Orlando to remove, preserve artifacts from Pulse site starting next month

Construction on Pulse Memorial to begin next year

Construction on the Pulse Memorial is set to begin next year. The City of Orlando will begin clearing out artifacts from the site next month.

ORLANDO, Fla. - The City of Orlando will begin removing artifacts from the former site of Pulse nightclub next month as it moves toward the next phase of constructing the permanent memorial.

According to the city’s Pulse Memorial website, items from inside and outside the building will be collected and stored.

Items from inside the Pulse building that will be recovered include chandeliers, posters, bar top, an ornamental framed mirror, the primary section of the breach wall, a portion of the "glitter" wall and tiles from the outside patio bar.

These items will be transported and stored in an environmentally-controlled warehouse until they are added to the permanent memorial, according to the city. The Pulse sign will also be removed from the building and stored so it can be added to the permanent memorial.

Items that were left outside as part of the temporary memorial will be collected and stored for "historical curation," according to the city.

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Once the items are removed, the next phase of the process will begin, with crews clearing the site in the spring of 2026. Gomez Construction Company is expected to begin construction on the permanent memorial next fall, with construction anticipated to be completed by the end of 2027.

The backstory:

A permanent memorial to honor the victims of the 2016 Pulse nightclub shooting has faced years of delay and debate.

But in September, the Orlando City Commission approved a $5 million funding agreement with Orange County and a design and contract with Gomez Construction Company, marking an important step forward in making the memorial a reality.

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