold on to tax dollars that would otherwise go to Orange County — can pay for some projects, particularly on the west side of the city near Fairbanks and Interstate 4 and in the central business corridor.
Some commissioners said they were in favor of also asking voters to approve issuing new bonds to cover the expenses. But there likely wouldn’t be enough time to get the question on the March ballot, when two commission seats are also up for election and voters will decide on whether to keep the ban on gas-powered leaf blowers.
Knight said it’s possible the higher stormwater fees already approved by the commission will be enough to pay for the projects. Residents started paying an extra penny last year and will go up again by a penny next year. Those payments generated $700,000 the first year and an estimated $1.4 million this year.
The fees are calculated on the amount of impervious surface (generally concrete) on a homeowner’s lot at 7 cents per square foot this year.
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by Beth Kassab | Nov 14, 2024 | City Commission, News, Uncategorized, Zoning and Development
City to be new landlord for Michelin-star restaurant and Austin's Coffee in $4 million deal
The mayor says leases on the property will be honored, but the city needs the land for drainage and road projects
Nov. 14, 2024
By Beth Kassab
City Commissioners voted unanimously to pay $4 million for an acre of land on the corner of Fairbanks Avenue and Denning Drive that is home to Chef Michael Collantes’ Soseki, which earned a Michelin star in 2022, and longtime community spot Austin’s Coffee.
The vote came after owners of the businesses made pleas for the city to allow them to continue to operate or help them relocate.
Mayor Sheila DeCiccio said the seller of the property approached the city and “if we don’t buy it, it will go to someone else.”
City officials have eyed the land for roughly 20 years as a potential piece needed to widen the busy intersection to improve traffic flow, add stormwater drainage and grow neighboring MLK Park, popular for its playing fields.
Chef Michael Collantes
“In addition to the left turn lanes … there will also be an opportunity to expand the park,” DeCiccio said. “So what I want to make clear is when we purchase this, we are not looking to terminate any leases. We are not looking to buy them out. We are looking to honor the leases there.”
But that promise didn’t alleviate trepidation from Collantes who spoke to the commission and noted the more than $1 million investment he has in the intimate modern omakase-style restaurant. He also has other concepts in the building including Bar Kada, home to a large sake collection, and is set to open Perla’s Pizza Cocktails and more next year. He has lease options on the property that run through 2035.
“We put in quite a big amount of money in infrastructure,” he told commissioners. “I would hate to pick up and move this amazing restaurant and move outside of the city of Winter Park.”
Jackie Moore, co-owner of Austin’s, said her lease is set to expire next year and questioned whether adding left turn lanes would make a noticeable difference for motorists.
“If a turn lane is put in, it would take seconds off, not minutes off,” she said, referencing a conversation she had with officials at the state Department of Transportation. “You would be displacing businesses that have been there for decades.”
She added that the city should compensate the business owners if they are forced to move.
The 1-acre property at 929 W. Fairbanks Avenue is owned by a company managed by Andrew Dubill, a principal in Avanti Properties Group based on nearby Pennsylvania Avenue.
The seller was not at the meeting but City Manager Randy Knight stepped out at one point to phone the property company’s representative after commissioners asked for 75 days rather than 60 days for due diligence before finalizing the deal. The seller agreed to the change.
Commissioners discussed whether they might lower the price they are willing to pay if the due diligence turns up code violations or environmental damage from former businesses that will require costly work.
“We would either have them fix it or reduce the purchase price accordingly and go in and fix it ourselves,” DeCiccio said.
Knight said it could take years before the turn lanes are added or the other projects take place such as the beautification of Lake Rose — now the name of the famous 1981 sinkhole that swallowed a home and at least five Porches at a repair shop.
At least some of the businesses could still operate even if that work is underway, perhaps with a reorienting of the building entrances toward the park. The six leases, which expire between 2025 and 2035, bring in about $180,000 in rent each year.
