Pulse nightclub building removal scheduled for March as Orlando moves forward with permanent memorial construction

Building removal and site transition enter a new phase

The City of Orlando has set a mid-March timeline to remove the Pulse nightclub building, marking a major logistical step in the city’s multi-year plan to build a permanent memorial at the site of the June 12, 2016 mass shooting. City updates indicate the work will be part of a broader site-clearing effort expected to begin in spring 2026 and extend to the adjacent vacant building as preparations continue for construction later in the year.

A temporary perimeter change is also scheduled ahead of demolition. City communications indicate fencing will be installed beginning Monday, Feb. 2, 2026, making the longstanding temporary memorial area inaccessible. A limited area is expected to remain available for visitors to leave perishable tributes such as flowers.

Artifacts recovery underway, with storage planned until final placement

In parallel with the move toward removal of the structure, the city has been pursuing artifact recovery to preserve items from the property for future historical use and potential inclusion in the permanent memorial. City planning materials outline recovery and storage of interior elements such as chandeliers, posters and other items, with transport to an environmentally controlled warehouse. Separate project updates have also referenced preservation of additional elements connected to the building and the site’s public-facing features, including plans to remove and store the Pulse sign.

What the permanent memorial is expected to include

Orlando’s permanent memorial plan has been shaped through a formal advisory process that finalized a conceptual design in early 2025. Project materials describe a memorial organized around the footprint of the original building and multiple dedicated spaces intended for remembrance, reflection and gathering.

• A memorial and reflection space aligned with the former building’s footprint
• A reflection pool positioned where the dance floor was located
• An elliptical walkway with 49 columns honoring the 49 victims
• Areas designated for survivors and for private gathering and reflection
• Landscaped garden elements and a visitor pavilion concept

Design-build team selected; timeline extends through 2027

City project updates show a design-build firm was selected by Orlando City Council on July 14, 2025, to take the conceptual design into detailed plans and deliver construction. The city’s published timeline anticipates design work continuing through 2026, followed by construction beginning in fall 2026 and completion by the end of 2027.

The permanent memorial is planned to honor the 49 people killed and the 53 people injured in the June 12, 2016 attack.

A public project update and design presentation is scheduled for Thursday, March 5, 2026 at 4 p.m., with the city indicating new renderings will be shared.