Celebration, Florida

Celebration, Florida
CDP

Downtown Celebration

Logo

Location in Osceola County and the state of Florida

U.S. Census Map
Coordinates: 28°19′12″N 81°32′25″W / 28.32000°N 81.54028°W / 28.32000; -81.54028Coordinates: 28°19′12″N 81°32′25″W / 28.32000°N 81.54028°W / 28.32000; -81.54028
Country  United States
State  Florida
County Osceola
Area
 • Total 10.7 sq mi (27.7 km2)
 • Land 10.7 sq mi (27.6 km2)
 • Water 0 sq mi (0.1 km2)
Elevation 82 ft (25 m)
Population (2010)
 • Total 7,427
 • Density 690/sq mi (270/km2)
Time zone Eastern (EST) (UTC-5)
 • Summer (DST) EDT (UTC-4)
ZIP code 34747
Area code(s) 321 & 407
FIPS code 12-11285[1]
GNIS feature ID 1699772[2]
Website http://www.celebration.fl.us/

Celebration is a census-designated place (CDP) and a master-planned community in Osceola County, Florida, United States, located near Walt Disney World Resort and originally developed by The Walt Disney Company. As part of the Orlando–Kissimmee Metropolitan Statistical Area, Celebration's population was 7,427 at the 2010 census.[3]

Subsequent to founding Celebration, Disney followed its plans[4] to divest most of its control of the town. Several Disney business units continue to occupy the town's office buildings, and two utility companies, Smart City Telecom and Reedy Creek Energy Services, both operated from Walt Disney World, provide services to the town. The town itself remains directly connected to the Walt Disney World resorts via one of its primary streets, World Drive, which begins near the Magic Kingdom.

Downtown Celebration's post office was designed by Michael Graves, the adjacent Welcome Center is by Philip Johnson and the Celebration Health building by Robert A. M. Stern.[5] Other nearby buildings are designed by well known architects including: Charles Moore (Preview Center), Graham Gund (Bohemian Hotel), Cesar Pelli (movie theatre), Robert Venturi and Denise Scott Brown (SunTrust Bank).[6]

Response to Celebration has ranged from an early visitor who said it resembled the too-perfect town of "The Stepford Wives"[5] to those who see Celebration as an example of unabashed neo-urbanism.[7]

History

In the early 1990s, the Disney Development Company (DDC) established the Celebration Company to spearhead its development within approximately 4,900 acres (20 km2) of land in the southern portion of the Reedy Creek Improvement District.[8] Total investment for the project is estimated at US$2.5 billion.[9]

The master plan was developed by Cooper, Robertson & Partners and Robert A. M. Stern, and the extensive landscape, parks, trails and pathways were designed by the San Francisco firm EDAW (now AECOM).[10] Celebration is planned in an early 20th-century architectural style and is not zoned for high-density residences. Celebration was named the "New Community of the Year" in 2001 by the Urban Land Institute.[11]

The first phase of residential development occurred in the summer of 1996 with Celebration Village, West Village and Lake Evalyn; this was followed by the North Village, South Village, East Village and Aquila Reserve and the final Artisan Park phases.[12] Disney CEO Michael Eisner took an especially keen interest in the development of the new town in the early days, encouraging the executives at Disney Development Company to "make history" and develop a town worthy of the Disney brand and legacy that extended to Walt Disney's vision of an Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow (EPCOT). DDC executives collaborated extensively with leaders in education, health and technology in addition to planners and architects to create the vision and operating policies for the town.

Geography

Celebration is located at 28°19′12″N 81°32′25″W / 28.32000°N 81.54028°W / 28.32000; -81.54028 (28.320059, −81.540149).[13]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 10.7 square miles (28 km2), of which 0.04 square miles (0.10 km2), or 0.28%, is water.

Celebration is under USPS ZIP code 34747, sometimes known as Kissimmee. This is due to the city's being unincorporated, as Celebration is not a subdivision and is still considered an unincorporated town.

Demographics

Bank of America building, downtown Celebration

As of the census[1] of 2010, there were 7,427 people, 3,063 households, and 716 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 704.9 people per square mile (272.16.0/km²). There were 4,566 housing units at an average density of 102.4/sq mi (39.6/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 91.0% white (with 81.9% of the population non-Hispanic white), 1.5% black, 3.2% Asian, 2.2% from two or more races and 0.26% Native American. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 11.2% of the population.

