No Takers to Develop Portion of Seven Oaks Park
Developers like East End Market’s John Rife says the park first needs stronger programming. Green space advocates are happy the park will remain untouched
Nov. 4, 2025
By Beth Kassab
There were no eligible responses on the city’s request for developers to submit ideas to build a cafe, shop or other concept at Seven Oaks Park, the new 2.4-acre open space at North Orange Avenue and South Denning Drive.
With hardly any interest, the city closed the request for negotiations to develop a portion of the park (red outline in above photo at top of page). The city rejected the single response it received and would not answer questions about it, citing a public records exemption that keeps the response inaccessible to the public for up to 12 months.
City spokeswoman Clarissa Howard said the City Commission could decide to try again to solicit interest, but no date has been set for a discussion.
Mayor Sheila DeCiccio advocated to push forward with a plan to “activate” the park, which opened earlier this year, because she said nearby business owners “desperately” wanted to see something happen there.
The park opened in February, a culmination of an effort by the city to purchase the land and transform it into a public open space in the middle of a busy urban corridor. But critics have noted that the park is often empty and offers little refuge from the sun because the oaks planted there have yet to mature enough to provide shade.
On many days, the parking lot that accompanies the park is busier than the park itself with patrons finding a spot there to visit Foxtail Coffee, Buttermilk Bakery and a number of other popular businesses in the area.
John Rife, who developed East End Market on Orlando’s Corrine Drive, said he was interested in the property but the economics don’t make sense for now. The city’s request to negotiate on the project required the developer would pay a ground lease to the city.
“I did East End Market not because I hoped people would show up, but because we had already been nurturing a bunch of purveyors,” in the Audubon Park neighborhood, said Rife, who opened the market 12 years ago.
He said the city might generate more interest if it first establishes good temporary programming in the park that “serves the needs of the neighborhood first.”
For example the corridor has at least a half dozen interior design businesses within a few blocks.
So perhaps, he said, a “design pop-up” could occupy the park for a weekend. It could be a way to nurture new talent that can’t afford permanent Winter Park rents.
“If your mission is to incubate cool upcoming stuff then you have to subsidize it,” said Rife, who is a Winter Park resident. “Is this a top dollar thing? Or is a thing for the betterment of the community? I think it’s hard to do both.”
He suggested one key step would be for the city to make it as easy as possible for people to pitch ideas and host temporary programming in the park to generate activity.
Winter Park moved its popular Farmer’s Market to Seven Oaks one day last month rather than close it during the weekend of the Autumn Art Festival. The Farmer’s Market will be held at Seven Oaks again on Nov. 15 to avoid a conflict with the annual Cows ‘N Cabs charity event.
Not everyone in Winter Park was on board with the plan to develop a piece of the park.
Leslie Kemp Poole, a member of the Winter Park Land Trust and a professor of environmental studies at Rollins College, said Seven Oaks needs more time for residents to discover it. She noted the foresight of city leaders to protect the land as green space rather than see it developed into another office building as an investment in Winter Park’s future.
“There are complaints that the Seven Oaks isn’t being ‘activated’ or used enough,” Poole said in an email. “Judging it in 98-degree Florida summers hammered by daily lightning storms is hardly fair. Now, with cooler weather, residents are beginning to discover and enjoy it.”
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This park was a ridiculous boondoggle from the start! The $$ should have gone to Mead Gardens, a park already in the ” neighborhood. And the trees were bought on the cheap and not the best quality. And to Leslie’s quote about the heat or the residents need more time to discover the park. C’mon! There isn’t a Winter Park resident who doesn’t know about the park, it’s been a hot topic for years! And the heat, well my gosh, it’s only been hot for 9-10 months a year in Winter Park since time began! Further, the ground lease has also scared folks away. I will concede the expanded parking has been a blessing to residents, customers and the businesses for sure!
Ms. Poole is right. Let’s see if people use the park in the months we have where the weather is nice, not intolerable. Also, what’s wrong with a little green space, even it’s not teaming with people? How many home design stores or failed chicken finger eateries do we need?
The City’s resources are not only for merchants, but also, occasionally, for the people who live here.
Good point Leslie Kemp Poole!
Let’s see what cooler weather brings.
This is what happens when elected officials and their supporters prioritize an ideology rather than the best interest of their constituents.
Peter,
To be clear, so that one can understand your point, what specific ideology are you referencing?
The land was turned into park not because there was a documented need, but because a small group of people were of the opinion that we need more park space at any cost even though we currently have 60% more park land than our generous standard of 10 acres per thousand residents (491 acres vs. 300). The cost was $5.5 million in direct cost plus $15 to $20 million in opportunity cost if the land were sold. Imagine how we could improve all our parks with that money! When feelings and ideology trump common sense the residents lose. Total boondoggle.
I try to avoid participating in these chats, but as someone who has lived near that site for almost 25 years, the park is a welcome refresh. The area had been neglected for years. Those of us who have cherished walking/running regularly in the neighborhood have done so with growing safety concerns due to the increased sightings of someone sleeping in the bushes or in the scrub across the street. The park serves as a gateway to the beautiful Mead Garden down the street. It’s nice that the park is not packed with people and instead serves as quiet green space where there is room to just be. Not everything has to generate huge activity.
