JRS1

^^ I saw a 55W resident walking their dog on Church St. this am. That's a start. That place has a homey feel to it. It should fill up quickly once the next phase of buildouts are completed.

Well, if Dockery listens to LaHood and the beloved HSR that her hubby wanted so much has a legit shot if they decide to support it now, then 3rd time might very well be a charm. That new senator who took the place of the senator who was against Sunrail was a plus. 23-16 was the last vote. With this new guy, it changes immediately to 22-17 all things being equal. I think an article stated he had influence over a couple of other senators. If true, the 22-17 could do a 4 point swing to 20-19 against. And if worst case only 1 more senator also changes his/her tune, it could flip 20-19 in favor of Sunrail. I thought Mica was looking into the Amtrak angle with this after the last denial. I think Obama's infrastructure plan might have altered the overall funding strategy. I think they said something about getting union backing unlike from before too.

do we have any idea if a special session was or is going to be called to hear the updated proposal for Sunrail ala more federal dollars. or is it shelved pending the HSR proposal?

^^ that is exciting. I heard they were booking for 2009 back in 2007. another upscale hotel gem. missed the opening of Hilton's other hotel by a few short weeks.

^^ I've given up on how they always downscale just about everything they plan in this town. The only things they haven't downscaled are OIA and the OCCC and the parks and hotels- based on rooms, not height. As long as 408 is wide and can handle the traffic and looks updated, then I'm fine with it, but the posts should've been taller I agree.

^^ I know... I know... it would've been yet another downtown tower. Anyway, such is the ways of central florida. ^^ on a different note, there is a buku mother of all apartment projects going up just south of Univerity & Alafaya on the west side of Alafaya ala Millennia Lakes, SoDo, Cityview, Lake Lilly, and any other high density project with a parking deck surrounded by multi-story residential. I don't know it's name, but it's pretty big. and will be a real asset to UCF once built. Very nice.

^^ that's what I'm talking about!

JYP & Osceola Parkway next to The Loop: They are building an overpass for JYP and they are widening both roads to 6 lanes each. That makes 2 non-expressway interchanges that are currently U/C in the metro. If they do the Red Bug/436 interchange, that will be 3. The other of course is the 436/SR 50 interchange.

yeah, now, it's a three horse race: Rosen, Peabody & Hilton. Now, three entities are marketing heavily the immediate area... Actually, it's a four horse race- CVB is the other entity marketing trade shows. But with Hilton in the picture, their independent marketing machine will positively affect the OCCC and even market the area for other future developers. Even if a new hotel doesn't come for a while, at least there is a larger existing base of hotels to build from. Peabody's presence is also growing and that in and of itself is contributing to this as well. Too bad the Marriott World Center wasn't built near the OCCC. do the new improvements expand the original boundaries of the property, or are they merely gutting fantasyland?

they should put a Marriott Marquis by the OCCC. 350 rooms isn't big enough for a Marquis I would think... but they should build one where Hyatt was slated to go between Peabody and the N/S Bldg along Universal Blvd. That would be cool if it was tall and urban oriented and connected to Pointe Orlando via skybridge from the rear.

^^ I think Marriott wants to add incentives to the timeshare division of their property, in other words, they probably are looking at what Wyndham Bonnett Creek is doing with the new Wyndham hotel which is located at the timeshare resort as well, but they don't want to tread on existing hotel space... so, they are building extra rooms. The other Marriott 300-350 room unnamed hotel that will also go there-- any ideas? Not familiar with all the Marriott brands. ^^ Darden's new HQ is at the SW corner of 528 & JYP, north of Grande Lakes Resort. ^^ new building at Millenia: the 120k sq ft being freed up by Darden at Orl. Central Park or whatever isn't the newest or highest rated space. that park is sandwiched between OBT and Oakridge and Sand Lake Rd. Not the most desireable place to open up shop.

^^ that middle picture is in Atlanta. wow, check out Buckhead/Perimeter Center's buildings on the horizon... Field of Dreams- if you build it, they will come. truer words were never spoken. some developer needs to add to the HD Supply HQ block with some mixed use buildings and get something going; they need to fill the gaps between the O-Rena, State Reg. Service Center, and FAMU and the Amway Center and turn it up. If they do the bridge district idea, I think that will go a long way to helping that get going.

^^ Lol! just foolin'. so, is the Wal Mart getting built for sure, or is it just a proposal? B/C it will be on the edge of Pine Hills... I live in WP's west edge, so it will be convenient; the next closest ones are Cass & Forrest City Rd in west Alta, and I'm not sure where the next closest one is after that-- E. Col? Kirkman? not sure.

^^ rag on developers all you want. why bring in P.I. attorneys into the mix? ambulance chasers? what does a personal injury attorney have to do with a new Wal mart off of Princeton?

The new coaster at Universal is cool. great piece of engineering; Rip Rocket? Hollywood Rocket? Don't know the name, but its cool; HP will be awesome I'm sure.

the lobby is open. yesterday, 5-6 units were scheduled to move in. Today, another 5-6. This thing is starting to roll. Very exciting. There is life in this building now. That is HUGE for downtown, especially because of where it is. A few months ago, the Plaza Cinema opened. That was huge. This is huge like that... and right down the street, the Amway Center is moving right along. I think they said there are over 50 units leased already. It is my understanding that not all of the floors are built out yet; only the lower floors. I think levels 11-28 are still U/C... I don't know... I'm just so happy that 55W is alive now.

that is a gorgeous picture. lack of the Vue makes Dynetech look like the big boss of the lake.

