Orlando for Dummies

[keer5771]

hey all,

Need a little help here, and after reading through several threads, you guys seem pretty knowledgable and helpful, so what better place to start?

Here's the situation: I'm coming down to Orlando this weekend for work (i'm a broker representing a major national tenant). I've never been to your fine city. I'm hoping you guys can point me to as many resources as possible to give me a crash course of sorts on Orlando and it's suburbs, in economic terms. Where the growth is (and where it isn't), what the different areas are like economically, the major non-highway north/south/east/west corridors, most heavily-trafficked areas, any insider tips that are tougher to find, etc...

I have too many questions to post here and expect to get answered (only 24 hours in a day, right?), so just a shove in the right direction would be greatly appreciated. of course, if anyone wants to share their own insight on these topics, i'll have my wife make you some cookies or something.

Thanks in advance, I look forward to hanging around here more in the near future.

[bic]

This is a great place to get started:

Wikipedia - Orlando, FL

[accatt2204]

hey all,

Need a little help here, and after reading through several threads, you guys seem pretty knowledgable and helpful, so what better place to start?

Here's the situation: I'm coming down to Orlando this weekend for work (i'm a broker representing a major national tenant). I've never been to your fine city. I'm hoping you guys can point me to as many resources as possible to give me a crash course of sorts on Orlando and it's suburbs, in economic terms. Where the growth is (and where it isn't), what the different areas are like economically, the major non-highway north/south/east/west corridors, most heavily-trafficked areas, any insider tips that are tougher to find, etc...

I have too many questions to post here and expect to get answered (only 24 hours in a day, right?), so just a shove in the right direction would be greatly appreciated. of course, if anyone wants to share their own insight on these topics, i'll have my wife make you some cookies or something.

Thanks in advance, I look forward to hanging around here more in the near future.

Wow, welcome to Orlando. Im not exactly knowledgeable on economic issues but it would seem that downtown is easily one of the quickest developing areas, and heavily trafficked in the area, being the focal point of the metro area. For locals in the area, downtown is growing in skyline and economic terms. Over 3,000 new condos downtown (probably more), along with tens of thousands of square feet of office and retail area coming into a dense area speaks for itself. Downton will always be in the center of it all as more people locate here and the city gobles up more and more residence. I would strongly recomend if you are in the area that downtown be your first economic stopping point. As far as heavily trafficked non-highway corridors would be in my opinion, Colonial Drive with both Orlando Fashion Square Mall, Orlando Executive Airport, and a dense little Saigon area, with numerous retail areas all along only about 1 mile, Not to mention quick access to the Downtown area. Orange ave is a dense primary North South road that runs right through the heart downtown with Orlando Regional Medical Center located on it.

[OCF]

Some of the areas outside of downtown that are also on the rise include:

Winter Park

Baldwin Park

Waterford Lakes (Southeast Orlando)

Metro West/Bay Hill/Isleworth (Southwest Orlando)

Clermont/Ocoee (the fastest growing area in central Florida)

South Volusia including Deltona/Debary/Deland

Brevard/Space Coast

Lake Mary/Heathrow

Other Major thoroughfares are:

436/Semoran

434

Fairbanks/Aloma

17-92/Mills

University Blvd

I hope this is helpful and enjoy your visit to the area