Universe_Explorer

I can see my 2015 seats!

I made a supportive post about this project when it first leaked, and I stand by it. I don't own a motorcycle and don't particularly like them, but this may be the first overseas "tourist" destination to choose downtown in, I don't know, forever? Apparently this brand is very popular with tourists at the London site. Those who come visit this place will be exposed to the rest of our beautiful downtown...also, this diversifies things (every little bit counts) - from what I remember they plan on hosting car and bike shows, etc. Add to that the repurposing of old buildings and I think it's a winner. Anyone concerned with noise (from bikes, humans, trains or otherwise) probably shouldn't be living in the middle of a city. Personnally, I'm drawn to the commotion....

You could add University of Pittsburgh and many others to that list (NYU, GW) but you'd be forgetting something - those are the "main" campuses for the schools listed, this would be a satelite campus. Most well-placed urban campuses are also quite old, and had the city expand within or around them. This is a fresh start, and a branch campus. I think looking at another sunbelt city that puled it off is a good idea. Besides, I'm guess the comparisons to ASU have more to do with the logistics of creating a separate campus within an urban core near the main campus than the design of said campus

In my opinion, if UCF were to open a downtown campus of that size (around 15,000), it may have the largest impact of any development downtown has seen to date. Seriously - including the venues+soccer stadium and Sunrail (at it's current size/value). Not only would it bring a sizeable population in the age group that most enjoys what downtown already has to offer, but it would bring the kind of vibrancy that is often noted as lacking in Orlando compared to other similar cities (when it comes to art, music, activism, etc). It also exposes young talented people to an urban lifestyle (I grew up in suburban sprawl, went to an urban college campus, and have lived in city cores ever since) - many of whom would be more likely to stay downtown after graduation, not to mention start their own businesses here. I know at this point this is all just talk - but I would support the real value of a downtown UCF campus over the nice-sounding-but-lack-of-real-substance idea that is the "Creative Village"...

I would agree that pedestrian bridges placed at intersections that already have traffic signals are frequently bypassed by people traveling by foot (who wants to go up al those stairs when there's a short cut?). That said, I think this bridge is an absolutely necessary piece of the urban trail concept - connecting gertude's walk to the dinky line - even via several blocks of sidewalk in uptown - will be huge. That would mean having a bike/running trail that connects Mead Garden, Lock Haven park, Mills Market, Ivanhoe District, Gandy park/Lake Ivanhoe, the cluster of uptown condo/apts, across the wall that is Colonial Drive, down to the Sunrail/Lnyx stations, and further down to the Church St/Amway Center/Soccer stadium area. Not only would it provide a great route for a ton of urban dwelling runners/cyclists tired of circling Lake Eola 9 times versus waiting for lights every block, it would create a path to several of the city's less utilized gems (Lockhaven park, ivanhoe shopping), and connect the Uptown hive that will have practically 1,000 units in several square blocks in a couple of years to the rest of downtown.

Dirt is moving for the plaza now and the covering is off most of the fence around the site. Now that I see what is looks like from different angles, I think I'll really like it if/when phase 2 is done. The asymmetry bothers me right now - but the overall asthetic does not. The lighting may do wonders for it as well. I'm having a hard time believing phase 2 will ever happen, let alone the development of the surrounding parcels. At this point I'm resigned to the building as is with a nice park/plaza space that works well with city hall

The World Showcase was designed with expansion in mind as Boomer136 mentions above. Most of the pavillions had large donations made by their countries of origin (the most lavish being Morocco) seeking to showcase their countries in one of the most visited places on earth. I think Disney's international expansion (not to mention the globalization of the economy) dried up any further interest in such partnerships. That said, if you were to fantasize, Brazil, India, and Australia seem like no-brainers - easily identifiable architecture, food and beverage options, cultural shows, and merchandise. I can just imagine wearing a fresh Selecao jersey, watching a Carnival show, eating curry, and drinking a Victoria Bitter beer with a mini Taj Mahal and Sydney Opera House in the distance...

Is there any chance the church wins and the entire project blows up? I feel like someone is giving the owners very bad advice, turning down 4 million for a $700,000 property and countering with ridiculous $15-30 million offers?

