Parramore Comprehensive Plan

The Parramore Comprehensive Neighborhood Plan was developed as part of a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Sustainable Communities Regional Planning Grant. The East Central Florida Regional Planning Council (ECFRPC), on behalf of 26 partners that comprise the East Central Florida Sustainable Communities Consortium, was awarded $2.4 million from HUD to plan for sustainable, transit-oriented development around SunRail station locations. The majority of the grant funds were passed directly to local governments with special emphasis on promoting sustainable and inclusive growth, particularly in minority and/or low-income neighborhoods adjacent to several of the SunRail stations. The overall process has been branded “Enhance Central Florida”.

The Parramore Comprehensive Neighborhood Plan (the Plan) focuses on creating a healthy, sustainable and vibrant community that prepares for the future while preserving, enhancing, and celebrating the culture and heritage of Parramore.  The Plan is an integral component of the Project DTO – Advancing Downtown Orlando initiative, and is also an important continuation and further refinement of the Pathways for Parramore initiative.

Ten Healthy Community Design Principles

Through numerous community forums and extensive public engagement, the following Ten Healthy Community Design Principles were established and endorsed:
  1. Drive Economic Development by Creating a Unique Identity
  2. Improve Access to Job Opportunities
  3. Promote Social & Environmental Justice
  4. Increase Housing Opportunities
  5. Make Education the Cornerstone of Revitalization
  6. Empower Champions for a Healthy Community
  7. Promote Access to Healthy Food
  8. Invest in People, not Cars
  9. Maximize the Opportunity for All Residents to get Physical Activity
  10. Encourage Mixed Use Development

The Plan contains the community’s vision for their neighborhoods based on the above-mentioned Healthy Community Design principles, and provides strategies along with short, mid– and long–term action items for improving economic and job growth, community health, transportation options, housing, education and infill development. These strategies and action items are described in full detail in the Executive Summary and Action Plan.

Parramore Comprehensive Neighborhood Plan – Five Year Anniversary

On January 26, 2015, the Orlando City Council approved the Parramore Comprehensive Neighborhood Plan (PCNP). The PCNP was organized around 10 Healthy Community Design principles, with an emphasis on education, creating a safe/healthy built environment, and business development – all intended to combat generational poverty and the vestiges of social & economic injustice. Here are just some of the implementation highlights:

Education

  • Academic Center for Excellence K-8 school (ACE; including the Rosen Foundation's day care center, a Boys & Girls Club, and Health Clinic) – Opened August 2017.
  • UCF/Valencia College Downtown Campus – Opened August 2019.
  • Parramore Education & Innovation District Initiative (UCF-led; $2 Million grant from the Helios Education Foundation, JPMorgan Chase & Co., & Kresge Foundation to support Pre-K through PhD education ecosystem in Parramore).
  • Workforce Development/Vocational Training Programs, including Valencia College’s Center for Accelerated Training, the Patient Care Training (PCT) program, and the Blueprint 2.0 program developed in partnership with the Central Florida Urban League, CareerSource, and Wells Fargo (announced in October 2019).
  • Continuing the Parramore Kidz Zone program to mentor youth and enhance academic performance, including expansion of the program into Holden Heights – $80,000 grant from Heart of Florida United Way in 2018.

Safe/Healthy Built Environment

  • Creation of UCF Parramore Healthy Community Coalition spearheading initiatives ranging from nutrition education to diabetes screenings – $600,000 grant from Florida Blue Foundation.
  • Creation of the Parramore Community Engagement Council (neighborhood champions).
  • Creation of LYMMO Grapefruit Line (2016), and Lime Line (2018), to provide enhanced connections for Parramore residents to SunRail, jobs and opportunities.
  • Completion of the Westmoreland Bike/Pedestrian Trail (2017).
  • Opening of mixed-income Parramore Oaks Apartments – 120 units (Invictus Development, Phase 1 – 2019).
  • Opening of mixed-income Amelia Court Apartments – 205 units (Atlantic Housing – 2019).
  • Creation of Parramore Asset Stabilization Fund to renovate 83 housing units on 44 properties, to stabilize affordable rental housing options in Parramore.
  • Creation of the Central Florida Regional Housing Trust.
  • New infill single family for-sale homes by the Orlando Housing Department, Downtown CRA, and Orlando Regional Realtor’s Association – Heroes Commons) – 14 homes built so far.
  • Completion of Parramore & Holden Heights Healthy Community Design Measures Report (2020).

Business Development

  • Since 2015, over $525,000 in grants/assistance through the MEBA (Minority/Women Entrepreneur Business Assistance) Program, Downtown Façade & Building Stabilization Fund, Business Assistance Program, and Small Business Façade, Site Improvement & Adaptive Reuse Program.
  • Expansion of the Orlando Main Street business development program into Parramore (2019).

And the work continues.  The future is bright in Parramore.

Awards

The Parramore Comprehensive Neighborhood Plan has won the following prestigious awards:

  • American Planning Association (APA) – Florida Chapter Award of Excellence in the Neighborhood Planning category (presented in September 2015)
  • Florida Redevelopment Association Roy Kenzie Award for “Planning Studies” (presented in October 2015)
  • International Development Association (IDA) Downtown Achievement Awards – Certificate of Merit in the “Planning” category (presented in October 2017)

Disclaimer

The work that provided the basis for this publication was supported by funding under an award with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The substance and findings of the work are dedicated to the public. The author and publisher are solely responsible for the accuracy of the statements and interpretations contained in this publication. Such interpretations do not necessarily reflect the views of the government.

Supporting Documents

Below, find a series of documents showing the details of the Parramore Comprehensive Neighborhood Plan:

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