Orlando Area Gets New Community Center and Dr. Phillips Charities HQs

By Georgiana Mihaila, Associate Editor

Winter Park prides itself on its brand new community center located in the very heart of the city. The 37,297-square-foot Winter Park Community Center opened this October and aims at providing a place where the entire community can benefit from its ballroom and banquet space that can accommodate up to 400 guests. The facility, set at 721 West New England Ave., also incorporates a commercial-grade kitchen, a state-of-the-art fitness center, media center, senior center, and outdoor stage overlooking Shady Park, two regulation basketball courts, and a multipurpose swimming pool with zero-depth entry and lap lanes.

The $9.1 million Winter Park Community Center, designed by Orlando-based SchenkelShultz Architecture and design-build partner Turner Construction Company, was developed to achieve LEED Silver certification.

SchenkelShultz Architecture was also the designer of the newly-opened Dr. Phillips Charities headquarters building located at 7400 Dr. Phillips Blvd. in Orlando. The Mediterranean-styled facility will house both The Dr. P. Phillips Foundation and Dr. Phillips, Inc.—the two distinct funding organizations that comprise Dr. Phillips Charities. According to The Florida Real Estate Journal, the two aim at supporting Central Florida non-profits and charitable organizations directly impacting the lives of thousands of children and families annually.

With SchenkelSchultz as architect and Brasfield & Gorrie serving as general contractor for the 20,000-square-foot facility, the Dr. Phillips Charities headquarters is also seeking LEED certification from the U.S. Green Building Council.