Things To Do In SW Florida

Disney’s proposed affordable housing project won a narrow endorsement Thursday from Orange County’s planning and zoning board, as objections from its neighbors dampened enthusiasm for the desperately needed below-market homes.

The advisory board decided 4-3 to recommend Orange County commissioners support a land-use change needed to build the 1,410-unit project on about 80 acres owned by the entertainment giant near State Road 429 and Hartzog Road. The vote came despite concerns from residents in the nearby Horizon West community and elsewhere about the project’s impact on roads, schools and emergency services.

In response, Disney promised to hold another community meeting to hash out those issues before county commissioners decide next month whether to recommend the proposal. It would then go to state authorities for a mandatory review.

Disney’s hand-picked developer, The Michaels Organization, known for building and managing affordable housing communities, also pledged to explore reducing the number of units, a suggestion proposed by the planning board chairman, Nelson Pena. read more

East Orlando is getting primed for a pizza upgrade as SoDough Square‘s third location prepares to open just a stone’s throw from UCF.

When might locals be able to get a taste of this award-winning Detroit-style pizza?

“Late next week, if all goes as planned,” says founder and Motor City native Rob Bair.

SoDough debuted in Orlando back in 2022 and “cornered” the market when it comes to Detroit’s signature pan pies, becoming the Critic’s Pick for Best New Restaurant in the 2023 Orlando Sentinel Foodie Awards and racking up fans as it expanded into Winter Park with a second location.

The UCF space, located at 12226 Corporate Blvd. in Orlando, just a few doors down from Valkyrie Doughnuts in the UC Quad shopping center, will be the brand’s third, with 40 seats in roughly 1,600 square feet of space. A fourth, in Lake Mary, isn’t far behind.

Picks in pans: SoDough Square is Orlando’s Best New Restaurant of the Year

“We’re looking to have six locations in Central Florida,” Bair told the Orlando Sentinel. “The original SoDough would be our south location. We have Winter Park as central. UCF, that’s east and Lake Mary will be north. Ultimately, we’ll also have locations in Clermont and Lake Nona.” read more

By STAN CHOE and CHRISTOPHER RUGABER (AP Business Writers)

NEW YORK (AP) — As some of the world’s biggest economies stumble into recession, the United States keeps chugging along.

Both Japan and the United Kingdom said Thursday their economies likely weakened during the final three months of 2023. For each, it would be the second straight quarter that’s happened, which fits one lay definition for a recession.

Yet in the United States, the economy motored ahead in last year’s fourth quarter for a sixth straight quarter of growth. It’s blown past many predictions coming into last year that a recession seemed inevitable because of high interest rates meant to slow the economy and inflation.

Give much of the credit to U.S. households, who have continued to spend at a solid rate despite many challenges. Their spending makes up the majority of the U.S. economy. Government stimulus helped households weather the initial stages of the pandemic and a jump in inflation, and now pay raises are helping them catch up to high prices for the goods and services they need. read more

Banking

Caitlin Bower was hired by Intracoastal Bank as assistant vice president/assistant manager in the Volusia Banking Center.

Doug Reece was hired as senior business relationship manager at Intracoastal Bank, Daytona Beach.

Health care

Cullen Brown was appointed chief executive officer at HCA Florida Poinciana Hospital.

Law

Patricia M. Montes de Oca has joined ShuffieldLowman as senior counsel in the firm’s Orlando office.

Devon S. Richards has joined ShuffieldLowman as a senior associate in the firm’s Orlando office.

Jack Boudet has joined GrayRobinson as an associate in the firm’s Orlando office.

Peggy Smith Bush was promoted to shareholder at Marshall Dennehey, Orlando.

Submit professional appointments, management-level promotions and significant awards for individuals, along with photos as .jpg attachments, to peopleonmove@orlandosentinel.com.

Private rocket company SpaceX has switched where it is incorporated to Texas from Delaware, its founder, Elon Musk, said Wednesday, weeks after a Delaware judge voided his pay package at Tesla, another company he owns.

Texas Secretary of State Jane Nelson issued a certificate Wednesday confirming that the state has accepted the company’s filing to relocate its incorporation, according to a copy of the document that was posted on her office’s website. A spokesperson for Nelson’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Musk, a billionaire who lives in Texas and also runs the carmaker Tesla, has had issues with Delaware. Last month, a judge there voided the pay package that had helped to make him the world’s wealthiest person.

That case was brought by a group of Tesla shareholders who were challenging a stock options package that allowed Musk to acquire about 304 million Tesla shares at a preset price — $23.34 a share — if the company achieved certain goals. The judge ultimately ruled that Musk had effectively overseen his own compensation plan, valued at more than $50 billion last month, with the help of compliant board members. read more