THE STORY
Reported Haunting
The Empire Hotel Building, now home to Ember, occupies one of Orlando's oldest commercial buildings and has a reputation for unexplained activity. Employees have reported footsteps, shadow figures, disembodied voices, and objects moving without explanation after hours. The building's long history has contributed to its local haunted reputation.
Built by James Magruder in 1913, the Empire Hotel was Orlando’s first and only hotel that offered air-conditioning to its guests. No longer a hotel, the building is occupied on the ground floor by the bar area of an establishment called “Ember.” The bar area is supposedly a hot-spot for paranormal activity.