Downtown South (Sunrail/Amtrak, SODO, Orlando Health, Lymmo, Orange/Michigan Avenues)

[Jernigan]

12 hours ago, orlandocity87 said:

So all this work on South Orange Ave and North Orange by Ivanhoe, and they're not doing anything with the Lymmo North-South expansion plans...

Good!

[orlandocity87]

11 hours ago, Jernigan said:

Good!

Not really. People arriving at the Amtrak have no easy way to get to Downtown (an occasional weekday SunRail or one hourly bus that takes you to Lynx Central). Not to mention all the residents who have to drive two-three miles and find parking just to do anything downtown. 

Likewise, the whole Ivanhoe Lake area (North Orange and Virginia) has seen hundreds of new units go up and is served by one bus route and an inconveniently located SunRail station. 

[Ivanhoe]

Division Ave (which seriously needs to be remained) is the most obvious way to extend Lymmo to Amtrak.

[Jernigan]

On 11/2/2023 at 10:48 AM, orlandocity87 said:

Not really. People arriving at the Amtrak have no easy way to get to Downtown (an occasional weekday SunRail or one hourly bus that takes you to Lynx Central). Not to mention all the residents who have to drive two-three miles and find parking just to do anything downtown. 

Likewise, the whole Ivanhoe Lake area (North Orange and Virginia) has seen hundreds of new units go up and is served by one bus route and an inconveniently located SunRail station. 

Its a better idea to the north than the south but the fact that you could rationalize a major local transit investment around ferrying Amtrak passengers trying to get downtown is simply madness.  One doesn’t simply take a twice a day Amtrak train and then need 15 minute headways.

As for the residents? They are closer to Orange Ave. We currently have 10-15 minute headways between LCS and Michigan (8 buses an hour). We don’t have a service issue, we have a simple branding issue.

 1) Make buses free once they pass Michigan heading north.

2) Leverage technology to allow rides southbound free if you exit/tap off before Michigan

 3) Place branded LYMMO-like stops along Orange Avenue that explain that you can get on any bus and it will take you towards Lake Eola and the station.

4) Tell the Amtrak passengers to walk 2 blocks and then tell them, “sorry for the convenience”

 

 

 

I should add that dedicated lanes on Orange have never/will never be an option. So it wouldnt even be BRT.

[AndyPok1]

Was randomly clicking around the property appraiser...

This plaza of the Archery/Jeweler/Cleaner/Cremation was sold for 2.25M last month

[orlandocity87]

On 11/3/2023 at 8:05 PM, Jernigan said:

Its a better idea to the north than the south but the fact that you could rationalize a major local transit investment around ferrying Amtrak passengers trying to get downtown is simply madness.  One doesn’t simply take a twice a day Amtrak train and then need 15 minute headways.

As for the residents? They are closer to Orange Ave. We currently have 10-15 minute headways between LCS and Michigan (8 buses an hour). We don’t have a service issue, we have a simple branding issue.

 1) Make buses free once they pass Michigan heading north.

2) Leverage technology to allow rides southbound free if you exit/tap off before Michigan

 3) Place branded LYMMO-like stops along Orange Avenue that explain that you can get on any bus and it will take you towards Lake Eola and the station.

4) Tell the Amtrak passengers to walk 2 blocks and then tell them, “sorry for the convenience”

I should add that dedicated lanes on Orange have never/will never be an option. So it wouldnt even be BRT.

I don't think connecting the city's only intercity train station with its main businesses/entertainment hub is madness. Orlando had absolutely no foresight when it decided to have an intercity train station south of downtown, its main bus/SunRail station north of downtown, Greyhound out in Pine Hills, and the newest station down by the airport. 

A "major investment" would be an actual streetcar.

But I do like your idea of improved stops and more informative branding around the existing bus lines. 

[Jernigan]

12 hours ago, orlandocity87 said:

I don't think connecting the city's only intercity train station with its main businesses/entertainment hub is madness. Orlando had absolutely no foresight when it decided to have an intercity train station south of downtown, its main bus/SunRail station north of downtown, Greyhound out in Pine Hills, and the newest station down by the airport. 

A "major investment" would be an actual streetcar.

But I do like your idea of improved stops and more informative branding around the existing bus lines. 

On paper, sure. Have you ridden those services?  The clientele is what you’d expect for the level of service.  In any case, build the city for the residents and the tourism will take care of itself.

