City of Orlando

Blending Innovation & Inclusion: Kudos to These Forward-Thinking Entrepreneurs! Leyla Colon and Jorge Perez are redefining what it means to provide exceptional customer experiences at The Smoothie Room in SoDo District. Since taking ownership in late 2023, they’ve tailored their menu to meet the needs of a diverse customer base, offering specialized blends that support heart health, diabetes management, fitness goals, and more. But their dedication goes beyond nutrition. In February 2024, The Smoothie Room became the first Orlando business to join Orlando Health’s Neuro-Friendly Restaurant Initiative, which aims to better serve customers with “invisible injuries” like stroke, brain trauma, and progressive disorders such as Parkinson’s disease. Through this initiative, Leyla and Jorge are making sure their space feels welcoming and accommodating to everyone. They’ve trained their staff to be sensitive to various neurological conditions, ensuring patience, understanding, and personalized assistance when needed. The menu design is also optimized for readability, and they’ve implemented quiet zones to offer a calming environment for those who may need it. Looking ahead, Leyla and Jorge are planning even more accessibility features, including tools and services for individuals who are blind, deaf, or have other disabilities. Their vision is to create a truly inclusive space where everyone feels valued and comfortable. Watch Reel here: https://lnkd.in/eGCAQX6a

Increasing our community’s housing stock is a priority for the City of Orlando. We’re thankful to the members of our Planning team who continuously update our Growth Management Plan. Their work ensures our zoning regulations and land development codes allow for the innovative adaptive reuse of underused properties like the one where the Milk Stacks apartments now stand on Bumby Avenue. Developed by Atrium Management Company, the Milk Stacks has 27 units, plus a design that fits in well in The Milk District, one of our popular Orlando Main Streets districts. Mayor Dyer and Commissioner Sheehan recently helped Atrium celebrate the ribbon cutting for the apartments. Having a city Planning team that is consistently researching and amending our codes while also implementing new initiatives to keep up with development trends allows developers like Atrium to propose and build new concepts like this that continue to aid in increasing our city’s housing stock.

Finance professionals in our Office of Business and Financial Services and from many City of Orlando departments provide vital services that are essential to ensure that our community is a great place to live, and that our municipal government is prepared to face any challenges that may come Orlando's way.   The Florida Government Finance Officers Association sponsors Government Finance Professionals Week on annual basis to recognize their hard work, dedication and leadership. In recognition of Government Finance Professionals Week, Mayor Dyer joined these valued members of our team to present them with a proclamation and thank them for their high standards of budgeting, accounting and financial reporting that allows us to best serve the community. Please join us in thanking and celebrating the City of Orlando’s finance professionals for all that they do.

Share Your Orlando Memories We’re building a special online scrapbook, a Digital History Board, to celebrate our city's 150th anniversary, and we want YOU to be a part of it! Share written narratives, photographs, articles, newspaper clippings, and anything else that tells the story of your Orlando. These contributions will be featured on our community history board throughout the year. Visit Orlando.gov/150 to share your history and learn more about how we’re celebrating.

Big News for Downtown Orlando! Lake Eola Park has been nominated for Best City Park by USA TODAY 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards! City parks are more than just green spaces — they’re places where communities come together, where locals and visitors alike can enjoy everything from playgrounds and swan boat rides to live performances and peaceful walks. Lake Eola Park is at the heart of it all in Downtown Orlando, and now it’s time to show why it’s one of the best in the country. Vote once per day until polls close on Monday, April 7, at noon ET. 🔗 https://lnkd.in/dQyt_u2E Let’s show everyone why Lake Eola Park deserves the top spot! Winners announced Wednesday, April 16.

Earlier this week we closed on four downtown properties, marking a significant milestone in our ongoing efforts to revitalize downtown Orlando. These acquisitions set the stage for transformative projects that will enhance public spaces, connectivity, and economic growth that align with the vision set forth in the DTO Action Plan. 30 S. Orange Ave: The future site of a dynamic public park, providing a welcoming green space for residents, workers, and visitors. 1 N. Orange Ave: Property will be repositioned for future redevelopment and re-use. 205 and 215 E. Central Blvd: These properties will create new opportunities to expand Lake Eola Park and integrate future mixed-use development. The vision includes active ground floors that could support destination restaurants, additional residential units, and office space, reinforcing downtown's role as a vibrant, walkable destination. Soon, we will release a Request for Proposals for these properties, inviting innovative ideas that align with the city's long-term vision. By prioritizing thoughtful redevelopment, preserving historic character, and expanding public spaces, these acquisitions set the stage for a stronger, more connected downtown Orlando. If you're an interested supplier, sign-up for notifications here: https://bit.ly/3R8pStp

