Church Street Station

[jnorlando]

Rendering of the Ferrari and Maserati dealership/showroom by OB Arch.

[prahaboheme]

^Interesting--hopefully they will respect the facade of the building and not paint it all of those cheesy colors. Great tenant filler, though.

[JFW657]

I like the colors I just think it's too bad that a car dealership is going in there, period.

One more place that most people will have no reason to go inside of.

Would've been nice to see retail or restaurant/entertainment go back in there.

Seems like a waste.

[Hisma]

yea it looks awful w/ those colors. Reminds me of mainstreet USA in disney. Just keep it nondescript.

[mrh3]

I like the colors I just think it's too bad that a car dealership is going in there, period.

One more place that most people will have no reason to go inside of.

Would've been nice to see retail or restaurant/entertainment go back in there.

Seems like a waste.

I'm with you on that JFW. That's so tacky. I would have preferred to see a nice ground floor space like the high end dealerships on Park Ave. or 10th Avenue in Manhattan or even San Francisco. Great tenant, though.

Edited January 21, 2008 by mrh3

[frankieb96]

maybe they can get some of their race cars and old classics in there, to have some sort of motorsport museum for the public to look at.

the guys in the dealer have ALWAYS been nice to me when i've wanted to simply go in and look around. . .they have absolutely no problem with it, and have been chatty with me about the cars to boot.

im personally happy they're finally moving out of that other horrendous location, and choosing to do business downtown.

hey. . .maybe someone will want to buy a ferrari, then eat dinner downtown or catch a movie afterwards

[facilities man]

There's certainly a cool factor in having a Ferrari dealership downtown, but I think this is a waste of a prime location. This would be better used as retail and or restaurant space. This is going to be a heavy foot traffic area when 55W, the new arena, and the PAC are built. Not to mention when commuter rail starts. How many customers will be serviced by a Ferrari dealership..., maybe 100 a year. A restaurant would serve that many people lunch in one day. I like the idea of the dealership, just not at this prime spot. They could have built a new building a block or two north on one of the empty lots.

[JRS1]

Being that CSS was completely shut down for so long, I think signing any tenant would be a plus. In this case, Ferrari has been successful for at least 10+ years in CFLA and now they are moving DT in the most visible building fronting I-4 and will have their banners all over the place. I don't see any negatives to this. THis is one of the most exclusive brands in the world. who has a ferrari dealership in their DT? Not many places.

I hear they will have a really cool showroom... car elevators and all or something like that.

not many people shop at Downtown Mini... but it does look cool from Orange Ave.

I understand the argument, though.

[facilities man]

Being that CSS was completely shut down for so long, I think signing any tenant would be a plus. In this case, Ferrari has been successful for at least 10+ years in CFLA and now they are moving DT in the most visible building fronting I-4 and will have their banners all over the place. I don't see any negatives to this. THis is one of the most exclusive brands in the world. who has a ferrari dealership in their DT? Not many places.

I hear they will have a really cool showroom... car elevators and all or something like that.

not many people shop at Downtown Mini... but it does look cool from Orange Ave.

I understand the argument, though.

"WASTE of a prime location" is a little harsh. I would just like to see something that would generate more foot traffic, but agree this is a good tenant.

[FrigginGr8est]

"WASTE of a prime location" is a little harsh. I would just like to see something that would generate more foot traffic, but agree this is a good tenant.

I agree this is a good thing, maybe the Ferrari dealership will convince other high end retailers to open up shop DT. Be nice if Church eventually turns into a Rodeo Drive (wishful thinking).

[uncreativeusername]

There's certainly a cool factor in having a Ferrari dealership downtown, but I think this is a waste of a prime location. This would be better used as retail and or restaurant space. This is going to be a heavy foot traffic area when 55W, the new arena, and the PAC are built. Not to mention when commuter rail starts. How many customers will be serviced by a Ferrari dealership..., maybe 100 a year. A restaurant would serve that many people lunch in one day. I like the idea of the dealership, just not at this prime spot. They could have built a new building a block or two north on one of the empty lots.

You know, even at 100 customers a year, it's still an attraction. A huge Ferrari showroom turns into almost a brand-museum...this will increase foot traffic, and give existing foot traffic something to do even if they don't plan on buying a Ferrari.

