Central Florida Communities

Orlando

Orlando “The City Beautiful” is home to some of the nation's greatest theme parks, but there's lots more that Central Florida’s largest city has to offer. 

The City of Orlando consistently ranks as one of the best places in the nation to launch and operate a business. Recently, Entrepreneur Magazine touted Orlando as being “one of the most highly coordinated entrepreneurial engines in the country” crediting the success to our region’s public and private sector’s ability to cooperate and collaborate.
– Orlando Mayor,  Buddy Dyer

Dr. Phillips

Dr. Philip Phillips was a pioneer in the citrus industry, responsible for several key innovations in the processing and packaging of orange juice. He owned thousands of acres of groves, stretching across nine Central Florida counties. Dr. Phillips eventually sold the bulk of his property to Minute Maid in the 1950s. The property he owned in southwest Orange County was sold to developers who built Bay Hill and other subdivisions.

The area has experienced explosive growth in the last 30 years, due largely to the location of two key local industries; defense and tourism. Initially, it was the construction of defense giant Martin Marietta (currently Lockheed Martin) that had the greatest impact on Dr. Phillips, but that was only until the arrival in 1971 of Orlando’s most famous resident, Mickey Mouse. The impact of Walt Disney World on all of Central Florida has been huge, but nowhere is it more recognizable than in southwest Orlando and the Dr. Phillips area.

The Dr. Phillips area has been able to maintain its superb quality of life by timely upgrading the infrastructure and controlling growth. Many people move to the Dr. Phillips area due to the reputation of the public schools alone. Located on the eastern shore of the Butler Chain of Lakes, many residents are active in boating and water sports. The Dr. Phillips area also boasts a great town center and numerous first-rate restaurants on Sand Lake Road. The area has just welcomed a 43-acre, state-of-the-art county park, named after its namesake, Dr. P. Phillips.

The Dr. Phillips Rotary organization has been serving the community since 1979 and has been active in a number of area events. Community festivities include the Annual 4th of July Celebration sponsored by the Dr. Phillips Rotary and the high school drama club, and the Annual Dr. Phillips Founders Day celebrated on the birthday of Dr. Phillips.

Gotha

Nestled among mighty oaks and peaceful lakes in West Orange County is the community town of Gotha. It was founded in 1885 by Henry Hempel and named after his hometown in Germany. Gotha has been protected as a rural settlement for decades and as a historical preservation district since 1995.

Along main street Hempel you can find Palm Cottage Gardens, which was home to Dr. Henry Nehrling, a property listed on the National Register of Historical Places; the Zion Lutheran Church, founded in 1915; the Yellow Dog Eats Café, housed in the historic Fishers Country Store; the Gotha Post Office; and a few unique offices. Also in Gotha is a community park for numerous outdoor activities and the Gotha Community Center that was originally a one-room schoolhouse.

On the Palm Cottage Gardens property is Dr. Nehrling’s 1880’s house, kitchen and experimental gardens. In 1885, Dr. Nehrling, a 31-year-old Wisconsin ornithologist, schoolteacher and naturalist, purchased 40 acres of land in the newly founded community of Gotha, Florida in Southwest Orange County. His dream was of a garden where he could grow tropical and sub-tropical plants year round. The garden ultimately became Florida’s first experimental botanical garden where Dr. Nehrling tested over 3000 new and rare plants for the U.S.D.A. Office of Foreign Plant Introduction. Of these, over 300 new and beneficial plants were introduced into Florida’s landscape including palms, cycads, caladiums, hybrid amaryllis, crinum lilies, bamboos, camellias, Indian hawthorn and hybrid magnolias. In the early 1900’s Dr. Nehlring’s Palm Cottage Gardens became a popular destination for thousands of tourists, nature lovers and new Florida settlers. Many prominent people of the era such as Theodore Roosevelt, John Burroughs, Liberty Hyde Bailey and Dr. David Fairchild, the famous botanical explorer, visited these early gardens. Due to surrounding development, the once forty-acre property has been reduced to six remaining acres. The property was recently purchased by the non-profit Henry Nehrling Society, Inc. in November 2009 for use as an education center/arboretum/botanical garden to teach historic preservation, horticultural education and environmental conservation.

The Community Center hosts Dance of Life Yoga classes as well as monthly, covered-dish dinners for the residents and other community functions. Ten minutes from downtown Orlando, the town of Gotha’s large lot requirements, protective community association and highly desirable schools (All A Schools) have made this community a premier place to live.

