Last updated on October 14, 2022
Each year, the International Downtown Association (IDA) recognizes outstanding projects as winners of the Downtown Achievement Awards which identify improvements to urban centers by dedicated organizations around the globe. The industry’s highest recognition, the Pinnacle Award, represents the most creative and inspiring innovations in urban place management.
The Downtown Development Board + Community Redevelopment Agency (DDB + CRA) earned top awards for its advocacy in downtown and creating a more livable, urban place for all, during IDA’s 68th Annual Conference. The two awards we received were for achievements in improvements in downtown Orlando, including the Pinnacle Award, the industry’s highest recognition, for the Parramore Asset Stabilization Fund (PASF) and the Award of Excellence for the Lake Eola Master Plan.
We received the Pinnacle Award for the creation of the PASF, a program which funded the purchase, renovation, and preservation of 83 scattered-site residential units across 44 different properties beginning in the Parramore neighborhood. Launched in Spring 2019, this effort helped stabilize the neighborhood by upgrading units, decreasing eviction levels, capping increasing rental rates, and removing high utility costs absorbed by tenants. The agreement between the PASF and the city/CRA further ensures that the properties were not only expertly renovated but kept affordable for a 20-year period.
The second award was an Award of Excellence in recognition of the Lake Eola Master Plan. Lake Eola Park is in the heart of downtown Orlando and a destination for residents, office workers, and millions of annual visitors. The park has been key in the resurgence of downtown Orlando into the vibrant city center that it is today. In partnership with the City of Orlando’s Parks Division, we worked with the consultancy, GAI Consultants, Inc., to master plan the park and re-envision it for the next 50 years. The Lake Eola Master Plan is a future-focused, open space plan whose design recommendations include sustainability, safety, education, transportation and new uses for spaces and places to congregate.
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