What You Need To Know
- Sale looming: Orange County School Board plans to auction Fort Gatlin in 60 days with a starting bid of $1.4 million.
- Preservation push: Many residents are advocating converting the site into a historical park.
- Historical significance:
- Completed by the U.S. Army in 1838 as a frontier outpost.
- Served as Orange County’s seat in 1856.
Current Status
Fort Gatlin, the long-vacant naval testing building south of downtown, is slated for sale unless the county steps in to preserve it. Community members have rallied to transform the property into a public park honoring both its frontier and naval heritage.
County Board’s Response
Jad Brewer, Facilities Program Director for Orange County Public Schools, explains that the 60-day extension is intended to “allow residents to approach the county to explore acquisition for a park or other preservation purpose.”
Community Voices
“This area is the beginning of Orlando. We’re hoping that we can build a historical park and be something that the community will be proud of.”
— Tina Siders, former naval lab employee and 35-year resident
Her survey of 100 neighbors showed 60% favoring a historical park, 35% favoring housing, and 5% other uses.
“I would like to see that building disappear. And I would like to see that as a beautiful historic park.”
— Mark Pooser, preservation advocate
Next Steps
If no preservation agreement is reached, OCPS will proceed with auctioning the property at the opening bid of $1.4 million. The site is not listed on the National Register of Historic Places, although it has gained statewide preservation interest.