Dr. Phillips Gifts $1.5M Pavilion to City of Orlando for The Packing District Park

Funding will cover construction costs of a cultural venue for arts and community engagement

ORLANDO, Fla. – June 1, 2020 – Dr. Phillips Charities, the community builder behind the $700-million transformational The Packing District taking shape near College Park in Orlando, today announced a gift of $1.5 million to the City of Orlando to cover construction costs of a pavilion for arts and community engagement in the regional park. The gift was approved at today’s Orlando City Council meeting.

The 6,000-sq. ft. pavilion will be a venue of the United Arts of Central Florida and play host to a variety of activities, including concerts, art performances, farmers’ markets, weddings, outdoor exercise activities and more. Measuring approximately 150 feet by 40 feet, it will feature a stage bordering a performance lawn for a variety of community activities.

“Our vision for The Packing District continues to be focused on building community, health and wellness,” said Ken Robinson, president/CEO of Dr. Phillips Charities. “It was important to gift the funds for the pavilion to the City to create an active center within the new park that would serve as a destination for not only nearby residents but also visitors from across Central Florida. This will be a very positive enhancement for this unique urban park.”

In 2017, Dr. Phillips Charities announced its gift of more than 100 acres of land adjacent to The Packing District to the City of Orlando to make way for a regional park that would serve as a hub for wellness programs and provide a site for amenities, including the city’s tennis center, bike trails, running trails and more. It’s anticipated the park will be complete in mid-2021.

Plans for the 202-acre project have continued to unfold within the last several months. In April, Toll Brothers was selected to build 135 townhomes on eight acres within The Packing District’s regional park. Late last year, Embrey Partners held its ceremonial groundbreaking for work on The Cannery at The Packing District, the first project to break ground in the district. The news was followed by an announcement by the YMCA of Central Florida with the name of its new Family Center – Leonard and Marjorie Williams Family YMCA – which will be located in the regional park.

These announcements are just one piece of the overall master plan to develop a unique, eclectic and vibrant mixed-use environment that pays homage to the industrial heritage of the district and the community legacy of Dr. Phillips.

For the latest news and information on the plans for The Packing District, follow along on Facebook and Instagram.

# # #