Other Metro Area Projects

[klstorey]

The K-Mart is Winter Park is closing March 16.  Those I spoke with mentioned a new mixed-use development coming in. 

 

There Goes Another! Winter Park’s K-Mart To Close, Plaza To Be Redeveloped

 

It was the last remaining major commercial property north of Fairbanks that isn't currently being updated.  Wow, what a difference this year will bring to Winter Park!  

[tm68]

Baldwin Harbour in Baldwin Park is back.

But this time, instead of half million dollar condos, proposed as two 4 story apartment buildings with parking garages on the lake. 400+ units.

[truebluecfl]

http://www.bizjournals.com/orlando/blog/2014/02/more-details-emerge-on-seminole.html?s=image_gallery

 

They want to try and host the college world series? I thought that was held in Omaha?

[Boomer136]

No has yet to mention the Port Canaveral - OIA meeting the other day where they discussed among other things linking together via a high speed rail. I suppose All Aboard Florida and the Expressway's reluctance to add a Cocoa stop may have been a catalyst, but do you think they could actually do it? I assume it would have to be a different route than the corridor purchased for AAF.

 

I again apologize for my inability to paste links to news stories. I use-ta-could.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[jrs2]

No has yet to mention the Port Canaveral - OIA meeting the other day where they discussed among other things linking together via a high speed rail. I suppose All Aboard Florida and the Expressway's reluctance to add a Cocoa stop may have been a catalyst, but do you think they could actually do it? I assume it would have to be a different route than the corridor purchased for AAF.

 

I again apologize for my inability to paste links to news stories. I use-ta-could.

here is a link I found on that subject:

 

http://www.wesh.com/news/central-florida/brevard-county/officials-highspeed-rail-could-connect-oia-with-port-canaveral/24313412

[prahaboheme]

Aerial view of the redeveloped Kissimmee Lakefront (or least least partly pictured):

 

[Jernigan]

Lake Mary's Station Pointe office/retail development merely 10 feet from the SunRail platform. Nice to see them developing around their station so quickly.

http://stationpointeatlakemary.com/Home.html

http://www.lakemaryfl.com/mayor-city-commission/agenda/city-commission-agenda-022014

Edited March 4, 2014 by Jernigan

[jrs2]

I wanted to make a short list of area projects that will push Orlando forward in its evolution:

 

1.  Four Seasons- may be a 5 star; adds to the posh hotel inventory and shows forward momentum in that area

2.  Hyatt/ Peabody- Hyatt's marketing power will benefit the OCCC the same way Hilton Orlando did

3.  Rosen Plaza skywalk- increases the number to four hotel properties connected by skywalk to the OCCC which is huge for marketing; compare to Chicago, New Orleans, etc...

4.  Orlando Eye- reinforces the "brand" of Orlando as a destination, not just Universal or WDW

5.  Sunrail- obviously- a CRT that catapults Orlando into the transit city category; TOD that ensues; great stuff;

6.  AAF- another project that catapults Orlando and OIA into the "very advanced" category.  Does the same for Miami.

7.  Maglev***- if it happens and it looks promising- a third system; docking at the OIA Intermodal and connecting to Fla Mall, Sunrail and OCCC...simply stated...wow...

8.  Port Canaveral Terminal 1-  this is a big deal; it really is.  Yet another new ship home ported.  The port just opened a new terminal at the end of 2012.  The port is moving forward at high speed.  Orlando benefits big time.  wow.

9.  ORHS & FH South construction:  it's like WDW vs Universal- Orlando wins no matter what

10.  Harry Potter- simply stated:  took Orlando tourism out of the cellar; Comcast is pumping million$ into Universal; new Harry Potter attraction; new hotel (Cabana Bay) and plans for much more all because of the "killer app" aka Harry Potter that Universal stumbled upon a few short years back.

11.  Publix Distribution Center- reinforces Orlando as a major distribution hub.

12.  Skyhouse- why?  because Novare saw Orlando's residential potential and this project will attract other such projects from Novare and other developers who see what they saw.  Plus, this project went to a handful of cities Novare did a market analysis on; Orlando being one of them;

13.  MLS- big news; stadium is huge news; team is great for catering to the fanbase which includes foreign soccer fans; it's just awesome.

