{"id":259798,"date":"2026-05-05T22:09:17","date_gmt":"2026-05-05T22:09:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/259798\/"},"modified":"2026-05-05T22:09:17","modified_gmt":"2026-05-05T22:09:17","slug":"adaptive-reuse-specialist-young-is-orlandos-downtowner-of-year","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/259798\/","title":{"rendered":"Adaptive reuse specialist Young is Orlando’s Downtowner of Year"},"content":{"rendered":"

Ryan Young, co-founder of an Orlando architecture and construction firm, was honored Tuesday morning as Downtowner of the Year for his impact on downtown growth during the annual Golden Brick Awards<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The Downtown Orlando Partnership honored Young, who\u2019s also CEO of Interstruct Design + Build<\/a>, for his 25 years reinvesting in downtown, delivering projects in nearly every major office building \u2014 including Travel + Leisure Co.\u2019s 900-employee global headquarters. At the same time he\u2019s championed adaptive reuse through transformations like the historic Angebilt Building, Net Conversion<\/a>,\u00a0 and Interstruct\u2019s own West Church Street headquarters, which won a Golden Brick award in 2023<\/a>.<\/p>\n

In accepting the award, Young recalled growing up outside New York City and going to college in Boston \u2014 indelible places in his love of urban environments and cities. But those cities were already developed and shaped by others, he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cHere in Orlando, we have an opportunity to truly build a place, to be part of something special, something bigger than all of us,\u201d he said. \u201cTo be thoughtful about what we design, and what we build and what we leave behind.\u201d<\/p>\n

The awards are given out to highlight people, projects and initiatives from the previous year that contributed to the success and growth of downtown across numerous categories. Hundreds gathered for the ceremony at Steinmetz Hall in the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts.<\/p>\n

\"Interstruct<\/p>\n

Interstruct won a Golden Brick for Renovation in 2023 for the adaptive reuse of a 1947 Parramore warehouse into the firm’s corporate headquarters. (Courtesy of Interstruct Design + Build)<\/p>\n

\"Net<\/p>\n

Net Conversion\u2019s headquarters at 114 N. Magnolia Ave. won the award for redesign and renovation. It\u2019s one of two offices designed by Interstruct Design + Build to win Golden Brick Awards in 2020. (Courtesy of Downtown Orlando Partnership)<\/p>\n

\"Young<\/p>\n

Interstruct Architectural Design Services<\/p>\n

Young worked with Lincoln Property Services to incorporate salvaged materials from the Church Street Ballroom into the
\nFORDify the Arts Courtyard at the Rogers Kiene Building on Pine Street in 2025. The project won a Golden Brick in the public works & placemaking category for its role in transforming an unused alley into a public space for community gatherings and the arts. (Courtesy of Downtown Orlando Partnership)<\/p>\n

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1 of 3<\/p>\n

Interstruct won a Golden Brick for Renovation in 2023 for the adaptive reuse of a 1947 Parramore warehouse into the firm’s corporate headquarters. (Courtesy of Interstruct Design + Build)<\/p>\n

Expand<\/a><\/p>\n

Mayor Buddy Dyer presented the award and said what makes Young truly deserving is not just the scale of what he\u2019s built \u2014 but the purpose behind it.<\/p>\n

\u201cRyan believes that architecture should serve people first,\u201d Dyer said. \u201cHe has consistently championed projects that strengthen neighborhoods, create walkable environments, preserve character and bring new life to existing places.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"RyanRyan Young, CEO and co-founder of Interstruct Design+Build, addresses an audience of hundreds after receiving the Downtowner of the Year Award. He received the top honor among numerous recognized during the Downtown Orlando Partnership’s Golden Brick Awards ceremony at Steinmetz Hall in the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts on Tuesday, May 5, 2026. (Ricardo Ramirez Buxeda\/ Orlando Sentinel)<\/p>\n

Young has demonstrated a profound commitment to community-driven development. In 2020, he deepened that commitment by relocating to Parramore, commissioning the Unity Mural<\/a> at 814 W. Church St., which sparked a transformative partnership with The Desire Foundation Inc.<\/a> and gave rise to Project 814<\/a>, a monthly food distribution initiative now serving over 1,380 individuals and distributing nearly 15,000 pounds of free groceries each month.<\/p>\n

