The mixed-use community is located northeast of Downtown Orlando, bordering Winter Park.

[1] Headed by architect Jim Constantine and his firm Looney Ricks Kiss (LRK), in combination with other collaborators and stakeholders, the team incorporated New Classical and New Urbanism architectural elements.

During most of the 20th century, from the era of World War II until the mid-1990s, the area that currently is Baldwin Park, was utilized by the U.S. military.

It was the location of Orlando Army Air Station and the Main Base for the Naval Training Center (NTC).

[11] Following BRAC's decision to close NTC, former Orlando Mayor Glenda Hood appointed a Base Reuse Commission.

Made up of various local stakeholders, the commission's purpose was to identify proposals for economic development for the soon-to-be closed base.

The final draft of these proposals, known as "The Vision Plan", provided for approximately 3,000 residential units and over 2,700,000 square feet of commercial space.

Similar to the New Urban design elements of Celebration, "The Vision Plan" for Baldwin Park, included a pedestrian friendly Village Center with high density residential units, while also balancing and preserving aspects of nature in its design.

On October 27, 1999, the city council unanimously voted in support of the purchase of the officially ceased NTC.

Cohesive with the community's New Urban cityscape, its downtown is inspired by other eclectic Florida Main Streets.