Mayor Buddy Dyer recalled the days when tourists and locals would flock to Church Street Station for get togethers and beer specials in long-gone businesses like "Apple Annies," as he spoke to a new gathering of young men and women who have chosen to make that same location a technology hub for Orlando start-up businesses.
One of them is Canvs, a non-profit designed to provide the co-workspace and community for tech start-ups who want to grow a company in Orlando. "Our mission is to help transform the city of Orlando as a nationally recognized center for startups," said Canvs co-founder Phil Holt.
"The future of our city is a company that does not yet exist," he added prophetically.
They include Iron Yard, which will train people how to code and land them a job within 12 weeks. The popular Credo coffee shop will open a third location here.
Dyer announced that more businesses would be leasing space in the Church Street Exchange Building on South Garland Avenue, feeding the needs of the tech startups.
It is expected that the entire three-story building will be fully leased by next year.