Exactly 30 years ago, on December 30, 1995, I was reading the front page of the Orlando Sentinel business section about a young man who was preparing to build a new town from scratch along the banks of the Econlockhatchee River in East Orange County.

I was that young man.

I had just arrived from Switzerland to marry Jill, who was born in Detroit and living in Fort Lauderdale at the time, and I was ready to build a town where people could truly live, learn, work, and play. That town became Avalon Park. The rest, as they say, is history and a journey that now spans three decades.

Over those 30 years, Avalon Park Group, also known as APG, has been involved in projects across Florida, Switzerland, and around the world. Yet our heart, and our headquarters, remains right here at 3801 Avalon Park East Boulevard, in the middle of Downtown Avalon Park Orlando.

Many people know APG as a developer, and while that is not incorrect, it does not fully describe who we are. We are very different from a conventional real estate developer. Our mission, as stated on our website, is “to change the way the world lives, learns, works, and plays through creating healthy, sustainable communities and every aspect thereof.”

Those last words, every aspect thereof, are especially important to us.

They are reflected in the many APG-owned and operated amenities that help make Avalon Park a complete community. From Encore, our assisted living and memory care community that has been voted Best Assisted Living Community in Orlando, to the Marketplace, our popular food hall, to The 5th Floor, our vibrant co-working space. They include the Avalon Park Sun, the very newspaper you are reading now, and the East Orlando Gym, which as of January 2026 will carry a new name: Avalon Park Gym.

With a name change often come questions. Has the gym been sold? Is management changing?

The answer is simple. No.

Ownership and management remain the same. What you will see is APG more proudly placing its name behind the amenities and activities we own, operate, and believe in. It is a reflection of who we are and the responsibility we take in building and sustaining community.

If you ever have questions about APG, please stop by and say hello when you see me, quite often during my lunch break, on the rowing machine at Avalon Park Gym.

Happy New Year.