5-minute read
The Frances Langford Promenade has been one of Lakeland’s defining landmarks for nearly a century. But city officials say the 98-year-old structure is showing signs of age — and Hurricane Milton may have accelerated problems.
Lakeland has received a $79,827 grant from the National Park Service’s Emergency Supplemental Historic Preservation Fund to investigate cracks, leaks, and other deterioration and determine whether the structure remains sound.
The grant pays for the investigative work needed to determine the extent of the problems and what it will take to fix them. Any repairs would require separate funding.
City staff are concerned about cracks at the Frances Langford Promenade. | Cindy Glover, LkldNow 
City staff are concerned about cracks at the Frances Langford Promenade. | Cindy Glover, LkldNow 
City staff are concerned about cracks at the Frances Langford Promenade. | Cindy Glover, LkldNow 
City staff are concerned about cracks at the Frances Langford Promenade. | Cindy Glover, LkldNow 
City staff are concerned about cracks at the Frances Langford Promenade. | Cindy Glover, LkldNow 
City staff are concerned about cracks at the Frances Langford Promenade. | Cindy Glover, LkldNow 
City staff are concerned about cracks at the Frances Langford Promenade. | Cindy Glover, LkldNow 
City staff are concerned about cracks at the Frances Langford Promenade. | Cindy Glover, LkldNow
Signs of movement raise concerns
Lakeland Facilities Manager Richard Baker said Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Arts staff raised concerns about possible water seepage and wall movement after Hurricane Milton.
“The floor of the promenade was effectively underwater following Hurricane Milton,” the city wrote in its grant application.
Inspectors have documented water intrusion, visible staining, exposed rebar, cracked columns, concrete deterioration, and separation between portions of the promenade wall and walkway, according to the application.
“Right now, what we’re basing this on is visual inspections of the promenade,” Baker said. “The wall itself has moved a little bit that we’ve noticed because it’s sectioned, so we can actually see some movement in it. We’ve got some leakage from water ground penetration coming in under the grotto that’s starting to get a little bit more active, so to speak.”
The Frances Langford Promenade at Lake Mirror was underwater after Hurricane Milton in October 2024. | Courtesy of Walt Cannoy 
The Frances Langford Promenade at Lake Mirror was underwater after Hurricane Milton in October 2024. | Courtesy of Walt Cannoy 
The Frances Langford Promenade at Lake Mirror was underwater after Hurricane Milton in October 2024. | Courtesy of Walt Cannoy
A landmark with a long history
Completed in 1928, the promenade and loggia were designed by noted landscape architect Charles Wellford Leavitt as part of Lakeland’s Lake Mirror Civic Center.
Described as “like the ornate entrance to some vast Venetian palace” in the January 1930 issue of National Geographic, they were intended to create a dramatic first impression for motorists traveling the Dixie Highway through the city.
The loggia was designed as a performance space, with side rooms serving as dressing rooms.
Historians consider the promenade one of Florida’s best surviving examples of the City Beautiful movement, which sought to elevate civic life through grand public architecture and landscapes.
The promenade was renamed in honor of entertainer Frances Langford in 1946.
It has undergone several restorations over the years. Four decorative columns were replaced in 1959. By the late 1970s, the structure had fallen into disrepair, prompting a restoration completed in 1983. That same year, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places.
The promenade was refurbished again in 1987, and the four columns were reconstructed in 2015-16 to better match the originals.
In 2025, the city finished $469,000 in preservation efforts that took five years and included a cleaning and restoration project completed by Rodda Construction for roughly $368,000.
Related Read:
Lake Mirror Promenade Approaches 100, Gets a Facelift
The handsome downtown walkway, which is on the National Register of Historic Places, will need further work.
Beneath the surface
The upcoming study is expected to take about 120 days.
First, engineers will review historical records, previous studies, and past construction projects while inspecting the promenade for signs of deterioration.
Next, they’ll use ground-penetrating radar and other imaging technology to look inside the structure without causing damage. The final phase includes soil borings and testing to determine whether conditions beneath the promenade may be contributing to the deterioration.
Baker said city staff developed a plan for the study after identifying concerns at the promenade, but no department had money budgeted for the work. The project moved forward after city grant writer Melissa Stoller identified a National Park Service funding opportunity and secured the nearly $80,000 award.
“Often, grants will fund projects that are shovel-ready,” Stoller said.
Could nearby construction be a factor?
Mayor Sara Roberts McCarley asked whether nearby construction projects, including the Summit Building and parking garage completed in 2022, could have contributed to the deterioration.
The eight-story office tower was built on city-owned land along the west side of Lake Mirror after the City Commission approved a development agreement with Summit Consulting in 2019.
“The survey was done before we signed the contract, which is why I had great pause about that building going up on Lake Mirror at the time,” she said. “I would just be curious to make sure that that was public record and to look at whatever was found.”
Neither city staff nor commissioners suggested the building caused the problems. Rather, they stressed that the study is intended to gather information, not assign blame.
Commissioner Guy LaLonde Jr. welcomed the investigation but noted that nature will always play a role.
“My deep concerns are no matter what type of surveys or geotechnical things we do, Mother Nature will still take her own course regardless of what man plans,” he said.
Learn more about the promenade
Interested in exploring the Frances Langford Promenade beyond a casual stroll? The city offers two free guided tours when cooler weather returns:
- Green Hat & White Gloves Tour — Led by Special Collections Librarian Supervisor and local historian LuAnn Mims, this monthly walking tour explores the people, places, and stories that shaped Lakeland. Offered on the second Tuesday of each month at 6 p.m., September through May.
- Lake Mirror Historic Tour — Led by city horticulturalist Stacy Smith, this tour focuses on the history, architecture, and design of the Lake Mirror Civic Center and includes access to the normally closed loggia. Offered on the fourth Tuesday of each month at 6:30 p.m., October through March.
For schedules and registration information, visit the city’s website.
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