14.  Medical City- obviously- pending projects are VA Center and new FH campus to the east-

 

I know there's much more, everyone chime in obviously...

[jrs2]

Fashion Square redevelopment progress:  Is this the proper thread?

 

http://www.bizjournals.com/orlando/blog/2014/03/sneak-peek-orlando-fashion-square-starts-demo-for.html

[codypet]

Fashion Square redevelopment progress:  Is this the proper thread?

 

http://www.bizjournals.com/orlando/blog/2014/03/sneak-peek-orlando-fashion-square-starts-demo-for.html

A new TGI Friday's?  The old one was demo'd down the street not all that long ago.

[Boomer136]

^^ It's Friday's new store design, like the one close to SeaWorld. They are building a few around, I forget if it's this one or another that'll have a patio bar. I'm waiting for the swim up bar, personally.

Edited March 17, 2014 by Boomer136

[Jernigan]

Things look pretty solid on their plans - renderings matching what's happening versus pipe dreams or potential tenants.

Fridays, Element and Panera. It seems like the exterior of the mall from the main entrance to Macys will be pretty comfortable to walk around. Not sure if it's setting up for parking lot infill (wouldn't that be great)

[brainpathology]

 

14.  Medical City- obviously- pending projects are VA Center and new FH campus to the east-

 

I know there's much more, everyone chime in obviously...

 

I love the medical city.. but every time I go there (after sacrificing a half day of travel from ORMC to get there and back) it feels like a gigantic missed opportunity.  There is a big, huge, disappointment happening at the "creative village" that could have been the medical school.  Yes it would have been more expensive, yes it would have meant MUCH higher buildings to accommodate what is there.  There is a joke at Central Station being set up that no one is going to enjoy the punchline of when it's finished, empty space along Church st buildings that could have been admin offices.  

 

I definitely understand the desire for the wide open space and room to expand that UCF/VA/Nemours has out there.  But damn.. with a hard push and effort from the city, downtown could have been THE medical city.  The resulting population of students/patients/commerce that could have been spread around downtown is depressing.  I know the politics, I know why it was deemed impossible, I know why ORMC/FH aren't as closely linked as they could and possibly should be to them but the reality vrs the potential in this instance is just depressing.  I'm sure where it is is a small fraction of the costs involved with being downtown, etc etc etc.  

 

Right now most of what's in Orlando isn't IN Orlando at all.. and barring a annexing orgy which would basically make the city South Phoenix that's what it looks like the future will be for this city indefinitely.  

[gibby]

I love the medical city.. but every time I go there (after sacrificing a half day of travel from ORMC to get there and back) it feels like a gigantic missed opportunity.  There is a big, huge, disappointment happening at the "creative village" that could have been the medical school.  Yes it would have been more expensive, yes it would have meant MUCH higher buildings to accommodate what is there.  There is a joke at Central Station being set up that no one is going to enjoy the punchline of when it's finished, empty space along Church st buildings that could have been admin offices.  

 

I definitely understand the desire for the wide open space and room to expand that UCF/VA/Nemours has out there.  But damn.. with a hard push and effort from the city, downtown could have been THE medical city.  The resulting population of students/patients/commerce that could have been spread around downtown is depressing.  I know the politics, I know why it was deemed impossible, I know why ORMC/FH aren't as closely linked as they could and possibly should be to them but the reality vrs the potential in this instance is just depressing.  I'm sure where it is is a small fraction of the costs involved with being downtown, etc etc etc.  

 

Right now most of what's in Orlando isn't IN Orlando at all.. and barring a annexing orgy which would basically make the city South Phoenix that's what it looks like the future will be for this city indefinitely.  

I've thought this for years.  It's a real shame.  I actually think downtown would have been cheaper after considering the infrastructure costs of basically building a new sub-city out there.

[brainpathology]

I've thought this for years.  It's a real shame.  I actually think downtown would have been cheaper after considering the infrastructure costs of basically building a new sub-city out there.

