Excerpted from Orlando Business Journal story.
A brewery’s planned renovation of a former army surplus store in Parramore shows more confidence in the future of the historically low-income community west of downtown Orlando.
Orlando-based Deadwords Brewing Co. LLC plans to spend more than $1 million transforming the shuttered 14,000-square-foot Al’s Army Store at 23 N. Orange Blossom Trail. City documents show the applicant is David Satterfield. Plans head for approval before the city’s municipal planning board on Dec. 17. Satterfield wasn’t available for comment.
Central Florida started with just a pair of craft breweries in 1996, and today, a boom is underway as these small companies continue to generate big business throughout the region. Just last year, seven new breweries opened their doors — and the market has plenty of room for more, as previously reported by Orlando Business Journal.
The Parramore brewery also would include a restaurant, according to city documents. The building was constructed in 1998 and housed Al’s Army Store until it shuttered this past summer. Deadwords Brewing signed a lease in early October. It’s unknown which companies are involved in the construction.
“Any time we get anybody willing to invest that much in Parramore speaks volumes about the future of Parramore,” said Aida Martin, a broker with Orlando-based Midtown Realty of Orlando, who represented the landlord in the lease deal.
Local retail experts say developers and retailers anticipate downtown Orlando to expand west past Interstate 4 and into Parramore. In recent months, companies and developers have been scouting for potential real estate opportunities in community. These companies have cited the neighborhood’s momentum from projects such as the construction around the 68-acre, $1.5 billion Creative Village and the Orlando Magic’s planned Sports and Entertainment District.
Office, entertainment and residential developments in Parramore will spur more demand for retail in the area, previously said Terrence Hart, senior director at Franklin Street of Orlando, who handles retail leasing and is not involved with the deal. He said he sees downtown’s western edge eventually growing to John Young Parkway. “Retailers actually are starting to take that part seriously. That used to be a no man’s land for retailers.”
For full story, visit https://www.bizjournals.com/orlando/news/2019/11/04/on-tap-new-downtown-orlando-area-brewery-eatery.html
