Orlando Extended Metro Developments (Volusia/Brevard/East Polk)

[spenser1058]

@jrs2, I know you’re convinced all politicians are crooked. In Brevard County, at least, you may be right:

 

What is wrong with Brevard County lately? Some conservatives have had enough. | Commentary
https://www.orlandosentinel.com/opinion/scott-maxwell-commentary/os-op-brevard-endorsement-scandal-wayne-ivey-scott-maxwell-20220720-ydqdvbpf7fgcdo7chqjkcejany-story.html 

 

From The Sentinel 

[spenser1058]

According to things I’ve read (and the op-ed above pretty much confirms it), Cocoa Beach (and the other small towns in the mid-county area) seems to be going to seed.

What with the beach, the nearby port, the rejuvenated space industry, CB seems to have everything you’d need to do well. I wonder why it’s lagging behind, particularly when Melbourne seems to be thriving?

Edited July 22, 2022 by spenser1058

[jack]

1 hour ago, spenser1058 said:

According to things I’ve read (and the op-ed above pretty much confirms it), Cocoa Beach (and the other small towns in the mid-county area) seems to be particularly going to seed.

What with the beach, the nearby port, the rejuvenated space industry, CB seems to have everything you’d need to do well. I wonder why it’s lagging behind, particularly when Melbourne seems to be thriving?

Timing. Jobs were growing in Melbourne because of Embraer and other companies the expanded/relocated starting ten years ago. Eventually, development was going hit those smaller markets. 

[spenser1058]

Just a while back Orlando spent megabucks to change its advertising tagline. Daytona has apparently decided it doesn’t want to be left out so they too have spent way too much money to come up with “Beach On”. There, makes you wanna hop right on I-4, doesn’t it?

This reminded me of my days in campaign management. Even in the largest campaigns, at the beginning when you were thinking of taglines you had lots of other things to shepherd your cash for. As a result, almost immediately we went homegrown. To this day, I can’t tell you of a single campaign that lost because of its tagline.

But, hey, both Orlando and Daytona’s tourism agencies have scads of taxpayer bucks to spend, so there you have it.

Edited July 24, 2022 by spenser1058

[spenser1058]

Several of the older small motels on FL A1A in Daytona Beach have been sold in the last couple of years. Only one is on the oceanfront side of the road:

https://www.news-journalonline.com/picture-gallery/business/real-estate/2022/07/20/photos-check-out-some-recently-sold-motels-daytona-beach/10074786002/

From The News Journal 
 

[spenser1058]

Part of Daytona’s Volusia Mall to be demoed (including the former Macy’s and Sears). In its place will be 350 apartments in a 4-story building:

https://www.news-journalonline.com/picture-gallery/business/real-estate/2022/07/27/see-new-uses-eyed-volusia-malls-vacant-macys-sears-daytona/10161172002/

From The News Journal 
 

Edited July 27, 2022 by spenser1058

[codypet]

Wow!  You'd think Dillards would jump at the chance of consolidating stores and go in the former Macy's so the Sears and the rest of the east of the mall could be demoed instead.

If you listen to the Dale Jr.  Download he mentions many times about that mall and his memories hanging out there when his dad would be signing autographs.

[spenser1058]

15 minutes ago, codypet said:

Wow!  You'd think Dillards would jump at the chance of consolidating stores and go in the former Macy's so the Sears and the rest of the east of the mall could be demoed instead.

If you listen to the Dale Jr.  Download he mentions many times about that mall and his memories hanging out there when his dad would be signing autographs.

They have (had?) one of the remaining Mr Dunderbaks. It was mentioned when Macy’s closed. If they’re still there, I hope they can hang on.

Do people actually still shop at Dillard’s?

Edited July 27, 2022 by spenser1058

[jrs2]

3 hours ago, spenser1058 said:

They have (had?) one of the remaining Mr Dunderbaks. It was mentioned when Macy’s closed. If they’re still there, I hope they can hang on.

Do people actually still shop at Dillard’s?

is that the German pub?

3 hours ago, spenser1058 said:

Part of Daytona’s Volusia Mall to be demoed (including the former Macy’s and Sears). In its place will be 350 apartments in a 4-story building:

https://www.news-journalonline.com/picture-gallery/business/real-estate/2022/07/27/see-new-uses-eyed-volusia-malls-vacant-macys-sears-daytona/10161172002/

From The News Journal 
 

4 story is good.  wow.  starting to look like they want to resemble the One Daytona development model just across, what, Bill France?  Also, the Artegon/Deezerland model in Orlando- they deleted an entire parking lot quadrant in favor of a 4-5 story apartment building/garage.

I hope they preserve the JCPenny; it's an original; clad in that weird gravel-like exterior.  if they want to film any throwback movies it would be perfect.

[spenser1058]

8 minutes ago, jrs2 said:

is that the German pub?

4 story is good.  wow.  starting to look like they want to resemble the One Daytona development model just across, what, Bill France?  Also, the Artegon/Deezerland model in Orlando- they deleted an entire parking lot quadrant in favor of a 4-5 story apartment building/garage.

