200 S Orange Conversion to MF

[ChiDev]

According to Growthspotter,  200 S Orange will be converted from a mostly vacant office building into 143 apartment units.

[spenser1058]

9 minutes ago, ChiDev said:

According to Growthspotter,  200 S Orange will be converted from a mostly vacant office building into 143 apartment units.

I don’t know if it’s just because it’s similar to an ad First National used to use, but it makes it look more like the original 1959-87 building to me than it has since it was assimilated by Sun Bank Center. I like it.

Edited June 11, 2020 by spenser1058

[prahaboheme]

While I think this is a nice update to the building facade and should happen regardless of what's inside, I echo the opinions that residential here seems like a stretch.  Would residents need to park in the Church Street garage and walk over to the building and/or through the former Suntrust tower?

[ChiDev]

1 minute ago, prahaboheme said:

While I think this is a nice update to the building facade and should happen regardless of what's inside, I echo the opinions that residential here seems like a stretch.  Would residents need to park in the Church Street garage and walk over to the building and/or through the former Suntrust tower?

Suntrust Tower (building already allocated 75 spaces there)  and the rest spaces at 55 lofts owned by the city, according to the article.

[JFW657]

Looks good.

If it's successful, I'd like to see them do something similar with The Park Building. 

I see it has the requisite visor.

[HankStrong]

Can they just randomly put windows back in like that?  (the North face)

And add balconies?

[codypet]

@HankStrongThey did propose something similar to the old BellSouth building.

[JFW657]

3 hours ago, HankStrong said:

Can they just randomly put windows back in like that?  (the North face)

And add balconies?

I guess the exterior skin is not a structural part of the building, so it seems like they would be able to.

And given that the balconies are inset rather than protruding, there would be no safety issues related to possible collapse, etc.

[HankStrong]

Thanks.  My knowledge on retrofitting is very low.  

[Uncommon]

Very interesting. We’ll see if it ever actually happens but it’s a good use of space.

[JFW657]

Anybody notice the building visible in the background of the "see-thru" SunTrust/Truist/Whatever tower?

With both being Baker Barrios designs, I guess they rendered it that way to promote both projects at once.

2 hours ago, HankStrong said:

Thanks.  My knowledge on retrofitting is very low.  

As is mine.

I was just assuming. 

[popsiclebrandon]

Great time to propose communal living space.

[codypet]

19 hours ago, JFW657 said:

Anybody notice the building visible in the background of the "see-thru" SunTrust/Truist/Whatever tower?

With both being Baker Barrios designs, I guess they rendered it that way to promote both projects at once.

As is mine.

I was just assuming. 

Oh wow.  Slick.  Reality is you wouldn't see that other building so rendering it in is either purely self promotion or they have the whole  city modeled and they didn't take that building out.

[JFW657]

22 minutes ago, codypet said:

Oh wow.  Slick.  Reality is you wouldn't see that other building so rendering it in is either purely self promotion or they have the whole  city modeled and they didn't take that building out.

Looks to be a computer rendering (what isn't nowadays?) but I don't know which software they used or how it works.

I could imagine them being able to simply adjust certain values for that one element of the picture and either make it totally solid, partially see-thru or make it disappear altogether.

But it had to have been done intentionally for some reason and promoting or reminding us of their other project is the only possible reason I can think of. 

[AmIReal]

On 6/11/2020 at 2:36 PM, JFW657 said:

I guess the exterior skin is not a structural part of the building, so it seems like they would be able to.

It appears they are already in process of removing the exterior skin. For those wondering if this was gonna happen, it appears so.

Now that I look at it closer, this work may actually be on the Sun building and not 200 S. Orange. 

[bqknight]

4 hours ago, AmIReal said:

It appears they are already in process of removing the exterior skin. For those wondering if this was gonna happen, it appears so.

Now that I look at it closer, this work may actually be on the Sun building and not 200 S. Orange. 

Aren’t they meant to be redoing the first floor of the Suntrust building to have a food hall? 

[smileguy]

Scaffolding is still up, but street trees are gone. Sounds like they will be replaced with palms, which will allow us to better appreciate the historic architecture on the North side of Church Street.

 

 

[JFW657]

41 minutes ago, smileguy said:

Scaffolding is still up, but street trees are gone. Sounds like they will be replaced with palms, which will allow us to better appreciate the historic architecture on the North side of Church Street.

