Society | 28- & 17-Story Residential [Under Construction]

[jack]

1 hour ago, spenser1058 said:

I really hope they save the house. The thing that’s different this time is there’s now an organization in place (OLT) to figure out how to raise money for future purchases. That keeps them from having to cobble together a process every time. It also helps keep the city from having to be the prime mover on expansion.Instead, they can say they’re just lending a hand to a citizen’s group.

OLT can also work full-time on studying when a lot is for sale rather than, as you mention, begging a developer to sell it. They also can glad-hand the right folks to create the optimum purchase.

It’s important to remember that developers frequently over-extend themselves, and when the recession inevitably comes, often need cash in a hurry. That’s when we should buy.

That may mean the next purchase might be on the other side of the park instead of the Masonic Lodge, but the goal is always the same -expanding the park as the downtown (and the larger city) continues to grow. This is very much a project of looking at the long game, and despite what you read on this board, has broad public support.

The two other parcels are owned by the same group and they have owned it since the last Great Recession. It is possible they may need to sell at some point but I would not hold your breath. 

If I was king for a day, I would keep both of those buildings. I am really fond of the city centre building and the house adjacent it. I know the house is not being considered for a tear down but I want to be on the record. I would have also kept the 7-11 building. The previous use stank but it would have been a great location for the downtown welcome center (or whatever they are calling it). 

3 hours ago, spenser1058 said:

Either way, we were destined to get more generic buildings instead of something that beyond the norm.

It’s funny how we always have one excuse or another for the mediocre dreck built downtown and the administration that enables it. That’s why nothing changes. It’s also exactly the way the developers want it.

If you’re happy with downtown the way it is, bless you. 

I am not offering excuses. I asked for a clarification because I don't want anyone thinking that by buying the 7-11, development is off of the table. Saying the developer ran and took the money is not accurate by any measure. 

[spenser1058]

6 minutes ago, jack said:

The two other parcels are owned by the same group and they have owned it since the last Great Recession. It is possible they may need to sell at some point but I would not hold your breath. 

If I was king for a day, I would keep both of those buildings. I am really fond of the city centre building and the house adjacent it. I know the house is not being considered for a tear down but I want to be on the record. I would have also kept the 7-11 building. The previous use stank but it would have been a great location for the downtown welcome center (or whatever they are calling it). 

I am not offering excuses. I asked for a clarification because I don't want anyone thinking that by buying the 7-11, development is off of the table. Saying the developer ran and took the money is not accurate by any measure. 

Oh, I’d love to be the developer who, after the Little Old Ladies conducted the biggest civil project downtown in decades if ever and all three former mayors and the city council signed on, they announce they’re building a tower on the other two lots.

If you think Highwood hated the pushback on the Eola Five, that was nothing compared to what they would get here.

If Buddy caved to the developer on it, we’d finally send him packing. He’d be taking on the FFO’s and a good chunk of the 9% that keeps him in office.

Let’s have that battle, shall we? We could finally address the nonsense that has kept downtown from becoming the place it should be for the past two decades. 

[TRENCH]

[IAmFloridaBorn]

[spenser1058]

14 minutes ago, IAmFloridaBorn said:

Ooooh, DIS comes downtown! <g>

[jrs2]

2 hours ago, W7edwin said:

this angle is like the only angle to capture the main bulk of this building.  maybe a shot from either the State's or PD's offices on their top floors would be the other.  Or, maybe a lobby shot from an upper floor at the OC Cthse that faces west...

[JFW657]

3 hours ago, jack said:

The two other parcels are owned by the same group and they have owned it since the last Great Recession. It is possible they may need to sell at some point but I would not hold your breath. 

If I was king for a day, I would keep both of those buildings. I am really fond of the city centre building and the house adjacent it. I know the house is not being considered for a tear down but I want to be on the record. I would have also kept the 7-11 building. The previous use stank but it would have been a great location for the downtown welcome center (or whatever they are calling it). 

