Other Metro Area Projects

[JRS1]

Not sure... I thought they were going to build two towers at a time as well. It looks like they are building an access wall for the property now just North of the first tower. This one went up fast. The narrow strip of land may have something to do with the way the first couple towers go up.

Small mention today in the CFB section of the Sentinel about the Park Towers to be built across the Lake from the Emerson project. The caption on the picture said the Park Towers are to start construction in August. They are supposed to be 13 and 16 stories.

All I know is, that the Apt. complex right there looks huge from I-4. Park Towers is going to dwarf that project and Emerson. Alta. is going to really change.

FYI, FH Alta. has a new tower U/C by B&G. No info. on the specs, though.

[facilities man]

All I know is, that the Apt. complex right there looks huge from I-4. Park Towers is going to dwarf that project and Emerson. Alta. is going to really change.

I agree. That apartment building is much bigger than I thought it would look, but on the other side I thought the Emerson building would look taller.

[JRS1]

I agree. That apartment building is much bigger than I thought it would look, but on the other side I thought the Emerson building would look taller.

If they follow thru with Emerson #2, it will be going up probably at the same time as Park Towers... a very impressive second wave of sorts. If there was a train station nearby, Alta. could turn into another Perimeter Center or Buckhead, though smaller.

Maitland. THere are 5-6 projects U/C along 17/92 from the RR overpass near or in WP to the Maitland Blvd. overpass.

[facilities man]

If they follow thru with Emerson #2, it will be going up probably at the same time as Park Towers... a very impressive second wave of sorts. If there was a train station nearby, Alta. could turn into another Perimeter Center or Buckhead, though smaller.

That's the vision I have had for this area as soon as Altamonte announced their plans for the Cranes Roost area. I see this as Orlando's version of Buckhead, especially with the prices the condos are selling for. I think that's why Altamonte Springs has fought the light rail alignment all along. They want it to run parallel to I-4 to incorporate all this new and proposed development. Light rail would be great along the existing train tracks from Orlando North through Maitland. At Maitland it needs to divert to Maitland Center then follow the I-4 corridor just as the growth of Orlando has done.

I think the Sanford Seminole Town mall and Heathrow Colonial Town area has a good chance to be like a smaller Perimeter Center minus some height on the buildings too.

Edited May 16, 2006 by facilities man

[JRS1]

That's the vision I have had for this area as soon as Altamonte announced their plans for the Cranes Roost area. I see this as Orlando's version of Buckhead, especially with the prices the condos are selling for. I think that's why Altamonte Springs has fought the light rail alignment all along. They want it to run parallel to I-4 to incorporate all this new and proposed development. Light rail would be great along the existing train tracks from Orlando North through Maitland. At Maitland it needs to divert to Maitland Center then follow the I-4 corridor just as the growth of Orlando has done.

I think the Sanford Seminole Town mall and Heathrow Colonial Town area has a good chance to be like a smaller Perimeter Center minus some height on the buildings too.

Interesting thing with these Atlanta comparisons... believe it or not, Perimeter Center is as far north from DT Atlanta as 436/Altamonte is from DT Orlando, to illustrate the example of scale between the two metros.

ORL is much more spread out than many realize. Sanford area would be like Dunwoody/Alpharetta or farther north. And ORL's unofficial metro continues across the St. John's up towards DeLand.

[facilities man]

Interesting thing with these Atlanta comparisons... believe it or not, Perimeter Center is as far north from DT Atlanta as 436/Altamonte is from DT Orlando, to illustrate the example of scale between the two metros.

ORL is much more spread out than many realize. Sanford area would be like Dunwoody/Alpharetta or farther north. And ORL's unofficial metro continues across the St. John's up towards DeLand.

Right. I've noticed the similarities between Orlando and Atlanta in the way Orlando is developing. Atlanta is more compact, twice as many people in half as much area. The beltway only goes out half as far as Orlando's.

[bulldogger]

Right. I've noticed the similarities between Orlando and Atlanta in the way Orlando is developing. Atlanta is more compact, twice as many people in half as much area. The beltway only goes out half as far as Orlando's.

Orlando's thinkin BIG, baby!!!

[Chemmie]

Orlando's thinkin BIG, baby!!!

[gumpking1]

Orlando's thinkin BIG, baby!!!

Like i said before.Orlando is going to be the next great city of the south.Go Magic

[uncreativeusername]

Like i said before.Orlando is going to be the next great city of the south.Go Magic

Not by having twice the sprawl that Atlanta does...if anything, our size (in land area) will be our downfall.

