Church Street Plaza | 28-Story Office/Hotel [Phase 1 Under Construction]

[JFW657]

4 minutes ago, IAmFloridaBorn said:

They saids 2022 2023 but I dont think Downtown Orlando necessarily needs the extra office space?  I could be wrong but if CNL gets off of the ground first....you're probably right.

I kinda hope I am because I don't think they really need to squeeze another high rise into that little corner of downtown. Plus I don't want to see The Cheyenne Saloon possibly get gutted.

[IAmFloridaBorn]

Just now, JFW657 said:

I kinda hope I am because I don't think they really need to squeeze another high rise into that little corner of downtown. Plus I don't want to see The Cheyenne Saloon possibly get gutted.

I have no attachments to church street station, but too many of our buildings are spread out now. More buildings near SuNRail stations , the better.

[prahaboheme]

53 minutes ago, IAmFloridaBorn said:

I have no attachments to church street station, but too many of our buildings are spread out now. More buildings near SuNRail stations , the better.

This part of Orlando is very walkable and doesn’t need help. It needs a city that cares about it. 

Edited June 27, 2018 by prahaboheme

[IAmFloridaBorn]

1 hour ago, prahaboheme said:

This part of Orlando is very walkable and doesn’t need help. It needs a city that cares about it. 

What more can be done with church street that stabilizes into something longer than a few years though?

[smileguy]

13 hours ago, IAmFloridaBorn said:

What more can be done with church street that stabilizes into something longer than a few years though?

I think developing the surface parking on the parcels along the rail line 2 and 3 and 4 blocks to the north are much more important to the area than replacing the Saloon building and block. 

[IAmFloridaBorn]

4 hours ago, smileguy said:

I think developing the surface parking on the parcels along the rail line 2 and 3 and 4 blocks to the north are much more important to the area than replacing the Saloon building and block. 

I agree about the surface parking developments. I'm more interested in what can realistically be done with church street station?

[JFW657]

23 minutes ago, IAmFloridaBorn said:

I agree about the surface parking developments. I'm more interested in what can realistically be done with church street station?

Certainly keep it dining/entertainment/retail.

Not much else to be done with it, but then, no need to either, I would think.

[IAmFloridaBorn]

6 minutes ago, JFW657 said:

Certainly keep it dining/entertainment/retail.

Not much else to be done with it, but then, no need to either, I would think.

I could possible be overthinking this lol but it seems as if that dining entertainment retail in the shape and fashion in which it is or has tried to be doesn't seem successful.
If you could put something thats more of a draw for people who don't normally come downtown then why not?
Not to mention it's all local eateries  and what not and just sometimes it'd be nice to have a chain option available.
I just hope Church Street is re-thought. Starting with Lincoln.

[JFW657]

27 minutes ago, IAmFloridaBorn said:

I could possible be overthinking this lol but it seems as if that dining entertainment retail in the shape and fashion in which it is or has tried to be doesn't seem successful.
If you could put something thats more of a draw for people who don't normally come downtown then why not?
Not to mention it's all local eateries  and what not and just sometimes it'd be nice to have a chain option available.
I just hope Church Street is re-thought. Starting with Lincoln.

Keep in mind, Bob Snow (tall guy on right in pic) opened Rosie O'Grady's and the rest of that side of Church Street in the mid 70's. The Cheyenne Saloon and the rest of the opposite side of Church Street opened in the mid 80's. The complex built major expansions in both directions and remained in business until sometime after 2000. 

I would call that reasonably successful. 

 

[IAmFloridaBorn]

5 minutes ago, JFW657 said:

Keep in mind, Bob Snow (tall guy on right in pic) opened Rosie O'Grady's and the rest of that side of Church Street in the mid 70's. The Cheyenne Saloon and the rest of the opposite side of Church Street opened in the mid 80's. The complex built major expansions in both directions and remained in business until sometime after 2000. 

I would call that reasonably successful. 

 

Well that's cool. I've only been around since 90. haha

[jgardnerucf]

Every major retailer was awesome downtown back in the day. It was just my Mom and grandparents for foot traffic. We had the whole place to ourselves! All the breadsticks you can eat at Olive Garden watching the tumble weeds beneath.

[prahaboheme]

It would be great to see Cheyenne Saloon com back as some sort of live music venue, perhaps for local and emerging artists.

[bqknight]

7 hours ago, prahaboheme said:

It would be great to see Cheyenne Saloon com back as some sort of live music venue, perhaps for local and emerging artists.

I could have sworn I remember hearing that there was a plan to do this. Guess it fell through...

[popsiclebrandon]

Its just such a massive building. Its 26k square feet in an area that doesn't draw enough traffic to support it. Only way I can think of making it work would be a first floor food hall concept with a boutique hotel but the cost would be so high that it would take someone a little crazy to try it.

They should have given Tin Roof free rent for like 3 years to lure them here instead of I-Drive.

[sunshine]

They should put a buffalo wild wings and Ale house (where you pay mediocre price expecting mediocre food) there...but then everything else will be forced to close their doors.