Agree completely.

I'd like to have seen a nice restaurant in the former Seb'mnaleb'm.

3 hours ago, jack said:

I am not offering excuses. I asked for a clarification because I don't want anyone thinking that by buying the 7-11, development is off of the table. Saying the developer ran and took the money is not accurate by any measure. 

I don't think a high rise could be developed there simply because the footprint of the remaining parcel is too small.

FWIU, the biddies stipulated no development could occur there, though I could be wrong.

You know something we don't....? 

[jack]

15 hours ago, JFW657 said:

Agree completely.

I'd like to have seen a nice restaurant in the former Seb'mnaleb'm.

I don't think a high rise could be developed there simply because the footprint of the remaining parcel is too small.

FWIU, the biddies stipulated no development could occur there, though I could be wrong.

You know something we don't....? 

I do not but they may be referring to the 7-11 parcel. I don't know how they could prevent the other parcel owners from ever developing. 

The small parcel size does make it a challenge but nothing is impossible. 

[JFW657]

11 minutes ago, jack said:

I do not but they may be referring to the 7-11 parcel. I don't know how they could prevent the other parcel owners from ever developing. 

The small parcel size does make it a challenge but nothing is impossible. 

I think that was the point of purchasing the Seb'mnaleb'm to begin with.

Make it unattractive to highrise development.

Certainly it's not impossible for someone to put another building there, but the odds of it ever happening have been drastically reduced. 

[IAmFloridaBorn]

[jrs2]

4 hours ago, IAmFloridaBorn said:

were you heading NB on JYP for that shot where that lake is?

[IAmFloridaBorn]

44 minutes ago, jrs2 said:

were you heading NB on JYP for that shot where that lake is?

Yes. The Clear Lake Bridge. 

[jrs2]

18 hours ago, IAmFloridaBorn said:

Yes. The Clear Lake Bridge. 

it's so uncanny; when you're on JYP, the last thing you expect to see is downtown.  Reciprocally, when in that bar at Truist Plaza or Citrus Center (maybe not now), you can see Clear Lake and the cars on JYP zooming by...I was there the day before heading SB and copped a looksee over my left shoulder for a brief moment (while avoiding a collision).

[spenser1058]

2 minutes ago, jrs2 said:

it's so uncanny; when you're on JYP, the last thing you expect to see is downtown.  Reciprocally, when in that bar at Truist Plaza or Citrus Center (maybe not now), you can see Clear Lake and the cars on JYP zooming by...I was there the day before heading SB and copped a looksee over my left shoulder for a brief moment (while avoiding a collision).

Let’s all sing: “On a Clear Lake, you can see Forever”. Or was that Day? Like buttah.

[jrs2]

[IAmFloridaBorn]

1 hour ago, jrs2 said:

Stellar shot!

[IAmFloridaBorn]

[jrs2]

On 5/19/2022 at 4:10 PM, IAmFloridaBorn said:

Stellar shot!

this was from the lobby of AC Marriott; the gym was door key locked and I couldn't get in so I tried to squeeze the shot between the glass stripe pattern strips and that's why it looks hazy.  

[jrs2]

[spenser1058]

16 minutes ago, jrs2 said:

It’s not often we get the Copper Whopper as a focal point - great job!

[IAmFloridaBorn]

3 hours ago, jrs2 said:

Another awesome shot. Wow. I'm impressed

[IAmFloridaBorn]

We have windows! 

Edited May 21, 2022 by IAmFloridaBorn

[spenser1058]

*Gets out the Windex*

[IAmFloridaBorn]

On 5/19/2022 at 8:41 PM, IAmFloridaBorn said:

It appears there were windows on the day that I took these but I clearly did not notice them

[JFW657]

So they are putting on the roof of the top floor right now.

Next comes the hat.

Then it's all windows and curtain wall, interior, etc.

Could it be finished by the holidays?