Orange County has initiated negotiations to make the I-Drive Promenade viable, a $19.4 million project that aims to redesign the intersection of International Drive and Sand Lake Road, one of the busiest and most dangerous points in Orlando's tourism area. Between 2017 and 2022, the intersection recorded 661 accidents, including 12 involving pedestrians and one involving cyclists.
The proposal was presented by Gateway2040 LLC, a company led by businessman Joshua Wallack of Wallack Holdings, who also serves on the board of the International Drive improvement district. The Wallack family owns properties in the area, including Mangos Tropical Cafe, totaling approximately 18.7 acres of properties along the corridor. The project also includes businessman Alejandro Pezzini of AMP Group, who has been investing in the corridor since 2001.
The project plans to transform the four corners of the intersection into a large promenade with wide sidewalks, landscaping, trees, fountains, public spaces, art, decorative lighting, and ornamental walls. As part of the agreement, entities affiliated with the Wallack family committed to donating approximately 25,332 square feet of land to the county at the corners of the intersection. The promenade will function as a complement to an already-approved elevated pedestrian bridge, budgeted at $35 million, with construction scheduled to begin in 2027 and completion in 2030.
The county has not yet given final approval, but authorized the advancement of negotiations. If approved, the expectation is that I-Drive Promenade construction will begin in early 2028 and be completed in the third quarter of 2029. During the presentation to commissioners, Wallack stated that modernization is important to keep International Drive competitive against other tourist destinations like Disney Springs and Universal CityWalk.
