Thornton Park Central
In this project, our team helped Morris Architects (now a Huitt-Zollars Company) ensure the integrity of air and ventilation systems in a five-story mixed-use development in Downtown Orlando, Florida.
Our client
Located in northeast Orlando, Thornton Park Central is a dynamic urban multi-use development that leases retail, commercial, and residential space. The surrounding district is known for its upscale eateries, boutique shopping, and charming urban design—making Thornton Park an ideal location to live, work, and relax just minutes from downtown Orlando.
Project highlights
Their challenge
Morris Architects (now a Huitt-Zollars Company) provided the architectural design for this character-rich development, and they engaged Salas O’Brien’s Orlando team to ensure the integrity of the building’s air and ventilation systems. The building combines 20,000 square feet of street-front retail space, four levels of condominiums, and 40,000 square feet of commercial space—all connected by a 328-car central parking garage. Each of these spaces required distinct but complementary systems.
Our solution
Self-contained variable air volume (VAV) air conditioning units provide service to the north commercial wing, while direct expansion split systems supply the condominiums and retail space. Our team’s engineering services covered these as well as the central system and negative pressure exhaust fans that circulate air in and out of the condominiums. In the parking garage, mechanical ventilation and fans operate based on the time of day and concentration of vehicle emissions in order to maximize air quality, comfort, and efficiency.
The results
The finished center is a dynamic space with systems that efficiently meet residential, commercial, and retail users needs, and it earned Morris Architects the SARA Design Award of Merit and a Golden Brick Award.


