Orlando moves toward $30 million construction cap for The Canopy project under I-4 downtown

City vote advances long-planned public space beneath Interstate 4

Orlando is preparing to take a key financial step on “The Canopy,” a public-space project planned beneath Interstate 4 in downtown. The Orlando City Council was scheduled to consider a $30 million cap on construction costs at its Feb. 9, 2026 meeting, a decision city officials have framed as necessary to move the project from planning into construction.

The Canopy is planned for the corridor running under I-4 between West Church Street and West Washington Avenue, bounded by Hughey Avenue and Garland Avenue. The location has long functioned largely as surface parking and temporary vehicle areas, and the project’s goal is to convert the space into an urban gathering place designed to support events and everyday use.

What The Canopy is designed to include

Project materials describe a design centered on pedestrian access, safety, greenery and art installations, with space intended for community gatherings, festivals and cultural programming. City descriptions also emphasize improved connections between downtown districts divided by I-4, along with walkways and mobility features intended to make the area easier to navigate on foot and by bicycle.

• Gathering areas intended for events and everyday use
• Landscaping and green elements integrated into the underpass environment
• Art features and lighting intended to activate the space
• Pedestrian-oriented circulation and links to surrounding streets

Timeline, contractor and cost framework

The Canopy has been in development for years under earlier concepts, including a period when it was known as the “Under-I Project.” In 2024, the city released updated renderings and presented the project under its current name. In 2025, the city approved Whiting-Turner Contracting Company as contractor for the work.

The city’s current schedule targets a construction start in summer 2026 and completion in 2027. The planned $30 million construction-cost cap aligns with prior city-level cost ranges publicly discussed for the project, though the final construction scope and sequencing are tied to engineering and approvals.

Downtown businesses weigh opportunity and disruption

For businesses along Church Street and nearby blocks, the project is widely viewed through the lens of foot traffic and the day-to-day vitality of downtown. Owners and workers interviewed locally have described the expectation that a new destination under I-4 could increase customer counts and extend activity beyond major event nights.

Several downtown operators have also raised concerns about timing certainty and the need for regular updates as construction approaches, citing the potential impact of delays on leases and long-term business planning.

City leaders have tied The Canopy to broader downtown investment planning, including redevelopment tools and infrastructure initiatives designed to support activity across multiple districts.

If approved, the construction-cost cap would mark one of the final preconstruction milestones for a project intended to reshape a prominent stretch of downtown’s underpass into a programmed civic space by 2027.