[nite owℓ]

On 9/30/2023 at 11:42 AM, nite owℓ said:

I'm only posting this since there's not a whole lot of development going on (I imagine we'll be in another development slump for a long time, but I digress).

New homes on the way in Sodo/Wadeview Park on Page St (near TD Bank). Old homes razed and lots have been cleared for a while with no activity, so I thought construction would get put on hold during the housing slowdown... But it looks like they are going ahead as planned.

Builder is David Weekly and per the booklet on page 11, six homes are planned for the area. Not sure if they are building homes one by one or as they sell. Asking price ~ $1M, so get your checkbooks ready!

https://simplebooklet.com/orlandocentralliving#page=11

 

https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/201-Page-St-Orlando-FL-32806/46034661_zpid/

 

 

 

 

Construction update photos.

I'm glad the developer was able to move forward on these despite the RE downturn. Also good to see they left a few mature street trees intact. I'm hoping this development spurs even more revitalization along Page St (similar to Grant).

 

Looks like there were 2 lots left for sale, both appear to be pending from what I see on the mls. Asking prices are 300k for regular rectangle lot and 329k for L shaped lot.

[Jernigan]

West side of Orange at Muriel

[jgardnerucf]

Yawn

[Jernigan]

This is just south of Ecco Plaza.

[angela1117]

On 12/29/2023 at 4:17 PM, Jernigan said:

This is just south of Ecco Plaza.

So this is in the old furniture shop which I always meant to go to. 

It irks me  to read "this sweet old house will be torn down" to build what strikes me as  cold building with no heart. 

[Ivanhoe]

4 hours ago, angela1117 said:

So this is in the old furniture shop which I always meant to go to. 

It irks me  to read "this sweet old house will be torn down" to build what strikes me as  cold building with no heart. 

I found the comment off putting as well.

 

[nite owℓ]

I see it a bit differently... I don't see the problem. If the house were located on the interior of the neighborhood (rather than on the perimeter facing a busy thoroughfare) then I could see the point of wanting to renovate and save the character of the neighborhood. But it's basically a shack facing Orange Ave and deserves to be replaced with a commercial building, further establishing the streetwall.

Also, the medspa further diversifies neighborhood amenities in the area vs yet another medical/office building going up.

Edited January 1 by nite owℓ

[Jernigan]

I don’t think anyone was arguing the tear-down - it was just a strangely written caption.  

[angela1117]

On 3/17/2023 at 5:25 PM, Jernigan said:

Welcome, Shaq.

https://www.fox35orlando.com/video/1194785.amp

I'm wondering if Shaq is still involved with this Old Boston Market. There's an orange sticker on the door now saying taxes are due 1/30/24.

A little farther down the road the credit union on the corner looks very close to opening.

[jgardnerucf]

2 hours ago, angela1117 said:

credit union on the corner

Obnoxious blue sign.

[Jernigan]

Lots of activity on the Lake Copeland Medical Center site at Copeland and Orange. No active permits from what I can see. 

[Jerry95]

The road work on S Orange between ORMC and Kaley is an absolute cluster****. I’m genuinely shocked that FDOT has let it get this bad. Southbound lane drops with no barrels in front of the arrow board, and plenty of conflicting pavement markings. Then suddenly it opens up to three lanes that merge into two with the middle just disappearing. And today the contractor has a giant hole in the road and is flagging traffic during rush hour. 
 

The good news is that when you get into an accident you won’t be far from the ER (/rant)

[Jernigan]

That short environmental fencing has gone up around the property in front of the Mark at SoDo apartments.  

[Jernigan]

On 2/26/2024 at 11:37 PM, Jernigan said:

That short environmental fencing has gone up around the property in front of the Mark at SoDo apartments.  

This lot was cleared this week. Several large trees removed.

[Jernigan]

The former Earth Fare at Orange and Gore is being turned into a Planet Fitness.

[RedStar25]

On 12/31/2023 at 12:57 PM, angela1117 said:

So this is in the old furniture shop which I always meant to go to. 

It irks me  to read "this sweet old house will be torn down" to build what strikes me as  cold building with no heart. 

YAY! More shipping container looking buildings! *BARF* 

[codypet]

15 hours ago, Jernigan said:

The former Earth Fare at Orange and Gore is being turned into a Planet Fitness.

Did anyone notice LA Fitness returned to Orlando with a takeover of the SODO 24 hr fitness location?