It's AmeriCorps Week! This is a time to celebrate all the amazing City of Orlando AmeriCorps members who choose to help our city. We recognize the commitment of our AmeriCorp members who have chosen to serve their country through AmeriCorps and Operation AmeriCorp, and encourage others to follow in their footsteps of service. Our team members can be found in the classrooms assisting students in high school graduate on time, in the garden teaching students about food sustainability, at the library focused on youth literacy and in our Emergency Operations Center focused on training. Their passion and support has such a great impact on both our city and our residents. Learn how you can get involved at orlando.gov/americorp.

We are pleased to announce the appointment of Marjorie Briones as the new Division Manager of the Optimization and Systems Division. With over 18 years of experience in construction and public works, Marjorie brings a wealth of knowledge and leadership to this role. She will oversee the establishment of the division, which is designed to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of Public Works operations. The Optimization and Systems Division will ensure that Public Works systems and services run smoothly, supporting key business functions across the department’s four major enterprise funds: Capital Improvement, Stormwater, Water Reclamation and Solid Waste. By aligning daily operations with the city’s strategic goals, the division will improve service delivery and resource management. Key responsibilities include overseeing administrative functions such as workforce development and team coordination, ensuring compliance in contract administration, and conducting financial and performance analysis to optimize resource utilization. The division will also manage audit procedures, regulatory adherence, and the integration of operational systems across all Public Works divisions, including project management, asset tracking, work orders and other programs. This new division plays a crucial role in supporting Public Works by streamlining operations, maintaining compliance, and ensuring services are delivered efficiently to benefit residents citywide. Congratulations Marjorie! 

Celebrating Creativity at City Hall Members of our City of Orlando team aren't just committed, compassionate and skilled at serving our community. They're also talented. The "City Made: A City of Orlando Employee Art Show," which is now up at City Hall, features the works of nearly 30 staff. This exhibition highlights the artistic contributions of employees from various departments, putting the spotlight on their unique perspectives and creativity. We are honored to feature the works of:  A.J. Kondrach (City Clerk’s Office) Alexis Rentas-Quiles (Orlando Police Department) Andrea Kelley (Information Technology) Bill Stevens (Executive Offices) Bret Thomas (Office of Communications and Neighborhood Relations) Brian Donohue (Orlando Police Department) Cayla Rose (Economic Development) Commissioner Patty Sheehan (District 4) Daniel Albrecht (Economic Development) David Billingsley (Procurement and Contracts Division) Delaney Garrett (Water Reclamation) Dhanushka Hangili Gedara (Public Works) Elisa Ivanov (Venues) Francisco Arias (Wastewater Division) Gregory Amiot (Business and Financial Services; Information Technology) Jacquelyn Samet-Shaw (Human Relations) Laura Hardwicke (Department of Transportation) Lisa Early (Families, Parks and Recreation) Mark Cechman (Planning & Zoning) Matthew Mosquera (Public Works) Michael Desjarlais (Risk Management) Michael Pino (Office of Communications and Neighborhood Relations) Navya Sree Sagi (Orlando Fire Department) Nicki Wesson (Public Works) Nicole Palacios (Economic Development – Planning Division) Ryan Arjune (Information Technology) Samantha Levine (DDB/CRA) Shayla Bridges (Human Relations) Their creativity is inspiring and a great showcase of the role that the arts plays in shaping a more vibrant, inclusive Orlando.

Partnering with local non-profits, such as Grace Medical Home, helps us provide our low-income, uninsured residents with comprehensive medical and dental care, mental health counseling and more. With our investment of federal Community Development Block Grant funds, we helped Grace expand their campus with the Grace Wellness Home, to reach more underserved members of the community facing barriers to healthcare access. Recently, Grace Wellness Home received the 2025 Audrey Nelson Community Development Achievement Award from the National Community Development Association (NCDA). This award is given annually to projects and programs that display exemplary achievement in service to communities and their lower-income residents through innovative use of federal funds. We're proud of our partnership with Grace Medical Home and continue to support the valuable work they do. Thank you also to project partners: Bea for Kids, Dr. Phillips Charities, Elevation Church, First Orlando, Florida Blue Foundation, Heart of Florida United Way, Orange County Government and The Joe and Sarah Galloway Foundation.