It once was Orlando Fashion Square Mall, with a busy lifestyle of shop owners and visitors, and a filled parking lot, all now an uncertain future that plans to sell the property. Its former busy shops have disappeared after years of decline from the patrons and its community members ready for its renovation.
George Lane, a retired mall security guard, remembers busier times. “For the past 4-5 years, it’s been mostly empty,” Lane said. He recalled numerous proposals to revive the mall during his tenure, such as condominiums and apartments. None of these plans came to fruition.
Now that the property is for sale, some in the community are looking forward to a change that will return value to the neighborhood. According to Barney McAuley, managing director for Dallas-based Edge Capital Markets, which is handling the sale, the redevelopment would be a huge benefit for the Orlando community. “We’ve got plenty of malls,” said McAuley. “This should be something that serves the community in a new way, bringing in tax revenue and increasing value.” He also sees the development as coming in at $500 million, which will include multiple hotels, restaurants, and housing options.
The mall was built in 1973 and has been proposed for various redevelopment plans over the years. In 2013, it was proposed to add an Element by Westin Hotel, which also included a family entertainment center. In 2019, Unicorp National Developments proposed opening the site as an open-air entertainment venue and a 2021 proposal included mixed-use spaces with a hotel and apartments. So far, nothing has happened since its framework was approved by the Orlando City Council in late 2021.
Experts say due to the holiday season, this may take some more time and probably be around 6-7 months when this property will be sold. And so at present, the fate of Orlando Fashion Square Mall stays in limbo, but one hopes that the mall may see a good revival shortly.
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