College Park

[dwSouthEola]

On 11/28/2018 at 10:32 PM, AndyPok1 said:

@dwSouthEola you're a good test case.  What direction do you tend to go for "chains"... Colonialtown or SoDo?

As far as Target goes, South Eola is perfectly situated that E. Colonial and SoDo are both 2.5mi away, it simply depends on which one has what we want in stock.. we go to both equally taking Summerlin down to avoid S. Orange & Robinson to avoid Colonial. The HD are both hit or miss, E. Colonial is closer but Lee Rd sometimes has better stuff.  Somehow Orlando (the land of chain restaurants) has left downtown without an Uno's, TGiF or Friendly Confines.. places we like to visit either out of town or in surrounding areas.

Tbh after moving back to FL/the South Eola neighborhood we didn't even own a car for 6mo bc it's the most walkable neighborhood in Orlando. Love that we only need 7min to walk to Publix,  we have awesome restaurants here, bars, etc.  Who needs a chain ??

[bqknight]

8 hours ago, dwSouthEola said:

As far as Target goes, South Eola is perfectly situated that E. Colonial and SoDo are both 2.5mi away, it simply depends on which one has what we want in stock.. we go to both equally taking Summerlin down to avoid S. Orange & Robinson to avoid Colonial. The HD are both hit or miss, E. Colonial is closer but Lee Rd sometimes has better stuff.  Somehow Orlando (the land of chain restaurants) has left downtown without an Uno's, TGiF or Friendly Confines.. places we like to visit either out of town or in surrounding areas.

Tbh after moving back to FL/the South Eola neighborhood we didn't even own a car for 6mo bc it's the most walkable neighborhood in Orlando. Love that we only need 7min to walk to Publix,  we have awesome restaurants here, bars, etc.  Who needs a chain ??

I live in South Eola - and like dw said, it depends on what else I'm doing. I'd typically choose SoDo over Colonial if both sides had the store I need. No idea why - they're equally as close and TBH - the Colonial one's would be easier to get to (just go down Robinson). Orange Ave (South) - especially during the day is a nightmare to drive on. 

I will always choose the SoDo Target due to it being a Super Target. Everything else is fair game. 

[Jernigan]

22 hours ago, bqknight said:

Orange Ave (South) - especially during the day is a nightmare to drive on. 

I will always choose the SoDo Target due to it being a Super Target. Everything else is fair game. 

Try Summerlin until it ends (Harding) then Harding to Delaney make a left and then a right on Grant.    

[spenser1058]

New homes proposed in College Park:

https://bungalower.com/2019/01/16/new-homes-replacing-college-park-day-care-center/

From Bungalower 

[spenser1058]

The College Park Farmers’ Market is no more:

https://bungalower.com/2019/01/27/college-park-farmers-market-calls-it-quits/

From Bungalower 

[spenser1058]

Is this a job for Super Arbor Man? Fire up the Bloom Signal!

https://bungalower.com/2019/04/14/city-hall-to-remove-over-20-trees-along-edgewater-drive/

From Bungalower 

[JFW657]

Meh.

Article says they're mostly old palm trees growing along the sidewalk.

Arbor Man doesn't don his cape for tatty old palm trees.

Arbor Man is more of an oak tree guy.

Maybe the occasional elm.

[spenser1058]

3 minutes ago, JFW657 said:

Meh.

Article says they're mostly old palm trees growing along the sidewalk.

Arbor Man doesn't don his cape for tatty old palm trees.

Arbor Man is more of an oak tree guy.

Maybe the occasional elm.

I agree about the palm trees. I guess I just hate they’re giving up on greening it up at all and just paving it over with concrete.

God knows it’s so pleasant to walk down Edgewater Drive when it’s 90 degrees 8 months a year.

 

[JFW657]

Yeah, downtown College Park is quaint and all, but kinda concrete and barren looking.

Don't see why they don't replace those palms with Drake elms like the ones they replaced the old palm trees with on Orange Ave in DTO.

Maybe they feel the sidewalks are too narrow.

Otoh, looking on GSV, I see there are already some small oak type trees interspersed with the old palms, so maybe those will eventually grow into shade providers.

Or maybe they'll widen the sidewalks someday and plant new trees.

Arbor Man is getting a headache. 

[Jernigan]

Taken downtown...

[sethM]

They're getting desperate to rent those things out. They have 125 units listed on Zillow, I think they have 150 or so? Doesn't help that their website is up there on my list of worst websites I've ever seen as far as functionality goes. 

They may get desperate enough that they even think about lowering prices. Cheapest 2 bedroom is $2.1k, seems a bit absurd especially considering the place isn't going to be soundproof at all. 

Edited May 17, 2019 by sethM

[spenser1058]

Scott J tells us the Tap Room At Dubsdread has signed a 20-year extension of their lease with the City. 

Given how fast some of the restaurants around Eola blow through, this is kind of amazing. Of course, the Tap Room has been one of my favorites for years.

