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Skyplex | Observation Tower/'Polercoaster' [Proposed]

bic

By bic
in Orlando

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  • 2 months later...
jrs2 Metropolis

jrs2

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^^

originally, The Eye was supposed to have two hotel buildings along its back side along Universal Blvd.  Now, there's just surface parking, about the neatest thing you can look at from atop an observation tower.

 

someone else on these boards said it perfectly when they wrote:  wow, a parking garage to compliment all of the surface parking (which is still there).  Pointe Orlando had the right idea.  I-Drive 360 needs to start losing all of the surface parking- and the first thing to begin that transformation is supposed to be that 450' tall spinning tower ala Magical Midway's ride on steroids.

 

Also, does I-Drive 360 not have leases on the SW outparcels yet?  I thought they had all of the vendors penciled in before they broke ground.  Now, that entire area is just a grass field and the NW outparcels are still being developed.

 

So, back to Skyplex- Maybe Wallack will do it right from the onset (money permitting).

 

I-Drive 360 update:  Ben & Jerry's opened on Saturday.  Huge.  So many people hang out at the park there now they can get snack food.  To Unicorp's defense, there are perhaps a half dozen other retailers/eateries currently building out their spaces in the other buildings at I-Drive 360.  It's just that that big empty field doesn't look that great.

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Ocityst Whistle-Stop

Ocityst

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I want to do the drop and the roller coaster, but I'm still desperately trying to figure out what people are going to look at on the Eye.  What is the draw?

 

I've been on the London Eye.  I get the draw there.  I don't get this.

 

Disney, Universal, Lots of lakes, Downtown Orlando, The Space Coast on a clear day. The views are quite awesome, check it out.

 

My question is, how can Downtown take advantage of all the new eye balls that will be discovering life beyond the Tourist corridor? Downtown feels very close from that height, and a real beauty of a iconic structure could help to draw the tourists to the city core. I hope that city planners are thinking about capitalizing on this opportunity. 

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Alleri459 Whistle-Stop

Alleri459

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I want to do the drop and the roller coaster, but I'm still desperately trying to figure out what people are going to look at on the Eye.  What is the draw?

 

I've been on the London Eye.  I get the draw there.  I don't get this.

 

 

Disney, Universal, Lots of lakes, Downtown Orlando, The Space Coast on a clear day. The views are quite awesome, check it out.

 

My question is, how can Downtown take advantage of all the new eye balls that will be discovering life beyond the Tourist corridor? Downtown feels very close from that height, and a real beauty of a iconic structure could help to draw the tourists to the city core. I hope that city planners are thinking about capitalizing on this opportunity. 

 

I went on a night ride of the wheel Monday, and I was impressed. When you are up there you get a sense of how large the Orlando Metro is. You see about three sets of skylines, (Lake Buena Vista Hotels/Disney, International drive/Universal, and Downtown Orlando). The video in the beginning was a little unnecessary, not going to lie, but you notice the developers wanting guests to know and experience more outside the Tourist Corridor. It was very nice to see. 

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  • 2 years later...
orange87 Burg

orange87

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Just how tall is this going to be? I saw 560-570 feet and I also saw 700 feet. Are they saying the roller coaster is going to be 560-570 feet in the air but the actual height of the top of the tower is 700 feet? Could somebody clarify please?

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WAJAS Hamlet

WAJAS

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On 6/26/2017 at 9:06 PM, orange87 said:

Just how tall is this going to be? I saw 560-570 feet and I also saw 700 feet. Are they saying the roller coaster is going to be 560-570 feet in the air but the actual height of the top of the tower is 700 feet? Could somebody clarify please?

What you said is the jist of what is happening, although I don't know exact numbers.

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jrs2 Metropolis

jrs2

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26 minutes ago, orange87 said:

I don't know why more people aren't excited about this. This will be the tallest structure in Orlando if it ever gets built.

I'm extremely excited about this.  Excited, but guarded, I should say.  For the longest time, I thought this project was dead.  Why?  Because they hadn't even started the Hollywood Plaza.  Now that they are preparing to do interior build-out at the Hollywood Plaza and finishings on the building, I think that we're going to be getting closer to the sweet spot time period which reveals just what is going to get built and...when, with Skyplex.  Now, we'll start seeing...something...

Beyond that, I think for the most part that tall structures that are outside of downtown don't get a lot of fanfare on these boards.

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orange87 Burg

orange87

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1 minute ago, jrs2 said:

I'm extremely excited about this.  Excited, but guarded, I should say.  For the longest time, I thought this project was dead.  Why?  Because they hadn't even started the Hollywood Plaza.  Now that they are preparing to do interior build-out at the Hollywood Plaza and finishings on the building, I think that we're going to be getting closer to the sweet spot time period which reveals just what is going to get built and...when, with Skyplex.  Now, we'll start seeing...something...