The city will use $1 million from the parks acquisition fund and $3 million from the newly-expanded Community Redevelopment District to cover the purchase price.
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by Beth Kassab | Oct 31, 2024 | City Commission, News, Uncategorized
Orange commission approves Winter Park CRA and arts funding
The Winter Park Playhouse and the Rollins art museum will benefit from tourist development tax funding set aside for community groups
Oct. 31, 2024
By Beth Kassab
The Orange County Commission this week approved two major milestones for Winter Park — an infusion of dollars that will allow major arts projects to move forward and an extension and expansion of the city’s Community Redevelopment Agency.
Heather Alexander, the co-founder and executive director of the Winter Park Playhouse, expressed relief after the unanimous vote of the commission that will keep the beloved community musical theater in Winter Park after it nearly lost its lease. Without the TDT dollars, the future of the organization was uncertain.
“I cried … my husband was to the right of me and he grabbed my hand and he was like, ‘OK this is it,’ and one of the commissioners made the motion and as soon as they said it was unanimous I just burst into tears,” she said. “It was a big day for arts and culture.”
The playhouse project, through a partnership with the city of Winter Park to purchase and renovate its current building after nearly losing its lease, will receive $8 million between now and 2028. The city will own the building and the playhouse will continue to operate as a nonprofit there through a long-term lease.
The same vote also secured $10 million for the Rollins Art Museum, which made a bid to take over the old Winter Park Library but was pushed aside for the Blue Bamboo Center for the Arts.
Other groups receiving TDT dollars include:
- City of Apopka: $13.1 million to construct and improve softball fields, the amphitheater and other facilities. Estimated total cost of the project is $13.3 million.
- 4R Foundation: $12 million for a community events center plus and outdoor stage and lawn at 4Roots Campus, which also includes a farm and classroom space in Orlando’s Packing District neighborhood. Estimated total cost of the project is $65 million.
- Orlando Science Center: $13.9 million enlarge and remodel the outdoor terrace and event venue. Estimated total cost of the project is $14.1 million.
- Rollins College: $10 million to construct a new art museum for new art museum. Estimated total project cost is $30.6 million.
- Orlando Philharmonic Plaza Foundation: $2.1 million to improve the auditorium, including a patron’s room. Estimated total project cost is $3.1 million.
- Winter Garden Art Association: $4 million for a new museum next to the current space. Estimated total cost of the project is $7 million.
- Orlando Family Stage: $5.8 million to remodel and operate the auditorium. Estimated total project cost is $7.6 million.
- City of Winter Park : $8 million to acquire, enlarge and remodel the Winter Park Playhouse. Estimated cost of the total project is $10 million.
- Friends of the Mennello: $2 million (request was $13 million) to enlarge and improve the folk art museum. Estimated total cost is $30 million.
- Orlando Museum of Art: $2 million (request was $7.2 million) to repair the roof and HVAC system. Total cost of the project is estimated at $7.5 million.
- PAST/Wells’ Built Museum: $2 million (request was $5 million) to acquire the property and construct and improve the museum and auditorium. Estimated total cost is $10 million.
At the same meeting, the county took the final step to continue Winter Park’s CRA until at least 2037 rather than sunset it in 2027 and grow the boundaries along Fairbanks Avenue toward Interstate 4.
Larger boundaries mean more property tax revenue that would typically go to the county government will remain in Winter Park for projects such as sewer infrastructure, road improvements and other needs.
The new CRA, which is controlled by the City Commission, is projected to generate between $162 million and $213 million in revenue through 2037.
“It’s a very elegant mechanism to make sure more of our taxpayer dollars stay with the city,” said Peter Moore, director of management and budget, at a city meeting earlier this year.
CRA’s are used across Florida by cities and counties as a way to finance redevelopment and specific projects. It works like this: property values within a CRA’s boundaries are frozen at a certain year — in this case that year would be 2023. Then, as values rise, any taxes on those properties collected above the frozen amount go into a CRA fund rather than back to the city and county that would typically collect them. (The city and county still collect taxes each year up to the frozen amount and school board taxes are not affected.)
