Washington Street Residential Tower

[Jaybee]

Latest rendering of a building I imagine to still be in flux...

[accatt2204]

Now this will differ from other peoples opinion, but I like this. The marine blue glassy look I love.

I count 39 floors which is probably 40.

[Jaybee]

Let's say that I see various stages of construction circulating around.

[sunshine]

Looks like Blue in Miami.

[accatt2204]

^ exactly.

[prahaboheme]

I like it, its kind of the Vue meet the Blue..

[EngineerNole]

I like it, its kind of the Vue meet the Blue..

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Isn't the Vue itself blue?

[Jaybee]

It's the curve that makes it look like the Blue, but, the convex is on both sides of the Washington Street project.

[firemick]

This is a cool look for Orlando, and its funny that you guys say it looks like the Blue because the developers are supposedly from Miami. The case address is 120 W. Jefferson Street with a working name of Washington Street Project but that dont really matter as it will take up the entire block bounded by Garland to the west, Jefferson to the north, Washington to the south and RR tracks to the east. Does anybody know when the 11 story Parking Garage is going to go up where the existing city surface lot is on the east side of the tracks? Since Kuhn backed out of the Benchmark, i guess the City was going back to thier original plan. If so, i wonder if they would ever sell the air rights over it?

[Jaybee]

Not sure why the City would build a parking garage on a site that has a bunch of meters that currenly no-one utilizes. It's less expensive to park at these meters than in the garage across the street... why would people park in the expensive garage proposed for this site?

[firemick]

I dont know as i would rather see the Benchmark Project and a joint plan by the city and Kuhn but i guess he is "not gonna build that tower", i think was his exact quote refering to Benchmark. I think Kuhn bit off more than he could chew. Anyway, that lot does have peak times but i absolutrely hate surface lots and would much rather see a multi level lot. Unless some other developer moves in to redevelop there...we will see another garage with no building on it.

[Jaybee]

I'd rather see a parking lot that land-banked a potential development site than wasting money building a garage that may not be needed... or at least operate the lot with permits for monthlies IF the garage across the street was full - I've never seen more than 2 cars (albeit police cars) in this lot.

[orlandonative]

Latest rendering of a building I imagine to still be in flux...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

?????????? Someone help me out. Where did this come from? I have never seen this building disclosed for any lot downtown. This isn't the building that Kuhn scraped, correct? Was this in addition to that project? And if so it must have a different set of developers.....right?

[bobliocatt]

Looks pretty nice. Who is developing this project?

[Jaybee]

This is unrelated to Kuhn's Benchmark development, however was shown on a rendering of that building in the background. This is a separate developer from Kuhn.

[cwetteland]

^ Kuhn's Benchmark was an office building. He said that another developer was talking with him about co-locating a residence tower. Many on this board started calling it the Benchmark Residence, but that was never really its name nor was it ever under Kuhn's control. When Kuhn cancelled Benchmark, the residence developers did NOT cancel their plans. It is now on the June MPB case list as Wachington Street Project.

[orlandonative]

^I found it!!! With Kuhn's project getting scraped is there even a distinct possibility of seeing this built. If my memory serves me correct this building had no official announcements. Basically serving as a NICE backdrop rendering. I like it better than his original idea. Wouldn't mind seeing it go in Benchmarks lot.

[orlandonative]

^ Kuhn's Benchmark was an office building.  He said that another developer was talking with him about co-locating a residence tower.  Many on this board started calling it the Benchmark Residence, but that was never really its name nor was it ever under Kuhn's control.  When Kuhn cancelled Benchmark, the residence developers did NOT cancel their plans.  It is now on the June MPB case list as Wachington Street Project.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

^your fast cwetteland.

[Jaybee]

This is on the west side of the railroad tracks between Garland, Gertrude, Washington and Jefferson. A little bit west of the "JC Penny" block where Kuhn was planning the Benchmark.

PS: I'd expect this to be on the City Council agenda for July 25th... there could be announcements and media blitz around that time.

[orlandonative]

This is on the west side of the railroad tracks between Garland, Gertrude, Washington and Jefferson.  A little bit west of the "JC Penny" block where Kuhn was planning the Benchmark.

PS:  I'd expect this to be on the City Council agenda for July 25th... there could be announcements and media blitz around that time.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Jaybee, you never fail to amaze me. You seem to have all the information that I dream about! With that being said this is an extremely big move toward creating infill projects up and down I-4 west of the tracks. Until now this land has been a no man's land. Between 55w and this it surely would create a very dramatic view along i-4 from both east and west. Thanks for the input.

[cwetteland]

PS:  I'd expect this to be on the City Council agenda for July 25th... there could be announcements and media blitz around that time.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Jaybee, is there really that long of a lag between the June 21 MPB and the City Council meeting of July 25. I thought they were usually about a week apart. But you seem to be the insider.

[firemick]

MPB approval on the 21st and than we have to wait until July 25th for the city council? Have all the projects that cleared the MPB hurdles had to go to the City Council for final approval? Also, what is the City gonna do with the old Lynx Bus Station at 78 W. Central Blvd? I would absolutely love to see this developed as Central Blvd does not have many spots left from I4 to Summerlin and we need the taller buildings closer to the central core to have a solid dense skyline. This is my wish list:

1. 78 W. Central Blvd 51 story EA Games Corporate HQ

2. The Vibe lot (old H&R Block bldg) 40 something story residential

3. Quiznos that burned down lot..............anything as this is an eye sore and would help with density across from The Plaza.

4. old Pizzutti Lot.....two or three buildings that are at least 20-30 stories tall.

[prahaboheme]

Whatever we get, I hope that its a substantial amount of office space on both the Pizzuti lot and the old Lynx lot.

[Jaybee]

Jaybee, is there really that long of a lag between the June 21 MPB and the City Council meeting of July 25. I thought they were usually about a week apart. But you seem to be the insider.

There is only one council meeting in July, thus the final CC approval will have to wait until then with the MPB minutes are transmitted.

[bic]

Some more information on this Washington Street Residential development:

"The proposed building will consist of ground floor retail, 9 floors of parking incorporated into the building and 40 floors of residential condominiums (the first 9 floors will only have units facing N. Gertrude Avenue). The total height of the proposed tower is approximately 410 feet (a total of 41 stories). The project includes approximately 10,121 square feet of ground floor retail and 460 multi-family dwelling units."

A couple of interesting notes:

-The tower gets in the way of OPD's existing 911 Emergency Communication signals, so they are requesting a minimum of 100 sq. ft. of space on the roof for city emergency communication antennae.

-The project is required to provide an easement for the alignment of light rail either next to or through the building because the original alignment of light rail through downtown Orlando had it running on the east side of Garland Ave. If you look on the ground floor site plan below, you'll see the space set aside for rail.