LOOKING UP.

Although it seems like the world around us has paused, Orlando keeps moving forward. In this week’s DRIP we want to share the inside scoop from our trip (masked-up and socially distanced of course) to Lincoln Property’s SunTrust Plaza. We hope you enjoy this sneak-peak of our city's newest high-rise, major makeover to Church Street Station, and the introduction of a new smart hotel.

Concrete Jungle gets an Upgrade
The new SunTrust Plaza at Church Street Station has given the corner of South Street and Garland Avenue a serious facelift. The contemporary, mixed-use building will soon be Orlando’s most distinguished landmark. Because of its central location, the SunTrust Plaza offers easy access from I-4, 408, and many surface streets. On top of its centrality, the tower possesses a fully integrated Sunrail platform, making it the only stop in Downtown’s core. Are you interested yet? The tower will offer not only retail and office space, but a new hotel by Marriott. But wait, there’s more…

New Kid on the “Super Block”
Church Street Plaza, the counterpart to SunTrust Plaza, will also be a mixed-use property with ground-floor retail, club operations, and contactless hotel units. Yes, contactless. Think of a B&B with smart technology that allows you to check-in concierge-free and even tells you when you’ve been idle in your room for too long! How’s that for a wake-up call?

Church Street Revival
If this new development isn’t exciting enough, we aren't done yet. But first, we want to give you a brief history lesson. Church street was built in 1883 for the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad and served as a freight station until the early 1970’s. As the block continued to grow, seven vacant buildings were bought by a Dixieland themed entertainment group (that’s where all the cool architecture and details come from), and was even named an Orlando Historic Landmark in 1978. The area peaked in the 1980’s, but unfortunately the complex was sold in 2001 and hasn’t been the same since.

Come December 2020, Church Street Station, specifically the “Bumby Arcade,” will show off a massive makeover. Our tour guides from Lincoln Properties gave us the behind the scenes look at the development to see what the future holds for Downtown, and it looks delicious! The Bumby Arcade will be Orlando’s first-ever food hall, offering 18 vendors, from mixology bars to artisan eateries.

DOP would like to give a HUGE thank you to Lincoln Properties for their hospitality this week!