[jgardnerucf]

Bite30 on Monday night was fun in there.

[jrs2]

[opivys85]

5 hours ago, popsiclebrandon said:

Its just such a massive building. Its 26k square feet in an area that doesn't draw enough traffic to support it. Only way I can think of making it work would be a first floor food hall concept with a boutique hotel but the cost would be so high that it would take someone a little crazy to try it.

They should have given Tin Roof free rent for like 3 years to lure them here instead of I-Drive.

Some kind of food hall would be great. As someone moving to Orlando from New Orleans, the sheer amount of chain restaurants in the city is a little depressing. I will be living a few blocks from this building and would love some nice, unique places to eat/drink at.

[HankStrong]

20 minutes ago, opivys85 said:

Some kind of food hall would be great. As someone moving to Orlando from New Orleans, the sheer amount of chain restaurants in the city is a little depressing. I will be living a few blocks from this building and would love some nice, unique places to eat/drink at.

An unfortunate byproduct of a tourist mecca.  Having been to some excellent food halls around the world, I agree with you.  There are still some amazing places to eat in Orlando.  Don't be discouraged by what you see on the touristy surface.

• Near you is Magnolia Market, an extremely small, but good food hall. 
• About 10 minutes from you is East End Market on Corrine.  It's a tiny work in progress.
• Walking distance from East End Market on Monday nights from 5-9pm is the Audubon Park Community Market
• Multiple farmer's markets around town (Lake Eola, Winter Park, Waterford Lakes, etc)
• Some food truck events (although this fad seems to be waning a bit)

Stephanie Patterson is a local photographer and writer who puts a ton of stuff up on a local blog called https://www.orlandodatenightguide.com they have social media options, as well.  She's a really nice person and has an amazing grasp on things to do in Orlando.  Honestly, the blog has a really girly slant for my tastes most of the time, but I'm NEVER, EVER above flat stealing ideas from her.  They have other writers, but Stephanie is who I mainly steal from.

They post expensive, cheap, and even free things to do.  There are a lot of outdoor movie events in Orlando and we are only a short trip from many outdoorsy type things like hiking, tubing, snorkeling, scuba, biking, and so much more.

I strongly encourage you that you don't need to believe the hype.  There is so much more to do here than amusements and touristy things.  You might have to hunt a bit, though.

[I am Reality]

I'll agree with Hank.  There are some good places here.  But you have to really look.

I used to fall into the trap of going to places on "Restaurant Row" (cleverly located in the tourist district on Sand Lake Rd).  Those are nice places but are just the "upscale chains" found in most other large cities.

I figured out the better places are in the neighborhoods.  A few come to mind:  Pho 88 (in Mills 50), The Meatball Shoppe (on the east side), Numero Uno (authentic Cuban in SODO). They have good food and super reasonable prices.

These are pretty causal though.  For anything fancier, I still find myself going down to Restaurant Row (although I try not to) 

 

Edited June 28, 2018 by I am Reality

[jrs2]

52 minutes ago, I am Reality said:

I'll agree with Hank.  There are some good places here.  But you have to really look.

I used to fall into the trap of going to places on "Restaurant Row" (cleverly located in the tourist district on Sand Lake Rd).  Those are nice places but are just the "upscale chains" found in most other large cities.

I figured out the better places are in the neighborhoods.  A few come to mind:  Pho 88 (in Mills 50), The Meatball Shoppe (on the east side), Numero Uno (authentic Cuban in SODO). They have good food and super reasonable prices.

These are pretty causal though.  For anything fancier, I still find myself going down to Restaurant Row (although I try not to) 

 

you ever been to Yellow Dog Eats out there in or near Gotha?

[spenser1058]

9 minutes ago, jrs2 said:

you ever been to Yellow Dog Eats out there in or near Gotha?

I soooo miss Yellow Dog since it left downtown O-town for Beautiful Downtown Gotha

[jrs2]

7 minutes ago, spenser1058 said:

I soooo miss Yellow Dog since it left downtown O-town for Beautiful Downtown Gotha

that is such a cool place...

[prahaboheme]

2 hours ago, opivys85 said:

Some kind of food hall would be great. As someone moving to Orlando from New Orleans, the sheer amount of chain restaurants in the city is a little depressing. I will be living a few blocks from this building and would love some nice, unique places to eat/drink at.

I really enjoyed the recently redeveloped St. Roche Market in the Marigny:

Post Katrina disrepair:

Interior:

I wonder if something of this magnitude could be supported in our lovely Cheyenne Saloon interior:

[spenser1058]

Of course, the foodieverse blew up last week when a reporter for the Times-Picayune in town for a convention couldn't resist a bit of snark about Orlando's culinary offerings.

Among others, Scott Joseph fired back that we're not exactly the Sahara of the Bozarts anymore when it comes to a tasty repast:

https://www.scottjosephorlando.com/news/4371-convention-goers-are-apparently-dying-of-starvation