I hope they preserve the JCPenny; it's an original; clad in that weird gravel-like exterior.  if they want to film any throwback movies it would be perfect.

Yes, Dunderbaks is a German pub (oh, the hot pastrami!) it was one of the opening restaurants at OFS).

The JCPenney at West Shore Plaza in Tampa used river rock on the exterior - I wonder how all of ours are sort of meh.

Fun fact - when Penney’s opened at WP Mall in 1964, it was one of their largest stores in the country.

[jrs2]

17 minutes ago, spenser1058 said:

Yes, Dunderbaks is a German pub (oh, the hot pastrami!) it was one of the opening restaurants at OFS).

The JCPenney at West Shore Plaza in Tampa used river rock on the exterior - I wonder how all of ours are sort of meh.

Fun fact - when Penney’s opened at WP Mall in 1964, it was one of their largest stores in the country.

are there any photos of the old WP Mall?  

River rock, huh...wow, did not know that.

Ah the era of the department store. 

[spenser1058]

12 minutes ago, jrs2 said:

are there any photos of the old WP Mall?  

River rock, huh...wow, did not know that.

Ah the era of the department store. 

Maybe @JFW657 can help us - I couldn’t find an exterior shot, just the center court with the two-story champagne glass fountain that he’s posted before.

https://pin.it/1vG3NtJ

I did find this for @codypet:

https://pin.it/3KkDavp

Edited July 27, 2022 by spenser1058

[JFW657]

1 hour ago, jrs2 said:

are there any photos of the old WP Mall?  

 

1 hour ago, spenser1058 said:

Maybe @JFW657 can help us - I couldn’t find an exterior shot, just the center court with the two-story champagne glass fountain that he’s posted before.

Post late 80's/early 90's renovation.

Entrance towers changed to dark, anodized steel frame with smoked glass.

Interior:

 

 

[spenser1058]

12 minutes ago, JFW657 said:

 

Post late 80's/early 90's renovation.

Entrance towers changed to dark, anodized steel frame with smoked glass.

Interior:

 

 

Those are awesome- thank you! Every so often, they talk about incorporating the twin towers into the redo of WPV. It would be cool if they can make it happen.

[jrs2]

37 minutes ago, JFW657 said:

 

Post late 80's/early 90's renovation.

Entrance towers changed to dark, anodized steel frame with smoked glass.

Interior:

 

sensational.  yeah, I really miss the feel of those malls when they were big.  I remember going to Woodfield Mall in Schaumburg, IL after Star Wars was out and it was a 3 story mall and a couple stores had piles of Star Wars toys stacked up.  The mall was awesome and huge.  Other malls had similar feels to them.  I think from a planning angle, it would have been perfect if malls had more restaurants within them; places where people would go to more often than a Sears for example.  And, incorporate hotels and apartment towers adjacent to them with direct connect (Fla Mall, for example).

[spenser1058]

57 minutes ago, jrs2 said:

sensational.  yeah, I really miss the feel of those malls when they were big.  I remember going to Woodfield Mall in Schaumburg, IL after Star Wars was out and it was a 3 story mall and a couple stores had piles of Star Wars toys stacked up.  The mall was awesome and huge.  Other malls had similar feels to them.  I think from a planning angle, it would have been perfect if malls had more restaurants within them; places where people would go to more often than a Sears for example.  And, incorporate hotels and apartment towers adjacent to them with direct connect (Fla Mall, for example).

Actually, Sears wasn’t the problem (at least until hedge fund guru Eddie Lampert set out to destroy it while being convinced he was the greatest retailer in the world).

@JFW657 has alluded to this previously. Once the bean counters took hold of retail in the late ‘70’s, they tossed out just about every store not selling soft goods (soft goods have a HUGE markup). Malls originally had drug, dime and grocery stores for just the purpose you mention.

I could write a book on the other screwups the accountants made (as well as the CEO’s who listened to them*), but several of our crankier posters would demand we get back on topic.

Let me mention , though, that the accountants also killed the non fast-food restaurants. Department stores once had great eateries, like the Oakmont Room at JM. When OFS opened, Burdines had a restaurant and there was one in Robinson’s on the second floor looking over the mall (there was also The Magic Pan, a nice little creperie). Remember that one of Orlando’s most legendary restaurants was Ronnie’s… at Colonial Plaza. 

Shakespeare wanted to kill all the lawyers. Retail should have sought out to kill all the accountants.
 

*Fun Fact: did you know that crosstown rivals Sears and Monkey Ward were run by brothers? The Brennans- this was in the ‘70’s to early ‘80’s and both, through their cluelessness, went about running legendary American companies into the ground.
 

 

Edited July 27, 2022 by spenser1058

[JFW657]

1 hour ago, spenser1058 said:

@JFW657 has alluded to this previously. Once the bean counters took hold of retail in the late ‘70’s, they tossed out just about every store not selling soft goods (soft goods have a HUGE markup). Malls originally had drug, dime and grocery stores for just the purpose you mention.