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by Beth Kassab | Oct 18, 2024 | Election, News, Uncategorized
Steve Leary and Kelly Semrad in final fundraising stretch for District 5 Orange County race
The two are on the Nov. 5 ballot in the only open seat this year for the Orange County Commission
Oct. 18, 2024
By Beth Kassab
Former Winter Park Mayor Steve Leary remains the fundraising leader in the District 5 Orange County Commission race against UCF Professor Kelly Semrad with donors from the tourism and development industries continuing to drive his total.
Leary raised $322,000 and spent $218,000 through his campaign account and a political committee he also controls, according to the most recent filings. The bulk of that came in before the August primary, when Leary trailed Semrad to a second place finish by 2,800 votes.
Recent Leary campaign donations include $12,000 from hotelier and philanthropist Harris Rosen and his companies plus another $1,000 from Frank Santos, a member of Rosen’s executive team.
On Thursday, Leary posted an endorsement from Rosen on his campaign Facebook page in which Rosen says Leary is “the ONLY candidate qualified to serve.” Leary wrote that he is proud to have Rosen’s support and called him a “TRUE tourism expert” — an apparent dig at Semrad, who is known as an expert in tourism economies and conducts research and teaches at UCF’s college of hospitality management named for Rosen.
Neither Leary nor his campaign responded to a request for an interview for this story.
The Central Florida Hotel & Lodging Association’s political committees recently gave Leary $2,000.
Another $2,000 came came from a company affiliated with the developers behind the proposed Sustanee project that includes nearly 2,000 homes on ranchlands in east Orange County. The developers sued the county over the commission’s rejection of the project earlier this year.
Kelly Cohen, a lobbyist for Lake Nona developer Tavistock, which is also attempting to develop additional rural lands, gave $500. Developer Alan Ginsburg and BusinessForce, the political committee for the Orlando Chamber of Commerce, each gave $1,000.
Development of rural lands and how the county should divvy up the dollars collected from the Tourism Development Tax are key issues in the District 5 contest as well as the races for Districts 1 and 3.
The Nov. 5 ballot also includes two questions for voters related to development. The first asks voters to designate a rural boundary in the county and the second would give the County Commission the power to stop potential developers from voluntarily annexing their land into other jurisdictions such as the city of Orlando.
Leary has said he supports establishing the rural boundary, but has not answered a question that would give the rural boundary measure its teeth: Whether he supports the move to allow the county commission to block annexations by the cities.
Semrad is a vocal advocate of both ballot questions and is also pushing for more tourist tax money to be spent on local projects such as transportation vs needs exclusive to the tourism industry.
She has trailed in fundraising with a total of $86,000 so far, according to the available filings. She does not have a political action committee.
Her contributions include $1,000 from Orlando Democrat Rep. Maxwell Frost’s political committee, $500 from Ruth’s List and $1,000 from the Orange County Firefighter’s Association. Her supporters also include local names such as political pundit and advocate Dick Batchelor ($250); retired Judge Cynthia McKinnon ($100) and others.
Semrad said she knows she won’t make up the fundraising gap between her and Leary, but is focusing on talking with as many voters as possible.
“We’ve got more than 100 volunteers who knock on doors every weekend and waive signs,” she said.
While few voters open to door to talk with canvassers face-to-face, she’s noticed many speak to her or the volunteers via phone through their doorbell camera apps — either from inside their homes or wherever they happen to be.
“Those interactions have been way more informative,” she said. “They’ll say, ‘I love your platform,’ … Our numbers are coming in really strong.”
While Leary has a significant fundraising lead over Semrad, he is behind the top fundraisers in Districts 1 and 3 where Austin Arthur raised about $500,000 through his campaign account and political committee and and Mayra Uribe has raised nearly $500,000 through her campaign and committees that have supported her.
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