Winter Park looks to sell former Bowl America property

Winter Park is selling another piece of land. 

A city-owned piece of property at 1111 W. Fairbanks Ave. was officially put out to bid as of the Winter Park City Commission meeting on Monday, June 12. 

The property, which is the former site of the Bowl America, was put up for a notice of disposal, opening up a process where potential buyers can make offers. 

Last year Winter Park used CRA funds to purchase the piece of land just west of the Walgreens that sits at U.S. 17-92 and Fairbanks Avenue. 

Its appraised value sits at $2.96 million, and the city will accept offers for the next 45 days starting June 13. 

Winter Park will not be accepting offers for the construction of drive-through banks, fast food restaurants, car lots or gas stations, among other businesses. 

But some residents believe the city should hold on to the property due to its close proximity to Martin Luther King Jr. Park to the north, though a portion of Comstock Avenue between the two properties would have to be vacated. 

At a public meeting on May 2 for the park’s pending master plan, three groups of residents illustrated their own vision of the park on a map. 
Two of the three groups suggested building a new softball field on the former bowling alley property to make space for more amenities in the park. 

Over a dozen residents stepped forward during Monday’s meeting to voice their disapproval of the city selling off the piece of property. 

“I think it’s premature,” Resident and former mayor Joe Terranova said. There’s several things we should consider first.” 

“We should look at this very carefully before we dispose of it, to be sure it could not fit in a park situation.” 

“Opportunity is knocking here loudly,” Beth Hall said. “We are counting on you to be stewards of our land.” 

“Park land pays dividends in ways that are intangible.” 

City Commissioner Carolyn Cooper agreed, adding that park land gives residents something they desperately need. She pushed residents to seek out a party that would be willing to purchase the land and turn it into a green space. 

“I do believe that open expanses of green space reduce your blood pressure, create a sense of community and are valuable,” she said. “As we grow, they become even more valuable.”  

But another portion of the City Commission believed that the piece of land was not suitable for being a park. 

City Commissioner Peter Weldon said the money acquired from the sale of the property should go toward improving existing park space instead. 

Mayor Steve Leary agreed that a sliver of road along Fairbanks Avenue doesn’t make sense as park land.  

“It’s a commercial corridor, it’s too small to turn into a playing field and we’re not going to vacate streets that serve other businesses to have a patch of green in the middle of our commercial corridor that people really can’t walk to,” Leary said.  

He added that Winter Park indeed values its green space and has taken active steps to improve it, including the recent renovation of the Winter Park Golf Course. 

The City Commission gave the final green light on the notice of disposal language and officially put the property out to bid by a vote of 3-2, with Leary, Weldon and Commissioner Sarah Sprinkel voting in favor. 

IN OTHER NEWS: 

Request of Kim Neitzel - The first reading of the ordinance amending Chapter 58, “Land Development Code,” Article III, “Zoning,” to revise the permitted uses in office zoning districts to permit veterinary clinics, was approved.  

The resolution repealing and replacing the policy governing city use of social media and external internet was tabled.