This year\u2019s awards themselves are a reflection of adaptive reuse. Each 20-inch-square frame incorporates a golden, aluminum facade panel from a former AdventHealth building at 2520 N. Orange Ave. The building was razed to make way for AdventHealth\u2019s new cancer institute expected to open in 2028. The panels were produced in 1960 and designed by American architect John deKoven Hill, a protege of famed American architect Frank Lloyd Wright.<\/p>\n

Other honorees<\/p>\n

Florida Citrus Sports<\/a> and its CEO, Steve Hogan, received the Award of Excellence for their season-long 80 Years of Impact campaign. For eight decades, the agency has helped shape downtown\u2019s identity as a destination for world-class sports. Last year\u2019s campaign turned that milestone into a communitywide celebration while supporting Lift Orlando<\/a>, a nonprofit working to strengthen historic neighborhoods around Camping World Stadium<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Hogan also marked a milestone in 2025 \u2014 his 30th year leading the organization based at the stadium, Under his direction, Florida Citrus Sports continues to deliver impact at every level. Bowl Week alone brought more than 80,000 visitors downtown and millions of viewers worldwide, while major wins like hosting the FIFA Club World Cup and securing the Jacksonville Jaguars for a future season further elevated the city\u2019s global profile.<\/p>\n

\"FloridaFlorida Citrus Sports, based at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, and its CEO, Steve Hogan, were honored with the Award of Excellence during the Gold Brick Awards ceremony Tuesday, May 5, 2026 at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts. (Courtesy of Downtown Orlando Partnership)<\/p>\n

The Vans Warped Tour was honored in the entertainment and special events category. The event visited Orlando after a six-year hiatus as one of only three cities during its 30th anniversary tour, drawing 120,000 fans to Camping World Stadium over two days for a cross-generational celebration of pop-punk, emo and hardcore music alongside BMX and skateboarding. The massive turnout filled area hotels and restaurants, generating significant economic impact for the downtown corridor. The event returns to Orlando<\/a>\u00a0in November.<\/p>\n

\"AA fan crowd surfs while All Time Low performs during the Vans Warped Tour at Tinker Field outside Camping World Stadium in Orlando on Nov. 16, 2025. The event was honored in the entertainment and special events category Tuesday, May 5, 2026 during the Gold Brick Awards at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts. (Patrick Connolly\/Orlando Sentinel)<\/p>\n

In the commercial and residential development category, Hamlin House<\/a> was honored for bringing a 28,000-square-foot modern racquet club to the city\u2019s SoDo district. It paired seven pickleball courts with elevated dining, social spaces and thoughtful design to create a sport-and-hospitality destination unlike anything else downtown. The club expands how people engage with the urban core by driving sustained activity beyond traditional business hours and positioning pickleball as both a competitive sport and a social connector in a neighborhood that continues to evolve.<\/p>\n

\"HamlinHamlin House, a members-only racquet and social club in Orlando’s SODO District, was honored in the commercial and residential development category during the Gold Brick Awards ceremony Tuesday, May 5, 2026 at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts. (Courtesy of Downtown Orlando Partnership)<\/p>\n

Habitat for Humanity Greater Orlando & Osceola County<\/a> was honored in the sustainability and resiliency category after reaching a milestone last year in Parramore \u2014 with 10 homes completed in a single year. The organization built on decades of work that have brought more than 70 affordable homes to this historic downtown neighborhood. By placing homes close to downtown, the initiative eased cost pressures, reinforced family stability, and supported a stronger, more connected urban core, showing how thoughtful housing investment creates lasting impact.<\/p>\n

\"HabitatHabitat for Humanity Greater Orlando & Osceola County was honored in the sustainability and resiliency category on Tuesday, May 5, 2026 during the Gold Brick Awards ceremony at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts. (Courtesy of Downtown Orlando Partnership)<\/p>\n

In the redesign and renovation category, the Orlando Health Cancer Institute\u2019s Bone Marrow Transplant and Cellular Therapy<\/a> Program was honored. Its expansion from four beds to 30 private infection-controlled rooms made it one of the largest BMT units in the state. The expansion eliminated the need for Central Florida patients<\/a> to travel out of the region for advanced, lifesaving care. The sevenfold capacity increase attracts leading oncology specialists and cements downtown ORMC as a world-class healthcare destination for complex cancer treatment.<\/p>\n

\"TheThe Orlando Health Cancer Institute’s Bone Marrow Transplant and Cellular Therapy Program’s expansion was honored Tuesday, May 5, 2026 in the redesign and renovation category fo the Gold Brick Awards at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts. (Courtesy of Downtown Orlando Partnership)<\/p>\n

