The Plaza

[Tim3167]

Very, very cool perspective.

The other thing I notice is what a big prime piece of real estate the current orange county admin building sits on. You'd think that insteead of being part of the Performing Arts center scenario, they could pull a land swap/development deal to build a new facility.

[bic]

bic, can you re-estimate based on the current progress?

I think there might be a couple of forumers here who could give you much better estimates than I could. <cough>orlandonative<cough>

[RedStar25]

Very, very cool perspective.

The other thing I notice is what a big prime piece of real estate the current orange county admin building sits on. You'd think that insteead of being part of the Performing Arts center scenario, they could pull a land swap/development deal to build a new facility.

You mean the Records building at South and Rosland?

[EngineerNole]

Is all part of the 'topping out' ceremony/ritual. It has nothing to do with Christmas; it is just coincidence that it now happens to be Christmas time.

Tradition has it that whenever the frame of a large scale project has reached its maximum height [not including antennae, etc.] the iron/steel/concrete workers will place a small evergreen tree [sometimes referred to as a Christmas tree] on the last piece of the structure to go into place, symbolizing the completion of the first major milestone in the project's construction.

Thanks Camillo. I learn somthing new everyday.

[bluewingzz]

Edited January 2, 2006 by bluewingzz

[prahaboheme]

That will be a hot view when TT, 55W and the PAC fill in the holes.

[UPSDAN]

After looking at these pictures I'd love to see a proposal like 205 E. Central put in where the former H&R Block glass building (with the ? sign) is across from the History park....It would really fit in good there...I remember hearing a while back the guy who bought that lot had long term goals of putting a condo tower in there...

[orlandonative]

South tower tops off in February. Solaire tops off in March.

[sunshine]

Are we ahead of the schedule for opening?

[orlandonative]

No.

[prahaboheme]

Solaire in March? That seems really fast. Is the North tower already topped off?

[Tim3167]

Looks to be topped out

[RedStar25]

Looks to be topped out

What makes you say that?

[bic]

I snapped this shot of The Plaza today while I was stuck in traffic on I-4.

[bic]

What makes you say that?

I wasn't actually sure about the North Tower being topped off until I looked carefully at the picture that I took from I-4. You can see that some of the support columns on the top floor don't match up with those below because they are continuing the curvature of the building a bit further to create the building's crown as seen in the rendering below:

Furthermore, if you count the number of floors in Tim's picture, you should now come up with 16--the final floor count--if you count the extra high theatre level as two floors (which probably contains two levels of garage parking).

[bic]

For the really impatient, I took the picture I posted above and photoshopped 5 more floors of construction to it to show what it will look like when the building gets topped off this quarter.

[F-L-A]

Now do Solaire. Actually, it might not even be very visible from that angle. Should've been taller.

[orlandonative]

The theater, despite the higher ceilings, is one floor count. As far as the curvature for the top floor: thats actually the penthouse (final floor). The crown then gets directly attached to the penthouse roof.

[RedStar25]

coolio

[JRS1]

Ha! Tim. that is so weird. I saw you take that snapshot above the other day of Plaza North Tower at Pine & Orange when I was at the light at Pine and Orange heading east. I knew it must have been a UP forumer. You were in a white long sleeve shirt and dress slacks. Am I right or am I right?

[pomegranate]

I took this the other morning just before they took the Christmas star down. I couldn't help but think how different this view will be one year from now....

Edited January 12, 2006 by pomegranate

[pomegranate]

Another perspective -- taken this afternoon.

Edited January 12, 2006 by pomegranate

[Go Gators]

Will 55W end up blocking the view of Solaire/Plaza from I-4? I should probably know that but...

[bic]

Yes.

[simms3]

I was actually down in Orlando for new year's and got my first glimpse of the Plaza and how massive it is since it was only a few floors last time I saw it. Now that I have seen Kuhn's power and effort and work that will do miracles, I can only be extremely excited for what he will do and is already doing for jacksonville.

BTW, I did not realize that the Church Street Station was that brick building being torn down for 55 West, can anyone explain that situation to me so I am no longer confused as to why some condo building is destroying the one entertainment venue in downtown o-town that I have heard and seems to draw crowds (or did)?