If they hang in there, maybe one day they’ll outlast La Cantina!

https://www.scottjosephorlando.com/news/4851-bullet-point-buffet-20-more-years-on-tap-for-tap-room

[Jernigan]

Maybe old news but CP is getting a Tin & Taco 

[opivys85]

20 hours ago, Jernigan said:

Maybe old news but CP is getting a Tin & Taco 

So excited about it. We just moved to CP and have really enjoyed the restaurant scene so far. The new Lebanese place, Jaber, was pretty solid.

[Jernigan]

Bishop Moore adding a 27000 sq ft athletic center.

[spenser1058]

1 minute ago, Jernigan said:

Bishop Moore adding a 27000 sq ft athletic center.

Go Hornets!

[spenser1058]

College Park’s beloved Publix, a replacement of an earlier more traditional wing-style store from the ‘60’s, has been declared one of the chain’s Top 5 unique designs. according to the St Pete Times:

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/os-bz-college-park-publix-among-top-5-most-unique-designs-20191001-s44t2acunne7ror6pnlqny25wa-story.html

From the Sentinel 

The 1960’s version also replaced an earlier store so the 2000 redo may be the fourth Publix on the site.

Interestingly, both it and the Colonialtown Publix were  built using the company’s smaller village format. At the request of College Parkers, the store was designed to emulate the grocery’s 1950’s model while Colonialtown was built in homage of the earlier 1940’s deco version (which may still be seen right around the corner at Colonial Photo and Hobby).

Edited October 1, 2019 by spenser1058

[codypet]

Oh my gosh I've been to that Colombia one when I was with my g/f at the time doing beerfest.  I had lived in NC for about a year and when I saw Publix I lost it and bought a sub.

[spenser1058]

The trend to tear down traditional homes in College Park and replace them with McMansions is accelerating, according to the Sentinel:

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/orange-county/os-ne-college-park-home-rebuilds-20191011-yvuxo24ewnetliatrqr2hyn43a-story.html

When this trend migrates to Colonialtown, it’ll be time to leave Orlando.

Edited October 11, 2019 by spenser1058

[spenser1058]

Very sad news - Bob Patterson, longtime manager of the College Park Sunoco, has died at 63.

It’s hard to find great businesses in Orlando run with the same kind of care and service that only seemed to exist in Mayberry but Bob sure did it at his service station (it still had full-service gas!)

His spirit led him to be named “Mr. College Park” and he’ll be missed.

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/os-bz-bob-patterson-sunoco-obituary-20191107-s5f6iwlu5ndglamy5xsp6zxh74-story.html

From the Sentinel 

[spenser1058]

Scott J checks out Bagel Bruno and educates us on the difference between a Montreal bagel and a New York one:

https://www.scottjosephorlando.com/reviews/51-american/5018-bagel-bruno

[AndyPok1]

On 10/10/2019 at 2:08 PM, spenser1058 said:

The trend to tear down traditional homes in College Park and replace them with McMansions is accelerating, according to the Sentinel:

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/orange-county/os-ne-college-park-home-rebuilds-20191011-yvuxo24ewnetliatrqr2hyn43a-story.html

When this trend migrates to Colonialtown, it’ll be time to leave Orlando.

Eh, by and large, its knocking down sub 1000 sqft distressed 2-1s.  I've seen minimal, decent quality 3-2s being demoed simply because you can flip them for cheap and resell.  The math just isn't there to buy livable properties that even in bad condition go for over 250k.

I may be biased because this is my long-term plan staying in SoDo as well.  I love my Shanty, but would really like to have 1800 sqft for entertaining, not 1300.  I've turned this 1950s house into something lovely and modern, but you can only do so much unless you start removing bedrooms.  And there's fewer and fewer lots available, so my only opportunity is going to involve buying something and demoing.  I ALWAYS wanted the lot on Grant/Center.  Then finally someone bought it, split it into 2 lots, and are building two big houses.  RIP my palatial estate with hot tub, lazy river, and a driveway from two different streets.

Edited December 17, 2019 by AndyPok1

[spenser1058]

Scott J joins John and Rita Lowndes (yep, of Lowndes, Drosdick, the law firm with the huge French Provincial office on Lake Eola) for dinner at the Dubsdread Tap Room.

As always, they do what they do well and dinner on the porch looking out to the golf course is still one of my favorite spots for dinner.

This is still the place to see Orlando’s post-Millennial establishment crowd at dinner.

https://www.scottjosephorlando.com/reviews/51-american/5034-tap-room-at-dubsdread-a-guest-review

[spenser1058]

Don’t tell Hank but Scott J is reporting that K’s Restaurant & Wine Bar is closing as the owner has cancer.

No word yet as to what comes next. Longtime previous owner Kevin Fonzo still has an interest so he could return.

https://www.scottjosephorlando.com/news/5053-k-restaurant-and-wine-bar-is-closing

 

[HankStrong]

Hey, I don't like people getting cancer.  That's rude.