City Names Downtown Home a Landmark because it Demolished the Other Three

On May 4, 2016, the Historic Preservation Board unanimously voted to designate 512 E. Washington Street (MAP) as an Orlando Local Landmark. 

3 Criteria for Historic Landmark status had to be met. This is how the house met them: 
  1. The house is associated with the owner, Mr Marsh, and events connected with the citrus industry in general and that played an extremely important part in the history of Orlando which satisfies Criteria A. 
  2. The structure meets Criteria B because George Marsh was a well known and highly respected fruit grower in Central Florida as shown in the application. 
  3. The structure meets the Criteria C as it exhibits the distinctive characteristics of the Mediterranean Revival style in Orlando. 
The Application Statement of Significance (Read here) claimed that the property is worthy of recognition as an historic landmark for the following five reasons: 
  1. It is virtually the last surviving historic home on Lake Eola. 
  2. The original owner represents the citrus entrepreneur that came from the north. 
  3. It built at the height of the land boom prior to the housing crash. 
  4. It has an architectural style: Mediterranean revival. 
  5. It may (or may not!) be designed by Orlando’s first female architect, Ida Ryan. 
The home was built around 1924 (Source). It's also where the City of Orlando Parks & Rec offices are located.






In 2007, this is the what East Washington Street looked like. Four houses are in this photo: the historic landmark house and three other houses.



2 of the 4 houses in this map from 1919 are shown as constructed. The historic landmark house isn't shown and wasn't constructed yet. The house's lot wasn't to be purchased until 1925. (Source



Below is a 1925 Fire Insurance Map in which you can see all 4 houses are present. (Source) 



Despite the Historic house being younger than the three it shared a street with, the other three were demolished. 




This 1919 House is not a historic landmark




Circa 1925 house is not a historic landmark




This 1919 House is not a historic landmark



This 1925 house is a historic landmark. 

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