Winter Park Mall had a gift shop with a full service florist.

And with a cool as F entrance, to boot.....

 

 

[JFW657]

1 hour ago, JFW657 said:

Winter Park Mall had a gift shop with a full service florist.

 

Actually, after re-reading the postcard, it sounds more like it was a full service florist with a gift shop.  

[spenser1058]

I remember as a kid after I saw the WP Mall fountain the first time, that Colonial Plaza’s was just a teeny thing caught in a birdcage. CP was still the coolest, though, ‘cuz Jordan Marsh had more escalators and we used to have contests between my brother,and me to see who could eat more of a Mogambo Extravaganza at Ronnie’s. I was at a severe disadvantage since he was 9 years older than me, but I was determined.

[spenser1058]

 

Volusia County Council approves contract to develop pollution remediation plans for Blue Spring

https://www.news-journalonline.com/story/news/local/volusia/2022/07/27/blue-spring-florida-next-up-analysis-development-pollution-remediation/10089949002/ 

From The News Journal 

Florida’s springs are a unique gem that we’ve ignored far too long.Let’s get to work on protecting them!

 

 

[spenser1058]

Jon Wood, who’s with the firm demolishing the former Macy’s at Volusia Mall to build upscale apartments, notes in an update to the News Journal story yesterday they tried to buy the former Sears as well. However. a Texas developer now owns that.

As to what might happen with it, the N-J reports this:

”…Officials at Elm Creek did not respond to a request for comment. However, the Dallas Morning News in March reported the developer's plans to convert a vacant Sears store at an aging mall in that city into a two-story open-air entertainment/retail complex.

Stay tuned.

[jrs2]

1 hour ago, spenser1058 said:

Jon Wood, who’s with the firm demolishing the former Macy’s at Volusia Mall to build upscale apartments, notes in an update to the News Journal story yesterday they tried to buy the former Sears as well. However. a Texas developer now owns that.

As to what might happen with it, the N-J reports this:

”…Officials at Elm Creek did not respond to a request for comment. However, the Dallas Morning News in March reported the developer's plans to convert a vacant Sears store at an aging mall in that city into a two-story open-air entertainment/retail complex.

Stay tuned.

it must be cooler in Tejas; open air?  I was right there earlier today and it was 97 degrees (one more degree and we've got a boy band).

So, for open air...maybe they would extend it towards US92 towards the Bonefish building of offerings in the SE corner of that tract, and try to incorporate the whole thing.  

They really want to sock it to One Daytona.  A hotel would help- wait, isn't there one on the other side of Ihop at the SW corner of the mall property recessed a bit?

On 7/27/2022 at 2:36 PM, JFW657 said:

 

Post late 80's/early 90's renovation.

Entrance towers changed to dark, anodized steel frame with smoked glass.

Interior:

 

 

yeah, I was looking through this photo essay again just now.  it just looked spectacular with that fountain, high ceilings, etc.  I really miss that big mall era.

[JFW657]

6 minutes ago, jrs2 said:

yeah, I was looking through this photo essay again just now.  it just looked spectacular with that fountain, high ceilings, etc.  I really miss that big mall era.

Not trying to argue or be contrary, but actually WP Mall was not a big mall at all.

Smaller than both OFS and Colonial Plaza.

The center court looked big, but beyond that, there really wasn't very much in there. 

[spenser1058]

5 minutes ago, jrs2 said:

it must be cooler in Tejas; open air?  I was right there earlier today and it was 97 degrees (one more degree and we've got a boy band).

So, for open air...maybe they would extend it towards US92 towards the Bonefish building of offerings in the SE corner of that tract, and try to incorporate the whole thing.  

They really want to sock it to One Daytona.  A hotel would help- wait, isn't there one on the other side of Ihop at the SW corner of the mall property recessed a bit?

yeah, I was looking through this photo essay again just now.  it just looked spectacular with that fountain, high ceilings, etc.  I really miss that big mall era.

Tbh, I have yet to see One Daytona. Normally, I stay in NSB and if I head up to Daytona just go up US1 and cross over the Port Orange bridge. It’s been years since I’ve been out to the Speedway. 

I’ll always remember Volusia Mall though because, once upon a time I dated a cute lad who worked at the Ivey’s there. We met by phone when I worked at the Orange Park store and, in those days, if a customer wanted something you didn’t have in stock, you called around to the other stores until you found it. As soon as we chatted, I swooned. Oops, never mind. TMI…
 

[jrs2]

8 minutes ago, JFW657 said:

Not trying to argue or be contrary, but actually WP Mall was not a big mall at all.

Smaller than both OFS and Colonial Plaza.

The center court looked big, but beyond that, there really wasn't very much in there. 

I know.  It's like a sliver of a big mall, big city retail flair.  I always viewed malls that way even the smaller ones.  Granite, fountains, etc, kind of transporting to somewhere else.