Wideman Pitches Colonial Promenade Redevelopment
The Wideman Company has proposed a $20 million redevelopment and rebranding of the aging Orlando shopping plaza owned by the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Openings & Closings
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The Wideman Company presented design renderings for redeveloping the Colonial Promenade shopping plaza on East Colonial Drive at a committee meeting on Wednesday. The proposal calls for a minimum $20 million investment in property improvements under a 30-year lease with two 10-year renewal options.
Why it matters
The Colonial Promenade has been vacant or near-vacant for years after the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority struggled to find a developer since 2018. The plaza's future affects shopping options along East Colonial Drive and the surrounding area.
The 180,000-square-foot plaza, built in 1985, would receive a minimum $20 million investment under a proposed 30-year lease with two 10-year renewal options. The 2024 solicitation produced two letters of intent after an earlier solicitation was withdrawn for lack of interest, and the full board's decision is still pending.
The players
Wideman Company
The Wideman Company is the developer that presented the proposal to redevelop and rebrand the Colonial Promenade plaza.
Greater Orlando Aviation Authority
The Greater Orlando Aviation Authority is the public agency that owns the Colonial Promenade property and oversees its redevelopment.
The details
The proposed design would keep much of the plaza's existing design and arches while adding a new color scheme, plants, street art, and weather and shade features. The renovation would primarily target the west building, while the east building would be leveled and potentially replaced with a larger format store.
Timeline
2018: The Greater Orlando Aviation Authority began seeking redevelopment of the Colonial Promenade.
2020: Sweet Tomatoes and the library branch closed.
2024: A second redevelopment solicitation was issued and the Sam Ash music store closed.
Wednesday, November 4, 2026: The Wideman Company presented design renderings at a committee meeting.
November 18, 2026: The full Greater Orlando Aviation Authority board will discuss the proposal.
Market Landscape
The Colonial Promenade redevelopment follows the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority's 2018 effort to find a developer, which stalled after an initial solicitation was withdrawn for lack of interest. The Wideman proposal is the first concrete offer to emerge from the 2024 solicitation that drew two letters of intent.
If approved, the redevelopment could bring new retail options and a larger format store to the East Colonial Drive corridor in Orlando. Shoppers near the plaza may see the remaining tenants leave before the end of 2026 while construction timelines remain unset.
The takeaway
Redevelopment of aging public property often depends on repeated solicitations before a viable developer emerges. The Colonial Promenade's next step is the aviation authority board's November 18 discussion.
What happens next
The full Greater Orlando Aviation Authority board will discuss the Wideman proposal on November 18, 2026.
Further reading
For more on businesses opening and closing around town, see Openings & Closings coverage.
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