Westmoreland Square [Proposed]

[smileguy]

A developer has proposed a multi-use apartment/hotel/retail development with drive-thru at the corner of Colonial and Westmoreland. 

The development will include a six-story building containing 2,360 SF of restaurant/retail uses, 36 hotel units and 79 apartment units.

The current property zoning is MU-1/T/PH which allows for a building height of 35 feet with an allowance to propose up to 75 feet with a Conditional Use permit. The building is proposed at 83’4” height due to the small parcel size of 1.33 acres.

 

[spenser1058]

22 minutes ago, smileguy said:

A developer has proposed a multi-use apartment/hotel/retail development with drive-thru at the corner of Colonial and Westmoreland. 

The development will include a six-story building containing 2,360 SF of restaurant/retail uses, 36 hotel units and 79 apartment units.

The current property zoning is MU-1/T/PH which allows for a building height of 35 feet with an allowance to propose up to 75 feet with a Conditional Use permit. The building is proposed at 83’4” height due to the small parcel size of 1.33 acres.

 

All the Spring Lake and College Park folks who raised Cain about The Ambassador Motel are gonna love the idea about that kind of height. This will be fun to watch, assuming it’s real. I seem to recall posting about this quite a while ago and wondering where it had gotten off to.

My personal opinion is, given the state of that intersection, I’m good with it, especially if they bring back Malcolm’s Hungry Bear!

Edited September 2, 2022 by spenser1058

[JFW657]

Shoebox.    

[spenser1058]

2 minutes ago, JFW657 said:

Shoebox.    

No doubt about that but then that’s the Orlando way. Where have all the architects gone - wasn’t that a song…?

[popsiclebrandon]

This where the dealership land is? Would like to see that become a massive apartment complex but this is a good start.

[JFW657]

25 minutes ago, popsiclebrandon said:

This where the dealership land is? Would like to see that become a massive apartment complex but this is a good start.

Just out of curiosity, why? 

What would the benefit be, of adding all that extra traffic onto an already congested W. Colonial Dr? 

And, wouldn't it likely become a crime magnet?  

[spenser1058]

What would be cool is if they opened the tunnel under SR50 and US441 back up. Supposedly, it’s still there.

I guess @JFW657is right, though, the crime problem would need to be cleaned up before they did that.

[smileguy]

3 hours ago, popsiclebrandon said:

This where the dealership land is? Would like to see that become a massive apartment complex but this is a good start.

This is on the parking lot to the East of the dealership building, so that building and its parking lot can be redeveloped separately -- still quite a nice size for a big complex. 

[popsiclebrandon]

4 hours ago, JFW657 said:

Just out of curiosity, why? 

What would the benefit be, of adding all that extra traffic onto an already congested W. Colonial Dr? 

And, wouldn't it likely become a crime magnet?  

Because we need to build as much as housing as we can right now.  Especially in more dense areas like this that would allow more people to walk to work and play instead of being in cars.

[JFW657]

2 hours ago, popsiclebrandon said:

Because we need to build as much as housing as we can right now.  Especially in more dense areas like this that would allow more people to walk to work and play instead of being in cars.

Possibly. 

Agreed that the area needs more housing, but that area is already prone to criminal activity.  

I tend to think a massive apartment complex right there might become an instant ghetto.   

[spenser1058]

25 minutes ago, JFW657 said:

Possibly. 

Agreed that the area needs more housing, but that area is already prone to criminal activity.  

I tend to think a massive apartment complex right there might become an instant ghetto.   

https://youtu.be/FJ-r0bilzhU

[prahaboheme]

This is exactly the type of infill needed in Parramore. 

[uncreativeusername]

24 minutes ago, prahaboheme said:

This is exactly the type of infill needed in Parramore. 

Exactly. This the exact kind of development we (I) hoped CV would spur, isn't it?

[codypet]

On 9/3/2022 at 11:12 AM, spenser1058 said:

What would be cool is if they opened the tunnel under SR50 and US441 back up. Supposedly, it’s still there.

I guess @JFW657is right, though, the crime problem would need to be cleaned up before they did that.

It's likely not  ADA compliant and a potential crime issue.  I'm sure it wouldn't be sufficient for modern tunnel requirements.

On 9/3/2022 at 5:47 PM, JFW657 said:

Possibly. 

Agreed that the area needs more housing, but that area is already prone to criminal activity.  

I tend to think a massive apartment complex right there might become an instant ghetto.   

Isn't the former Parliament House apartments right around the corner?  I mean you have to start somewhere in redevelopment.  Beats an abandoned car dealership turned nail supply store.

[JFW657]

5 minutes ago, codypet said:

Isn't the former Parliament House apartments right around the corner?  I mean you have to start somewhere in redevelopment.  Beats an abandoned car dealership turned nail supply store.

I dunno. Seems to me that large apartment complexes in either location would carry the potential to turn into crime magnets.

Anywhere near SOBT I think would tend to attract drugs and prostitution which in turn attracts violence and other criminal activity. 

I would think that condos mostly occupied by owners would be a better bet. 

But I guess the issues with that, if increasing affordable housing is the goal, are things like affordability of course and the ability to obtain financing for the kind of lower income, first time buyers who might choose to live in that area.

