Other Metro Area Projects

[brainpathology]

In Winter Park, there are a number of condos that have underground parking too: Park Aire on the Avenue, Whispering Waters, Villa Siena and The Residences on Interlachen, and the new Gothic-inspired building on Canton.  Also, many older buildings here have basements, including several in Lake Eola Heights and Winter Park.

are these all one level.  In looking for a home here I did recall a couple of homes that advertised basements right after I posted.  Kinda scared me away from looking at them honestly.  With all the water in town in lakes and ponds that are higher than even the most shallow basement might be I was worried that the house would either have or develop water issues.  

 

Figured there would need to be a permanent water pump set up to address this in any large scale or deeper dig too.    Also I should have made clear that I wasn't implying that podium parking is by definition ugly.  Like everything else if there is something at ground level and the facade is treated more than as an afterthought the pedestrian experience won't suffer at all.  I actually think (and cue the lynching) that Orlando is in a unique situation to possibly learn something from Disney about the outside treatment of structures.  If there is one thing Disney CAN do it's make the outside 6 inches of a structure look good - or at least interesting.  

[popsiclebrandon]

The old Borders in WP Village is being demolished right now. Guessing it will be turned into much more manageable retail space than that giant one but haven't seen anything on it.

[bulldogger]

The old office building that had Florida Hospital as a tenant on Lake Killarney and the adjacent motor lodge are completely demolished.

[JFW657]

The old office building that had Florida Hospital as a tenant on Lake Killarney and the adjacent motor lodge are completely demolished.

http://www.urbanplanet.org/forums/index.php/topic/14325-metro-orlando-headlines/?p=1270454

[bulldogger]

I know why they demo'd it.  I didn't see anyone post any updates or pics and I was surprised to actually see the buildings gone yesterday.

[truebluecfl]

That Publix shopping center at the corner of East Colonial and Woodbury is almost complete, also I heard of a possible project right next to it. Boring stuff, but progress I guess. My main question is what is going to happen to the current Publix plaza at the corner of Alafaya and 50. The only two big tenants are Publix and the Auto tag agency, Goodfella's pizza is good but otherwise that plaza is empty, and with Publix moving down the street does this make way for a massive urban project on this main intersection? The area is on the upswing and I can only imagine this failing plaza can only last so long, the areas around UCF have started with the urban projects and it would be nice to see something "different" at this intersection.

[popsiclebrandon]

That Publix shopping center at the corner of East Colonial and Woodbury is almost complete, also I heard of a possible project right next to it. Boring stuff, but progress I guess. My main question is what is going to happen to the current Publix plaza at the corner of Alafaya and 50. The only two big tenants are Publix and the Auto tag agency, Goodfella's pizza is good but otherwise that plaza is empty, and with Publix moving down the street does this make way for a massive urban project on this main intersection? The area is on the upswing and I can only imagine this failing plaza can only last so long, the areas around UCF have started with the urban projects and it would be nice to see something "different" at this intersection.

As long as Pioneers in that plaza survives I don't care. After the terrible burgers I've been getting at Graffitti lately this place has jumped to the top of my Orlando burger list.

[Jernigan]

Pioneers has already closed and is being bought by Juniors burgers - a small but popular chain

[popsiclebrandon]

Pioneers has already closed and is being bought by Juniors burgers - a small but popular chain

Well my day was just ruined.

[truebluecfl]

Well my day was just ruined.

 

I feel your pain, the day I went to Roddy's deli and the door was locked was very upsetting. Was an awesome sandwich shop in the UCF area off Knights way and 50 run by a super cool lady. Sad too see these places go so quickly, never even made it into Pioneers before they open and closed. Location always seems to be the key issue with these places. The same eatery's somewhere around University and Alafaya would do much better in my opinion.

[popsiclebrandon]

I feel your pain, the day I went to Roddy's deli and the door was locked was very upsetting. Was an awesome sandwich shop in the UCF area off Knights way and 50 run by a super cool lady. Sad too see these places go so quickly, never even made it into Pioneers before they open and closed. Location always seems to be the key issue with these places. The same eatery's somewhere around University and Alafaya would do much better in my opinion.

Yeah location is so important. You can have pretty mediocre food but if you are in the right spot you will stay open (see Spice, Wildside) but so many actually good places close due to location being poor. It is why we just walked away from opening up in Hannibal Square this fall, just not enough traffic to justify that rent price there. Good thing we found a UCF spot for next year though.

