The Orlando skyline will undergo an improvement starting Wednesday, December 7, due to a contribution from the City of Orlando Community Redevelopment Agency and downtown business stakeholders Larry Pino and Michael Murray. Pino, CEO of Dynetech Corporation, headquartered in downtown, joined Michael Murray, Churchill Development Group and the city’s revitalization efforts to fund removal of the relic communications structure.
Preliminary preparation work has already started and final removal with a large crane starting on December 8, should take approximately five days to complete. Wall Street, between Magnolia Avenue and Rosalind Avenue, will be closed during the project.
“In keeping with the city’s reputation as the City Beautiful, AT&T has agreed to have the microwave tower on top of their circa-1923 building removed,” said Frank Billingsley, Executive Director of the Community Redevelopment Agency. “The microwave tower was installed during the 1950s and has been a prominent, yet unappealing fixture on the downtown skyline. Many people have complained about it over the years as a distraction on the downtown skyline.” The Orlando Community Redevelopment Agency raised the required sum of $75,000 for the tower’s removal through a partnership with Dynetech Corporation, who recently announced their new corporate headquarters tower will be adjacent to the AT&T building and Churchill Development Group (the developer of The VUE at Lake Eola).
“It is noteworthy that the old AT&T microwave tower is coming down at the same time so many projects are emerging in our revitalized downtown”, said Pino. “Dynetech is committed to helping shape the look and feel of Orlando as it develops into a prominent diversified center for high value, high wage economic growth.”
“We are happy to help enhance the downtown community”, said Mike Murray, Principal of Churchill Development Group. “We are here to build more than a luxury high-rise. We’re here to build a long-lasting urban community. We want to be a community partner and help beautify the City Beautiful.”