Beyond that, I think for the most part that tall structures that are outside of downtown don't get a lot of fanfare on these boards.

I agree with you on two points. One, the uncertainty of if this is actually going to be built. And the fact that this won't be built downtown (if it does indeed get built).

I don't know why, but I have a feeling that this is going to be built. Also, while this isn't going to be built downtown (which sucks), maybe it will motivate some rich guy with an ego to build a taller tower in downtown. Even if it's not as tall as the Skyplex, maybe it will be taller than the current tallest 441 feet. You never know. lol

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klstorey Whistle-Stop

klstorey

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2 hours ago, AndyPok1 said:

Yeah.  It's not in an urban environment.  Full stop.  (Although the theme park/roller coaster fan in me is super excited, but that's for a different forum.)

Oh, I complete disagree. The I-Drive area is becoming a major urban dense area with multiple tall buildings. It's really becoming a great mixed use district with numerous new apartment complexes, office buildings, and retail. The way P&Z is treating the Universal redo of the WnW property shows that. Much of the same comments as they have when reviewing downtown projects. Urban parks, pedestrian interest, blocking garages, etc. Our view of this area as strictly a tourist focused suburban district is dated by even the reality on the ground today in that area IMO. 

Regarding Skyplex. I haven't spoken to Wallack in a few weeks but last time we met he said it should break ground this winter (I would say just after the Christmas rush at Mango's but that's just me guessing). Part of the delay seems to be funding due to various international programs that are now in flux due to the change in D.C. (that's all I say regarding politics). The funding still is there but certain groups are shifting around for best I can tell. 

Also, the hotel is now no longer on the top of the garage. It was going to cost millions to place it due to ground issues. 

SkyPlex will be roughly 600 ft tall including the multi-story observation level that will feature a restaurant/club. 

One other interesting note is Wallack said that there will be security at the entrances, all areas inside Skyplex will be secure with metal detectors at the doors. He's really focused on safety which is good for that area.

Off topic but of interest here, the StarFlyer in front of King's Bowl is now under construction. It will be a bit taller than the Orlando Eye. The old taxi stand that stood in that area just got demo'd this week. Between the Eye, StarFlyer, and soon Skyplex that area will really shine. It'll be great once I-4 is finished because it seems like parts of I-4 will be higher than they are now which means visibility of I-Drive from a distance may be greater, especially in the downtown area. 

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jrs2 Metropolis

jrs2

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^^

Yeah, I-Drive is urbanized to a point, but I would really like to see some of these two story hotels razed in favor of tall towers.  UNIQ Hotel at Avanti Resort is a step in this direction, but there has been no movement with that project.  Same with I-Square Mall/ Solis Hotel.  I thought the new McD's was supposed to have a parking deck...no parking deck.  The second Megastrom office building is already up, behind where I-Square is supposed to go.

Also, the Wyndham is supposed to raze one or two of it's low rise buildings in favor of some new high rise bed towers.  And the I-shops plaza with Chuy's was also supposed to have a parking deck back in there; maybe in a future phase.

Funding.  Both I-Square and Skyplex suffer from this.  At least I-Drive 360 is steadily adding more restaurants and attractions to it's complex.  They also need to raze one of the surface lots fronting Universal and build a hotel there like their plans show.

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tc01 Whistle-Stop

tc01

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Yes I really like the direction I-Drive is heading in. As far as downtown, I feel like planners should do a better job in luring in developers into downtown. Or have smart growth principles and laws in place. Also, increase the height limit for downtown.

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jack Burg

jack

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I-Drive to urbanization is like Lake Eola to a beach. Similar elements but not the same. I personally don't care about height so this does not get my attention. I care more about how an area feels when I walk around. 

 

On top of that, I never go to I-Drive.  Too far for me and I hate the traffic (I live near SoDo).  

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dcluley98 Town

dcluley98

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2 hours ago, jack said:

I personally don't care about height so this does not get my attention. I care more about how an area feels when I walk around. 

I completely agree with you on designing to human scale and curbside appeal.

However, I believe just lifting the height restrictions could kickstart development. It would allow developers more flexibility in density and site selection to make the numbers work and easier achieve funding.

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Dale City

Dale

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" Part of the delay seems to be funding due to various international programs that are now in flux due to the change in D.C. (that's all I say regarding politics). The funding still is there but certain groups are shifting around for best I can tell."

I want to believe. But this doesn't give me a lot of comfort. Developers should be quite beyond this administration change.

 

 

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