[bic]

Intermezzo at Rialto

[Hisma]

interesting

that area of dr phillips is exploding. "Restaurant Row", with Key Viscaya on the small lake behind it and it's condos. And then of course you have the views of The I-drive skyilne which will constantly be improving over the next few years. It will almost be like it's own seperate high-density district. It certainly won't have a problem with entertainment options... just traffic woes and walkability.

My family has a home in key viscaya and over a 3 1/2 year period, there home has gone up in value $200,000. Not a bad investment at all.

[facilities man]

Globe Street is reporting the land for the 14 and 16 story condo buildings at Uptown Altamonte has been sold to the developer by the City of Altamonte Springs, and construction should start within several weeks. It's a $160 million project just for the condos.

[JRS1]

Globe Street is reporting the land for the 14 and 16 story condo buildings at Uptown Altamonte has been sold to the developer by the City of Altamonte Springs, and construction should start within several weeks. It's a $160 million project just for the condos.

so the City owned it... interesting.

Wow. not much of a slowdown in development like many are thinking.

Side note: Waterford Lakes T.C.-- drove by today. incredible development on the Home Depot side of Alafaya and the bldg. at Lake Underhill. Wow.

[MAntoniazzi]

Anybody know what the bridge going up on 436 between University and Aloma will be for?

Edited May 23, 2006 by MAntoniazzi

[cwetteland]

Anybody know what the bridge going up on 436 between University and Aloma will be for?

It is an extention of Cady Way Trail ... for bikes and joggers.

[facilities man]

Emerson Plaza (Alta.): Are they waiting to complete the first tower before starting on the second tower? If so, is it for the sake of access on that narrown parcel?

Driving by the Emerson condos in Altamonte Springs today it looks like they may have started work on their second building. There are large upright columns started just to the Northeast of the first building.

[JRS1]

Driving by the Emerson condos in Altamonte Springs today it looks like they may have started work on their second building. There are large upright columns started just to the Northeast of the first building.

thanks for that update. that is exciting to know: a non-tourist and non-beachfront suburb becoming heavily urbanized and developed in, of all cities, Orlando.

[GRS328]

I'm not trying to pick a fight on the board, and i have stated i like the direction altamonte has taken, but i think calling it "heavily urbanized" is a strong exaggeration.

[JRS1]

I'm not trying to pick a fight on the board, and i have stated i like the direction altamonte has taken, but i think calling it "heavily urbanized" is a strong exaggeration.

why even go there? all I'm saying is that the more towers get built there, the more density. the more retail takes up parking lots, the more density. aside from the Grove, Gables, Tallahassee, DT Orlando, LBV, and that's all I can think of, Altamonte will be the most densely developed inland town in FLA. hence "heavily urbanized." It ain't NYC, which is obvious.

[Migman]

I'm not trying to pick a fight on the board, and i have stated i like the direction altamonte has taken, but i think calling it "heavily urbanized" is a strong exaggeration.

Yeah, I agree. Heavily urbanized is stretching it, IMO.

[JRS1]

"becoming heavily urbanized"

do you all know what the tense of that phrase denotes? present participle, whatever the hell that means. its in motion; it is "becoming".

Am I out of whack here?

We have Centerpoint office park, the Majesty, and the TC. we also have Emerson#1 and the 8 story Apt. bldg. still U/C, and FH's new tower.

between Emerson#2, Park Towers 1 & 2, and the rest of the Emerson master plan down the road, which includes more office and a hotel as well as condos... if that alone isn't enough to denote "becoming heavily urbanized" for a town which is already fairly dense, then I don't know what is.

Maybe I should have said "becoming heavily developed with retail, office, and high-rise condos" instead.

Seriously, though, if you all want to take issue with that phrase, then tell me just what is an example of "becoming heavily urbanized," b/c I really don't see how that is any type of exaggeration when comparing Altamonte's rate of development to other inland suburbs in Florida or even in other states.

Edited June 15, 2006 by JRS1

[bic]

I suppose it's all relative. You can say Altamonte is becoming heavily urbanized if you're used to this:

But what do you call what Altamonte is becoming if you're used to this:

[uncreativeusername]

I suppose it's all relative.

It is relative. And, seeing that this is the Orlando discussion board, it is becoming heavily urbanized, relative to the rest of Central Florida.

[Topher1]

^ I agree with you Bic.

I'm extremely happy to see Altamonte densifying, but dense does not necessarily equal urban. This is still an area that nearly everyone MUST drive to and from. From what I've seen, these denser developments do very little as far as overall connectivity at the street level. It's still a crappy street grid, and isolated, due to the surrounding sprawl.

If you want to see a "good" example of creating an urban destination from suburban sprawl, look no further than Dadeland, in the Miami area: transit oriented, connected, very mixed-use, and much more urban in street interaction.