I just feel that because apartments tend to attract a younger and more transient class of people whose lives often tend to involve various kinds of drama, there would be a lot of police activity constantly going on around any apartment complex in that vicinity.

People who own tend to be more stable obviously, because they have an investment to protect.  

[AmIReal]

31 minutes ago, JFW657 said:

I dunno. Seems to me that large apartment complexes in either location would carry the potential to turn into crime magnets.

Anywhere near SOBT I think would tend to attract drugs and prostitution which in turn attracts violence and other criminal activity. 

I would think that condos mostly occupied by owners would be a better bet. 

But I guess the issues with that, if increasing affordable housing is the goal, are things like affordability of course and the ability to obtain financing for the kind of lower income, first time buyers who might choose to live in that area.

I just feel that because apartments tend to attract a younger and more transient class of people whose lives often tend to involve various kinds of drama, there would be a lot of police activity constantly going on around any apartment complex in that vicinity.

People who own tend to be more stable obviously, because they have an investment to protect.  

I suppose I understand your concern, but like others here, I think this is a perfect location for this type of project. It is about 3 blocks from CV, Parliament (whatever it becomes) and the Rock Lake neighborhood (which is doing pretty good on homeownership).  Orlando Country Club and the high end houses of Lake Adair and Concord are walking distance. A few of the nearby commercial lots have been "collected" and are now for sale and I'm sure heading for this same type of project (see 222 N. Parramore). Neighborhoods can be improved and this, I think, is a way to do it.

[JFW657]

2 hours ago, AmIReal said:

I suppose I understand your concern, but like others here, I think this is a perfect location for this type of project. It is about 3 blocks from CV, Parliament (whatever it becomes) and the Rock Lake neighborhood (which is doing pretty good on homeownership).  Orlando Country Club and the high end houses of Lake Adair and Concord are walking distance. A few of the nearby commercial lots have been "collected" and are now for sale and I'm sure heading for this same type of project (see 222 N. Parramore). Neighborhoods can be improved and this, I think, is a way to do it.

Understood.   

But to be clear, I was referring to the idea of building large apartment complexes around there. 

I believe this proposal is multi use with retail, a hotel and a small number of apartments, which I'm guessing will be somewhat higher rent than those you might find in the kind of cheaply built, wood frame place you'd find in a large complex. 

[jrs2]

On 9/3/2022 at 11:12 AM, spenser1058 said:

What would be cool is if they opened the tunnel under SR50 and US441 back up. Supposedly, it’s still there.

I guess @JFW657is right, though, the crime problem would need to be cleaned up before they did that.

there was one?  didn't know.  which side, east or west?

[spenser1058]

1 minute ago, jrs2 said:

there was one?  didn't know.  which side, east or west?

Yes, it was a school crossing when Concord Park Elementary was there. Going in it was my favorite part of the school’s Halloween carnival when I was a wee one.

There was an entry on the southeast corner of the intersection by the school’s playground and it led to the northwest corner going under both SR50 and US441. At the time, I think there was a house on the nw corner (it’s now a 3- or 4-story office building).

[codypet]

https://orlandomemory.info/places/concord-park-elementary-school/

More info.  Sounds like they're sealed under Colonial Drive itself now and are used as utility duct banks.  Makes sense.

[spenser1058]

4 minutes ago, codypet said:

https://orlandomemory.info/places/concord-park-elementary-school/

More info.  Sounds like they're sealed under Colonial Drive itself now and are used as utility duct banks.  Makes sense.

Oh, dejavu. In the comments on that there’s one by a lady whose maiden name was apparently Clouse. Her description of her ‘hood sounds like the one I lived in until I was 11. My mom was friends with the Clouses who lived a street over from us. *plays scary music*

[spenser1058]

Take a moment to look at that picture of Concord Park and imagine that they tore it down for a car dealership. It was still in use as a school right up until classes ended in 1964. There can be little doubt the folks in Spring Lake made sure the property was maintained.

Obviously, that was hardly the spot for an elementary school once Colonial Dr was widened and OBT was built through. Nevertheless, think of all the things that amazing building could have been used for.

In 1964, preservation was just becoming a thing and so much was lost. Unfortunately, way too many folks fail to recognize how valuable keeping our past really is even today -  we just have to keep up the good fight.

 

[angela1117]

On 9/2/2022 at 3:31 PM, spenser1058 said:

 

My personal opinion is, given the state of that intersection, I’m good with it, especially if they bring back Malcolm’s Hungry Bear!

when I was a restaurant inspector we used to say "hungry bear if you dare"

[spenser1058]

Just now, angela1117 said:

when I was a restaurant inspector we used to say "hungry bear if you dare"

It was definitely quantity over quality, but along with the political staffers and reporters you could get dish from, it was great for twenty-somethings,  mostly guys, and it was cheap.

[angela1117]

On 9/6/2022 at 4:56 PM, codypet said:

https://orlandomemory.info/places/concord-park-elementary-school/

More info.  Sounds like they're sealed under Colonial Drive itself now and are used as utility duct banks.  Makes sense.

Thanks for the link to this website. A great rabbit hole for this history buff to fall into!