ORLANDO, Fla. – Southeast Orlando residents are one year away from having easier access to city services, thanks to the construction of the new Southeast Community and Government Center on Dowden Road, just west of Narcoossee Road.
On Tuesday, District 1 Commissioner Jim Gray met with Mayor Buddy Dyer to talk about the city’s help with the growth in his community.
He said, “The southeast part of town has been the fastest growing part of the city”, creating a pressing need for more accessible government services closer to home.
“It’s all about convenience and connecting our residents with the city,” said Gray.
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The city broke ground on the facility last year. When completed, the approximately 15,000-square-foot center will serve as a multi-functional hub, designed to meet a wide range of community needs. Residents will no longer have to drive to downtown City Hall for many services, easing both travel time and congestion along Narcoossee Road.
Gray emphasized that many residents shouldn’t have to make the long trip to City Hall for routine tasks. This could also ease both travel time and congestion along Narcoossee Road, which has seen heavy traffic over the past few years.
“They will get some government services, which is simply permitting, inspections, code enforcement things that folks don’t need to come all the way to city hall to do, they can get them there,” he said.
As with other growing regions of Central Florida—such as Horizon West in West Orange, which recently, leaders mentioned expanding its fire response capabilities—the southeast side of Orlando has also demonstrated a need for enhanced public safety resources.
To help address that, the new center will include a police presence.
“One of the challenges with growth is traffic, so we wanted to provide better response times,” Gray said. “We felt like we needed a police substation there.”
The center will also have a library feature for people or families who need the services.
Public safety is a key component of the project. In addition to daily government operations, the center is expected to play a crucial role during emergencies. It will serve as a distribution hub for crisis-response resources and community relief efforts when needed.
The Southeast Community and Government Center is scheduled for completion next year.