"Redevelopment, You Say?"
Through evolution, cities are constantly created by the reactions and accommodations of changing conditions. The manner in which our City has evolved reflects a unique and special area. Maitland has been sincere in its efforts to prepare for the future, with an appreciation of past accomplishments and good character. The Downtown Maitland Master Plan incorporates the City's past experiences into the future; understanding that a sustainable success for the future is dependent on how well the City preserves its good qualities today.
The history of Maitland and the Orlando Avenue Corridor represents a litany of progressive leaders promoting the goodwill of the town. Thirty-one registered voters residing within the proposed corporate limits of Lake Maitland assembled on July 17, 1885 to incorporate, select officers, and organize a municipal government.1 Almost immediately, commerce and service were essential to the success of the town. B. A. Galloway built his General Store in 1890 on the southwest corner of Horatio and Maitland Avenue. His son, Carl H. Galloway, installed telephone lines from the General Store to the rest of the City in 1910.
A boon period followed during the mid-1920's and encouraged the Town of Lake Maitland and the Chamber of Commerce to actively seek entrepreneurs to settle in Lake Maitland. Their January 1925 brochure states:
"IT IS THE AMBITION OF THE PRESENT CITIZENRY OF MAITLAND TO BUILD A DIGNIFIED AND PROGRESSIVE TOWN WITH A UNIFIED COMMUNITY OF INTEREST, PROMOTING THE BEST IN AMERICAN CITIZENSHIP. TO THIS END, THE TOWN COUNCIL HAS APPOINTED A SPECIAL TAX COMMISSION, A TOWN PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION; A PROMINENT FIRM OF MUNICIPAL ENGINEERS HAVE BEEN EMPLOYED AND ARE NOW AT WORK ON PLANS FOR THE PROPER FUTURE IMPROVEMENT AND DEVELOPMENT OF A SYSTEM OF TOWN LIGHTING, WATER, SEWERAGE, PAVING, AND PARKING. THE PEOPLE OF MAITLAND ARE AT ONE WITH THE TOWN COUNCIL IN THIS EFFORT TO FORWARD THE BEST INTERESTS OF THE TOWN."2
The wide variety of businesses catering to our citizens exist because the City Council established Ordinance Number 72. This ordinance created a Zoning Commission consisting of Chairman J. H. Hill, and W. H. Johnston, appointed to serve three years; E. A. Upmeyer and Anna B. Treat to serve two years; and Kate Green Vanderpool to serve one year.Most important though, was the resolution presented to the City Council on August 5, 1925, by Commissioner and Councilman Upmeyer:
"BE IT RESOLVED BY THE MAYOR AND THE COUNCILMAN OF THE TOWN OF LAKE MAITLAND IN COUNCIL ASSEMBLED, THAT THE MAYOR BE AND HEREBY IS, AUTHORIZED TO PLEDGE ON BEHALF OF SAID TOWN OF LAKE MAITLAND, TO THE STATE ROAD DEPARTMENT OF FLORIDA, TO SECURE SUFFICIENT RIGHT-OF-WAY THROUGH THE CORPORATE LIMITS OF SAID TOWN OF LAKE MAITLAND FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A HIGHWAY KNOWN AS STATE ROAD NUMBER 3 ALONG A ROUTE TO BE DESIGNATED BY SAID STATE ROAD DEPARTMENT."4
The State Road Department, created in 1915, was instrumental in securing support for paved roads such as State Road Number 3 (Orlando Avenue) through Central Florida in 1923. City Council appointed Councilman Upmeyer and Zoning Commission Chairman J. H. Hill at the August 5, 1925, City Council meeting to discuss the issue of rerouting State Road Number 3 with the State Road Department.5 The State Road Department staked this portion through Lake Maitland, along the current Orlando Avenue, in 1925, changing the route from Maitland Avenue.
