Downtown Update: Architecture Of Orange Avenue

As we wander the downtown streets at night from bar to bar, we have no idea of the history that we are often passing by. Orange Avenue is filled with architectural gems that are invisible in the darkness of the night. The Kress Building is an art deco beauty that had once housed a Kress "Five and Dime" store.

Adjacent Wall Street Plaza and now home to Finnhenry's and a Subway shop on the ground level, the Angebilt office building at one time was a downtown hotel.

At the corner of Orange Avenue and Central, the former title "State Bank of Orlando and Trust Co" is still visible. Apparently an office building now, it's a dead zone at night with perhaps a hot dog vendor or two outside on the sidewalk.

Diagonally across the same intersection, this building was recently the home of Banco Popular but the ground floor was opened up and Embassy Irish Bar is on the corner and there is a Jimmy John's sub shop further down the street.

Another former bank building along Orange Avenue. There are many newer structures downtown as well, of course. But there are many well-preserved historic buildings there too yet we just don't notice them after dark.