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Symphony Condominiums

Florida

By Florida
in Tallahassee

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Florida Megalopolis

Florida

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I too have been particularly excited about this project. The successful integration of the FSU campus with downtown is crucial to the larger mission of making Tallahassee urban - day and night. If we can get faculty, graduate students, and the citizenry at large to share a high-end dwelling like Symphony, then formerly discrete communities will be meeting and sharing interests of home, shopping, dining, transportation and pedestrian concerns in ways that Tallahassee has not seen - ways that will make real downtown neighborhoods out of inert city blocks.

If "FSU" thinks it has a problem bringing the city closer to campus, then these voices are not considering the greater benefits that will come from having good neighbors - improvements to roads, utilities, parks, retail options that will make FSU that much more attractive as a place to work and study.

P McLane,

You're absolutely right! When I went before the city commission on this matter I argued many of the same points, so did Commissioner Ratcliff and 2 other citizens. I think this type of project is what is intended by our community's smart growth and Comprehensive Plans. FSU will be a better university for the fact that the students attracted to FSU will appreciate the more vibrant atmosphere. Opening up the university to the rest of the downtown, and developing a solid corridor along College that caters to clean entertainment, dining, recreation, and business is what our central core needs. This will also help to exploit the Urban character of Tallahassee and connect the official downtown to the campuses that look like downtowns themselves. All making Tallahassee a more attractive place for companies that base judgement of a community on the looks of its downtown.

In Tallahassee's transition from a quiet capital city, to a mid-sized progressive city, we need any and every project that erodes the perception of mediocrity and boring. Its one thing to be charming and beautiful, its another thing to be underdeveloped and isolated. FSU, FAMU, and Tallahassee can each grow into one another, blending their colors without damaging the beauties and charms that distinguish them. This will mean:

  • Sharing in the cost to Revitalize Gaines Street

  • Working together to recruit government based, education based, medical based industries and jobs

  • Establishing a common physical features (landscaping, pedestrian scale light posts, street signs, directional signage, sidewalks) campaign that connect all segments of the "expanded downtown".

  • Encourage the use of local venues for major conventions and meetings (Civic Center, Hotels, Capitol Building, City Hall, Downtown Restaurants and Clubs) to boost downtown business climate and help Tallahassee grow more competitive in the convention/meetings category.

Just a few thoughts. I'm sure there are others.

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Florida Megalopolis

Florida

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I saw you on the City Channel 13 TJ back when you went b4 the city commission to speak about this project. After joining UP, I realized that was you. You impressed me then as you continue to impress me now.

:rofl: LOL! I was praying no one saw me on that!! I was wearing a hat... and I drove in the rain, left my Oak Valley Publix job early just to be there. I told my boss it was a matter of life and death! LOL! Then he told me he saw me on T.V... to make a long story short... I work at City Hall now! :rofl:

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Relient J Hamlet

Relient J

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And I do blame FSU for fighting it, mainly T.K. for not having good progressive vision.

I guess it's hard for me to blame T.K. and the university for fighting The Symphony. After all, T.K. is paid to look out for the interests of Florida State University, not the City of Tallahassee. FSU had a very understandable interest in wanting to acquire the property to stay on target with the fulfillment of their master plan. (However, I'm not an apologist for the master plan as I have often criticised the university on this forum for not choosing to build upward more often instead of worrying about growing outward.)

I also understand the city's interest in wanting to allow development of The Symphony, and unless they had some deal with the university regarding the property, I see no reason for The Symphony not to be built, and in fact I support its development. It's just hard for me to fault FSU for fighting for its interests.

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poonther Town

poonther

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^I think you've uncovered the root of the problem that has plagued this area for years. You've stated that T.K. is fighting for FSU and COT is fighting for the city. There should rarely be fights and this situation did not have to be a fight. All parties should work together for a better community. A better Tally IS a better FSU and a better FSU is a better Tally. I feel T.K. could have handled this situation w/style and grace and still expressed his concerns, but as we are learing about T.K. that's not his style. He likes to squawk and threaten law-suits, that's his style and it does no one any good. I'll say it again, the man lacks vision.

With this property being built and many more in the area too, that will free up some parking spaces on campus b/c these people will walk. Free spaces mean less parking garages and more space for bldgs.

FSU is an urban university even if Tally isn't the biggest urban area in the state. It should be planned and built as such. The idea that FSU will not build up is crazy. I understand about FSU's master plan areas (that idea was Sandy's not T.K.'s) but how long does Tally have to wait for this to happen. While waiting for the unversity to buy up all these surrounding parcels, piece by piece, these areas around FSU have become disgraceful slums. Pensacola Street and College Avenue are awful and YES the City should be a good citizen in this "join venture" and help clean up those areas.

Bottom line, everyone needs to work together much better. If there are problems, then all parties should work towards a possible compromise, not just knee-jerk threaten each other. This type of community spirit will make Tally a much better community and FSU a much better university.

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Relient J Hamlet

Relient J

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^ I think you and I agree on this for the most part. Like I said, I think The Symphony's going to be a great project, and I think FSU really needs to reconsider their policy on building up. Yet, FSU is a business and I do understand the university's interest in this.

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Florida Megalopolis

Florida

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It is and someone in my Real Estate class rumored they've seen the "owners" sleeping inside. I truly doubt this... but who knows what type of people are out there. The initial word was that this project would be underway by January of 06... its mid-late Jan and I've only noticed extra signage on the site.

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Florida Megalopolis

Florida

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I called both ADAR and Southland commercial today. No answers from either place. There is NEVER an answer at the Southland commercial number which makes me wonder why they even bother to advertise this project if no one ever answers the phone. I'll try to get you all some answers as soon as possible.

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Florida Megalopolis

Florida

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January 23, 2006

Word from Southland Commercial on Symphony is that the construction will begin in March. They also told me that the building is scheduled to be complete by March of 2007. I suppose sometime between now and March our girl or someone else with the paper will let us know about the groundbreaking ceremony.

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Florida Megalopolis

Florida

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I think it is testing us all. The hurricanes had a tremendous impact on projects all over, not just Tallahassee. Developers that had not yet started on their project have to deal with rising cost of materials, possible delivery delays, and the risk of softer sales. Everything rolls in cycles and we must roll with them.

I'm less excited about the Symphony project than I was before because of the fact that few updates are given on this project, and when we do hear something there's not much. When the Tallahassee Democrat reports on something lately, they don't go back to it for months, despite the popularity of the Downtown Condo articles. It surprises me that we have to probe the way we do for information. The websites don't say much, don't offer much in terms of visuals, and it is a little frustrating for us stakeholders, who like to know what's going on in our City.

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Florida Megalopolis

Florida

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Good word... Buzz... the lack of buzz is why it seems as if development activity has slowed a bit when its actually just beginning. Look at all of the fun going on at Kleman Plaza, around Gaines Street, All Saints area, Cascades Park and around the campuses, and Turbocor. All of these urban changes are going to DRASTICALLY change Tallahassee this year. Yet few good stories have made the Tallahassee Democrat's Business section since December of 2005.

I want to see an article that makes me want to read the paper soon. I haven't been interested in many of the news stories that have hit the paper this year. All of the stories have been bland, and uninteresting from a growth/environmental, or business perspective.

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P_McLane Whistle-Stop

P_McLane

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Construction on the Symphony is set to take off this Spring/Summer.

As of today, the old fraternity house is no more. I walked by the site earlier and there are bulldozers and backhoes making a real mess of the place. It looked to me that some new (and slightly improved) signs were posted outside the security fencing, advertising the Symphony as an 86-unit luxury condominium. This one looks to be happening, folks.

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