Add me to the list of people that think for 100 million dollars this looks great - as I stated earlier, soccer as an overall sport does not lend itself to the types of amenities as slower moving games or those with frequent play stoppages. The fan experience is meant to be different. This stadium will put fans right on top of the field, keep noise in, gears itself more than any other to the unique needs of supporter groups (standing rails, capo stands, supporter-specific pubs?!?!). It already has some "iconic" structure (sunken field open to street, rotating lion statue, purple coloring). When we think of making the overall building iconic, I'd have to ask, how many sports stadiums are truly iconic (from the outside, on a street level), and what makes them so? Baseball purists will talk about Wrigley and Fenway, both of which are iconic more for their age, location, and idiosyncricities than being truly beautiful designs. Lambeau Field? Or on the exact opposite spectrum - the Cowboys new stadium? Huge lumps of stadium in surrounded by parking lots. Most "iconic" soccer stadiums of the world (Camp Nou, Old Trafford) are much more revered for what went on inside them versus what they look like from the outside. We're getting a fan-centric stadium built in the heart of the city with reasonably close transportation and entertainment options. DPAC and the surrounding plaza should be iconic from the street, the most important thing about a soccer stadium is the atmosphere inside

Agreed. Plus, there is still a lot of downtown real estate that could support taller buildings if/when the demand ever reappears - including the creative village area and many vacant/near-vacant lots just west of I4.

I agree with the prior post that this doesn't have to be state of the art - it just has to be fan-friendly. The shorter game schedule, brisk (comercial break-free) match time, and overall fan engagement of professional soccer make a lot of the amenities of the Amway Center useless as it relates to making this a great place to go. The OCSC fans don't need 5 sit down restaurants, an indoor playground, and or a high end roof-top lounge. Don't get me wrong, I love how the Amway Center is an experience itself beyond the event occuring in the arena, but those additional things aren't "fan-friendly" to soccer supporters. The way to create a great environment there is to maximize keeping fans in the seats and volume. That means a low-raked roof, a specially designed supporter section (standing rails), plenty of take-away food and beverage areas (not sit down), a 360 degree concourse, and plenty of restrooms. None of these things cost a lot of money. I'd say the only high-tech items that are truly necessary would be a large video board and video advetising along the sidelines like you see in the high level leages. The tougher question will be how to make the gameday environment as festive as possible while in that particular location. I'm sure the bars around church street will fill up, and I assume they will shut down the area around the stadium during events like they do for the Amway Center. I've heard vague rumors about using the park to the west for a tailgating area (there are plans to move the fire station), which would be huge...

I'm biased as a fan, but we do have two more high profile companies moving downtown - Orlando City Soccer Club just leased space in the GAI Bldg and the Magic have plans to move thier cooperate offices into the proposed complex across form the arena. As much as I want to see jobs downtown, the reality is that only certain types of businesses crave or require that environment (government, finance, tech, legal, fashion, publishing/journalist, etc) - and for what it's worth, our regional versions of these businesses already do reside downtown (regardless of your feelings for the Sentinel and thier building). The Darden's and Tupperware's of the country almost exclusively settle in suburban plots - many like to have "campuses" like the big Pharma companies in NJ. What upsets me more about Darden is the lack of even a flagship restaurant downtown - I still can't beleive they couldn't keep the Ruth's Chris open. In a perfect world, these open tech spaces in the Church Street exchange lead to more, UCF brings a campus downtown (total game-changer), an perhaps at some point Orange County government reverses course and starts centralizing office space. Meanwhile a continued focus on the arts and more hotel/conference space should drive more creative business in the area.

I know as an urbanist I'm probably not supposed to be excited about this, but the Sports Authority across the street on Colonial is horrible and the nearest Dick's is pretty far away. I go out of my way to get my running shoes at the Track Shack, but for most other sporting goods we haven't had many options...

I believe the entire Ace Cafe concept revolves around automotive/motorcycle culture, so in this instance I'm perfectly fine with the parking. The other sites host car and cycle shows, have certain rides on display, etc...I think the lot plays into the business model

I'm encouraged about how Ace Cafe stated they were looking for older, more industrial/urban buildings to move into - it sounds like a great repurposing project. Also, apparently it's a draw for tourists - and they chose downtown! Whatever happened to the big St Pete based restaurant that was going to open at Church St Station with the ugly fake rail cars?

