Uptown

[orlandoguy]

It's a sad day for fans of the Virgin Olive Market. What a loss for this neighborhood!

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/entertainment/blogs/the-dish/os-virgin-olive-market-orlando-closing-friday-2014042,0,4582063.post

[tennis32801]

Any reason why it is closing? With more apartments being currently built, I would suspect that they would hang around to take advantage.

[orlandoguy]

Scott Joseph appears to be the only reporter who actually spoke to the owners.  Apparently it was tough to bounce back from the downturn in the economy and with their lease expiring I guess they didn't think they could hang on another 5 years.  I suspect that if some of the residential projects in Uptown had been built when they were first announced it'd be a different story.

 

Also, you may or may not recall VOM opened (and closed) two non-traditional locations in an attempt to expand:  one in the lobby of the HD Supply building in Parramore (similar to how Nature's Table occupies small café spaces in many office buildings) and the other inside Urban ReThink.  The cash outlay for those two ventures was probably a drain.

 

Hopefully the owners will take on another restaurant venture sometime in the future.  For such a small, inexpensive little café the menu was incredibly creative and I never had a bad meal there.  The chef's creations for the daily specials were always particularly creative.  They really excelled at creating a neat, comfy vibe for a neighborhood café, something Uptown needs.

 

http://www.scottjosephorlando.com/index.php/news/2494-virgin-olive-market-closing

[tm68]

^^ completely agree with you orlandoguy ^^

 

Hopefully the owners will take on another restaurant venture sometime in the future.  For such a small, inexpensive little café the menu was incredibly creative and I never had a bad meal there.  The chef's creations for the daily specials were always particularly creative.  They really excelled at creating a neat, comfy vibe for a neighborhood café, something Uptown needs.

[jrs2]

it's too bad.  a lot of eateries opened up at bad times.  even the place at Harry buffalo prior to it-- they opened up thinking they would take advantage of game day crowds- but that was before Amway opened up... at least a year before.

[jrs2]

I'll tell ya... when 777 breaks ground, this part of town will make it to the next level of density.  Once NORA opens, that will be a good connecting catalyst for the northern stretch of properties there.  But 777 will really bring the density close to SR 50 along with Steelhouse and the new Residence Inn next to Camden.

[Jernigan]

Anytime your ready to go Orlando Sentinel...just say the word

[jrs2]

^^

I drove by there yesterday and for the first time really paid attention to just how much street frontage that property takes up; it is quite a lot.

[Jernigan]

Would be great for N Orange to become a 2 way road so we could have 2 way bus service. LYMMO lanes would be better

[alex]

Anytime your ready to go Orlando Sentinel...just say the word

 

For Uptown to become a real urban environment, and to bridge the gap to Downtown, revamping the Orlando Sentinel site is essential. Splitting those two big blocks into eight smaller ones would be the first step.  That way, the blocks would be walkable and create an environment more like Downtown.  If that middle north-south street between Orange and Magnolia could be fully pedestrian, it would our best shot for getting some good retail downtown. 

[FLClarkKent]

For Uptown to become a real urban environment, and to bridge the gap to Downtown, revamping the Orlando Sentinel site is essential. Splitting those two big blocks into eight smaller ones would be the first step.  That way, the blocks would be walkable and create an environment more like Downtown.  If that middle north-south street between Orange and Magnolia could be fully pedestrian, it would our best shot for getting some good retail downtown. 

 

What are the chances of the Sentinel developing their property?

[Jernigan]

I have a feeling they are just holding out. They know as much as anyone about the city's growth.

I wonder how much they currently use with so much going digital and the layoffs

[uncreativeusername]

I'm actually fine with them holding out.  This is such an incredible amount of space in an amazing location, and my feeling is that the later it gets redeveloped, the more the city will continued to have grown , and the more impressive the ultimate redevelopment will be.  

[sunshine]

Or the entire lot can be Orlando Worldcenter, city better start marketing Orlando to South America

 

[gibby]

For Uptown to become a real urban environment, and to bridge the gap to Downtown, revamping the Orlando Sentinel site is essential. Splitting those two big blocks into eight smaller ones would be the first step.  That way, the blocks would be walkable and create an environment more like Downtown.  If that middle north-south street between Orange and Magnolia could be fully pedestrian, it would our best shot for getting some good retail downtown. 

Wow, I had done a sketch similar to that one years ago just playing around.  I agree with you 100%.

[nite owℓ]

They would have to do something about soil contamination before any development can happen on the Orlando Sentinel site. I'm sure it would be even more extensive if compared to the the cleanup @ the land where the Amway Center sits. It's interesting how many properties downtown still harbor toxic chemicals from previous use...

[codypet]

The southernmost parcels where the old Classifieds building/AMEC and old Channel 13 shouldn't be contaminated should it?   I'd think that block should be relatively easy to redevelop.

[tennis32801]

If its just soil contamination, remediation should be less expensive. I believe groundwater is also impacted though, and that's more complicated. But having said that, if groundwater contamination is stable and met other criteria, institutional controls (ie. certain land usage restrictions or covenants) can be implemented. Environmental regulators, per the Governors direction to promote economic developments, have been more flexible with allowing property owners to implement less expensive institutional controls rather than completing cleaning up contamination.

[jrs2]

Or the entire lot can be Orlando Worldcenter, city better start marketing Orlando to South America

 

Very good point.  And we have newer direct flights down into South American countries the past few years.  It seems all the area cares about is tourism.  Miami has taken it many steps further though.  I hear a lot of the $$$ going into their new condo projects (imagine that) are from south american millionaires etc.  

[jack]

All of the $$$ is from South American millionaires. 

[jrs2]

All of the $$$ is from South American millionaires. 

you see.  I mean, our leaders need to do a better job of marketing to South America.  I mean, we have a ton of Brazilian tourists every year; its not like they don't know Orlando exists.

 

I'm thinking the more development that comes downtown with the densification of uptown and Eola South, it will make the neighborhoods more desireable to live and as an investment (hence the Miami effect).

[slapdash09]

Just updating those who haven't heard: Soon to be occuping the old VOM spot at 801 N. Orange Ave. is Green Day Cafe, its second location in Central Florida (or third if you count the old Taco Bell on Lee Rd. from which it moved to its current Winter Park locale.)

[HankStrong]

I felt like a dirty hippy in the process, but I ate there and the food was pretty good.  A tad expensive for what I got, but I guess you pay for the HOODOO VOODOO you get with the "green" lifestyle food.

[Jernigan]

Didn't realize they moved to Winter Park - or i guess I didn't realize that that part of Lee Road (old Quiznos where they are now) wasn't Maitland. They briefly had a location open inside Fashion Square.

Their food is great though in Maitland it didn't have as much competition as it will downtown.

[nite owℓ]

I felt like a dirty hippy in the process, but I ate there and the food was pretty good.  A tad expensive for what I got, but I guess you pay for the HOODOO VOODOO you get with the "green" lifestyle food.

 

Seriously? Green Day cafe isn't even that hardcore. Yes, they serve actual spring mix vs iceberg lettuce with no nutritional value, and yes they are eco friendly. But is it that stuff really that foreign to you? Do you feel like a "dirty hippy" when you eat at Chipotle too?

 

I don't understand why eating semi "healthy" unprocessed foods and trying to deal with the consequences of consumption is considered such a novelty.