Metro West

“An Oasis in a Busy City”
Since its beginnings in the mid-1980s, the quality of life was a priority at MetroWest. Landscaping was treated like fine architecture, carefully chosen and planted to grow into what many now describe as an oasis in a busy city. Islands of trees and flowering shrubbery separate traffic. Gentle curves were chosen over harsh corners.

Well-respected builders followed, creating beautiful new neighborhoods, shops and day care centers. MetroWest Elementary School was dedicated to “miracles in the making” in 1986, and continues today to offer award-winning teaching and leadership to the neighborhood children.

This “Master Planned” community, located just minutes from Orlando’s downtown business district, offers opportunities for retail and commercial growth (always under the watchful eye of the developers and the MetroWest Master Association). MetroWest’s business neighbors include SunTrust, Hilton Grand Vacations, and the Hard Rock Café Corporate Headquarters. Also located in MetroWest is Veranda Park, Orlando’s newest mixed-use town center or referred to as a “Lifestyle Center” by the industry. The town center features professional office space, luxury condominium/rental residences, entertainment and specialty retail.

MetroWest business leaders and investors applaud the community’s continuing growth and look to the future with confidence and excitement.

Ocoee

When Florida was a comparatively young state, people traveled from the north to the area now known as Ocoee. In the mid 1850s, Dr. J.D. Starke established a village known as Starke Lake situated on the body of water of the same name. After the Civil War, confederate soldiers and their families founded the town of Ocoee. Captain Bluford Sims and General William Temple Withers were some of the first to settle in the area. It was Captain Sims who gave the town its Indian name, Ocoee, which means “wild apricot vine place” later known as the “passion flower place.”

The city of Ocoee is a shining example of the notion that growth and history can be successfully blended. The Ocoee Christian Church and the Withers-Maguire House and Museum are locations where Ocoee’s history is faithfully preserved for future generations. The city’s past culture is observed in the beautiful parks, brick roads and historic buildings. This past intertwined with the growth and expansion of businesses including Manheim Orlando, Health Central Hospital, West Oaks Mall and Sysco Foods make Ocoee the “Center of Good Living.”

Ocoee has come a long way since 1881, when Captain Sims acquired a 74-acre parcel of land in what is now considered downtown Ocoee. Ocoee’s population then totaled only 115 residents. Since then, Ocoee has been inviting people to share in its beauty and good fortune and now is home to more than 34,000 people.

While the city’s pioneers may have believed Ocoee to be an appropriate name, meaning “not cold,” the many newcomers to the area would probably say a name more fitting would be interpreted to mean “all roads lead here.” With the Florida Turnpike, the East/West Expressway, State Road 50, and the new Western Beltway all leading to or passing through Ocoee, residents can reach downtown Orlando, the airport and all of the major attractions within 30 minutes.

The hard work and dreams of the founders of Ocoee laid the foundation for all that we know today. With Ocoee consistently experiencing a robust building rate for the past several years, all roads do indeed lead here to the “Center of Good Living.”

Windermere

“Luxury Living – Small Town Charm“
For luxury living at its best, look no further than the town of Windermere. Pristine sand bottom lakes surround this small, West Orange 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 enthusiast will revel in the system of canals that connects eight lakes known as the Butler Chain of Lakes. This chain of lakes makes waterfront living in Windermere a sight to see.

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.

Windermere was mainly a resort area in the early 1900s. Many visitors built winter cabins to enjoy the local fishing. The 1920 census recorded the population of Windermere at 182. In 1925, the town was incorporated, thereby restricting its boundaries, and the census decreased to 153. Windermere also played a part in history during World War I. The ladies of the town would meet regularly during the war to make surgical dressings. This resulted in the formation of the “Windermere Women’s Club.” In 1927, their clubhouse was moved to its present location in the center of town and is now the town hall. Today, Windermere is a quaint architectural mixture ranging from cabins to estate homes with sand roads to preserve the town’s chain of lakes and its history.

Today, more than 2,300 people inhabit the town of Windermere. The community, however, has not based its success on how rapidly it grows, but on how natural and pleasant a community in which it is to reside. Windermere tries to focus on preserving the town’s natural state and strong community atmosphere. The town’s quality of life is its most distinguishing feature. In fact, many of the town streets remain unpaved to continue their commitment to retain the pristine nature of the Chain of Lakes. Windermere has been named “Tree City USA” for its commitment to a natural environment for 10 consecutive years. For luxury living in a small-town atmosphere, look no further than the town of Windermere, where there is “Luxury Living with a Small-Town Charm.”

