Unlocking the Past

A place in history for The Exchange

R. C. Stevens

Taking a stroll down Plant Street in historic downtown Winter Garden, Florida, is special for many reasons. The historic fabric of the city, which is listed on the National Registry of Historic Places, remains largely intact, with several turn-of-the-century buildings still being used commercially. Worthy of continuous preservation efforts, these buildings link the old and new. The Exchange, built by R. C. Stevens, is an excellent example of combining the two; a new building that feels like it has always been there, seamlessly fitting into Plant Street’s historic character.

A lot of effort went into making a new building look old. Since the project fell within the Winter Garden Historic District, it emulates the type of commercial architecture cited in the Design & Standard Guidelines Manual published by the city of Winter Garden. The city’s vision was for The Exchange to look like several buildings from different time periods throughout the early 20th century.

A historical design consultant familiar with the vernacular was brought on to the team to provide authentic detailing of the era. His recommendations provided much of the massing and detailing, making the project feel as if it was “always there.” These elements include window detailing, trim elements, brick details, building massing, and color palate. In addition, the team incorporated more contemporary elements in the style of an older building that has been sensitively remodeled over the years.

The 52,000-square-foot design-build, three-story building features modern office space on the second and third floors, with a mix of restaurants and small shop retail users on the first floor. The interior includes:

• State-of-the-art finishes.

• Millwork on the first floor.

• Crown molding in the elevator lobbies lending an old-style look.

• Floors that were designed with large column spacing, allowing tenants ranging from 2,500 square feet up to 14,000 square feet per floor.

The site design provided for and encouraged a range of pedestrian-oriented activities, with outdoor spaces that are harmonious with the surrounding downtown architecture and create an exciting streetscape. Site design elements such as seating areas, colorful/textural paving materials, street furnishings, art, water features, landscape structures, and lighting were encouraged to provide a multi-dimensional visitor experience.

Winner of the 2022 ABC Eagle Award for the Central Florida Chapter in the commercial $5-10 Million category and 2022 ABC Marketing Award of Excellence for the Central Florida Chapter

Besides the new building, a pocket park (Monarch Butterfly Sculpture Park) was constructed adjacent to The Exchange and features downtown’s first sculpture, a copper butterfly standing 10 feet tall and 8 feet wide among the park’s trees, greenery, and benches.

The park’s artificial turf can withstand continuous foot traffic along with a compass rose to guide the way.

R. C. Stevens is located just a few blocks from The Exchange, and many of our team members live in Winter Garden and visit the downtown district daily. For our team, this project was not only special but personal.