5263 replies to this topic

[bobliocatt]

Its nice to know that this project will be getting under way soon.  Does anyone know if it will include street level or courtyard facing retail spaces?

[prahaboheme]

That's a no!  I would be nice if they at least had a ground floor coffeeshop in the building.

[sunshine]

This is a old news about the Public Safety Complex. It will tell you where the location of the project is. But, where is the Wellbuilt Museum? It is the African American Museum?

ORLANDO, Fla. -- Mayor Glenda Hood has announced that a downtown neighborhood will be home to a sprawling new public safety complex.

It's the biggest boost to Orlando's Parramore District since the Orlando Arena, WESH NewsChannel 2 reported.  

The complex will be built on an 11-acre site across from the historic Wellsbuilt Hotel on South Street, and it will house the police and fire departments.

Had it not been for the refurbished Wellsbuilt Museum, author and registered dietician Roniece Weaver said she would have never established her practice in the Parramore area.

"Having the Wellsbuilt Museum here in the community brought me to this facility. I would not want it any other way. I love being here in the community because that's the community I serve," Weaver said.

The Wellsbuilt property helped reverse a trend of decline in the area, which is west of downtown along Church Street. The Hughes Supply complex that is under construction will also offer mixed-income apartment housing, and the new public safety complex will kick Parramore's urban renewal into high gear, officials said.

Ann Showers and Lewis Deriso welcome the new complex. They're sick of the infestation of drug dealers.

"There's so much drugs. Girls walk all day. They come through more than the cars come through," Deriso said.

"Some of the people have been here 50 or 60 years in these homes. I hate to leave it, but I like for the police department and fire department to be here because the drugs won't be going on here," Deriso said.

But there are those like Ella Brown. Her home will have to go to make way for the new complex.

"I really don't know what they need, but I know what we need. We need places to live, and this is our home," Brown said.

City commissioners Daisy Lynum said people like Ella Brown will be offered a fair deal and taken care of.

"People who are stakeholders, we have a vested interest in them. We are taking good care of them. We are making them whole in the process," Lynum said.

The city will decide on design proposals in February, and then it should take another three years to get the combination police headquarters and fire administration campus built.

[bobliocatt]

The Wellsbilt African-American Museum is located in the former Wellsbilt Hotel located on the NW corner of South Street & Division Avenue.  That area is rich with historic culture that nobody knows or cares about today.  The only way I found out about it was because I used the museum and site as part of my Fifth year architecture final project in 2001.

[sunshine]

Well, when I drive thru there. I all see is just some old residential houses across the street from the museum.

I really dont see how people can be poor in the USA when all they need to do is just work and make a decent living.

[bobliocatt]

Hopefully these people will be relocated in new infill housing within the neighborhood.  Improving the area, block by block is the way to go.

[bobliocatt]

Quote

Well, when I drive thru there. I all see is just some old residential houses across the street from the museum.

As far as I can remember, there's nothing worth saving across the street from the Musuem, most was torn down years ago and whats left isn;t any good.

Quote

I really dont see how people can be poor in the USA when all they need to do is just work and make a decent living.

Easy, its tougher to be successful if you're born into poverty and grow up in a bad neglected environment.  Poorly funded schools and a lack of education by the older generation also add to the troubles.  There are several examples and factors I could add, just from what I experienced in my neighborhood & school system growing up.  The only reason I made it through school and college was because I grew up in a strong educated household.

[sunshine]

tm68, any news on the EA Games?

[sunshine]

Game firm's incentives 'doable'

Mayor Buddy Dyer is checking on funds to bring Electronic Arts to Orlando.




TALLAHASSEE -- With Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer in town glad-handing and lobbying Thursday, a key state lawmaker said there is a "high probability" the Legislature will help fund incentives to persuade the nation's largest video-game maker to expand in Central Florida.

But another piece of a $41 million incentive package to help Electronic Arts is in jeopardy.

Local leaders want the Legislature to spend more than $7 million to help establish a specialized program at the University of Central Florida, which could train prospective employees for Electronic Arts.

The California-based company, which makes games such as the popular Madden NFL franchise, is looking to expand its operations, which EA has said could create 775 jobs. It already employs 275 people at a Maitland subsidiary called Tiburon.

"It's a doable figure," said Rep. David Simmons, R-Longwood, who chairs the House committee that divvies up education funding. "There is a high probability that we will be able to get these funds."

Dyer said he heard similar support from other legislators, as well as the Governor's Office.

"I think everybody wants to do it," he said. "I think we're going to get there."

The proposed Florida Interactive Entertainment Academy at UCF would house a two-year training program for students with degrees in subjects such as digital film or computer science. A company such as EA would enroll prospective employees in the academy to teach them specific game-making skills. University officials envision the academy with a six-member faculty and serving as many as 300 students.

