Dr. P Phillips Orlando Performing Arts Center [Phase 2 Under Construction]

[Jernigan]

Blue construction fence is now up around the perimeter.

[DeepEyez]

New Businesses Coming To Downtown Orlando

Central Florida News 13 Feature

New Businesses Coming to Downtown Orlando

[DeepEyez]

Performing Arts Center to Break Ground in Early 2011

Minority media organizations had an opportunity on Thursday to learn more about the multi-million dollar Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, a two-block development located in the heart of downtown Orlando, set to break ground in early 2011.

Performing Arts Center to Break Ground in Early 2011

[John Hargrove]

Performing Arts Center to Break Ground in Early 2011

Minority media organizations had an opportunity on Thursday to learn more about the multi-million dollar Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, a two-block development located in the heart of downtown Orlando, set to break ground in early 2011.

Performing Arts Center to Break Ground in Early 2011

Well that's a date slip. They had been saying 3Q or 4Q 2010.

Makes sense though ... FUMCO's new site won't be ready until 4Q 2010 or 1Q 2011 by the looks of it.

[jack]

Well that's a date slip. They had been saying 3Q or 4Q 2010.

Makes sense though ... FUMCO's new site won't be ready until 4Q 2010 or 1Q 2011 by the looks of it.

I do not think that is the issue. Neither the round building or FUMCO's building was to be demolished in phase 1a, unless that has changed.

[John Hargrove]

I do not think that is the issue. Neither the round building or FUMCO's building was to be demolished in phase 1a, unless that has changed.

Ah, that's true. No idea then.

[DeepEyez]

Hotel-tax collections up again

Orange County logged its third double-digit percentage increase in hotel-tax collections this year, wrapping up the summer with a significant improvement compared with 2009.

The county's tourist-development tax generated $11.1 million during August, a 16.1 percent increase compared with the same month a year ago, county Comptroller Martha Haynie said.

http://ht.ly/2OHBh

Edited October 5, 2010 by DeepEyez

[prahaboheme]

This is a confusing article -- are we to assume that construction will hold until the tourism tax revenue can increase over its threshold? That isn't going to happen in early 2011.

[spenser1058]

This is a confusing article -- are we to assume that construction will hold until the tourism tax revenue can increase over its threshold? That isn't going to happen in early 2011.

I could be very wrong about this because it's very hard to keep all the piles of cash straight, but last I heard, they were going to break ground in January using DPAC-raised money, not from the tourist tax. If true, it wouldn't affect the start date. Of course, the date has been pushed back several times anyway so I'm not holding my breath.

[DeepEyez]

An article to look out for next week......

Amway Center up and running, two venues to go

Performing arts center asks for subcontractor bids

Read more: Amway Center up and running, two venues to go - Orlando Business Journal

Edited October 8, 2010 by DeepEyez

[DeepEyez]

After reading this article, I hope that DPAC (and possibly Creative Village) inspires something like this to develop in Downtown Orlando in the future......

Downtown Miami a center of attraction with new hotels

British newlyweds Gemma and Philip Howard stepped onto the sidewalk outside their hotel one recent night and prepared to explore new territory: downtown Miami. The couple stayed in South Beach on their previous visit but booked a room at the riverfront Epic Hotel for a few days before heading out on a Caribbean cruise. ``It's very city-like, isn't it?'' Gemma said. ``Completely different from South Beach.'' Downtown Miami hoteliers and tourism boosters are hoping more visitors like the Howards seek out stays in the urban corridor as its latest high-rise hotel, the JW Marriott Marquis, opens Friday across the street from the Epic at the intersection of Southeast Third Avenue near Biscayne Boulevard, just north of the Miami River.

Read more:Downtown Miami development

Edited October 23, 2010 by DeepEyez

[tc01]

Stuff like this makes me mad, if it is a recession how come Miami is doing so good? It seem like developers that come here can't get crap off the ground.

[John Hargrove]

Stuff like this makes me mad, if it is a recession how come Miami is doing so good? It seem like developers that come here can't get crap off the ground.

I suspect Miami would be doing a lot better if not for the recession. The number of projects sitting in the proposed phase in Miami is probably staggering compared to the number here.

It's just scale. Some projects make it through, some don't. We get the best arena in the NBA, they get a new hotel.

Just how it goes.

Plus, I think downtown Miami has reached that critical mass: where downtown can grow simply on its own growth. Orlando is still trying to consolidate a core. It's not self-sustaining yet.

