Celebrating Ocoee's Centennial: 1995-2005

(In partnership with the city of Ocoee, the Observer is publishing a 10-week series examining each decade of the city’s history.)

Huge construction projects took place in Ocoee from 1995 to 2005, including a retail shopping mall and movie theater and a new Ocoee High School — allowing more residents and students to stay, shop and study within the city limits of Ocoee.

WEST OAKS MALL

Prior to the opening of West Orange County’s first mall in 1996, local residents wanting to engage in some retail therapy had to travel to Fashion Square Mall or Colonial Plaza, in Orlando, or Altamonte Mall.

The city of Ocoee approved a mall at the northeast intersection of West Colonial Drive and Clarke Road, one that would bring 950,000 square feet of shopping with anchor stores Dillard’s, Gayfers, JCPenney and Sears; about 125 specialty stores; and a multi-screen movie theater.

The mall was designed with the interior highlighting the flavor of 19th-century Victorian architecture. The length of the structure was lined with skylights and dotted with oasis-like clusters of trees. An oval glass atrium graced the center court, and the centerpiece of the food court was a full-size carousel.

Originally named the Lake Lotta Mall Project, the shopping center was renamed West Oaks Mall before it opened in October 1996. Among the tenants were 5-7-9, a shop called MANGO, Baby Gap, Barnie’s Coffee and Tea, Carlton Cards, Claire’s Boutique, Easy Spirit, Express, Gordon’s Jewelers, Gymboree, Kirklands, Pacific Sunwear, Ritz Camera, Spencer Gifts, Things Remembered, Victoria’s Secret, Waldenbooks and Zales.

Not only did the mall give residents a local place to shop, but it also created many jobs in Ocoee.

Once it opened, the mall was host to many activities, including the West Orange Chamber of Commerce’s Small Business & Wellness Expo and other chamber events. The West Oaks Mall Walkers also took advantage of the quiet hours before the stores opened, and the group — which started out as a bunch of senior citizens looking to get some exercise — walked laps around the indoor perimeter. The walkers still are part of the mall’s morning routine.

REBIRTH OF OCOEE HIGH

Several of the buildings at the original Ocoee High School already had been torn down by 2000, but that year, the remaining buildings of the old school were razed so Orange County Public Schools could build the new Ocoee Middle School. Ocoee’s high school students had been attending West Orange High School, in Winter Garden, since 1976.

OCPS built the new Ocoee High School on the north side of the city, at 1925 Ocoee Crown Point Parkway.

During construction, OCPS provided several naming options, but in the end, Ocoee Mayor Scott Vandergrift got his wish — following a yearlong campaign — and the new school was named for the original school.

The Ocoee mascot is a Knight wearing a gold tunic that bears the image of a rising cardinal, a nod to the original Ocoee High Cardinals.

The first principal was Dr. Michael Armbruster, who was proud of the Smaller Learning Communities model that placed students in one of four sub-schools, called Columbia, Harvard, Princeton and Yale, for their core classes. The idea was students were less likely to get “lost in the crowd” of 3,000 students if they are grouped in smaller “schools” with about 750 students. Each sub-school had a team of core academic teachers, two guidance counselors, a dean, a reading specialist and an assistant principal.

NOTABLE NEWS

1998: Several fire stations were opened in January to keep pace with the growth in Ocoee. Fire Station No. 3 opened at the Plantation Grove Shopping Center on Maguire Road, and Fire Station No. 4 opened on Clarke Road just north of the A.D. Mims intersection. Station No. 4, to serve north Ocoee, replaced Station No. 2 on Adair Street, which was converted to a recreational facility. Station No. 3 was built to serve the south part of Ocoee and all of Windermere.

1999: A new recreation center opened on A.D. Mims Road, and it was named for Jim Beech, former 20-year director of recreation for the city. The Jim Beech Recreation Center lined up athletic and leisure activities, including youth and adult basketball and volleyball leagues, as well as a variety of toddler, painting and other classes.

1999: The Ocoee Little League Big League team won the Southern Region Tournament in South Carolina and was headed for Tucson, Arizona, to play in the Big League World Series. The international tournament included teams representing Canada, Europe, Far East and Latin America. On the team were Darrin Anderson, Danny Cameron, Scott McCoy, Justin McWilliams, Josh Muse, Mike Reese and Aaron Spears, all of Ocoee; Matt Gilly and Mike Gurney, of Winter Garden; and Michael Cunningham, Tim Gray, Jimmy Joe Martin, Chris Nickerson, Gabe Powell and Kevin Ward, of Apopka. Zack Prettyman and Derrick Anderson were coaches, and Gary Hood was manager.

2000: Willie Fields was named Ocoee’s Citizen of the Year, and the city recognized the 99 year old, as well as her three sisters — Estelle Johnson, Lillian “Bato” Reese and Mozelle Pitzer — all Ocoee residents and also in their 90s.

2001: Ocoee’s new water plant was named in honor of the late Sam Oliver for his 27 years of service to the city, as well as his many years as consultant after retirement because he knew where all the water lines were. He first served part time as chief of police and water commissioner, and he eventually led the Water Department.

2002: The city officially opened its newest recreation facility, the Family Aquatic Center, adjacent to the Jim Beech Recreation Center. The facility included a zero-depth entry pool and three distinct play features.

2003: The Ocoee Historical Commission Inc. in conjunction with the city of Ocoee, began work to establish a historic district in what is “old downtown Ocoee.” The boundaries had not yet been determined, but the historic group and the city held a meeting for owners of historic properties to gauge interest.

2003: Fire Chief Ron Strosnider, Mayor Scott Vandergrift and other city officials broke ground on a new $3 million main fire station on South Bluford Avenue, just a few blocks south of the Fire Station No. 1 in operation at the time.

(Some photos and information are courtesy of the Winter Garden Heritage Foundation and Nancy Maguire's book, "A History of Ocoee & its Pioneers.")