[spenser1058]

Vision for Winter Garden 'art district' starts with firehouse gallery

 

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/os-winter-garden-art-district-20130906,0,7077948.story?track=rss

 

Winter Garden just keeps on keeping on. Another great project for what may be central Florida's most interesting downtown. It's also fascinating that the town's leadership understands exactly the assets they've been given and are willing to leverage them to make the community grow while still retaining the local heritage. Sadly, this great model is not being repeated in downtown Orlando's plans for growth.

Edited September 11, 2013 by spenser1058

[prahaboheme]

Kissimmee Intermodal Center, which will link up Lynx, Greyhound, and is adjacent to Amtrak and future SunRail stop, is well under construction:

 

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10152080067547262.1073741844.89837292261&type=1

[Bungalower-MattBroffman]

New Orange Cycle Building is underway

[prahaboheme]

Downtown Kissimmee Intermodal Center (connecting SunRail, Lynx, Greyhound, and Amtrak) nearing completion:

 

 

 

 

Photos courtesy of Lynx

[Jernigan]

Kissimmee is doing a fantastic job with that. When you factor in their circulator plans and BRT along 192 - it's really going to be a well connected place that should attract development and business

[spenser1058]

I agree that Kissimmee seems to be doing all the right things - thanks for posting the pics, praha. I'm still depressed about Mrs. Mac's closing, though - another slice of local history gone.

[sunshine]

Lake Nona is looking for Macy and Target for it town centre...not sure if any of these been posted..

 

Lake Nona Town Center

 

 

 

[sunshine]

The Grove at Isleworth (under construction) with Dexter, BurgerFi and Jeremiah Ice

 

 

[sunshine]

Exclusive: Trader Joe’s moving ahead in Dr. Phillips

http://www.bizjournals.com/orlando/blog/2013/12/exclusive-trader-joes-moving-ahead.html

[spenser1058]

People tend to forget that Brevard County and its ports - both the traditional Port Canaveral and the KSC "spaceport", really aren't much further away from Orlando than other major cities with port facilities. Best of all, there's been lots of news about both lately:

 

First, Morton Salt is expanding its facility at Port Canaveral:

 

http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20131212/NEWS01/312120014/Morton-Salt-expand-Port-Canaveral-operation

 

Also, NASA has awarded control of Launch Complex 39A to Elon Musk's SpaceX:

 

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/breakingnews/os-nasa-awards-ksc-39a-to-spacex-20131213,0,555132.story

 

With China, South Korea and Japan all getting busy on the space front, in addition to the activity by private firms here at home (there was a major battle for control of LC-39A between Musk and Jeff Bezos' Blue Horizons outfit), look for KSC to have a potentially bigger role than it's had in years going forward. 

 

BTW, I haven't even mentioned the more "mundane" news of expansion of the cruise terminal at Port Canaveral. It's well on its way to be one of the largest cruise ship ports in the country. This even as poor Tampa is facing the loss of its cruise business going forward because the Sunshine Skyway cannot accommodate the new "mega" cruise ships:

 

http://www.tampabay.com/news/business/tampa-bay-facing-tough-choices-to-keep-cruise-ship-industry-going/2155996

 

All of this is huge for central Florida and amazingly continues to fly under the radar of just about everyone.

[spenser1058]

In other Brevard news, one of the region's saddest shopping centers, the decrepit Miracle City Mall in Titusville, is finally going to be demolished and redeveloped:

 

http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20131212/NEWS01/312120008/

Edited December 13, 2013 by spenser1058

[spenser1058]

More Port Canaveral news (this time details of the cargo terminal expansion):

 

"Canaveral hasn't been a serious cargo player in the past. It handles the equivalent of "a couple hundred" 20-foot containers a year, Walsh said. The new cargo facility will have ship-to-shore cranes that can move goods in mass and is expected to process 100,000 containers in its first year, with a maximum capacity of 600,000."

 

That's quite an amazing expansion - it opens all sorts of possibilities for us in distribution and even some manufacturing. The Sentinels' story:

 

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/os-cfb-port-canaveral-expansion-plans-20131218,0,2512279.story

[Alleri459]

It might have been posted already, but does anyone know what is being constructed at the southern corner of Conroy Rd. and Vineland Rd. right next to the I-4 westbound entrance entrance ramp in the Millenia area? 

[sunshine]

Audi dealership