The $20 million UCF academy is part of $41 million in different incentives that Orlando, Orange County and others are trying to put together to entice EA to expand locally. UCF has asked the state to contribute $7.4 million toward the academy, while it would fund the rest.

EA officials downplayed negotiations with local officials, calling them friendly discussions and stressing that the company is not threatening to abandon its Maitland operation.

"We really like living and working in Central Florida," said company spokesman Jeff Brown.

But with just two weeks remaining in the session, another part of the incentive package is in trouble. A proposed tax break for large, publicly owned convention centers -- which could mean close to $1 million a year for Orange County -- has stalled in the House. Local officials have said they hope to use much of that money for the EA bid.

Rep. Sheri McInvale, the bill's sponsor, said House Speaker Johnnie Byrd may squash the proposal because he's upset with Rep. Randy Johnson, R-Celebration, an ardent supporter of the convention center plan.

Two weeks ago, Byrd pushed a phone rate freeze through the House. The freeze, which has little support in the Senate, aimed to stop a controversial rate-hike Byrd helped pass a year ago.

Many accused the outgoing speaker of flip-flopping to boost his sagging bid for the U.S. Senate.

Johnson voted against the freeze. Now, McInvale said, Byrd is retaliating by holding up the convention center bill (HB 61).

"I think we're dealing with a very desperate man," McInvale, D-Orlando, said. "I think he [Byrd] realizes that after 11 days, people are not going to return his phone calls."

A spokesman for Byrd dismissed the claim, saying the speaker "does not have time to micromanage" legislation.

Johnson downplayed the dispute, saying that while he and Byrd disagreed, they remain friends.

"I have faith in the speaker that he'll let good ideas float to the top," Johnson said. The convention center bill "is a good idea. It's something that should happen."

[UPSDAN]

Take a look at the Plaza website. There is a new picture of the residential tower. It looks horrible............

[sunshine]

Where is the website?

[UPSDAN]

www.plazaorlando.com

[prahaboheme]

Yeah it sucks..the architects blow, and they get everything in Orlando.

[sunshine]

2 more!!!

Found two more projects from newspaper

One is the make over of Mills and Nebraska where the gay stores located..with offices, residential and stores..

This is from the latest free gay publication Watermark. It has a whole story come with the rendering. Go get a copy.

The picture is blurry cuz I scanned it..



Second project is from the Orlando Leader

[sunshine]

Sanctuary update

[prahaboheme]

nice find, I believe Newton Corner is already under construction if I'm thinking of the right one.

The Mills Ave development looks interesting.  Are these townhomes?

[sunshine]

If it is under construction, it wont advertise with preconstruction price.

[Hisma]

news on EA
not good news, but doesn't mean downtown is out of the race yet...

orlandosentinel.com said:

The pot of cash Orange County leaders had been eyeing to help persuade the country's biggest video-game maker to expand in Orlando has disappeared.

Now County Chairman Rich Crotty has to decide if he wants Electronic Arts in the region badly enough to look elsewhere for incentive money, including the county's reserves.

"We have some decisions to make, and we're in a tough budget year," Crotty said Tuesday.

County officials had asked the Legislature to allow them to keep half the sales tax generated by the convention center for economic development. If successful, that would have funded the county's $1.9 million share of an incentive package worth about $41 million.

But that legislation failed.

George Rodon, director of Economic Trade and Tourism Development, said county administrators don't want to let the company slip away.

"We're going to have to regroup," Rodon said. "This deal is too important for us to lose."

The California-based company, whose games include the popular Madden NFL franchise, is looking to expand its operations, which EA has said could create 775 jobs paying an average salary of $80,000. It now employs 275 people at a Maitland subsidiary called Tiburon.

Orange County's share of the incentive package is small but important, officials said. Other money includes $21.9 million from the state, $14.4 million from Orlando and $3.1 million from the University of Central Florida.

The county's reserves come from local property taxes. Tourists would have been the main source of the convention center money.

County officials have said their budget is stretched thin. But the money they've offered wouldn't be needed for several years; officials hope their budget will look rosier by then.

County Commissioner Ted Edwards said he's reluctant to offer money that could be spent on other needs. Much of Orlando's share of the incentive money would likely come from the downtown community redevelopment agency, which spends tax money from the county as well as the city.

"Half of that money is ours," Edwards said. "We already gave at the office."

Orlando Chief Administrative Officer Richard Levey wouldn't say where the city planned to get the $14.4 million it has pledged, saying it would put the city at a competitive disadvantage with other jurisdictions.

"To go into the details of that would be inappropriate," he said.

[bobliocatt]

That's bad news.  Winning EA Sports would be a big boost for downtown Orlando.  The city should ask for help from the state since these will be well paying jobs.  If you guys can't afford it, give Jax a chance, I'm sure they can come up with some extra cash.

[tm68]

expect a decision by the end of this month