There were 3,063 households, out of which 32.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.0% were married couples living together, 4.5% had a female householder with no married spouse present, and 35.0% were non-families. 24.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 3.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 2.96.

The age distribution was 25.6% under the age of 18, and 9.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 94.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.5 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $74,231, and the median income for a family was $92,334. Males had a median income of $51,250 versus $46,650 for females. The per-capita income for the CDP was $39,521, and 4.1% of the population lived below the poverty line.

Government

Osceola County Fire Station #72

The area is organized under state law as a community development district. As a result, voting is restricted to local landowners. The largest landowners are entities controlled by The Walt Disney Company.[14]

City life

Downtown

A view of downtown Market Street.

Celebration Town Center contains shops, restaurants, and other commercial establishments as well as 106 residences.[15]

Community

Celebration has six Christian churches, one Jewish congregation, and one Hospital Ministry.[16]

Commerce

There are now more than five hundred registered companies[17] listed as doing business in the shopping plazas, small office complexes, and the Disney World office building park. This community holds the only Class A office buildings in Osceola County.

Villages

Low-density housing located in a primarily residential village.

Celebration is separated into areas referred to as "villages." The main village, closest to downtown, is where the first homes were constructed. North Village, closest to U.S. 192, houses the Georgetown Condos as well as Acadia Estate Homes. East Village includes Roseville Corner and Aquila Loop. Lake Evalyn, generally considered its own area of Celebration but not quite its own village, includes a small lake where one can find a multitude of ducks, alligators, and the occasional river otter. South Village houses the Spring Park Loop estate homes and Heritage Hall. Additionally, Siena Condos complete the outer edge of South Village by Celebration Blvd. Mirasol includes condos with concierge service and a day spa. Artisan Park is at the end of Celebration Ave and houses condos, town homes, single-family residences as well as a clubhouse consisting of a pool, gym, and restaurant.

Events

A gathering in Celebration on Independence Day

Celebration hosts many events every year, including community-wide yard sales, an art show, an exotic car festival, an annual Radio Disney Holiday concert, an Oktoberfest Celebration, the "Great American Pie Festival" (televised on The Food Network),[18] a "Posh Pooch" festival, and downtown events for the Fall and Christmas seasons when autumn leaves and "snow" (small-scale soap flakes) are released into the Town Center. The community also hosts a large Independence Day fireworks celebration. The town events are organized on the Internet by the Community Calendar.[19]

Civil suit

In 2016, the Wall Street Journal reported that Celebration Town Center condominium owners "are battling leaky roofs, balconies that have become separated from the sides of buildings and mold spreading in their walls. Their properties have become so dilapidated, they say, they're having trouble selling them."

An April 2016 civil suit seeks to have the Town Center Foundation, "which took control of part of Celebration in 2004, to pay for upward of $15 million to $20 million in repairs" which were deferred over ten years.[20]

Transportation

91% of residents who work outside their homes drive to work.[21]

The two main roads going through the center of the Celebration's downtown area are Market Street and Front Street. Other streets in Celebration include:

Celebration Avenue
This is considered the main road in the town. The road stretches from U.S. 192 to Artisan Park where it ends in a traffic circle. Starting from U.S. 192 near the Disney Parks and the Celebration water tower, you can find a small shopping plaza. From there, Celebration Avenue passes the North Village, splits the Celebration golf course, winds through a few down-town shops and schools, and then proceeds into the parks and homes in the newer sections of Celebration.
Celebration Boulevard
Celebration Boulevard has two sections. The most public section is an avenue parallel to I-4 that includes many commercial businesses and Celebration High School. The architecture on the street is mostly Celebration Modern style. This style reflects art Streamline Moderne and Art Deco influences with its sleek lines, sparse but effective ornamentation, and ample opportunities for individually expressive special features. The entire street is lined with two rows of Washington Palms. The buildings on the street include sitting areas under the shade of trees and trellises along their frontage. The other section of Celebration Boulevard lies on the other side of the golf course, closer to the Celebration Water Tower in the North Village. Here, Celebration Boulevard is almost completely residential. In addition to the homes perched behind white picket fences, this section of Celebration Boulevard flows past the Georgetown condominiums, the community pool, and soccer fields.
Celebration Place
Celebration Place nearly spans the gap between the two sections of Celebration Boulevard, except that its eastern end terminates at the Water Tower Plaza instead of at the entrance to North Village on the other side of State Road 417. Celebration Place is a commercial road.