 

 

So, the scaffolding is still up on the part of the building that connects it to the tower, but nothing has actually been done to the portion that is supposed to be transformed into apartments, correct?

Sucks that they got rid of the elms. 

Did they get rid of them on the other side, too?

I hope not.

And I hope they don't stick palms in there.

Useless trees that they are.

[prahaboheme]

1 hour ago, smileguy said:

Scaffolding is still up, but street trees are gone. Sounds like they will be replaced with palms, which will allow us to better appreciate the historic architecture on the North side of Church Street.

 

 

I noticed recently that a lot of nice older trees are being replaced with palms. I really hope this isn’t some new trend downtown to essentially cheap out on landscaping.  Shade goes a long way to making an area more pedestrian friendly.

[spenser1058]

23 minutes ago, prahaboheme said:

I noticed recently that a lot of nice older trees are being replaced with palms. I really hope this isn’t some new trend downtown to essentially cheap out on landscaping.  Shade goes a long way to making an area more pedestrian friendly.

First they got rid of the awnings on the sidewalks, now the shade trees. It’s like they’re going out of their way to make sure no one wants to walk downtown. This isn’t Minneapolis where you need sunshine to keep people warm - it’s freaking Florida where the goal is to keep us from melting. 

Did I mention palm trees may be the history of Miami but they are NOT the history of Orlando. Oops, I forgot, we could care less about our history. Never mind.

Speaking of history, they tried palms in an Orange Avenue streetscape project under Mayor Carl. There’s a reason they were pulled when Mayor Bill started the downtown restoration. 

As George Santayana said, “those who ignore the lessons of history are doomed to repeat them.”

[prahaboheme]

This block hasn’t looked worse in my knowledge of Orlando. Shame on this city for allowing this.

And it’s all in the rendering, looking at it again.

2 hours ago, spenser1058 said:

First they got rid of the awnings on the sidewalks, now the shade trees. It’s like they’re going out of their way to make sure no one wants to walk downtown. This isn’t Minneapolis where you need sunshine to keep people warm - it’s freaking Florida where the goal is to keep us from melting. 

Did I mention palm trees may be the history of Miami but they are NOT the history of Orlando. Oops, I forgot, we could care less about our history. Never mind.

Speaking of history, they tried palms in an Orange Avenue streetscape project under Mayor Carl. There’s a reason they were pulled when Mayor Bill started the downtown restoration. 

As George Santayana said, “those who ignore the lessons of history are doomed to repeat them.”

Palms aren’t native to Miami, much less Orlando. I’d take a cypress tree (which have the benefit of retaining water and are visually appealing) over a palm any day of the week.

Edited September 5, 2020 by prahaboheme

[Naqiy90]

On 6/11/2020 at 10:02 AM, prahaboheme said:

While I think this is a nice update to the building facade and should happen regardless of what's inside, I echo the opinions that residential here seems like a stretch.  Would residents need to park in the Church Street garage and walk over to the building and/or through the former Suntrust tower?

It's downtown Orlando, residents shouldn't have to park anywhere. We need to eliminate parking requirements!

[AmIReal]

22 hours ago, JFW657 said:

but nothing has actually been done to the portion that is supposed to be transformed into apartments, correct?

That is correct. The building that is being worked on is not the 200 S Orange building that is in the rendering at the top of this post.

22 hours ago, JFW657 said:

Sucks that they got rid of the elms. 

Did they get rid of them on the other side, too?

Yes, they are gone also. As smileguy pointed out it appears they will be replacing the ones in front of 200 S. Orange and the connecting building. However those on the opposite side of the street may not be replaced due to how narrow the sidewalk is. Because of the sidewalk permits and the trees there is not enough sidewalk for walkers to pass and it certainly is not wheelchair friendly.

Edited September 5, 2020 by AmIReal

[IAmFloridaBorn]

I don't like it. I don't like the repurposing of buildings. I don't think one should ever over pay to live in older spaces but that's just me. 

[spenser1058]

23 minutes ago, IAmFloridaBorn said:

I don't like it. I don't like the repurposing of buildings. I don't think one should ever over pay to live in older spaces but that's just me. 

I pay less for a spacious 1-bedroom in an older building than studios in most newer buildings. Also, I have real walls instead of plywood.