According to the Orlando Business Journal, drugstore chain Walgreens will be opening a location in the former Valencia College administration building [GMap].
The deal is still being signed off by Nunziata Holdings LLC., but the chain would take over the first floor of the building with the remaining floors being used as office space.
The building was constructed in 1911 and was once the home of First National Bank, and later First National Bank at Orlando, and the Sun First National Bank at Orlando. Valencia College used it for offices and classrooms until 2014.
The building is listed as one of Orlando’s Local Historic Landmarks HERE and we recently wrote about it getting a possible update HERE.
Click HERE to see some of its more interesting architectural features.
Please Chipotle Mexican Grill!!!!
We need a Whole Foods or some
Sort of organic grocer! I think a major department store downtown will bring big biz in the central district as well.
This is critical for downtown.
So why are people upset about this? The only thing that could be negative about this is how the sign would look on the building. Other than that, it’s great to see more retail in downtown even if it is a chain store. There’s no local pharmacy downtown unless you count the pharmacy in the Lake Eola Publix but that is another chain as well. Be realistic, downtown can’t only depend on bars, restaurants, and small independent niche stores, we are not San Francisco. I suppose some people here would rather see the building being empty.
One of the oldest buildings in new York is a CVS….
I can’t get excited about Walgreens. We need a chipotle or chic fil a
Good start, now they need more retail stores
Wait, people are upset about this?
Great news for downtown. Downtown has been long overdue for a drug store.
Long, long ago there was a Walgreens just up the road on the corner of Pine and Orange. Now it’s an empty space.
I love the idea of more retail on Orange Avenue. However, the thought of a giant Walgreens sign on that classic building makes me cringe. I hope its historic landmark status requires some subtly.
Repurpose Orlando. Welcome to the real world.U0001f600
Gross beyond belief
Hope it gets a Marquee on the outside like they planned and whats been there in the past.
Here’s a pdf file with info and pics of the building. Its been listed as available for quite a while http://media.bizj.us/view/img/7981712/190-orange-ave-flyer-62415.24.15.pdf
190 South Orange Avenue history: Founded in 1911, The People’s National Bank became the First National Bank in 1920. The bank constructed this building in 1930, designed by Orlando architect Howard M. Reynolds. The classically inspired Art Deco building features Egyptian motifs. The bank failed in the early 1930s and was reorganized in 1934 as the First National Bank at Orlando. Later after the bank moved, the building housed Whitehouse Cafeteria, a drugstore and Valencia College.
Preservation, what a concept.
hopefully this is the beginning of retail locating downtown..would love to see more retail stores on orange rather then bars..
Wes Halliwell woooo!!!
Although it’s good to have spaces taken up in downtown this is not the company I thought should be in it.