Lots of dirt moving now at the O+C Hotel site. I still think the most important development(s) in the uptown area are The Sevens (any word if/when they will begin construction?) and the proposed pedestrian bridge over Colonial connecting the urban trail. At that point you've got complete infill and a critical mass of pedestrians and storefronts on that part of Orange

Won't the OPO and Ballet still be at the Bob Carr until phase 2 is finished? I guess that's what I meant. I do believe central florida can support longer runs for touring shows...I wouldn't worry about the sound of a storm - the building is hugging an expressway, if they can keep that noise out they can keep out the rain. Personally, I really like how it is looking now that it's glassed up. Just wish the whole thing was getting completed (I'll believe in Phase 2 when I see ground moving)

I don't mind the design, but I think it will look weird until it's finished and I have a terrible feeling that Phase 2 is never going to happen. The real shame in that is that fewer shows in the building will keep it and the area around it from blossoming the way we all want it to. During events, the area around the Amway Center is bustling, but when the building is dark obvisouly the foot traffic disappears. I think they've been doing a good job keeping the Amway Center busy (thanks to the Solar Bears concerts/shows in addition to the Magic). The second phase of DPAC adds the symphony and ballet performances to the traveling and local shows in the other theaters. I'm afraid that without the adiditnal performances the area will feel empty too frequently to spur any further development or suppor the hotels/resturants nearby.

I think it's important to recognize that commuter rail isn't meant to make us completely "car-free" - it's to ease commute times an the amount of cars physically in the central business districts. There was a time in my life when I lived in Weschester NY. Commuting into NYC meant driving to the metro north station, then taking the train into the city - which is what nearly everyone in the NYC metro area does. I still had to drive (briefly), but I didn't have to spend 1.5 hours in traffic then pay tolls and blood-curdling parking fees each day. Plus, I was able to get work done on my way. Light rail/subways, buses, and (importantly) walkable central business/downtown areas are what make a city "car-free". We're far from that, but closer than many southern cities. The biggest benefit to Sunrail is avoiding I4 traffic and parking downtown. I think the most important next step is to encourage business near th stations. Not just "transit-oriented" businesses, but actual businesses that employ people who commute into these areas. The hospitals are a great start, but the city needs to do what they can to encourage other large employers to relocate downtown. The transit oriented businesses will follow only if the ridership supports them.

I like the idea of a museum, but I think specialized idea would be more succesful (we already have an art museum and the Morse museum). How about linking into what the rest of the world already associates us with and opening a Amusement Park History museum - with "artifacts", monuments, themes and interactive areas regarding the past, present and history of theme parks around the world? The Orange County History Center's most popular events are the ones where they show off old costumes and items from the original Halloween Horror Nights and other Universal events, and Barnum and Bailey have made a destination out of their circus mueseum in Sarasota. This would bring outsiders downtown (tourists, locals, school trips), provide another non-alcohol related activity, and the opportunity to design a truly unique structure downtown (I'm thinking more of the Church street/parramore area here). Who wouldn't want to see some of the old Disney/Universal/Sea World artifacts (I know they still have one of the submarines from 2000 Leagues Under the Sea rusting away back behind the Magic Kingdom, bits of the Jaws ride, etc), not to mention cars/floats/signs from amusement parks all over the country or world? Call me crazy, but I think it would work - particularly in Orando.

Does Copley Square mean anything for this area? I can't decide. It's 60+ townhouses right there but I feel like Michigan is too far gone to become a practical pedestrian friendly street. Perhaps eventual Lymmo or shuttle service with SunRail will eventually link this portion of the city to the rest of downtown (there's a large county complex near thee that must employ a ton of people)

From Universal Blvd this structure is massive (and that's without the "wheel" attached yet. I wonder what may become of all that cow grazing property located a stones throw away from this new enterainment district

I drove by yesterday and it looked like they were topping off the frame, it gives some perspective for how tall the actual wheel will be. Once you're past the convention center, I think it is going to dominate the skyline looking north on I-Drive. Where exactly is the big new club (Mangos?) going? In the lot next to the huge McDonalds on Sand Lake? Anyone hear any news about the supposed expansion of that McDonalds?

Looking forward to The Sevens, a large structure ther will really fill in the Uptown area. On a side note, I was downtown last night after dark for the first time in awhile and really liked how the Aloft, the new lit sculptures, and the lighting on top of the Solaire looked. Orlando is starting to own the bright colored LED thing, and I think it's working

With all due respect to Ustler, I disagree that the Creative Village (concept) is playing any such role. The Medical City - and the stalled development around it - is actually happening. Hospitals, schools, labs, infrastructure...The "Creative Village" may mean more for the city since it's actually in the urban core and the Medical City is just furthering our sprawl, but I have yet to see any real evidence that this land isn't just going to sit empty for the next decade or more. I would argue that Florida Hospital's Health Village concept at the FHO campus is more likely to bring in the tech/creative class to the city at this point - an area with existing lab space, infrastructure (even commuter rail!), a large hospital where thousands of employees descend each day, and the deep pockets of Adventist Health backing further development.