Downtown Orlando Project Discussion

[JFW657]

31 minutes ago, Boomer136 said:

I thought they were in storage someplace looking for an artistic installation someplace. Heck, could install them right back on the site. After all, every public space can be made a little more classy with a henge.

They are.

Thankfully.

 

[prahaboheme]

More town homes on the way -

1) Lake Eola Heights Townhomes:  http://www.cityoforlando.net/city-planning/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2016/08/MPBStaffReport2016-07_ZON2016-00013andAddendum.pdf

2) Eleven on Thornton:  http://www.cityoforlando.net/city-planning/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2016/07/MPBStaffReport2016-07_ZON2016-00014.pdf

 

Edited August 18, 2016 by prahaboheme

[dcluley98]

Graffiti Junktion taking over Wildside BBQ spot in Thornton Park

 Thornton Park food and entertainment hotspot Wildside BBQ Bar and Grille will close this weekend and Graffiti Junktion will replace it.

The restaurant and bar at 700 E. Washington St. will shut down at the close of business on Sunday, said manager Lindsay Holt.

The facility will be closed for a few weeks as Orlando-based burger and bar chain Graffiti Junktion renovates and takes over.

Graffiti Junktion is moving from its spot two blocks away at 900 E. Washington St.

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/consumer/os-graffiti-junktion-wildside-bbq-20160823-story.html

[Jernigan]

Growthspotter - mama b is selling both locations.   Will be interesting to see how the one at Orange/50 goes.   The SoDo one will also be valuable with Crescent Lucerne nearby 

[metal93]

Mama B's is moving?

Just speculating, but what are the odds that Residence Inn buys up the property and build out the hotel to the corner? Considering the geometry of the hotel, it seems possible without too much trouble, though not economically feasible.

I wish to see this suburban building and its front parking lot razed, honestly. Hopefully whoever develops it fills out the site with a 4 to 8 story building to complement the heights of the Residence Inn, Steel House, and Sevens nearby. Bonus points if they can address the corner properly.

[dcluley98]

30 minutes ago, metal93 said:

I wish to see this suburban building and its front parking lot razed, honestly. Hopefully whoever develops it fills out the site with a 4 to 8 story building to complement the heights of the Residence Inn, Steel House, and Sevens nearby. Bonus points if they can address the corner properly.

 

You know what would be awesome there?  A modern version of the old London Corner Pub style building, associated with the hotel.

Edited August 25, 2016 by dcluley98

[JFW657]

If not that, a nice looking two or three story 45° corner main entrance/atrium lobby possibly with a small porte cochere and further out to the corner, some kind of ID icon/sculpture/artwork or possibly even a fountain.

 

[jack]

I'd be shocked that it can accommodate any development. That is a small lot. 

[Jernigan]

Per the article, Ustler was approached about the parcel but isn't interested citing the hotel performing better than anticipated and not having enough parking for a restaurant there as the lack of parking has kept them from opening the existing restaurant space in the hotel 

Edited August 25, 2016 by Jernigan

[alex]

I thought I saw somewhere that the hotel wanted to use the Mama B's lot as a drop-off loop. I'd like to see more there, but based on the window arrangement of the hotel, any new building couldn't really be taller than one story. 

Re: Mama B's closing--Maybe I'm having a Parks & Rec Lil' Sebastian moment, but I just don't get it. I went there once and was never compelled to go back. 

[HankStrong]

Any post that invokes Lil' Sebastian is a win.

[JFW657]

Thanks to the a-hole owners of MB's stubbornly refusing to budge back when the hotel was still in the design phase, we'll probably end up with an Amscot there or something.

Maybe a Checkers.

 

 

 

[dcluley98]

LOL!  It will probably stay as a vacant eyesore for the next decade.  I don't know what is worse, Amscot or a vacant building.

I am surprised that they are so car-centric with saying they can't use that parcel.  The area is way more dense with foot traffic and has a giant hotel, Camden, Steelhouse, and the new Sevens apartments all on the same corner. I think it could support a walkable type restaurant space solely on the density of residents/guests surrounding it if they did it right.  Seems to work for the restaurants just up the street in the North Quarter.

