Orlando's tourist core sees full-time residents moving in
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — The Orlando tourist strip known most for attracting conventioneers and thrill-seeking visitors — International Drive — is getting another identity. In recent years, thousands of full-time residents have moved into apartments built on the southern end of the 11-mile corridor, which has been renowned for industry gatherings, shopping and attractions. Plans call for thousands more renters — and schools. "It's kind of the rebranding of I-Drive right now," said Luann Brooks, executive director of the I- Drive Business Improvement District . "We've turned into a live and work environment, which has never been seen here before." The I-Drive area has been a permanent address for renters — and also homeowners on Lake Willis — for years. But a transformation is underway with more than a half-dozen multi- story apartment complexes , some upscale and trimmed in stacked stone with resort-style pools. The south-central area of Orlando that includes ...