WINTER GARDEN, Fla. — Winter Garden city leaders have approved additional building plans, clearing the way to transform a former citrus packing plant into a neighborhood-oriented market called the “Old Packing House.”
What You Need To Know
City leaders approve expanded building plans for historic citrus packing house
Mixed-use market will feature shops, eateries, offices, and a museum
Developer emphasizes preserving history while creating a community hub
Leasing expected to begin later this summer
Developer Gary Hasson says the project has been years in the making.
“As you can see, we’ve got a lot of stuff going on over here,” Hasson said while touring the property with his son.
The 1909 packing house spans 52,000 square feet — “just over the size of a football field,” he added — and sits among five buildings spread across four acres.
The space is being reimagined as a place where people can work, eat, and shop.
“We’re going to have people with offices up on the top here. We have eateries and stores down at the bottom. A marketplace over here, along with the Natural History Museum,” Hasson said.
Project renderings have been shared at several community meetings, where residents voiced concerns about traffic and congestion.
The property sits next to the West Orange Trail, a well-used recreational corridor.
John Russo of Mount Dora, who has walked the trail for two decades, supports the project.
“I think bringing together like people in a mixed-use space will create more of like a social aspect to the community,” Russo said.
Hasson says preserving the site’s history is central to the redevelopment.
The packing house dates back to the early 1900s, when Winter Garden played a key role in the citrus industry.
“Citrus would come in here, they would pack it and then put it on trains that were shipped all over the country and overseas,” he said.
Purchased five years ago, the property will feature original citrus packing label artwork displayed on the exterior.
“We’re going to be putting these kind of beautiful artistic signs all around the building,” Hasson said.
Developers expect to begin signing leases by August.
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