College Park, Orlando

College Park is a distinct neighborhood within the city of Orlando, Florida, deriving its name from the many streets within its bounds that were named for institutions of higher learning like Princeton, Harvard, and Yale. Its close proximity to downtown has made it a popular residential area for over a century, particularly amongst young professionals. According to the 2000 census, most residents are of working age (between 18 and 49) and are homeowners. 65.5% of households include no children.

History

Citrus grower John Ericsson built the first known home in College Park at 19 West Princeton, in the middle of what was then an 80 acre grove. Other settlers soon followed, especially after the arrival of the South Florida Railroad in 1880, including: Adam Given, Marshall Porter, James Wilcox, Algernon Hayden, John W. Childress, and George Russell.

The Great Freeze during the winter of 1894-5 halted growth in the neighborhood for over a decade.

New residents began arriving in large numbers during the real estate boom of the 1920s, when the City of Orlando expanded its northern boundary north to Par Street to include College Park. It was during this decade that many of the neighborhood's best-known subdivisions were platted, including:

*Walter Rose's "Rosemere" in 1921.
*H. Carl Dann's "Dubsdread" in 1923.
*J.P. Holbrook's "Edgewater Heights" in 1924.
*Frank L. Anderson's "Anderson Park" also in 1924.

The boom turned into a bust during the Great Depression of the 1930s, but savvy businessman Welborn C. Phillips began buying up many of the remaining vacant lots in College Park--particularly those west of Edgewater Drive--and was well-positioned for the post-World War II boom.

During the post-war years, the neighborhood was home both to astronaut John Young, who grew up in his parents' home at 815 West Princeton Street and beat generation writer Jack Kerouac who lived at 1418 Clouser Avenue when his masterpiece 'On the Road' was published as well as when he wrote the follow-up 'The Dharma Bums'). The house now operates as a non-profit entitle Kerouac Project; A haven for up-and-coming writers. Not only is it a unique tribute to Kerouac, it established Orlando on the international literary map. [http://kerouacproject.org]

In 2002, Edgewater Drive, the main artery of the neighborhood's business district, was re-striped from a 4-lane byway to a more pedestrian-friendly 3-lanes (1 in each direction with a central turn lane).

In 2005, College Park resident and developer Jim Kersey broke ground on a new 7-story mixed-used development along Edgewater Drive called "The Wellesley." It included 140 residential units over the "SunTrust Collonade," a commercial strip featuring convert|12500|sqft|m2 of retail space adjoining a convert|7500|sqft|m2|sing=on bank.

Government and politics

College Park is encompassed by Orlando's city commission district 3, currently represented by Robert Franklin Stuart, Sr., scion of a local political dynasty that includes Orlando Chamber of Commerce president Jacob Stuart, congressional candidate Charlie Stuart, and former state senator George Stuart, Jr.

Institutions

Churches

*Cathedral of the Incarnation (Anglican), 1515 Edgewater Drive.
*Central Christian Church, 250 Southwest Ivanhoe Boulevard.
*Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 45 East Par Street
*College Park Baptist Church, 1914 Edgewater Drive, established in 1928 under the pastorate of Rev. Milton Bales.
*College Park United Methodist Church, 644 West Princeton Street.
*St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church, 4005 Edgewater Drive, established in 1954.
*St. Michael's Episcopal Church, 2499 North Westmoreland Avenue, established in 1948.
*St. Paul's Presbyterian Church, 4917 Eli Street.

Civic

*College Park Rotary Club (http://www.collegeparkrotary.org), established in 1986 sponsors the annual Taste of College Park Food and Wine Festival to benefit the Ronald McDonald Houses of Orlando among other charities. They also contribute significant scholarship funds to neighborhood schools.

Education

*Bishop Moore Catholic High School.
*Edgewater High School.
*Lake Silver Elementary.
*Princeton Elementary School (1926). (http://www.princeton.ocps.net)
*Robert E. Lee Middle School.
*St. Charles Borromeo Catholic School (Pre-K thru 8th Grade).
*St. Vincent's Academy (Anglican).

Parks and recreation

*Dartmouth Park established in 1948, bounded by Dartmouth, New Hampshire, Westmoreland, and Edgewater Drive.
*Dubsdread Golf Course established in 1924 at 549 West Par Street was closed for renovations March 12, 2007, but is scheduled to be reopened in the summer of 2008. Once home to the Orlando Open, it has played host to such legendary golfers as Sam Snead, Ben Hogan, and Claude Harmon.

Commercial

*Gabriel's Sub Shop on Edgewater Drive, established in 1958.
*Publix Supermarket on Edgewater Drive, established in 1950.
*Stuart Jewelry, established in 1946.

Location

References

External links

*http://collegeparkorlando.org
*http://www.golfdubsdread.com
*http://mycollegepark.com
*http://kerouacproject.org
*http://www.derenthalrealty.com