Building on the city’s commitment to improving neighborhood infrastructure, the City of Orlando, in conjunction with Dr. Phillips Charities, Inc., selected GAI to provide site civil engineering and landscape architecture services for the Packing District, a new $480 million, planned, 200-acre, mixed-used development. GAI prepared an Infrastructure Master Plan document to address the project’s utility needs for both the short- and long-term; as well as implemented the design of the master lift station within the District. The lift station accommodates approximately 1.5 MGD average daily flow, and is a dual wet well with a dual pump system in each wet well. The system connects to an existing 12-inch force main on the discharge side. Auxiliary power and odor control systems were incorporated into the design. The design also includes two buildings to house climate-controlled controls and a standby generator—GAI provided the buildings’ structural design, overhead head crane, and security fencing with gates.

GAI also provided site civil engineering for the reconstruction of a 1-mile segment of Princeton Street (SR 438) from John Young Parkway (SR 423) to Orange Blossom Trail (US 441). The existing roadway has six lanes (three in each direction) separated by a two-way, left-turn lane or a turn lane with a narrow median. The design improvements reduce the roadway to four lanes, while incorporating a raised median, on-street parking, 6-ft-wide sidewalks, and 10-ft separated bicycle lanes. GAI’s scope of services included demolition of the existing roadway infrastructure; as well as the design of the new roadway consisting of new asphalt pavement, concrete curbing, stormwater infrastructure, utility relocations, concrete sidewalks, landscaping, lighting, traffic signal improvements, and signage. The project required close coordination with the City of Orlando, FDOT District Five, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, and the St. Johns River Water Management District (SJRWMD).

Lastly, GAI provided landscape architecture services for all design stages from concept to construction documentation, which incorporated low impact design (LID) features such as stormwater planters. Services included planned unit development (PUD) document details for typical cross sections and hardscape landscape details, streetscape concepts, schematics, design development, permitting, and construction documents. Upon completion, the Packing District will transform a formerly commercial and industrial site into a mixed-use, urban destination that incorporates “Complete Streets” concepts—resulting in a more walkable community with safer access for all modes of travel.