Orlando sets March 2026 removal of Pulse nightclub building as permanent memorial plans advance

Demolition phase to clear the site for a long-planned permanent memorial

Orlando is preparing to remove the Pulse nightclub building in March 2026, a key step in a city-led project to build a permanent memorial at the site of the June 12, 2016 mass shooting that killed 49 people and injured 53 others. City planning materials place the removal and site-clearing work in March and April 2026, along with the removal of an adjacent vacant building, to ready the property for memorial construction later in the year.

The building’s removal will follow a period of design development that has been underway since the city purchased the Pulse property in October 2023 for $2 million. The purchase shifted responsibility for a permanent memorial to the city after earlier private efforts did not deliver a completed project.

Temporary memorial access changes and design update meeting scheduled

As preparations progress, the city has announced perimeter changes that will affect public access to the existing temporary memorial area. A new fencing configuration is scheduled to be installed beginning Feb. 2, 2026, which will make the long-standing temporary memorial space inaccessible. City communications indicate a limited area will remain available for leaving items such as flowers.

To provide a public status report on design development, the city plans a meeting on Thursday, March 5, 2026, to present an update on 30% design plans and new renderings. The update is intended to show how the project is translating the community-developed concept into buildable plans.

Project governance, selection process, and funding commitments

The current memorial framework was shaped through a structured city process that included facilitated engagement, focus groups, surveys, and the work of the Pulse Memorial Advisory Committee, an 18-member group that included survivors, victims’ family members, and community representatives.

In March 2025, the city issued a request for proposals for a design-build team to carry the project from concept through construction. Orlando City Council selected Gomez Construction Company on July 14, 2025. On Sept. 8, 2025, council approved the design-build agreement and a funding agreement that included $5 million from Orange County toward the memorial.

Key design elements and construction timeline

The conceptual memorial plan approved through the advisory process centers on a reflection-focused site layout aligned with the former nightclub footprint. Public materials describing the concept include several core elements:

• A reflection pool located where the dance floor was situated
• An elliptical walkway with 49 columns commemorating the 49 people killed
• A tribute wall and landscaped garden areas intended for contemplation
• Designated areas for survivors and private reflection
• A visitor pavilion concept and added parking supported by the acquisition of adjacent property

The city’s published timeline anticipates memorial construction beginning in fall 2026, following spring 2026 site clearing. Current planning targets completion by the end of 2027.

The removal of the building marks a transition from preservation of the crime scene and temporary remembrance to construction of a permanent public memorial on the property.

Orlando officials have framed the next several months as a period of site transition and detailed design refinement, with scheduled public updates intended to keep survivors, families, and the broader community informed as the project moves from concept into construction.