KISSIMMEE, Fla. – With rapid development reshaping Osceola County, city officials in Kissimmee are moving forward with a long-term plan to revitalize an approximately 5-mile section of Vine Street while seeking to create neighborhood charm.
The Vine Street Community Redevelopment Area (CRA) is proposing improvements along a corridor that begins near Valencia College at Denn John Street and extends toward the tourist district by Medieval Times. The Vine Street CRA encompasses roughly 1,064 acres of non-residential space and approximately 6 million gross square feet of existing commercial space, with potential for significantly more development in the future. About 5,000 people live in the immediate area the plan targets.
City leaders have scheduled a public meeting for 5 p.m. tonight at Kissimmee City Hall to gather community input on the projects. If you can’t make this meeting, there will be others. Officials say the plan calls for increased landscaping, public green space, and a mix of housing and local businesses on parcels the city has acquired, including the former Kmart site near John Young Parkway.
“We also have incentive programs and grants to attract private investors to this area,” said Samia Singleton, Vine Street CRA manager. “We have programs that can help you.”
Local residents expressed cautious optimism about the proposals. Manuel Robusto said he welcomes improvements that would create more family-oriented amenities. “What I don’t see around here is a good park for the kids,” he said. Robusto added that additional housing would be welcomed, noting, “It will be better to have more apartments because coffee shops we have everywhere.”
Small business owners in the corridor are watching the plans closely. Ken Edwards of Jumpin’ Caribbean Cuisine, which opened seven months ago across from part of the redevelopment zone near Medieval Times, said the restaurant has begun to attract more local customers alongside tourists.
“We are starting to see a lot of locals, which is a good thing, but we also see a lot of tourists,” Edwards said.
City officials describe the Vine Street initiative as a long-range effort. The multi-million-dollar redevelopment is projected to be completed by 2042 — a timeline that means some children growing up in the neighborhood today will reach adulthood before the project is finished.
Planners emphasize that the CRA’s goals include not only commercial growth but also walkable, community-focused development. The city hopes to leverage grants and incentive programs to attract private investment that will deliver apartments, houses and locally owned businesses along the corridor.
Residents and stakeholders are invited to the public meeting at Kissimmee City Hall to review plans and provide feedback on proposed changes to the Vine Street corridor.