City of Orlando officials approved over $90,000 in redevelopment grants to improve the exterior of one downtown’s historic buildings.
During Monday’s meeting of the Orlando City Council, commissioners unanimously approved two improvement funding agreements for both of the front-facing façades of the Kress Building, located at 15 W. Church Street and 124 S. Orange Avenue.
According to city records, construction improvements will total $350,000 for both sides of the building, which is an L-shape that shares frontage on two of downtown Orlando’s busiest streets. Improvements will include canopy, glass, and paint upgrades, among others. City commissioners approved two separate grants for $54,895 and $35,430 on Monday.
The Kress Building was opened in 1936 and is one of Orlando’s oldest Art Deco buildings. The stores operated with a “5-10-25 Cent” model before they closed in 1981.