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.
The Downtown Orlando Partnership honored Young, who’s also CEO of Interstruct Design + Build, for his 25 years reinvesting in downtown, delivering projects in nearly every major office building — including Travel + Leisure Co.’s 900-employee global headquarters. At the same time he’s championed adaptive reuse through transformations like the historic Angebilt Building, Net Conversion, and Interstruct’s own West Church Street headquarters, which won a Golden Brick award in 2023.
In accepting the award, Young recalled growing up outside New York City and going to college in Boston — indelible places in his love of urban environments and cities. But those cities were already developed and shaped by others, he said.
“Here in Orlando, we have an opportunity to truly build a place, to be part of something special, something bigger than all of us,” he said. “To be thoughtful about what we design, and what we build and what we leave behind.”
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.
Mayor Buddy Dyer presented the award and said what makes Young truly deserving is not just the scale of what he’s built — but the purpose behind it.
“Ryan believes that architecture should serve people first,” Dyer said. “He has consistently championed projects that strengthen neighborhoods, create walkable environments, preserve character and bring new life to existing places.”
Young has demonstrated a profound commitment to community-driven development. In 2020, he deepened that commitment by relocating to Parramore, commissioning the Unity Mural at 814 W. Church St., which sparked a transformative partnership with The Desire Foundation Inc. and gave rise to Project 814, a monthly food distribution initiative now serving over 1,380 individuals and distributing nearly 15,000 pounds of free groceries each month.
This year’s 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’s 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.
Other honorees
Florida Citrus Sports 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’s identity as a destination for world-class sports. Last year’s campaign turned that milestone into a communitywide celebration while supporting Lift Orlando, a nonprofit working to strengthen historic neighborhoods around Camping World Stadium.
Hogan also marked a milestone in 2025 — 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’s global profile.
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 in November.
In the commercial and residential development category, Hamlin House was honored for bringing a 28,000-square-foot modern racquet club to the city’s 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.
Habitat for Humanity Greater Orlando & Osceola County was honored in the sustainability and resiliency category after reaching a milestone last year in Parramore — 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.
In the redesign and renovation category, the Orlando Health Cancer Institute’s Bone Marrow Transplant and Cellular Therapy 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 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.
AECOM’s newly renovated 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’s 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 — connecting global expertise to local projects that shape the city’s infrastructure, mobility and quality of life.
In the public works and placemaking category, the 407 Connect program 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’s backed by $3 million in CRA funding through a partnership between the city and the Christian Service Center for the Homeless. 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.
The Good Pour’s 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’s flagship location 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 supports a broad network of local nonprofits while driving both economic activity and meaningful community impact.
Winners in the remaining categories were:
Arts & Culture: The Frontyard Holiday Festival at Dr. Phillips Center
Community: The Drive Out Hunger Holiday Initiative
Sports: 2025 FIFA Club World Cup (Orlando was the only city with two host venues)
Hospitality & Dining: Sparrow wine bar and lounge
Innovation & Technology: The 2025 Orlando Game Jam
Game Changer: The Travel + Leisure Co. global headquarters
Last year’s 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.
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.
Brian Bell can be reached at bbell@orlandosentinel.com. Have a tip about Central Florida development? Email Newsroom@GrowthSpotter.com. Follow GrowthSpotter on Facebook and LinkedIn.