[frankieb96]

not many people shop at downtown mini? it's funny, cuz that's actually the opposite of the truth. . .not to mention downtown mini is one of the most highly regarded dealerships ANYWHERE in the mini community in terms of overall experience.

now if ferrari's listening to me. . .they should put like Cafe Ferrari somewhere on or near the premises. . .like an italian market of sorts(see antonio's la fiamma).

pipe dreams. . .

Edited January 22, 2008 by frankieb96

[JFW657]

If they're savvy enough to put a themed restaurant & a store that sells Ferrari themed clothing & merchandise, that would make it much more palatable IMO.

They need something to get non-car buyers in there.

Maybe even a Ferrari lounge/club on the second or third floor.

Edited January 22, 2008 by JFW657

[jack]

The Downtown Mini is one of the best in the nation in regards to sales. A Ferrari dealer would increase foot traffic for browsers that would come down just to look in the window. It also potentially could be the first step in bringing in real retail.

[orlandonative]

This is one of the best things that could happen for downtown, another car dealership, and Ferrari at that. Like Jack, I expect this to be a major step in the right direction as far as retail is concerned.

[JRS1]

^^

The Downtown Mini comment wasmeant to illustrate that as for all foot traffic walking by the showroom, a very small % actually shop there, case in point, that if it can be a success by not catering to a high percentage of the walk-by's, so can the Ferrari dealership.

^^

good point about Ferrari potentially attracting other high-end retailers; I didn't even think of that side benefit...

[bulldogger]

In case anyone has missed what all the chatter is about, here is the rendering of Church Street Station, which I think will look eerily like a Nazi Headquarters...

[JRS1]

^^

LOL!!!

all that would be missing would be Indiana Jones running around. they could probably hire one from WDW...

[orlandonative]

Bring it! I'm ready for the Orlando Grand Prix.

Back to reality.

That Pine Street elevation does wonders for that area, specifically The Presedential lot.

[OrlandoMagic3]

In case anyone has missed what all the chatter is about, here is the rendering of Church Street Station, which I think will look eerily like a Nazi Headquarters...

I'll have to buy my first Ferrari from there.

[PenzRY1]

Waste of space. Period. This is majorly disappointing, and will never revive downtown unfortunately.

[OrlandoMagic3]

LOTS OF talk about kuhn in the papers the past 2 days. you think this will slow everything down?

[JRS1]

^^

guys, I don't quite understand what's so negative about the Ferrari dealership. yes, it's not a dozen retailers instead, but it will add so much to DT just b/c of its presence.

Ferrari alone or rather the space inside the Exchange wasn't supposed to revive downtown. first off, since when does downtown need reviving? business is as usual along Orange, Pine, Central (except for Tijuana Flats), etc... including Church St. Soon, all the restaurants inside PTP, right around the corner, will be opened. The only thing that needs reviving is CSS itself. People still pack the Library parking garage at night coming into DT to go out.

it will all come together once 55W opens up and assimilates into the neighborhood instead of being a construction site, and also once the Arena is built, b/c then, CSS won't be the edge of development... it will instead be in the middle of the development.

on a related note, the biggest success story I've seen so far is the new Urban Flats at PTP-- always busy--during lunch and at night. great tenant.

[JFW657]

^^

guys, I don't quite understand what's so negative about the Ferrari dealership. yes, it's not a dozen retailers instead, but it will add so much to DT just b/c of its presence.

Ferrari alone or rather the space inside the Exchange wasn't supposed to revive downtown. first off, since when does downtown need reviving? business is as usual along Orange, Pine, Central (except for Tijuana Flats), etc... including Church St. Soon, all the restaurants inside PTP, right around the corner, will be opened. The only thing that needs reviving is CSS itself. People still pack the Library parking garage at night coming into DT to go out.

it will all come together once 55W opens up and assimilates into the neighborhood instead of being a construction site, and also once the Arena is built, b/c then, CSS won't be the edge of development... it will instead be in the middle of the development.

on a related note, the biggest success story I've seen so far is the new Urban Flats at PTP-- always busy--during lunch and at night. great tenant.

Everything that's been said about it whether positive or negative is pure idle speculation.

Not one of us knows how or even if this thing will effect downtown Orlando.

All I know is that if there aren't any cool stores or eating/drinking establishments located inside the building somewhere, I'll never set foot inside the place other than maybe once just out of curiosity.

[steve_o]

Dont they have a Ferrari store/exhibit at the Wynn hotel in Las Vegas? If done properly, this could become a nice little destination. If nothing else, it may bring a few people downtown that normally never step foot on those streets.