AECOM\u2019s newly renovated<\/a> Orange Avenue office was honored in the new office design category. Serving as a downtown hub for 180 local professionals, it features biophilic design, full-height windows, and purpose-built collaboration spaces that reflect the firm\u2019s commitment to wellness, innovation and people-centered workplaces. Strategically located within walking distance of the SunRail and LYNX stations, the office functions as a living lab for transit-oriented development \u2014 connecting global expertise to local projects that shape the city\u2019s infrastructure, mobility and quality of life.<\/p>\n

\"AECOM,AECOM, a global infrastructure consulting firm, renovated its office on Orange Avenue and was honored in the new office design category Tuesday, May 5, 2026 during the Gold Brick Awards at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts. (Courtesy of Downtown Orlando Partnership)<\/p>\n

In the public works and placemaking category, the 407 Connect program<\/a> was honored. The initiative launched by the city uses two retrofitted charter buses equipped with sleeping pods to provide nightly shelter, case management and housing assistance for up to 42 guests. It\u2019s backed by $3 million in CRA funding through a partnership between the city and the Christian Service Center for the Homeless<\/a>. With a goal of connecting 407 people to housing over three years, it offers a cost-effective, replicable model delivering immediate and measurable impact downtown.<\/p>\n

\"EricEric Gray, executive director of Christian Service Center for the Homeless, describes the new 407 Connect bus program in Orlando. The program was honored in the public works and placemaking category Tuesday, May 5, 2026 during the Gold Brick Awards at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts. (Willie J. Allen Jr.\/Orlando Sentinel)<\/p>\n

The Good Pour\u2019s College Park location reimagined a conventional wine and spirits store into a hospitality-driven retail destination and was honored in the new local business category. The expanding chain\u2019s flagship location<\/a> features an intuitive layout, concierge-style checkout and immersive spaces that transform a routine transaction into an engaging community experience. By embedding charitable giving into every transaction, the Good Pour<\/a> supports a broad network of local nonprofits while driving both economic activity and meaningful community impact.<\/p>\n

\"TheThe expanding Good Pour chain’s flagship College Park location was honored in the new local business category Tuesday, May 5, 2026 during the Gold Brick Awards at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts. (Courtesy of Downtown Orlando Partnership)<\/p>\n

Winners in the remaining categories were:<\/p>\n

Arts & Culture: The Frontyard Holiday Festival<\/a> at Dr. Phillips Center<\/p>\n

Community: The Drive Out Hunger<\/a> Holiday Initiative<\/p>\n

Sports: 2025 FIFA Club World Cup (Orlando was the only city with two host venues)<\/p>\n

Hospitality & Dining: Sparrow wine bar<\/a> and lounge<\/p>\n

Innovation & Technology: The 2025 Orlando Game Jam<\/p>\n

Game Changer: The Travel + Leisure Co.<\/a> global headquarters<\/p>\n

Last year\u2019s overall winner was Jarrod Dillon, president of business operations for Orlando City SC, Orlando Pride and Inter&Co Stadium. Dillon won partially due to the success of Orlando Pride and Orlando City SC.<\/p>\n

The Pride gave Orlando its first major league sports championship in 2024 after winning the NWSL Championship, and Orlando City SC earned its way to the MLS Eastern Conference Finals. Dillon also had an instrumental role in organizing over 230 events at Inter&Co Stadium in 2024, including soccer games and events for business organizations and nonprofits. These events collectively attracted about 750,000 people to the stadium.<\/p>\n

Brian Bell can be reached at\u00a0bbell@orlandosentinel.com<\/a>. Have a tip about Central Florida development? Email Newsroom@GrowthSpotter.com<\/a>. Follow GrowthSpotter on\u00a0Facebook<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0LinkedIn<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Ryan Young, co-founder of an Orlando architecture and construction firm, was honored Tuesday morning as Downtowner of the…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":259799,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[558,34752,28,12687,114,49760,1335,139,141,140,480,109],"class_list":["post-259798","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-orlando","tag-business","tag-downtown-orlando-developments","tag-florida","tag-hotel-hospitality-news","tag-latest-headlines","tag-office-medical","tag-orange-county","tag-orlando","tag-orlando-headlines","tag-orlando-news","tag-real-estate","tag-social"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/259798","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=259798"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/259798\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/259799"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=259798"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=259798"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=259798"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}