This property was an empty, garbage-strewn lot/blight for decades. It’s now been transformed into a fantastic park. Kudos to the City for improving the character of the neighborhood.
Just because thousands aren’t flocking to it doesn’t take away from it’s benefit(s). Ever visited Beverly Hills, CA? They have a similar Will Rogers Park which isn’t overrun with the masses; and acts as a beautification gateway for their City.
Beautiful greenspaces improve the value of the area.
If you want 3 story mixed use garbage development please visit Baldwin Park.
When it opened, I thought it would have been better called “Seven Oaks Parking Lot.” It didn’t really live up to the conceptualized drawings. Heck, I thought those design-forward restrooms were gonna be a performance space. But I walk through the park at least five days a week now and it’s growing on me. Yes, give it time. And schedule more cool events there. Although I am a bit concerned those Seven Oaks aren’t gonna make it. They’re looking kinda scrawny …
Re: Using 7 Oak for the Farmers’ Market
I went to the Farmers’ Market the last time it was held at 7 Oaks (the weekend of the Autumn Art Festival) and was shocked to find out the 7 Oaks parking lot was NOT allowed to be used by those of us visiting the Farmers’ Market. There was a sign at the entrance that specifically said, “no Farmers’ Market parking.”
If the 7 Oaks parking lot is off limits to someone attending an event at 7 Oaks Park, who is going to come?
It’s a public parking lot that you paid for. Park there it’s yours.
When is the social media advertised food truck and music or movie event taking place?
Great time of year for outdoor events!!! Enjoy the beautiful winter park!!!
The 7 Oaks Park is a wonderful addition to our City of Parks, including Mead Gardens. It is money well spent to keep the land an open green space, with nice plantings, and places to sit and enjoy being outside. It doesn’t need to attract commercial activities. It’s already doing what it was meant to do. As with anything built for the general public, it won’t be what everyone would like it to be – you can’t please everyone! It will take time for it to grow into a mature park, so we can only hope that the public will show some patience and love.
Thank you, Leslie. Let me share our Winter Park Land Trust policy statement with WP Voice readers.
Resolution of Winter Park Land Trust, August 26, 2025
The Winter Park Land Trust has a crystal-clear mission: to protect and expand greenspace within the city of Winter Park. More nature, park space, and natural shade a mature tree canopy throughout this prized community will make it a healthier and happier place to live. Seven Oaks Park was recently completed. Patience is needed for this green space to be given more time to mature, for people to discover it, and for development to take place in areas close to the park. The Winter Park Land Trust is against placing development and a new building in the park, thus reducing green space. It goes against our mission. We believe there are already plenty of retail development and buildings in Winter Park.
I was not in favor of this specific park, but do agree generally speaking with the Winter Park Land Trust’s position on increasing and preserving green space in Winter Park. I 100% agree with no development in Seven Oaks Park.
‘Oh what a tangled web we weave/ When first we practice to deceive,‘ Sir Walter Scott.
Seven Oaks Park is a $5,000,000 talisman for the anti-OAO folks, elected and unelected. It’s meant to prove their whacky thesis that a park adjacent to a busy street carrying 17,000 cars a day can be a fun, family-friendly, calm oasis destination in a busy town, and you don’t need people.
Do you truly want to “activate” this park for the neighboring businesses, Madame Mayor? Then allow a retail/office/apartment to be built on the RR tracks. A small mixed-use will attract people all day long.
Developed over decades, Winter Park’s Comprehensive Plan and zoning ordinances have proven to be the basis for increasing property values faster than any area in the tri-county area. Increasing property values are a measure of wealth growth for property owners. Our cultural venues, greenspace and parks also contribute significantly to property value increases and our quality of life. The Winter Park formula-for-success that has produced these benefits is an “ideology” that I can support going forward. I’m proud to have served the City by upholding those ideals. Let’s keep moving forward with our special formula that has worked well for decades.
“We can never have enough of nature.” –Henry David Thoreau.
Our property values are driven by market demand, location, and high-end neighborhoods like the Vias and the neighborhoods surrounding the Chain of Lakes. Updating the Comprehensive Plan to allow responsible commercial development along Orange Avenue, Fairbanks, Minnesota, or Lee Road won’t drive values down — it will create the balanced growth that keeps our city vibrant.
Here’s the question we should really be asking: if developments like Ravaudage and the Paseo were supposedly examples of “bad” planning, they why do our property values continue to climb?
7 Oaks Park could have been paid for by a developer and designed as a true green space with community activation. Instead, we ended up with a commissioner-driven project that’s part park, and a massive parking lot, and now taxpayers are footing the bill for fixes.
The “ideology” being celebrated isn’t a formula for success — it’s a formula for stagnation. Winter Park doesn’t need to be “saved” from growth. Our cultural venues and neighborhoods thrive when they’re part of a living, connected community and not a museum piece frozen in time.
Cheaply built “Class A” rental density, with of without mixed use, is not a recipe that will make Winter Park continue to stand out. It’s a recipe for sameness. Ravaudage and Paseo are not representative of our best attributes. I hope we can keep Orange Ave from falling to that level of mediocrity.