orlandocity87

A couple drive-by shots from last Saturday.

Ah got it. I guess I've only gone through on a bike with cars or got lucky with the signal.

I think people forget the current rate is $0.67/mile, so Orlando to Miami and back is essentially a $262 car ride.

Woof. I have the same credit I need to use in the next few months. Without it, I definitely wouldn't do first class. Although, looking at business/first class flights MCO-MIA two weeks out is also $400-800 per person. Brightline is expensive but still competitive.

Bikes should be in the lane with the cars waiting for the next green light. I've never needed a separate signal to cross there on a bike.

It's both. For aesthetics, there are certain ratios in urban design for [ building height ] : [ sidewalk ] : [ road width ] that just look and feel better. Functionally, this specific intersection does get really busy on foot. You have the crossfit gym running laps around one corner, people on bikes jumping on the sidewalk to cross the intersection for some reason, people walking their zig-zagging dogs people carrying their grocery bags. Even with just two pairs of people passing each other, you still have to switch to single-file. Not to mention a sidewalk <10' can't accommodate benches, mast arms, street lights, tree branches, trashcans, or outdoor cafe seating. Most sidewalks in Mills50 have sections where the width (at least 3') or slope isn't ADA accessible.

The Under I-4 project is back as "The Canopy" — with some fancy elements but mostly parking. Supposedly breaking ground next year and taking two years to construct. https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2024/02/21/orlando-park-beneath-i-4-has-a-final-design-and-a-new-name-the-canopy/

Mast arms are up! But not turned on yet. Alexan looking good. You could argue that that corner deserved more than a single-story 7-11 and Starbucks, but overall much better. Still waiting on an announcement for the abandoned Dollar Tree / Just Puppies lot. 2008:

That's good to hear. Although it's a shame they put a dedicated Lymmo route to the stadiums that 1) gets rerouted for every OCSC event and 2) doesn't reach the football stadium. Additionally, I hate that the the Magic put their training center's parking lot on the corner of what should be a great tailgating/city park surrounded by mixed-use buildings.

That, and when we hosted the NBA All-Star Weekend in 2012, they basically excluded all those businesses by putting up a big fence around the Arena and only encouraging attendees to buy from event and venue vendors.

I wouldn't go as far as saying anyone is promoting slums as a badge of honor. But, I've definitely had the feeling that sometimes we keep things looking rough in Orlando for the sake of looking urban or edgy or real. Or at least local leaders and business owners don't prioritize certain neighborhoods the way they should. (For example, I've griped enough about the state of Corrine and Mills while entire new street systems are being built in Medical City, Creative Village, and Packing District.) Unfortunately, Orlando lacks any substantial stock of multi-story, pre-war warehouses or apartment buildings. That's where other cities have had some of the best revitalization stories, while still looking authentic and "real." In terms of the Florida Department of Health—loitering aside—it's some of the worst urbanism you could build: a property spanning an entire city block with parking lots on both ends. What an opportunity to build affordable housing or assisted living there, with the health offices integrated or moved elsewhere.

Not to mention, that garage included multiple Parramore-resident-owned startup businesses on the first floor. Virtually overnight their businesses were shut down just so we could have an empty lot for a decade.

I realize this wouldn't fly under TDT spending, but the biggest issue I've always had with all of this is the area around the stadium. We'll be nearing a $1B stadium, and I'm expected to park on the grass like I'm going to a county fair? Or take the Lymmo that drops me off half a mile away in an industrial area? Or not feel super safe riding a bike or scooter back into town at night? (Mind you, I've done it and it was fine, but most people won't feel the same.) If it were up to me, they'd turn the remains of Tinker Field and the parking lot in Lake Lorna Doone Park into actual parks for pregaming and other festivals. They'd use the ample vacant land to build some UCF-style garages. Ideally they would add some affordable housing (orange) and corner retail (red). Frankly, applying to things like becoming a host city for the 2026 FIFA World Cup or housing the next Amazon HQ is embarrassing when entire sections of the city look like they do.

"Concerns about parking" in a seven-story garage and the only answer they had was ride-share services. No mention of Lynx, Lymmo, SunRail, or the tens of thousands of other parking spots around downtown.

The Publix lot would have been a perfect spot to add a train station for the OBX line we'll probably never see...

I guess I don't see what the difference between train tracks and a large road is. Do people regularly run red lights trying to cross a section of Colonial where cars are going 60+ mph? Do people try to walk or drive across I-4 in areas where there are no fences? In a state where 3,500 people die in car accidents each year (not to mention the 9,500 pedestrians who are hit by cars every year leading to 800 annual fatalities), I hate how much attention very avoidable train deaths get.

The sign says Davila Homes, but I didn't see anything on their website about this projects. Seems like they mostly do single-family? Maybe I read it wrong.

Nobu Hotel Orlando, is set in the heart of Orlando and just moments from world renowned theme parks and family entertainment attractions. Which is it, then? lol

(This is just one of the three projects associated with Robinson Street.)

I'm glad to see that there's an expansion plan for the two green areas (a 16-story residential tower with 6 levels of parking and a 20-story residential tower with 5 levels of parking).

Brightline Orlando Ridership Nears 100K Per Month, Speed Increase Announced https://www.thenextmiami.com/brightline-orlando-ridership-nears-100k-per-month-speed-increase-announced/ Edit: Thought this comment was pretty interesting:

Boy, I hope it's not another "Camping World" or similar brand name: Downtown Arena drops “Amway” naming rights, awaiting new sponsor https://bungalower.com/2023/12/13/downtown-arena-drops-amway-naming-rights-awaiting-new-sponsor/

That's pretty impressive, actually. DC - NYC (225 miles) currently takes 2h48. Just for comparison, that's really similar to Mannheim - Munich (223 miles) in Germany, which takes 2h42 on the DB ICE. Of course, there are examples like Madrid - Zaragoza (198 miles) in 1h15. But considering how developed our Northeast corridor is, I would say the Acela is on-par with a lot of European HSR routes. Orlando - Miami (236 miles) currently takes 3h25, but hopefully 3h17 soon. Not horrible considering the locomotive limitations mentioned above, but still room for improvement.

I really like how it turned out. It meshes really well with the newer townhomes behind it and creates a nice step-down transition from apartments to townhouses to single-family / from main street to neighborhood. Would love to see another building like this on the Just Puppies/supposed Bento/former Dollar Tree block. However, I can't believe they got away with that chintzy little suburban sidewalk. A 4' sidewalk accompanying a five-lane road is inexcusable.

I usually try to plan a visit to downtown around an event at a venue (Dr. Phillips, Amway, Orlando City), a free outdoor event (Sunday farmer's market, seasonal festivals, bandshell shows, Third Thursdays), or a smaller destination outing (Orange County Regional History Center, SAK Comedy Club). If you're with kids, the Lake Eola playground and swan boats are popular. There's also a few walking tours to choose from. Throw in a lunch/dinner and a dessert/cocktail and you can make a pretty good half-day visit out of it.