Education

West Osceola Branch Library

The School District of Osceola County, Florida operates public schools in Celebration.[22] Celebration is zoned to the Celebration School for K-8.[23] Celebration High School, located in the city, serves Celebration for grades 9–12.[24] There are private education options provided by the Montessori School of Celebration (K-8).[25] Private graduate education is available at Stetson University Celebration Campus.[26] There are free classes offered at the community center by clubs for cooking, gardening, art, writing, and technology.

The Osceola Library System operates the West Osceola Branch Library in Celebration.[27]

See also

References

Notes

  1. 1 2 "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on September 11, 2013. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  2. ↑ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  3. ↑ "Race, Hispanic or Latino, Age, and Housing Occupancy: 2010 Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171) Summary File (QT-PL), Celebration CDP, Florida". U.S. Census Bureau, American FactFinder 2. Archived from the original on September 11, 2013. Retrieved August 5, 2011.
  4. ↑ "Disney Is Selling a Town It Built to Reflect the Past". The New York Times, Abby Goodnough, January 16, 2004. January 16, 2004.
  5. 1 2 "At Celebration, Some Reasons to Celebrate". The New York Times, Lyn Riddle, March 7, 1999. March 7, 1999.
  6. ↑ Architectural walking tour description, Celebration web site
  7. ↑ "Town-Building Is No Mickey Mouse Operation". The New York Times, Michael Pollan, December 14, 1997. December 14, 1997.
  8. ↑ Davis, Brandy (April 1997). "New Urbanism: Cause for Celebration?", Impact Press. Retrieved on October 20, 2007.
  9. ↑ Frantz, Douglas; Catherine Collins (September 9, 1999). Celebration, U.S.A.: Living in Disney's Brave New Town. Henry Holt and Company. p. 23. ISBN 0-8050-5560-6.
  10. ↑ "Design, Planning and Environments Worldwide". EDAW. August 18, 2009. Retrieved October 2, 2009.
  11. ↑ "The Urban Land Institute". Cincinnati.uli.org. Retrieved October 2, 2009.
  12. ↑ Celebration, Florida – General Information (December 2005)
  13. ↑ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
  14. ↑ Pittman, Craig (5 July 2016). Oh, Florida!: How America's Weirdest State Influences the Rest of the Country. St Martins Press. ISBN 1250071208.
  15. ↑ "Celebration Florida". Celebration Town Center. Retrieved 2012-07-05.
  16. ↑ "Worship". Directory. Retrieved on August 18, 2015.
  17. ↑ "Sunbiz.org" Division of Corporations – Florida Department of State
  18. ↑ "Great American Pie Festival"
  19. ↑ "Community Calendar" Celebration Desktop
  20. ↑ Laura Kusisto (November 15, 2016). "Leaks and Mold Are Ruining the Disney Magic in Celebration, Florida". The Wall Street Journal.
  21. ↑ Glaeser, Edward (2011), Triumph of the City: How Our Best Invention Makes Us Richer, Smarter, Greener, Healthier, and Happier, New York: Penguin Press, p. 215, ISBN 978-1-59420-277-3
  22. ↑ "Celebration CDP, Florida." U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved on December 29, 2010.
  23. ↑ "Celebration School (K-8) Attendance Zone Boundary 2010/2011." School District of Osceola County, Florida. Retrieved on December 29, 2010.
  24. ↑ "Celebration High Attendance Zone Boundary 2010/2011." School District of Osceola County, Florida. Retrieved on December 29, 2010.
  25. ↑ "Montessori School"
  26. ↑ "Stetson Celebration Office"
  27. ↑ "Hours & Locations Archived November 25, 2010, at the Wayback Machine.." Osceola Library System. Retrieved on December 29, 2010. Click map link, and "6070 W Irlo Bronson Memorial Hwy Kissimmee, FL 34747" will be displayed

Bibliography

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