The Leu Gardens Master Plan establishes a forward-looking framework to guide the long-term growth and sustainability of Harry P. Leu Gardens, a fifty-acre botanical gardens in heart of Orlando’s traditional city area. The plan’s purpose is to create a vibrant, engaging, and visionary roadmap that celebrates the Garden’s strengths while ensuring financial sustainability, community relevance, and an enhanced visitor experience.

Working closely with City staff, the Gardens’ leadership, key stakeholders and residents, the consultant team developed a comprehensive, data-driven process that included the following:

• Site inventory;

• Environmental analysis;

• Programming;

• Community engagement activities;

The planning effort emphasized forging stronger connections between the Gardens and the surrounding neighborhoods through improved access and program opportunities.

The master plan process was structured across four phases—inventory and programming, visioning, concept development, and final plan documentation. Through stakeholder workshops and site assessments, the team analyzed existing conditions, identified opportunities and constraints, and explored strategies for circulation, parking, visitor amenities, and garden expansion. The resulting Master Plan outlines a clear framework for capital investment, operational sustainability, and phased implementation to ensure the Gardens continue to flourish as a cultural and environmental landmark to the Orlando community.

Urbe Studio supported the Coyle and Caron / Perkins & Will team as a subconsultant on this contract. As the Public Engagement Lead, we developed and implemented a comprehensive engagement strategy to involve residents and key stakeholders at key milestones during the planning process. Our team designed an online survey questionnaire to gather community input, prepared outreach materials and flyers to promote the community meeting, and created a clear, visually engaging summary of online survey results that highlighted key community priorities and insights. These efforts ensured that the Master Plan was informed by meaningful public feedback and reflected the community’s shared vision for the future of Leu Gardens.