 

Probably correct too.. I was trying to be a bit diplomatic.  Oh well though. 

[JFW657]

I guess he question comes down to what kind of people you'd rather see inhabiting & utilizing that area.

 

Young hipster computer techies & graphics/animation types & or older doctors, nurses & medical types.

 

I think the whole idea was to create a place for "artsy" types to cluster around.

[brainpathology]

The docs that teach at a med school live farther away - generally.  They would still go to Longwood, Dr Phillips, The country club I can never remember the name of, (belle isle?  w/e), Winter Park (I'm trying to think of places everyone here commutes in from) - even then you'd be on a rail line almost and a significant % of them would use that to come into work.   The students and support staff would be the ones living in that area.  Not as young maybe as other students since presumably they've all already been to a 4 year program before, but still younger than the teaching Dr's.  In any case, I'd be perfectly happy if they successfully created a dense bustling community of techies and graphics/animation types as well but they have to do that out of thin air, basically.  The medical school/research park/VA/etc was going to happen somewhere.  It would have been nice to put it into the city limits somehow if not downtown (incidentally that would probably have been the only situation I would have agreed with closing the executive airport for). 

 

We let the same thing happen in Denver btw.. There was plenty of land downtown that could have accommodated the new buildings but it went out to Aurora instead.  Although there they got a TON of free land and buildings from the closing of Fitzsimmons army hospital.  

Edited April 8, 2014 by brainpathology

[jrs2]

Tupperware's new retail plaza:

 

http://www.bizjournals.com/orlando/blog/2014/04/exclusive-tupperware-s-new-60m-shopping-center.html

 

It looks like it will be at the NW corner of 441 & Osceola Parkway.  The Sunrail station will be to the east of Orange Avenue which will be a mile away.  This place is close to The Loop & Loop West.

[alex]

Love how the title is "...near future SunRail Stop," when this is about the furthest thing possible from a transit-oriented development.  What a waste of land.

[Jernigan]

The OBJ really is becoming the absolute worst. Bungalower came along just in time.

[slapdash09]

Couldn't agree more. Has that newer reporter quit doing the Ryan Seacrest tagline yet? That's when I gave up.

 

The OBJ really is becoming the absolute worst. Bungalower came along just in time.

[jrs2]

^^

Walmart is closer to that Sunrail stop by far than anything Tupperware is doing---unless this retail project is just one project and a future phase will be between 441 & Orange Ave.

[Alleri459]

And the OBJ continues to announce it as a Sunrail TOD development in about three other articles. This is over a mile and a half away down a stretch of Osceola Parkway without sidewalks... We will see what comes around the Tupperware land over time then.

[jrs2]

And the OBJ continues to announce it as a Sunrail TOD development in about three other articles. This is over a mile and a half away down a stretch of Osceola Parkway without sidewalks... We will see what comes around the Tupperware land over time then.

Yeah, I was shocked when I saw the rendering and matched it against Google Maps to see its exact location.  Wow.

[jrs2]

Just a general commentary on some area projects that will impact the metro in a big way once opened:

 

1.  Terminal 1 at Port Canaveral- really catapulting the cruise port up the ranks; new cruise ships; 5th terminal; etc.  This is after all Orlando's port. 

2.  Orlando Eye- solidifies I-Drive as a bonafide attraction in and of itself

3.  Sunrail Phase I- what else is there to say?

4.  All Aboard Florida- connects Orlando to Miami; huge for Orlando; integrates Orlando into the transit scene with Miami ala many major and European cities and regions;

5.  Four Seasons- 5-star type brand; it will attract others as Waldorf and Ritz did before it.

6.  Harry Potter 2 at Universal- See No.3

7.  OIA Intermodal- puts OIA and Orlando into another category ala transportation and transit

8.  Maglev/SLR/528 Corridor Proposal(s)- potentially huge for OCCC and Orlando.  the fact that there are two groups with proposals is huge.  the corridor is recognized as a money maker.  how huge?  huge.  I put it on this list because now that there are two proposals, the probability is great that the line will be built.  tyoe of tech