The main commercial thoroughfare through Lake Maitland in the early part of the century was Maitland Avenue (also known as Dixie Highway or State Road Number 3). Maitland Avenue was the historic commercial district of the Town of Lake Maitland and ran from the Winter Park line to west of Lake Lily past the Waterhouse residence, then continuing north as it does today. The desire to reroute State Road Number 3 from east of Lake Lily up Vanderpool Avenue changed the complexion of Lake Maitland's commercial corridor when businesses realized the economic value of the new thoroughfare. Vanderpool Avenue ran from the northeast corner of Lake Lily to George Avenue along the current Orlando Avenue alignment. Prior to this time, Vanderpool Avenue had primarily been a residential corridor, with the Parker Sawmill just north of the Avenue.
The right-of-way, paving costs, and location of the center line of the highway to save the oak trees along the east side of the route were items discussed on August 10, 1925, in Tallahassee. The State Road Department deemed a minimum right-of-way of 66 feet was necessary, with the road measuring 30 feet wide. The State Road Department was to pay for 18 feet of paving, while the Town of Lake Maitland was to pay for the remaining 12 feet, including the curb and gutter cost.
The City Council determined the center of the new highway to be the center line of Vanderpool Avenue. This decision required an additional 13 feet of right-of-way on each side of Vanderpool Avenue and removal of the oak trees.6 Isaac Vanderpool, an early resident and Mayor in 1887 (instrumental in establishing the Maitland Library, Church of The Good Shepherd, Audubon Society and Maitland Cemetery) had helped organize the planting of the oak trees in the City, establishing the long tradition of street trees.
Councilman Upmeyer made a motion to increase the right-of-way to 100 feet and widen the street to 50 feet from the center of Vanderpool Avenue at the February 25, 926, City Council meeting.7 The motion carried, forever changing the Town of Lake Maitland and leading to the new commercial corridor. "Surveyor, Mr. L. L. Coudert was authorized to make the necessary surveys to prepare for the required plans, establish grades, etc. for the new State Highway 3 from the northern town limits to Lily Lake" at the October 15, 1926 City Council meeting.8
City Council's decisions required negotiations with many landowners over the next two years. Their actions involved the condemnation of properties, appraising fruit trees, moving houses in exchange for right-of-way deeds, and applying a credit of $200 to the Methodist Church's paving assessment in exchange for moving the church. "The Chairman of the Street Committee was authorized to have STOP signs placed about in town wherever necessary, but particularly at Horatio and Vanderpool intersection," at the February 8, 1928 City Council meeting. 9 The traffic problems of today are clearly similar to the traffic problems of yesterday.
According to David Kilbourne (a Maitland native), Forrest B. Stone anticipated the influx of travelers and built his service station around 1929 on the southwest corner of Orlando Avenue and Horatio Avenue. Later, Mr. Stone acquired the Methodist Church on the southeast corner of Orlando Avenue and Horatio Avenue for his fruit packing business. The Florida Health Resort and Recreational Center for Women, Goodings Supermarket, Packwood Hall, Blue Goose Office Building for American Fruit Growers, Baggett's Cottages, and a host of other businesses have crossed Maitland's path over time. Today, Bank of America, Parker Lumber, First Presbyterian Church, Antonio's La Fiamma restaurant, Bucca de Beppo restaurant, and an assortment of other businesses and stores constitute the corridor.
These actions are at the heart of the Downtown Maitland Master Plan and provide the basis for successful redevelopment of the commercial corridor through our community. The issues discussed for the future plan, in many ways, emulate the decisions made to establish the corridor in the beginning. The issues in the plan are the same as those discussed when this corridor was first established: width and character of roadway; traffic circulation and safety; tree planting; and coordination with businesses. Joint interest by the City Council, Planning and Zoning Commission, Chamber of Commerce and residents is at the heart of achieving "a dignified and progressive town with a unified community of interest." This ideal promotes the sense that everybody cares.
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Historic Newspaper Articles
Prominent Maitland Families
Maitland Historical Society
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