A Hindu congregation belonging to the Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS) denomination, that previously faced local pushback over a proposed mega-temple in Gotha, has instead purchased a 102,000-square-foot corporate office center in Altamonte Springs for $14.6 million. The organization plans an extensive adaptive-reuse project to convert the former back-office operations building into a permanent house of worship and spiritual center.
The property at 965 Keller Road is in the 20-acre Maitland Springs office park, a three-building professional complex originally developed in phases from 2001 to 2003 by Orlando-based EquityPartners Inc. The facility was built for telecommunications giant Sprint under a long-term lease. It was later leased to financial services firm Synchrony Financial, its subsidiary Allegro Credit and technology vendor NCR Corp.
Because the property is a zoned office district, religious assembly is not permitted by right. The city of Altamonte Springs approved a conditional use permit during a city hearing on July 15.
Under plans drawn up by Bharat R. Patel Architect, Inc. a Greenacres-based design and consulting firm, the congregation will focus on giving the building’s interior a warm, functional overhaul and the exterior a simple refresh, keeping the building’s footprint as it is.
The heart of the new mandir will be a central worship hall with fixed seating for 980 people, featuring a main stage and dedicated dressing areas. Surrounding the main hall, the floor plan makes space for classrooms where children can study language and culture, a living suite for a resident priest and his family, office space and a full commercial kitchen and dining hall to serve community vegetarian meals during weekend gatherings.
Outside, the property already has 752 parking spots, more than double what city code requires, and no new ones will be added. The congregation plans to give the exterior a fresh coat of paint, spruce up the landscaping and add new paved walkways around the building. With a team that includes attorney Daniel W. Langley of Winter Park-based Fishback Dominick and the Tampa-based engineering firm Landis Evans + Partners, the group is aiming to open the doors to its new spiritual home in 2028.
During the week, the site will stay quiet, with fewer than 20 people expected daily for private prayers. Main worship services will take place once a weekend between 2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. To keep traffic moving smoothly during those weekend peak hours, BAPS is working closely with city planners on a follow-up traffic study. That plan will map out long-term street improvements, which could include helping fund a new traffic light where the property’s main entrance meets Keller Road.
A parcel map showing the 13.76-acre site at 965 Keller Road (outlined in teal) in Altamonte Springs, bordered by neighboring office buildings to the north and south, and the Spring Lake Hills residential community to the east. (Seminole County Property Appraiser)
The adaptive-reuse project highlights post-pandemic real estate shifts across Central Florida and Seminole County, where large single-story back-office spaces and corporate call centers have faced elevated vacancy rates as employers shift to hybrid work. Cushman & Wakefield’s Glen Jaffee and Sam King represented the seller in its transaction. Jaffee noted that repurposing large-format office spaces benefits surrounding communities while offering a viable path forward for commercial real estate impacted by workplace changes.
The congregation currently meets at the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir located at 1325 W. Oak Ridge Rd. in Orlando, where they have been meeting for the past 30 years. They have outgrown that location, which prompted their search for a larger site.
The congregation’s lengthy effort to build a ground-up sanctuary in Gotha at 9300 Hempel Ave., the proposed “Temple on Hempel,” faced strong pushback from local residents and was ultimately denied an exception by the Orange County Zoning Board of Adjustment.
Neighbors voiced concerns that the 33,000-square-foot worship center with a 43-foot spire would bring traffic congestion on the two-lane rural road, potential flooding and negatively impact Gotha’s historic rural character. Though temple representatives argued that the eight-acre citrus grove site would generate less traffic than a residential subdivision, opposition from the surrounding community led the congregation to seek alternatives.
Meanwhile, the new site offers improved accessibility for congregants living in Longwood, Lake Mary, Sanford and Maitland. The location is much closer to Seminole County’s rapidly growing Asian community, which U.S. Census Bureau data shows has grown to over 25,000 residents and represents nearly 6% of the county’s total population — ranking Seminole third statewide among Florida counties in Asian demographic share. With Asian Americans and specifically South Asian families making up one of the fastest-growing demographic groups in the Sanford and Lake Mary corridors, the Altamonte Springs site is likely to be a central hub for the area’s Hindu faithful.
The surrounding 20-acre office park includes two companion buildings, 955 and 975 Keller Road, which host professional and government offices, including the St. Johns River Water Management District. The site is also near residential neighborhoods such as Spring Lake Hills, the single-family enclaves along Spring Lake Drive and nearby apartment communities along the Keller Road and Maitland Boulevard corridors.
Have a tip about Central Florida development? Contact me at SKinbar@GrowthSpotter.com or (407) 420-5246. Follow GrowthSpotter on Facebook and LinkedIn.