That said, it is a lot riskier developing just one small parcel than making ground floor retail in a much larger overall development with mixed use.

[jrs2]

I wouldn't be surprised if Ustler does something there.

[alex]

1 hour ago, JFW657 said:

Thanks to the a-hole owners of MB's stubbornly refusing to budge back when the hotel was still in the design phase, we'll probably end up with an Amscot there or something.

Maybe a Checkers.

Maybe they can put a Uniform City there. To quote you directly: "I guess not every new business that opens will be cool or interesting. Gotta have a few boring ones in there too."

[JFW657]

21 minutes ago, alex said:

Maybe they can put a Uniform City there. To quote you directly: "I guess not every new business that opens will be cool or interesting. Gotta have a few boring ones in there too."

Yes I did say that, and it is 100% true.

But it is also, of course, vastly preferable if the boring businesses kinda stick to the more run of the mill, pedestrian locations and leave the prime, high profile locations for the cool or interesting businesses.

It's one of those "logical" things.

But then, this being Orlando, where "the rules are different here", such logic doesn't always apply.

So don't be too surprised when you see them putting up the Uniform City signage there at Orange and Colonial.

 

[sunshine]

Good place for a starbucks... or another 7-11

[dcluley98]

Drive through Starbucks would be cool, but there isn't enough space to stack cars.  Starbucks queue gets PACKED in the morning! I can't even imagine the amount of Road Rage that would cause on the morning commute there!

[popsiclebrandon]

Why are they selling now? Seems like they lost a lot of money not selling to Ustler a while back.

Get the feeling it will just sit empty for a while. Tough space usage.

[metal93]

5 hours ago, alex said:

I thought I saw somewhere that the hotel wanted to use the Mama B's lot as a drop-off loop. I'd like to see more there, but based on the window arrangement of the hotel, any new building couldn't really be taller than one story. 

Re: Mama B's closing--Maybe I'm having a Parks & Rec Lil' Sebastian moment, but I just don't get it. I went there once and was never compelled to go back. 

Drop off loop? Not really liking the idea (depends on execution of such a thing), and how would cars get in? Especially considering its location on such a corner you can really only go one way on either Colonial or Orange. The last thing most of us want is hotel traffic further jamming up an already overly-congested road like Colonial.

I don't see window arrangement being a particularly big issue, as the two ends that meet the corner don't have many windows, and for the most part those are secondary windows to the units on the ends, meaning they can be removed and walled in, no big deal. I'm hoping for at least a two story building here, the height of the parking deck might allow for this.

To be honest, I have never been inside the Mama B's, it just didn't call out to me as a place to go eat lunch, and your post suggests it isn't really worth eating at. But Is it worth a try?

2 hours ago, sunshine said:

Good place for a starbucks... or another 7-11

True, we can never have enough 7-11s.

[FLheat]

On ‎11‎/‎4‎/‎2015 at 9:46 AM, prahaboheme said:

If Ace Cafe Orlando turns out anything like it's London counterpart, the parking lot may be forgivable: 

https://www.google.com/maps/@51.540979,-0.2776921,3a,75y,336.41h,94.77t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1supl_JvdCJ_2Q7iA85_WOsQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656!6m1!1e1

Any update on this project?

 

Edited August 25, 2016 by FLheat

[AndyPok1]

30 minutes ago, FLheat said:

Any update on this project?

 

They updated their sign to saying 'Coming 2016.... yeah we know :rolleyes:' which I found hilarious as driving by the other day.

[John Hargrove]

Seems like it's steadily making progress. Guessing that building is giving them a hell of a time. 

[jrs2]

I drove by Ace on very slow I-4 traffic on Monday and they are working on it.  

[HankStrong]

17 hours ago, metal93 said:

To be honest, I have never been inside the Mama B's, it just didn't call out to me as a place to go eat lunch, and your post suggests it isn't really worth eating at. But Is it worth a try?

True, we can never have enough 7-11s.

1. I've been in both Mama B's and it definitely doesn't call out to me.  I found it subpar and overpriced.

2. Amen Brother Metal93!  7-11s on every corner and a car in every garage!!!