EATONVILLE, Fla. — Work on the planned development at the historic Hungerford property in Eatonville might not begin this fall as initially planned, a representative of Dr. Phillips Charities told the Town Council at a workshop about the project on Tuesday night.
That is the 100-plus acres purchased by Dr. Phillips Charities last year from Orange County Public Schools, despite concerns from some council members about the development plan.
The existing contract includes plans for Dr. Phillips Charities to develop a hotel, affordable housing, a health care facility, a community hub, green space and more.
“The timeframe for the infrastructure is what we obviously have to start first. You got to plant your seeds nice and deep so that they grow,” the Dr. Phillips Charities representative said. “And that was what we were hoping to start in October. We’re probably not going to hit that. We had to come for approvals, submissions, and some other things that will take place, and we have to have a final plan, and we don’t have a final plan as of yet.”
That representative said that Dr. Phillips Charities plans to officially close on the purchase of the land in August. Contractually, he said the organization has two years to develop the property but that it intends to do so as quickly as possible.
Dr. Phillips Charities will lead the project, but the organization is working to identify partners to help fund it.
Council members requested that Dr. Phillips Charities provide regular updates on the project’s progress going forward.
Some council members had fought the project before plans to move forward with it were approved, partially because of the historic nature of the property, which was once home to a school for Black students that opened in the 1800s. Other concerns were the economic impact the project will bring to Eatonville and the possibility that it could increase homelessness and raise taxes. Those council members said the town of Eatonville should have control of the land because of its significance. The property has sat vacant for decades.