ALTAMONTE SPRINGS, Fla. – Could this be the year someone finally moves into the Majesty building, better known as the “I-4 eyesore,” in Altamonte Springs?
Last summer, word spread quickly about a possible tenant interested in moving into the first floor. In June, Altamonte Springs City Manager Frank Martz told News 6 that the city had received a phone call, but that was it.
Our News 6 team followed up in the fall, and again on Wednesday, and learned months after the whispers about someone interested in moving in — it’s still been quiet.
Our crew also reached out to “SuperChannel Orlando,” which is run by president of WACX Claud Bowers -- the owner of the Majesty building. When we asked about plans to move the station and tenants into the first floor, we were told that there was nothing more to share at this point, but progress is still being made.
[BELOW: I-4 Eyesore tenant rumors ignite new buzz for infamous Altamonte Springs building]
“SuperChannel Orlando, an independent, religious TV station, has been slowly building the Majesty building with monetary donations. Their website says the 18-story office, retail and broadcast facility will be the permanent home for SuperChannel WACX-TV and have 200,000 sq. ft. of office and retail space available for lease.
Our News 6 team has been asking “what’s next?” for the project and has received multiple responses over the years. The last time Bowers told our crew that the building would be finished was in 2017. People noticed the lights came on in the building the following year, but no official opening ever came.
In June, Martz said there was still a lot of work to be done on the building before anyone could move in.
“The outside is finished, most of the landscape around it. The parking garage is finished,” said Martz. “It looks like a bare bones warehouse looking for somebody to put up a wall.”
[BELOW: News 6 takes a look at the history of Central Florida’s ‘I-4 Eyesore’]
People in Altamonte Springs say the building has become more of a punchline or meme than anything else. They would like to see someone make use of it one day, but they’ll believe it when they see it.
“I just know it’s been up there for; I want to say my entire life I’ve been living here,” said one woman.
“Why not get someone in there, make use of it?” asked another. I hope so, but then our joke could be gone."