Universal Parks and Resorts in Orlando has chosen Wendover Housing Partners to build its affordable housing community near the I-4 corridor. Universal donated 20 acres of land to the project last year.
Altamonte Springs-based Wendover Housing Partners will begin construction on the 1,000 apartments and 16,000 square feet of retail space in late 2022.
At least 75 percent of the units will be dedicated as affordable housing.
In a video released by Universal, Master Planning Senior Manager Bob Herrick says the apartments located near the theme parks will help alleviate the area’s affordable housing crisis.
“I would hope that the legacy of this project is that it becomes the new standard. That we start seeing more communities similar to this and maybe some might exceed this. I would think that would be great.”
[audio wav="https://www.wmfe.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/universal-clip-13006-.wav"][/audio]
In the same video, Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings says the need is great for low-rent apartments in the Orlando area.
“Here within the metro Orlando area, we have 110,000 households that have been chronically rent-stressed. And that really puts the burden on families to be able to afford a place to live and raise their families.”
[audio wav="https://www.wmfe.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/13007_UNIVERSAL_DANIELLE.wav"][/audio]
Wendover will not only develop the community in conjunction with Universal, but oversee it for the next 55 years.
The 30-year old Central Florida company was selected from five finalists for the project.