[bic]

I wouldn't get jealous so quickly. I live in South Beach and only go out to downtown Miami maybe once every 2-3 months. It's certainly doing better than it was but it's still no destination and the central business district can feel kinda shady. Brickell is doing better but I'd actually say that downtown Orlando has a more vibrant lightlife scene than downtown Miami. Eateries are a different story, however, as there are for more residents and office workers in the Brickell/CBD of Miami versus downtown Orlando.

[prahaboheme]

bic has construction in downtown Miami halted or is there still significant growth according? How about restaurant/retail? Are they seeing small business development similar to Church Street?

I'm curious to see if Orlando is, in a sense, catching up to what others are already experiencing, or if the Church Street/Pine Street boom is indeed unique and a result of having Amway Center construction during the recession.

[bic]

bic has construction in downtown Miami halted or is there still significant growth according? How about restaurant/retail? Are they seeing small business development similar to Church Street?

I'm curious to see if Orlando is, in a sense, catching up to what others are already experiencing, or if the Church Street/Pine Street boom is indeed unique and a result of having Amway Center construction during the recession.

As far as I can tell, there hasn't been any significant construction in downtown Miami/Brickell for a while. It's been about a year since I've seen a tower crane over there. It's quite a different scene than it was 4 years ago:

Nowadays it's not so much about building upward as it about building-out. Finally all of these new ground-floor retail spaces are being filled in with new restaurants and bars, kind of like what's going on in Orlando. That said, a couple of the largest construction projects in the state are underway near the CBD-- the new Marlins stadium on the former site of the Orange Bowl is taking shape and road crews have begun prepping 395 for the billion-dollar Port Tunnel. Oddly, it seems like unless they drive by these sites regularly, most people around here aren't even aware of these projects...unlike in Orlando where they'd probably the leading news story every other day.

[DeepEyez]

As far as I can tell, there hasn't been any significant construction in downtown Miami/Brickell for a while. It's been about a year since I've seen a tower crane over there. It's quite a different scene than it was 4 years ago:

Nowadays it's not so much about building upward as it about building-out. Finally all of these new ground-floor retail spaces are being filled in with new restaurants and bars, kind of like what's going on in Orlando. That said, a couple of the largest construction projects in the state are underway near the CBD-- the new Marlins stadium on the former site of the Orange Bowl is taking shape and road crews have begun prepping 395 for the billion-dollar Port Tunnel. Oddly, it seems like unless they drive by these sites regularly, most people around here aren't even aware of these projects...unlike in Orlando where they'd probably the leading news story every other day.

From the looks of it in this picture, I think I see 17 cranes (at least from this angle). I hope somewhere mid-decade, Orlando's downtown skyline has at least half of the amount (being that downtown Orlando is that big in terms of real estate).

But when I think of the plans for DPAC, I can't help but imagine that, at least in the area surrounding City Hall, the development of the center will encourage a critical mass and move north towards the Wachovia building (future Wells Fargo building) in Uptown. I think I remember seeing the Sevens Orlando project still on the board in the 3rd Quarter report from the DDB.

DPAC is good news for downtown Orlando. With SunRail on the horizon, I can see things coming together nicely.......

[prahaboheme]

Orlando's unfortunate situation is that there are no natural boundaries prohibiting outward growth and since there is also no established development boundary, it doesn't seem like that'll change in the future. I really cannot think of a major city that is not on a major body of water (alright one, Madrid, but Madrid has a peculiar history). I do think with SunRail up and running, and the principles of new urbanism becoming a forlorn expectation in development going forward, that Orlando will build up in a polycentric manner (like LA).

[DeepEyez]

I read an interesting New York Times article the other day concerning the New Jersey Performing Arts Center which had me thinking about DPAC, in it the director said something that stuck out to me (highlighted below)..... I hope Kathy Ramsberger, head of DPAC, is taking note.

New Jersey Arts Center Sets Real Estate Venture

Performing arts centers typically present performances, not develop real estate.

But the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark is stepping up its involvement in real estate by putting its founding president and chief executive, Lawrence P. Goldman, at the helm of its newly created NJPAC Development Corporation, the center announced on Friday.

“The arts centers that are going to be successful in the next decade or two are the ones that diversify their revenues,” Mr. Goldman said in an interview. “The basic economic model of presentations, tickets sales and fund-raising is beginning to break down.”

There's more.....

