By Jim Carchidi
July 8, 2026
Knallhart Management Group, the company behind Harlow Grove Restaurant & Lounge and other popular Winter Garden businesses, is preparing to move forward with a hotel plan for the Plant Street business district.
Eight years in the making
The property by the corner of W. Plant Street and N. Highland Avenue has been slated for a boutique hotel since 2018. Photos by Jim Carchidi
An illustrated banner advertising a completion date of 2027 recently appeared on the fenced-in property at 8 N. Highland Ave. The property was previously owned by Florida Power and sold to the city of Winter Garden in 1995 for $220,000. The .58-acre lot became the focus of a 60-room boutique hotel plan, proposed by the city in the summer of 2018. Appropriate zoning was later approved for the Winter Garden Hotel Planned Community Development; however, the property changed hands again in June 2021, selling for $1.2 million to a company with ties to Ft. Lauderdale-based Knallhart.
In January 2026, the city approved an amendment to the previous property zoning that extends site plan approval, Architectural Review & Historical Preservation Board approval, and addresses parking requirements. According to a West Orange Times report, the developer will secure off-site parking locations other than the downtown public garage.
Filling a void
The project will address the need for a downtown hotel property, opened when Plant Street’s historic 44-room Edgewater Hotel closed last year. The Edgewater was among the Winter Garden properties acquired by local entrepreneur James Larweth. No plans for its reuse have been confirmed.
Name recognition
An illustration on the property fence banner shows architectural designs similar to the Harlow Grove building.
Knallhart debuted Harlow Grove at 186 S. Main St. in March. The venue joined The Whole Enchilada Fresh Mexican Grill & Rooftop Bar, Harrell’s Hot Dogs + Cold Cones, and AJ’s Pizza Joint in the group’s local portfolio. A Hotel Winter Garden page was recently added to the company website, but no venue information or an opening date is currently provided.
Company properties beyond Winter Garden include entertainment venues such as Fort Lauderdale’s War Memorial Auditorium and Marina Village. A Knallhart representative confirmed the hotel plans to The Orlando Real and said a groundbreaking event will be announced soon.
Sponsor: The Orlando Real is sponsored by the Pozek Group — the #1 real estate team in Orlando and the Official Real Estate Team of the Orlando Magic.
About the Author
Jim Carchidi is an Orlando journalist and photographer with previous work at the Orlando Sentinel and Orlando Business Journal. He covers development, arts, culture, and local stories for The Orlando Real.
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