The City of Orlando will demolish two racquetball courts and a storage shed that dates back to the 1930s to make way for a new road extension in the Parramore neighborhood.

Bungalower has confirmed the racquetball courts outside the Downtown Recreation Complex (Website) on Parramore Avenue and the storage shed, which was most recently used by the Orlando Pottery Studio, will be torn down in the next few weeks.

According to a city spokesperson, Livingston Street will be extended to connect Terry and Parramore avenues. The road extension, which will be built between the Tennis Center and the Recreation Center, will “provide a vital connection to serve the new Parramore Community School,” the spokesperson wrote in an email.

The roadway will not impact the Tennis Center or the Recreation Center building.

Construction fencing will begin being installed around the demolition sites this week. The demolition will take a few weeks. The road construction will begin in April and be completed this fall, the spokesperson told Bungalower.

The Pottery Studio’s shed will be replaced with a new facility on the west side of the Recreation Center.

The two racquetball courts are now closed.

Orlando Downtown Recreation Complex, also known as the Davis Armory, is shared with the Parramore Kidz Zone (Website), the Urban Think Foundation (Website), Burrow Press (Website), the Orlando Pottery Studio (Website) and the Orlando Tennis Center.

Earlier this year, the Historic Preservation Board designated the Davis Armory as a Historic Landmark.

 

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Jon Busdeker

Jon Busdeker is a freelance journalist and videographer. He lives in College Park and is a co-host of "Bungalower and The Bus." Check out his website at www.jonbusdeker.com.

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  1. “The Pottery Studio’s shed will be replaced with a new facility on the west side of the Recreation Center.”

  2. They hold tournaments there, big gym. And adjacent City of Orlando Pottery Studio. I’ve worked out in the weight rooms with the women’s Jamaican running team before the Olympics.

  3. Well, at least they will replace the shed. I don’t go there but I know the Pottery Studio is highly valued around here. The City of Orlando should protect it.

  4. It appears the art deco rec center is remaining. Only the old steel shed to the north of it appears to be coming down.

  5. I’m confused. Livingston already connects to Parramore. Is Terry actually extending? Or is Livingston becoming straight due to all the cars sliding out on the dangerous curve?