500 N Orange Ave Renovation | 5-story mixed use/office renovation [Under Construction]

[spenser1058]

6 minutes ago, jrs2 said:

after watching Stranger Things, gutting this thing confirms that they are not presently up to no good behind those industrial-clad walls (which have been removed); can't vouch for the past few decades though...LOL...

Remember, it was built to keep the AT&T colossus from being dismembered…

[jrs2]

7 minutes ago, spenser1058 said:

Remember, it was built to keep the AT&T colossus from being dismembered…

...or so that's what they wanted us to think...LOL.

[jrs2]

[codypet]

They had de-skinned that building so quick the reskinning feels so slow.

[Gtothree2748]

[codypet]

Jeezus Chevy beat those Silverados with an ugly stick.

[jrs2]

wow.  we went from very thin window slits to very small windows.  is there floor to ceiling glass fronting Orange Ave, I don't recall?

[codypet]

Nope.  Really just the corners and the center.  I mean its an improvement over the old building, but its nothing too spectacular.

Edited August 29, 2022 by codypet

[jrs2]

43 minutes ago, codypet said:

Nope.  Really just the corners and the center.  I mean its an improvement over the old building, but its nothing too spectacular.

wow.  well stated.  it did get Orlandoed.

[TRENCH]

Today 

[codypet]

Interesting that Baker is proud enough of this design to put a banner on it.

[spenser1058]

Reviving the Orange Avenue “Dead Zone”?

https://www.yourcommunitypaper.com/articles/renovation-of-vacant-office-building-could-revive-orange-avenue-dead-zone/

From Your Community Paper
 

[dcluley98]

West side has new exterior panels with window pattern and barrier layer: 

Edited October 1, 2022 by dcluley98

[JFW657]

Are they leaving the old exterior panels on the north end?

I'm thinking since that's the parking garage side, maybe that's the plan.

Since it will be hidden anyway, etc, etc. 

[codypet]

Would make sense since it looks like they have openings on each floor to access the building from the garage.

[nite owℓ]

[IAmFloridaBorn]

[codypet]

I have to keep telling myself I appreciate its being reactivated, but damn, that looks like it belongs in an office park.

[jrs2]

2 hours ago, codypet said:

I have to keep telling myself I appreciate its being reactivated, but damn, that looks like it belongs in an office park.

I missed the memo about this being converted to office?  Wasn't it supposed to be residential?

[orange87]

5 minutes ago, jrs2 said:

I missed the memo about this being converted to office?  Wasn't it supposed to be residential?

I think a government agency is moving in. If I remember correctly, it'll be an IRS office.

[jrs2]

On 2/6/2023 at 1:13 PM, orange87 said:

I think a government agency is moving in. If I remember correctly, it'll be an IRS office.

I think they're currently in the Seaside Bank Building/ Signature Plaza, right?

Well at least the IRS is a guaranteed paying tenant, and will provide a pool of employees to help patronize Crescent retail next door (and Radius for the not-yet-Orlandoed downtown walkers).  

[nite owℓ]

The streetwall on the west side of Orange Ave is filling up nicely.

Now if only something could be done about the Sentinel site...

 

In case you needed a refresher: The unfinished dirt patch at the intersection of Amelia & Orange is where the small pocket park will go, which, along with perimeter landscaping, will help screen 47 adjacent surface parking spaces to the west. Renderings are from the ARB plans originally posted by @dcluley98.

Before:

After:

Edited May 2, 2023 by nite owℓ

[Jerry95]

I haven’t been downtown since last Fall, the progress on this looks good. The surface parking and street facing garage were points of contention during design review. The pocket park and landscaping is a great way to activate the street, especially for patrons of The Vanguard waiting for an Uber at the end of the night. The mural could’ve been a bit bigger to mask the garage. 
 

More surprising, it looks like there’s a temporary sidewalk in front of the construction site! Not long ago there were 4 sidewalk closures between Orange and Central at the same time forcing you to cross the road or walk in the street. 

[JFW657]

Still looks like a suburban office park building. 

[uncreativeusername]

4 hours ago, Jerry95 said:

The mural could’ve been a bit bigger to mask the garage. 

Looks like it shrunk in the wash...