^^ LOL. I noticed in the playoffs that the TD Banknorth Garden straddles some on ramps the same way the new Amway Center does.

I went to Citywalk and they have a Moes, BK, and Panda I think in one continuouse curvy counter long eatery establishment on the top floor on the theatre side with a balcony overlooking Citywalk. It was very well designed and well made. Several eateries in one shared space like they tried to do at Central & Court. I think that used to be a retail store; movie memorabilia? Anyway, It seems like for a theme park retail area, food is the key for success. People are hungry and they want to eat. For the Exchange building, I agree about having stores that people need. A Walgreens would be good. CVS opened at Baldwin and that will never go out of business. Maybe the Exchange is a perfect place for a Barnes & Noble? It's got a few levels in there. They can incorporate a Starbucks or whatever in there as well. I don't know. Maybe a Walgreens and a Barnes; Why not?

^^ Oh, it will. When Amway Center opens, Church St. will be officially reborn. Orange Ave. has consistently been the big dog the past decade, and the Plaza opening reinforces that. But Wall St. and Central has a strong presence of their own with bars that have been there for years. That'll never change. But Church St. already has strong patronage now with the Mako's/Lattitude's group of bars and eateries. CSS has Hamburger Mary's and Ceviche and Bliss that are holding steady. Once 55W opens up and a couple of new places go in there, it will bridge the gap between both sides of the tracks. having a major construction zone the past 3 years played a big part in killing off business at CSS. Also, Cheyene will no longer be the edge establishment once the Amway Center opens up; and that will be a huge factor. Amway will be a fantastic anchor to the west that will sandwich CSS on one side. They just need to figure out what to do with the Pine St. side of CSS, so that they can continue the retail corridor which currently will end at 55W's backside. The Firehouse will bring some life to the block it sits on. They need to develop the lot between Garland, Pine, Central and the tracks.

sorry for lack of pix, but the new Hilton is lit up at night now. It has a white neon band lining the top occupiable floor, just under the red Hilton sign, and has white spotlight lighting on the non-windowed walls, kind of like the Flamingo Hilton does in LV. very prominent, except you can't see it from I-4, and you can't get that good a look from I-Drive, b/c its edge-on. You can see it well from Kirkman and Universal, and for a brief period from 528. it is what it is, and so is the Peobody miracle project, but, once these two hotel projects come online, Orlando will be sitting pretty and even more competative for those shows that need close-in hotel rooms for conventioneers. And that's what really counts. I foresee that once these shows take notice, it will attract new development a few years down the line.

^^ it's big... real big, and wide. one of my clients works for a sub on the project and he hear that the overall height will be equivalent to a 37 story bldg. I asked if that meant 37 stories, but, he doesn't pay attention to those kinds of details like, say, we do. I think they mean the spire will get that high. It'a a wait and see. height will be good. 4-6 stories taller than the present building; a new parking deck (already done); a new convention space- U/C and new lobby space, etc... it's a massive project overall. I'm excited about it for the convention center's sake. It's 750 rooms; the new Hilton is over 1,400 rooms at 18 or so stories (more like 20+ stories in height); The OCCC neighborhood is becoming more dense as we speak, which is a good thing. I would've liked a 42 story tower, but, not every day is a Sunday.

I saw an article today about medical city in a magazine; it was an expose; the renderings of Nemours and of the VA show them to both be quite larger than the UCF complex; what's there now is nothing compare to what will be there very soon. that place will be gangbusters with development; apparently the VA will be over 1 million sq ft of development alone. and Nemours looks like it will be 7-9 stories tall at one point.

^^ I heard the same thing about the District 9 night regarding traffic; I heard there was a line going around the escalators. Nostradamus: The Plaza cinema will lure people downtown that would not otherwise come here. It will also attract some others who used to come here but stopped once CSS went south. Between now and the opening of the Amway Center, I foresee new retail at CSS, 55W, etc., and the great thing about it is that people will have already been changing their going-out-habits so that prospective retailers will take notice and perhaps push their projects sooner than later. Add the fact that 55W will start leases in September, and we have a pretty good situation here.

this weekend I went to Lake Nona and saw the Burnham bldg. and UCF Med School. Let me just say that the UCF Med School complex is really nice. It's big, mind you. Burnham is big too. It's just those two buildings there in the middle of nothingness. Oh, those two and an OUC chilled water station. However, Nemours looks like it fronts 417 just off of the exit. And the Va looks to be going inbetween Nemours and the UCF Med School. The UF building is going in between those two as well. It's like Sim City out there. Those are the only things off of that exit. One more thing. There is a rail line that parallels 417 to the north and goes under the exit overpass. THis is probably the spur that goes to the plant from Taft; I just didn't realize how south it was at that point. I think the VA officially broke ground already in that ceremony. So, the place should fill up pretty quick once that project is underway and the others follow suit. As an aside, the UCF complex along with Burnham could've been as massive as the State Resource Center behind FAMU in downtown, if built downtown. It would've redeveloped 2-3 square blocks in downtown. If Nemours went there as well as the VA, then a good chunk of the area between OBT and I-4 could've been redeveloped with all of this medical/research development. THrow in an extra exit ramp on 408 and I-4 and that would take care of the extra traffic created by those entities. It would've been nice, but I think the goal is to build a new city out there right off of 417 (it's very visible, BTW) distinctive in nature which would attract more similar industries to locate there from out of state.