A commercial real estate buyer has purchased nine buildings in Winter Garden, Florida's charming downtown, triggering protests and lease non-renewals for beloved small businesses like Three Birds Café and Polka Dotz. Residents fear the purchases by James Larweth will erase the area's unique character for upscale redevelopment.

Entities tied to Larweth, founder of pharmaceutical firm Anton RX, spent nearly $21 million on four downtown properties. This includes the historic Edgewater Hotel for $10.3 million. While Larweth has told city officials he aims to restore the hotel to its "grander days," the sudden ownership shift has unsettled the community and its business owners.

The conflict highlights a sharp tension between preservation and profit in a booming market. Property values have exploded, making long-time owners and tenants vulnerable. As one local real estate expert noted, many properties were once bought for minimal sums and are now prime targets for development, a cycle that often displaces the very businesses that created the area's appeal.