A Bit of Orlando History
The Waverly on Lake Eola is one of Downtown Orlando’s most iconic high-rise buildings. In 2001, the developer, Zom Inc. went out on a limb when he sought out to construct the first luxury high-rise apartment building in Downtown Orlando. You heard me right, the impressive condominiums at The Waverly started out as apartments! And the rents were higher than the downtown area had ever seen.
Just over a decade ago, Downtown Orlando’s skyline looked a lot different than it does today. Shortly after The Waverly’s 230-units began leasing, several new developers came to Downtown Orlando with a mission to transform the city center into a residential mecca.
Apartments to Condominium Conversion
In amidst the housing boom in 2003, with interest rates dropping and home sales on the rise, The Waverly developer embarked on yet another risky project to convert the successful luxury apartments into condominiums. By this time, condominiums such as The Sanctuary, Eola South, The Jackson, and 55 West were beginning to take form. Fast-forward to today, and The Waverly remains one of the most desirable condominiums in Downtown Orlando.
Location, Location, Location
Residents at The Waverly unanimously cite the “perfect location” as the building’s greatest asset. Situated right in between the Church Street bar scene and the laid-back Thornton Park Neighborhood, The Waverly’s location is hard to beat. Did I mention they have a Publix across the street and Lake Eola in their front yard?
Miami in Orlando
The Waverly on Lake Eola was constructed at the same time as Zom Development’s sister towers in Miami – The Waverly at South Beach. Orlando’s Waverly has a very apparent “Miami” influence. Its impressive water feature in the front lobby, cool blue and teal colors throughout, and poolside cabanas make residents feel like they’re at a beachfront resort.
Timeless Views
The units themselves have a bit of modern flare, but not quite as much as you’ll see in some of the newer condominiums. The views on the other hand are timeless. The most stunning views at The Waverly are from the “tube units” (end units 1, 2, 3 on each floor). Oh, and the view of Lake Eola from the 5-bedroom Grande Penthouse on the 23rd floor isn’t too bad either.
The Consensus – 5 Star Recommendation
Residents at The Waverly tend to agree that the building is well maintained, incredibly safe, and the front desk personnel are very friendly. One of the few recurring complaints seems to be noise from neighbors due to thin walls. But with that being said, nearly every past and current Waverly resident I’ve spoken with gives their enthusiastic recommendation to prospective residents.
Waverly was great building in 2001 when Zom built it. It was fun and young! 2004 converted into condos they let the dogs out…. well the old people moved in and new management. We went through a few management companies. Have been raped by First Service for way to long. They initiated a building defect lawsuit when they first started here. The board is still servicing them. They actually hired our ex board member “whom the owners voted out” Gred Reynolds who now services most board members at the sanctuary. Where Ted Maines is on the board as an unlicensed designer with no education in design and had to sign a legall document to state he will never design commercially in Florida ever again. Oh our building the “Waverly” devalued 32% with Ted Maines shit design!!!