Orlando: Then and Now

Orlando wants to have a 'big city' downtown and it's well on its way. Over the last decade, the skyline has doubled in size and the number of downtown residents has increased to 12,000. From Bus Rapid Transit and commuter rail to allowing billboards, sidewalk dining and attracting suburban colleges to invest in the core, several elements of urbanism are finding a way to flourish in this rapidly urbanizing setting. Nevertheless, what really stands out is the high level of service applied to keeping the streets clean and public spaces well landscaped and maintained. Modern Cities wants you to see for yourself. Here is a brief look at the evolution of downtown Orlando over the last century.

7. Then: A postcard of the old Orange County Courthouse at Washington and Magnolia. Courtesy of the State Archives of Florida

2015

8. Then: A postcard view of the bandshell near Lake Eola. Courtesy of the State Archives of Florida

2015

9. Then: Looking north along Orange Avenue at an intersection nest from Central Boulevard in 1926. Courtesy of the