Winter Garden

Fondly referred to as a modern-day Mayberry USA by residents, Winter Garden is becoming a destination…only without pretense. Stroll down West Plant Street in the Historic Downtown District and be a part of the renaissance of a warm, vibrant community. Art studios and live theatre, bicycle stores and eclectic shops, and a wide range of award winning restaurants flank the West Orange Trail.

Winter Garden feels like home. It is a town that exudes warmth and energy, with a down home charm that makes everyone feel comfortable. It is a place for growing families and businesses. It is a place to relax and unwind. It is a forward thinking community that embraces new ideas and people. The City is a greenhouse for entrepreneurs, come and see why Winter Garden is blooming.

LIVE
From bungalows to art-deco, antebellum to modern, architectural styles abound in Winter Garden, with a place that is sure to feel like home. For the environmentally conscience, homebuyers may select a home in Oakland Park which is “green with pride” and the first certified green community in Central Florida.

LEARN
Orange County Public School District operates five elementary schools, one middle school, one technical school and one high school within municipal boundaries. Yet, educational possibilities are expanded with a myriad of education and cultural opportunities available in Winter Garden. Valencia Community College, west campus is just a few minutes away from downtown.

THE GARDEN THEATRE
The recently restored 1930s era Garden Theatre is located in the heart of the Winter Garden Historic Downtown District. This performing arts center houses live theatre, ballet, orchestra and musicals, all now easily accessible to residents of West Orange County and right in their backyard.

MUSEUMS
The Winter Garden Heritage Foundation operates two museums in Winter Garden. The Heritage Museum, located at the corner of Plant Street and Main Street, houses an extensive collection of over 5,000 artifacts documenting the area’s past. The Central Florida Railroad Museum on North Boyd Street showcases the influence the railroad has had in the development of Florida.

MUSIC
The Heritage Foundation produces MusicFest – an annual free three-day celebration featuring over 20 genres of music. The Winter Garden Rotary Club brings the Orlando Philharmonic to Winter Garden each year for an Evening at the Pops. Live music is featured every Friday night at the gazebo in downtown.

WORK
As with most communities founded in the early 1900s of rural Florida, Winter Garden’s economy relied heavily on agriculture. A year-round growing season and fertile soil enabled the production of fruits and vegetables and rail provided direct transportation routes to northern markets making the local orange groves Florida’s gold. As Central Florida’s economy moved toward tourism, Winter Garden’s proximity to Orlando and the Walt Disney property made it an ideal spot for growth.

The City has embarked upon an aggressive economic development strategy to create business and job opportunities in many different areas. This strategy builds upon the determination to maintain the community’s identity while growing the economy. The City has become a greenhouse for small businesses and entrepreneurs drawn by the small town charm and high quality of life appeal.

PLAY
The West Orange Trail system is intertwined throughout the western sector of Orange County and boasts biking, walking, hiking and equestrian trails, adding another dimension to this unique community. Running through the heart of the Winter Garden Historic Downtown District, trail enthusiasts may stop for coffee or a cool drink at one of the many cafes. Events such as MusicFest, Spring Fever in the Garden, Evening at the Pops, Downtown Merchant’s Art Festival, Light Up Winter Garden, Party in the Park 4th of July Celebration are held every year. For those that consider shopping a form of play, Winter Garden Village is a shopper’s haven.

The Pavilion will be Winter Garden’s newest downtown public space. Design is complete and construction is scheduled to begin in August 2010 for completion in Spring 2011. This new venue will be the permanent home for the Farmers Market, community events, open air concerts and festivals, becoming downtown’s largest gathering place. When not in use, the uncovered brick area will be used for public parking.

Winter Garden is a charming little city with a juicy past.

Winter Park

Winter Park “The City of Culture and Heritage” boarders Orlando on the north.  The city is home to Rollins College, Full Sail University and the Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art, which houses the largest collection of Tiffany glass on Earth. Winter Park enjoys more parkspace per capita than any other city in Florida. 

The Winter Park Chain of Lakes, magnificent southern oak trees, Park Avenue Shops, and Winter Park Village make it another special Central Florida place to live, work and play.  It is recognized as the first centrally planned community in Florida; its main street includes not only public civic buildings and retail, but also art galleries, a private liberal arts college, museums, a park, a train station, a golf course country club, a historic cemetery, and a beach and boat launch. Winter Park is celebrated for a sense of place and history, uncommon to many parts of Central Florida.

Many structures are more than 100 years old. The scenic Olde Winter Park area is punctuated by small, winding brick streets, and a canopy of old Southern Live Oak and Camphor trees, draped with Spanish Moss. The city draws thousands of visitors to annual festivals including the Bach Festival, the nationally ranked Sidewalk Art Festival, and the Winter Park Concours d'Elegance.