orlandocity87

My two wish list items: 1) Whatever the SunRail to Airport connection, there better not be a transfer. I hope they're considering multiple lines on the same tracks, e.g. one from DeBary to Poinciana and one from DeBary to the Airport (similar to Miami's MetroRail split). I could even see I-Drive to Airport and I-Drive to Downtown lines. 2) We need to get a plan in place if we want a chance at hosting the 2026 FIFA World Cup with or instead of Miami. Qatar is spending $2.7B on transit for this year's World Cup, Athens greatly expanded it's metro for the 2004 Olympics, etc. There's no reason two of the country's most-visited cities can't do the same. (I'm also looking at you, Miami - Miami Beach connector.)

It looks like Google Maps was recently updated for Orlando, showing some recent progress in CV. Sidenote: Are we still stuck with "Creative Village"? Should we petition CiVi?

Shooting into the sun, so not the best photos, but it's definitely going up fast:

The Amelia Street stop would be exciting because of the potential for more transit-oriented development / an organic extension to Creative Village. (Pardon the rough drawing.)

Coincidentally came across two things related to your post this week: 1. Lynx et al commissioned a study for a Hwy 50 bus rapid transit route and associated transit-oriented development. One of the study areas was Colonial Plaza: 2. Related to the Colonial and Bennett project(s), Bungalower just posted that the people behind Gilt are taking over the southern portion of Wall Street downtown. It's not mentioned, but I wonder if this is in preparation for said project. This whole area along Colonial (between Primrose and 436) has some of the highest zoning in the entire city.

I'll still argue that parking garages next to two-story structures don't look good. The difference between South Eola and Lake Nona, however, is that Lake Nona is completely from scratch and doesn't have to make these mistakes.

No doubt they'll be nice and sell or rent quickly. The GreeLink will be cool. That said, what irks me most about Lake Nona's urban planning is the complete disregard for street hierarchy and form-based transects. E.g. Two-story townhomes don't belong next to a seven-story parking garage and an 18-story tower; the GreenLink should have been planned to take the place of one of the major boulevards or parkways, not squeezed in behind a C-street that will primarily service parking garages.

Ah yes, I can't wait to walk out of my $800,000 yard-less townhouse to see the Landon House parking deck on one side, or the Skylar parking deck that overlooks the amenity area I share with 600 apartments.

Coincidentally, I wanted to try Thrive for the first time this week for lunch and saw it was papered over. The note said "Routine Maintenance – Closed 2/28 & 3/1" so hopefully they're back. It really sounds like you don't.

Good shot of EA building, Modera, and Luminary Green (via Bungalower):

A couple drive-bys heading south on Fern Creek. The second set of 10 townhomes is nearing completion: The east stairwell looks topped off at five stories, while the southwest stairwell is still at three stories. They're pouring some foundations in the middle of the site.

OBX is such a missed opportunity for a logical, already-existing next SunRail segment (only behind the airport segment).

As much as I would love more apartments there, I'd hate to see another B&N lost in Orlando (after the Waterford Lakes B&N last year). Especially when there is so much surface parking they could redevelop. However, these seem verrrry conceptual... From the article: Option 1 with 203 units around 7-level parking garage connected by skybridge to 183-unit building. Option 2 with 242 units, 5 levels of parking, and 15,500 sf retail. Phase 2 would have 14 stories and 275 unites.

Sorry for the blurry pics, but from my Lake Eola office building you can see the Lake Ivanhoe skyline coming together—mostly Advent Health, but Lake House and The Yard add some nice density.

Updates from yesterday's less dreary day:

I know some will miss the Frontyard Festival, but the whole building looked great driving by it Saturday night. Finally completed, the whole front was active with folks leaving a performance on the left side and a wedding in the center.

I think the most recent plans still show Corrine as two lanes in each direction. The Virginia section will be one lane each direction, which is plenty because that road is surprisingly empty most of the time. However, as the Edgewater redo showed, you can actually move more cars on less lanes if you provide better turning opportunities, less curb cuts (e.g. into parking lots), and time the lights better.

Yesterday's gloomy downtown views.

Corner of Colonial & Ferncreek: Looks like most of the (sewer? stormwater?) underground infrastructure is wrapping up and the southwest corner is starting to go vertical. The tall construction fence gives a pretty good impression of the effect the project will have on the street wall and the overall size of the block.

I drive by this one daily. I think it's nearing completion. I'm eager to see what the empty lot next to it will be. These are big lots with hefty zoning, so hopefully we get something better than a strip mall.

Tell that to my coworkers who go to Mather's for happy hour every week! But I know what you mean. As much as I love bars like Tori Tori or Guesthouse, they're just not feasible for going to regularly / having more than two drinks outside of happy hour.

Not to derail the thread too much, but any news on Colonial Lanes? I drove by and there were dumpsters being filled like they were gutting the inside. But I haven't seen any designs or advertising like new projects seem to get.

I can't recommend Ziggie's enough. Up there with Pizza Bruno. Also, it looks like sitework has started at the Alexan50 site with some serious box culverts.

Boy, I hope not. I don't want to travel 3 mph or sit that close to people.

I've heard businesses don't want their signage covered by trees, which helps explain the obsession with palm trees in Orlando developments...