Center Place

[jcast]

I found this article on Globest.com website

GlobeSt.com UPDATE: Barley-Ortiz Unveils Plans for $387M Mixed-Use Plaza

[bic]

There is a "David Barley" who has been a member of this forum since May 11, 2005 and mysteriously has zero posts.

[cwetteland]

There is a "David Barley" who has been a member of this forum since May 11, 2005 and mysteriously has zero posts.

If that's the same David Barley, I think it's great that he's interested but I also think that if he wanted us to know that he would have posted it himself.

[bic]

You have a point, but if it is him and he didn't want people to know, he should not have chosen "David Barley" as his member name.

[Jaybee]

The project has a new name "Center Place". I've changed the name of the thread and have references to our beloved "PBLT" (what a tasty sandwich) and "400 N Orange".

[OCF]

This comment may be a little irrelevant at this point in time, but after looking at the layout again I can't help but think that the lawn in the open area would be a ideal spot for an ice skating rink during the holiday season. If Disney can keep their rink at downtown disney frozen in the Orlando weather I'm sure they could do the same downtown. How cool would that be, our own little Rocafella Plaza for the holidays.

[pomegranate]

Did anyone see this? If EA is indeed going to be the intended anchor tenant, I wonder if this would have ramifications. Company claims this won't affect their long term expansion.

Game maker is cutting 35 jobs

EA Tiburon blames a lull in game sales

Chris Cobbs

Sentinel Staff Writer

February 2, 2006

EA Tiburon, the Orlando studio known for its popular Madden NFL video-game series, said Wednesday it is eliminating about 35 jobs because of a lull in game sales.

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/or...mostemailedlink

[go_vertical]

....."and our target for growth in Orlando remains the same." That line from the article really stood out to me. I wonder if that's a subtle hint.

[cwetteland]

Two more lines that stood out to me, "... it was beginning to hire new programmers and developers with the technical skills to create games for next-generation systems like Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3" and "Today's realignment doesn't alter our goals, which remain as robust as ever."

[bulldogger]

Talks aren't going great with Barley and EA.

EA may be looking somewhere else as well.

Good for EA, Bad for Downtown.

If Center Place doesn't get EA, who's a big enough tenant to fill that space?

[Dale]

Talks aren't going great with Barley and EA.

EA may be looking somewhere else as well.

Good for EA, Bad for Downtown.

If Center Place doesn't get EA, who's a big enough tenant to fill that space?

Where did you hear this

[bulldogger]

I can't say. Sorry.

[Dale]

There are entirely too many little birdies flying about.

[Tim3167]

The odd thing is that they have the building in the northeast corner listed as the tallest when in the rendering, the building in the northwest corner seems taller.

Well ok, according to the new Staff Report for this project there has been a shift of height for the towers. It appears the project has lost more height overall:

[Dale]

If bulldogger's source is correct, it may all be for naught.

[bic]

The Northeast building's number of floors does not change yet its height drops by 35-feet. The Southeast tower gains two floors and loses 14 feet. I guess it's safe to say that the Northeast tower was the one planned to host the 35-foot tall EA sign...

[JRS1]

this really sux if they don't come downtown. is this lot snakebitten or what?

[orlandonative]

I wouldn't worry about any of this too much, bulldoggers source is about a day late and a dollar short. Whether EA was or is going to occupy one of the buildings, until this point has never been 100%. This project isin't really going to be determined by their support. If anything the phases will take more time to get built between 1 and 3 if they don't come on board. Which still isin't a big deal because right off the bat you get two buildings. Phase two is a hotel so that wouldn't be affected. All in all i'm not concerned.

[bulldogger]

I wouldn't worry about any of this too much, bulldoggers source is about a day late and a dollar short. Whether EA was or is going to occupy one of the buildings, until this point has never been 100%. This project isin't really going to be determined by their support. If anything the phases will take more time to get built between 1 and 3 if they don't come on board. Which still isin't a big deal because right off the bat you get two buildings. Phase two is a hotel so that wouldn't be affected. All in all i'm not concerned.

Well, things just changed as of early last week. Another municipality is bidding for EA (very hush hush). EA has also looked at another block of downtown to build on, but that was dropped almost as soon as they looked at it. Oddly, an area of downtown that I haven't seen mentioned was brought to the table.

And will this project get the incentives without EA? That will affect things.

[Dale]

I wouldn't worry about any of this too much, bulldoggers source is about a day late and a dollar short. Whether EA was or is going to occupy one of the buildings, until this point has never been 100%. This project isin't really going to be determined by their support. If anything the phases will take more time to get built between 1 and 3 if they don't come on board. Which still isin't a big deal because right off the bat you get two buildings. Phase two is a hotel so that wouldn't be affected. All in all i'm not concerned.

But I thought you were arguing that PBLT was viable, whereas City Place was not, because PBLT had a tenant locked up, whereas City Place did not ?

Perhaps I misunderstood. At any rate, it would appear that PBLT is in precisely the same boat as City Place.

[orlandonative]

I was, there has always been more than one major possibility, which is why the design is still not official.

[otowner]

I was, there has always been more than one major possibility, which is why the design is still not official.

EA probably saw the rendering of City Place and said to heck with all this public spaces crap!

[bulldogger]

EA probably saw the rendering of City Place and said to heck with all this public spaces crap!

It's mostly dollars and cents (which is what every business is about).

And the public spaces works in places like NYC where there isn't much. Orlando needs density. Space we have plenty of.

[cwetteland]

EA probably saw the rendering of City Place and said to heck with all this public spaces crap!

First, everyone new (even EA) that this project was all about public space crap, before they originally linked up with PBLT. So that ain't it. Second, I suspect that since the design is very preliminary that whoever the anchor tenent is will have some input in the final design. So, I think if EA was the tenent and is having second thoughts, it's about the business deal or EA's business overall situation and not a design thing. That makes no sense.

Regarding whether Orlando needs public space ... I they do. Yes we have space but not PUBLIC space. Yep, density is a big need for Orlando, but reserving PUBLIC space early is a good thing. The only real public space near the CBD is Eola Park, and that has become a great generator of density in the surrounding blocks. Orlando needs more public space to spur surrounding density growth.

[otowner]

First, everyone new (even EA) that this project was all about public space crap, before they originally linked up with PBLT. So that ain't it. Second, I suspect that since the design is very preliminary that whoever the anchor tenent is will have some input in the final design. So, I think if EA was the tenent and is having second thoughts, it's about the business deal or EA's business overall situation and not a design thing. That makes no sense.

I was merely being facetious/a sarcastic sob in an attempt to reflect the views of half this forum as having some sort of influence on the powers that be over at EA headquarters. However, since this was not understood, I apologize and will leave any future social commentary regarding this matter to myself.