Park Avenue plans for the future

Park Avenue business leaders and board members met Friday, March 26 to discuss strategies on how to increase foot-traffic to the cobbled streets of the Avenue.

With one new tenant, Twenty-four Seven, a clothing store that sells custom men's and women's wear, and other storefronts vacant, members at the Park Avenue Area Association meeting discussed future projects that will take place throughout the year to develop Winter Park's identity.

Patrick Chapin, president of the Winter Park Chamber of Commerce, said, "Winter Park is focused on building a brand identity" with events such as the Winter in the Park event, slated to open a week early and stay open a week later during the holiday season, and the tent is already secured for Winter Park fashion week, held Oct. 17-23 this year.

Hillary Jovi, event coordinator of 310 New American Cuisine, recognized the need to have "staples" in the Winter Park community where people associate fun, family events with Park Avenue during the seasons.

She along with Leslie Lupo, of the Orlando Convention and Visitors Bureau, proposed a new event similar to one found at Pointe Orlando called "Party at the Pointe," where people pay a flat rate of $20 to walk through the Avenue's participating shops and restaurants while sampling food and drinks and receiving discounts at each location.

Lupo said that the event, called "Party on the Park", would generate business to the area. The event is tentatively scheduled for the end of September.

However, the "Party on the Park" one-day or night event could be held as soon as this summer, based on comments at the meeting. One proposed theme being tossed around was a casual beach day.

"Any opportunities to bring more feet to the street for the city of Winter Park is a win-win situation," said Dori DeBord, director of Winter Park's Community Redevelopment Association.

With bringing consumers to the Avenue as the main focus of the meeting, DeBord along with Winter Park City Commissioner Beth Dillaha and other members spoke of also making a previously held event — months away in the winter — bigger, better and more consistent than last year.

Dillaha said they are hoping next year's Winter in the Park event will include a bigger skating rink with the tent open on one side so people can see in and out. She also advocated for a bigger holiday lighting package and theme paid for by the city that remains consistent from year to year, in order for the event to become something unique to Winter Park.

Keeping stores and shops open longer during the span of the event was also discussed.

DeBord said that the CRA staff is putting together estimates of cost, but it will be about $200,000 for the ice rink.

Both DeBord and Dillaha said they felt more marketing is needed to help build this event up to its full potential this year. Dillaha said Channel 6 has partnered with Winter Park to broadcast a segment every week about it.

With marketing of that event and others being a concern to city leaders, DeBord spoke of the appointment of a task force to handle not only marketing, but the six goals city leaders outlined in their Park Avenue Strategic Plan.

The issues the task force will address are: expanding brand and improve marketing of the Park Avenue Area; implement a parking and wayfinding program; nurture and cultivate existing businesses, identify and recruit new businesses; increase maintenance and aesthetics; enhance the Park Avenue Area experience and create a business improvement district.

DeBord said the mayor will appoint the task force members either before or at the CRA meeting on May 10.