EATONVILLE, Fla. – The Orange County School Board unanimously voted on Tuesday to approve a controversial proposal to sell the historic 117-acre Hungerford property in Eatonville to Dr. Phillips Charities, a plan that has sparked opposition from town leaders.
The proposed development would bring an early learning center and healthcare facility to the site along Kennedy Boulevard, but it faces resistance from the Eatonville Town Council, which passed a resolution last week rejecting the deal.
While Eatonville Mayor Angie Gardner supports the transfer, town council members argue they, not the charity, should have final authority over the property’s future.
What’s in the plan?
Under the agreement Dr. Phillips Charities will pay $1 million upfront. The rest of the purchase price is forgiven as milestones are completed.
Year 2: A pavilion for festivals and expanded green space
Year 3: Eatonville Early Learning Center, with priority for local families and Hungerford Elementary staff
Year 4: Community hub and healthcare facility
History of Eatonville
Eatonville is widely recognized as one of the nation’s first self-governing Black municipalities, founded in 1887 by freedmen and their descendants. It is also the hometown of celebrated author and anthropologist Zora Neale Hurston, whose work helped preserve African American folklore and whose legacy continues to shape American literature.
For decades, the future of the Hungerford property has been the focus of heated debates. Once home to the Hungerford School, a pioneering institution of education for Black students in the segregated South, the land is considered a cornerstone of Eatonville’s identity and heritage.
In past years, outside developers proposed plans for the property, but many Eatonville residents opposed them, fearing the town’s culture and control would be erased. Gardner says this time is different.
“In the past, we’ve had developers come for that land before, but their ideas were for them. It wasn’t for the town. This is different,” Gardner said. “We asked residents what they wanted - and now we have a 100-year organization with a proven record of helping communities saying, ‘We’ll get it done for you.’ That’s huge.”
Terry Prather, chairman of the Dr. Phillips Charities board, pledged that the project will honor Eatonville’s legacy.
“We will work very, very hard to make sure that there’s little to no displacement of residents. We want to increase the percentage of owner-occupied homes, stabilize the community, and protect the legacy and the history of Eatonville,” Prather said.