Southeast Steel is ready to make its second move since the company was founded 85 years ago. But instead of relocating to the suburbs, downtown appliance retailers want to stay in their location on Amelia Street, in the heart of Orlando’s central business district.
“I think it was just one of those things because of the growth of central Florida,” says VP Spencer Kimball. “We’ve grown the size of the building for our needs. It was an opportunity we’ve been exploring for quite some time. And now it’s fine, we’ll do it right. Let’s see if we can do that.”
Kimball’s grandfather founded Southeast Steel in 1940 and has been with his family ever since. They now occupies a packaging warehouse for previous produce, built in 1918. “We were previously in the location where the bus stop was,” he said. “We moved here in 1978.”
Kimball, a third generation of the family, told Growthspotter he wanted a modern building that pays homage to the company’s origins in the steel business: “new shiny toys.”
This plan requires a two-phase project. The company will first build two- or three-storey buildings on the northeast corner of the property, serving as a temporary showroom and warehouse. When the building is open, it destroys the existing store and replaces it with a three-storey building.
Kimballs collaborated with Kyle Simmons, architect at KTH Architects, to come up with a design concept that features rising windows in front of the building with a combination of blue metal panels and concrete. The western elevation, visible from the Sunrail, mixes white translucent panels that glow at night when the buildings are illuminated from within.
“I think the photos probably won’t do justice, but I was hoping it would be pretty exciting,” Kimball said.
This design also requires externally exposed steel beams. This is another nod to my current home. “If you were in our building, you’ll see the structure,” Kimball said. “So the idea was to keep the same idea forever.”
Jeremy Rum, the general contractor for the project, said he estimates it will take between 14 and 16 months from opening the temporary showroom until the new building is completed. Once Southeastern Steel has moved to new space, the small building can be reused for additional storage.
The project was scheduled to receive a courtesy review from the city’s exterior review board on Thursday, but the meeting was cancelled due to a lack of quorum.
Any tips on developing Central Florida? Please contact me at lkinsler@growthspotter.com or (407) 420-6261. Follow GrowthSpotter on Facebook and LinkedIn.