Edited October 24, 2010 by DeepEyez

[spenser1058]

As far as I can tell, there hasn't been any significant construction in downtown Miami/Brickell for a while. It's been about a year since I've seen a tower crane over there. It's quite a different scene than it was 4 years ago:

Nowadays it's not so much about building upward as it about building-out. Finally all of these new ground-floor retail spaces are being filled in with new restaurants and bars, kind of like what's going on in Orlando. That said, a couple of the largest construction projects in the state are underway near the CBD-- the new Marlins stadium on the former site of the Orange Bowl is taking shape and road crews have begun prepping 395 for the billion-dollar Port Tunnel. Oddly, it seems like unless they drive by these sites regularly, most people around here aren't even aware of these projects...unlike in Orlando where they'd probably the leading news story every other day.

While doing some research on the remaining downtown department stores, I found this link to a story about negotiations between Miami and Macy's about keeping the downtown store open. It's interesting to see what requirements Macy's was looking for to keep the store open. bic, any idea how things have progressed with that as this story is about 18 months old? It might be interesting for Orlando.

http://www.brandlandusa.com/2009/03/26/macys-wants-guarantees-to-keep-former-burdines-open/

Also, this link is an interesting list (a little dated as well) of remaining department stores. It's interesting that chains like Macy's and Sears are keeping downtown stores open in cities large and small, as well as some more regional chains going in to the smaller cities.

http://www.brandlandusa.com/2008/12/07/the-christmas-list-of-surviving-us-downtown-department-stores/

[bic]

bic, any idea how things have progressed with that as this story is about 18 months old? It might be interesting for Orlando.

http://www.brandlandusa.com/2009/03/26/macys-wants-guarantees-to-keep-former-burdines-open/

I'm actually more tuned into what's happening in Orlando than in Miami (there's just too much going here to keep track of it all), so I'm out of the loop on this one. Haven't heard anything about it.

[prahaboheme]

I read an interesting New York Times article the other day concerning the New Jersey Performing Arts Center which had me thinking about DPAC, in it the director said something that stuck out to me (highlighted below)..... I hope Kathy Ramsberger, head of DPAC, is taking note.

New Jersey Arts Center Sets Real Estate Venture

Performing arts centers typically present performances, not develop real estate.

But the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark is stepping up its involvement in real estate by putting its founding president and chief executive, Lawrence P. Goldman, at the helm of its newly created NJPAC Development Corporation, the center announced on Friday.

“The arts centers that are going to be successful in the next decade or two are the ones that diversify their revenues,” Mr. Goldman said in an interview. “The basic economic model of presentations, tickets sales and fund-raising is beginning to break down.”

There's more.....

I assume this means fundraising to maintain the arts center and not fundraising/donations to build it, as Orlando has received over $100 million in donations to build DPAC -- proof that Orlando does have a largely untapped philanthropic base, and one that is interested in advancing this city culturally. What a like about the DPAC proposal is that the Orange Ave parcel is a mixed-use plaza with hotel/retail, etc. This is exactly the type of mixed use planning that has brought quick success to Amway.

[mrh3]

Orlando's unfortunate situation is that there are no natural boundaries prohibiting outward growth and since there is also no established development boundary, it doesn't seem like that'll change in the future. I really cannot think of a major city that is not on a major body of water (alright one, Madrid, but Madrid has a peculiar history). I do think with SunRail up and running, and the principles of new urbanism becoming a forlorn expectation in development going forward, that Orlando will build up in a polycentric manner (like LA).

Dallas, Houston, Phoenix, Atlanta, Denver to name a few domestically all of which are polycentric. It's something that we'll just have to accept and build around in the future. I'm sure that the traditional tenants of law offices, consultting and real estate firms as well as gov't offices will remain in the core, but private industry will most likely continue to be located on the periphery.

[prahaboheme]

^None of those cities are polycentric.

Edit: Atlanta and Dallas are well on their ways to being polycentric.

Edited October 25, 2010 by prahaboheme

[mrh3]

^None of those cities are polycentric.

Edit: Atlanta and Dallas are well on their ways to being polycentric.

This is totally the wrong thread for this, but if you look at distribution of office space in Houston for example you have the Galleria/West Loop, Westchase, the Woodlands, and then the CBD core. Denver has it's CBD, Denver Tech, and it's exurbs. Phoenix has it's CBD, Uptown, Camelback Corridor and the East Valley cities of Tempe, Mesa and and Apache Junction. The West Valley has a growing office/mixed use component where UoP Stadium is located in Glendale.