Shipping containers converted into restaurants, dog park open this weekend in Lake Nona

LAKE NONA, Fla. — Pack up and get moving down to Lake Nona this weekend. There’s a new entertainment district opening Friday that’s made completely out of old shipping containers.

The containers have been converted into some out-of-the-box uses, from restaurants and bars to a dog park.

It’s called Boxi Park, and it’s located just off Lake Nona Boulevard.

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Jessi Blakley, the vice president of the developer, Tavistock Group, said the project involves 13 shipping containers to form a new entertainment venue in the heart of Lake Nona.

"You're seeing these in hip cities all over the U.S.,” she said.

Not too long ago, the area where Boxi Park sits was nothing but pasture.

Neighbor Caroline Lasclo said she’s watched the area be built from the ground up over the last six years from the medical city to the Lake Nona town center.

Lasclo said she’s looking forward to the addition of the Boxi Park.

"I think it’s great. I think it’s such an original idea. I mean I’ve never heard anything like it before. But to have it in our neighborhood, it’s pretty cool," she said.

Boxi Park will host a soft opening starting at 4 p.m. Friday. Blakley said she’s excited to see what the venue brings to not only Lake Nona, but the region.

"What's really unique about Boxi Park is the fact that this is going to be a culinary incubator if you will,” Blakley said. “So we are going to be able to bring in new concepts, with new restaurateurs and they are going to be test things before they get into maybe permanent locations elsewhere in Lake Nona or Orlando."

Boxi Park is the first of many new developments coming out of the ground in Lake Nona in the coming months.

“We have a big transportation announcement coming next week,” Blakley said. “We have apartments opening in the spring and we've got our waterpark opening in just few weeks."

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