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Orlando

Named After a Soldier

Named after Orlando Reeves, a soldier in the Second Seminole War, Orlando was first incorporated as a city in 1885 and is the county seat for Orange County.  Its population within the city limits is approximately 230,514 (2006 Census) - ranking number five in Florida.   Howeer, the Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) of Orlando which includes the immediate suburbs has 2,054,574 people living within it – which makes it the third largest population center in Florida and number 34 in the nation.  Check out the wonderful Orlando homes below or to the left, refine the search for your Orlando home or investment!

Great Location and Great Weather !

Though many view Orlando as being in the middle of Florida, it actually is much more to the east side of the state and is only 24 miles from the Atlantic Ocean.  

January temperatures average 72 and 50 for highs and lows and 92 and 73 for highs and lows in July and it is located in the number 10 botanical zone. 

Historical Events Dictated Orlando's Growth

Originally a citrus hub, Orlando has had a gradual turn of events dictate its growth and development.  The citrus crops and the industry were ruined in the Great Freezes of 1894 and 1895 sending the population numbers into a tailspin. 

However, during WWII a number of military installations were established and many of these servicemen stayed behind after the war’s end.  As a result, companies related to the military established themselves in the area including   Martin Marietta (now Lockheed Martin) in 1956 --- where it still operates today. The original McCoy Air Force Base is now Orlando International Airport. 

Family Friendly

Walt Disney’s decision to locate Disney World and its related theme parks in Orlando changed the face of Orlando forever. Though Tampa and Miami were considered – Orlando’s inland location with a major thoroughfare gave it protection from hurricanes and allowed easy ingress and egress.  Other theme parks followed and due the presence of Disney's four theme parks, Universal Studios' two theme parks and Seaworld along with related Discovery Cove and Aquatica, and Orlando's easy access for cruise ships at Port Canaveral, Orlando is the third most visited American city.  It is second only to Las Vegas in number of hotel rooms. 

And Not Just For Tourists Anymore !

In the years since the establishment of Disney and the theme parks, Orlando’s population and economy has continued to grow and diversify. Orlando’s proximity to Patrick Air Force base, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station and Kennedy Space Center allows residents to commute from the city’s suburbs. 

Notable employers now include: General Dynamics, Harris, Mitsubishi Power Systems, Siemans. Veritas/Seagate, General Electric, AT&T, Sprint, Boeing, Raytheon, Northrop Grumman and Hewlett Packard.  

In addition, there is still a strong military presence, as the simulation procurement commands for all branches of the military are located in Orlando.  Other military related facilities include with the Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division, Emery Riddle Aeronautical University, Air Force Agency for Modeling and Simulation, U.S. Army Program Executive Office for Simulation, Training, and Instrumentation, U.S. Army Research Development and Engineering Command, the U.S. Army Simulation and Training Technolgy Center,  CAE Flight and Simulation Training Systems, and the Institute for Simulation and Training. 

Strong in Research and Academics

In addition to an excellent employment base, Orlando is home to the largest university in the state by enrollment numbers – The University of Central Florida. 

Along side the university is the 7^th largest research park in the country – The Central Florida Research park which is home to more than 125 companies covering more than 1,000 acres.

UCF established a medical school in 2008 in the Lake Nona suburb of Orlando. Along with that initial thrust, most recently, a group of medical institutions, including the Burnham Institute for Medical Research established a life science medical hub facility known as the Medical City at Lake Nona.  With that establishment has come a new Nemours Children’s Hospital, the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, and active and approved plans for a new Veterans Administration Hospital. 

Orlando has two excellent non-profit hospital systems:  Florida Hospital and Orlando Health.  Orlando Health operates the Orlando Regional Medical Center (ORMC) and contains the only Level I trauma center in Central Florida.  The Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women and Babies and Florida Hospital Orlando have Central Florida’s only Level III neonatal intensive care units.  

We can help you discover the home of your dreams in Orlando. Contact Us today!

Useful Link

www.cityoforlando.net

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