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Delta Hotel Site Redevelopment


otownobserver

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  • 2 weeks later...

Wow I really don't know how I missed this whole thread until now. This is quite massive. So the site is adjacent to the twin towers on Kirkman? Projects such as this and Aqua (which I find even more impressive) are certainly going to raise the quality of the resorts in the Orlando area (given that they are actually built), and perhaps break us out of the ugly med revival style like Grand Lakes and Shingle Creek that has absolutely nothing to do with the Orlando metro area.

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^^ Went by the Sheraton Twin Towers last night and its now a Doubletree Hotel. When did this change?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Unless it was the Sheraton years ago, I've always known it to be a Radisson (at least for the last 5 years or so anyway). It re-branded as a Doubletree about 6 months ago as I recall.

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  • 3 weeks later...

It is gratifying to see so many individuals here concerned about urban planning. My name is John Markey and it is my privilege to be the C.O.O. of EB Developers. Delta Hotel/CityMark is my project. The renderings that leaked and that you see here are indeed very conceptual. The concept is a valid one in that I am trying to bring a new urban model to Orlando. The model consists of a Transit Oriented Development, mixed use in nature, with high density residential, retail, office, lodging, an aquarium and a school component. The urban planning benefits of having high density mixed use with internal capture of traffic and a light rail/public transit component are obvious, but not often executed. The capacity of a project to have people live, work, play and go to school outside their door without getting in a car is the solution to a host of urban problems.

The fact that all of this occurs at this intensity on 26 acres and includes school use with intermodal and light rail is the basis of my new urban model statement. The intent is to have CityMark be the first step in a comprehensively planned larger Major Boulevard area. This is all happening in the AC III zoning where the entitled density and intensity is far beyond what I am designing here. The point being, I am proposing this in an area that is not only allowed by the Comprehensive Plan, but encouraged by it.

I have been meeting with Mayor Dyer and cooperating with the Orlando Planning staff along with the School district

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It is gratifying to see so many individuals here concerned about urban planning. My name is John Markey and it is my privilege to be the C.O.O. of EB Developers. Delta Hotel/CityMark is my project. The renderings that leaked and that you see here are indeed very conceptual. The concept is a valid one in that I am trying to bring a new urban model to Orlando. The model consists of a Transit Oriented Development, mixed use in nature, with high density residential, retail, office, lodging, an aquarium and a school component. The urban planning benefits of having high density mixed use with internal capture of traffic and a light rail/public transit component are obvious, but not often executed. The capacity of a project to have people live, work, play and go to school outside their door without getting in a car is the solution to a host of urban problems.

The fact that all of this occurs at this intensity on 26 acres and includes school use with intermodal and light rail is the basis of my new urban model statement. The intent is to have CityMark be the first step in a comprehensively planned larger Major Boulevard area. This is all happening in the AC III zoning where the entitled density and intensity is far beyond what I am designing here. The point being, I am proposing this in an area that is not only allowed by the Comprehensive Plan, but encouraged by it.

I have been meeting with Mayor Dyer and cooperating with the Orlando Planning staff along with the School district

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jmarkey,

Thank you so much for your contribution to this thread as well as to the community and I wish you much success with your vision. It's refreshing to get input from the developer on these discussions.

I would love to see a similar vision for our central business district. Any influence you may have in that arena would also be appreciated.

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John,

In regards in CityMark, EB Developers vision is a bold and responsible project. I applaud your firm and wish more developers considered the highest - and best - use of land while planning their projects.

Good luck in your efforts and please continue to share your thoughts in the Orlando sub-forum. We would love to hear more.

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Thank you all for the kind responses. As has been noted correctly elsewhere on this site, I do have property in the Downtown Orlando core and plan on applying the same design principles there. I have also been fortunate to have some peripheral involvement with the Performing Arts Center and plan to be active in how that develops dowtown. I believe that similar opportunities for bold, forward looking urban design exist on the other side of I-4 in and around the Arena area. Orlando local governments and agencies have an attitude that is highly conducive to public-private cooperation. There is no stronger tool to effectively implement quality urban planning than that type of partnership. I am bullish on Orlando's potential.

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.There's a ton of land there that is currently occupied by hotels that haven't been kept up well. Then you have the old Mystery Fun House.

You have a great vision, but that's going to be tough. There's a ton of car traffic in that area. I always thought that land was ripe for Universal to pick up for a new resort or park, not so sure about mixed development.

It will be a change... Good luck.

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Thank you all for the kind responses. As has been noted correctly elsewhere on this site, I do have property in the Downtown Orlando core and plan on applying the same design principles there. I have also been fortunate to have some peripheral involvement with the Performing Arts Center and plan to be active in how that develops dowtown. I believe that similar opportunities for bold, forward looking urban design exist on the other side of I-4 in and around the Arena area. Orlando local governments and agencies have an attitude that is highly conducive to public-private cooperation. There is no stronger tool to effectively implement quality urban planning than that type of partnership. I am bullish on Orlando's potential.

This excites me because here's someone who can take what we all want to see happen -- a strong urban core, distinguished design, and the type of developments that will truly make Orlando a world-class city -- and actually make them happen. We need more people like this who don't make massive premature announcements only to see their hyped up plans fall flat (55W anyone?), but instead quietly work behind the scenes with city leaders to plan a bold vision for the future of Orlando and then actually move forward to make it a reality.

As a life-long resident of Orlando, thank you for your vision. I can't wait to see what's in store.

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This excites me because here's someone who can take what we all want to see happen -- a strong urban core, distinguished design, and the type of developments that will truly make Orlando a world-class city -- and actually make them happen. We need more people like this who don't make massive premature announcements only to see their hyped up plans fall flat (55W anyone?), but instead quietly work behind the scenes with city leaders to plan a bold vision for the future of Orlando and then actually move forward to make it a reality.

As a life-long resident of Orlando, thank you for your vision. I can't wait to see what's in store.

Some people get very bent when city leaders work "quietly behind the scenes." I'm not one of them. ... as long as final decisions are made in the open.

I hope John Markey makes his vision happen both on the Major Blvd site and especially with EB's downtown properties. I was very encouraged when he talked about schools being a part the vision. The math shows that if you get an even mix of youth and empty nesters moving in, the youth will move out at a faster rate if they don't have good places to send their kids to school. Without the schools, today's condo conversions will become tomorrow's assisted living conversions.

John ... Make it happen.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I have to applaud this development and Mr Markey for allowing us some insight on this project. I cannot wait to see what this is gonna look like. There are 3 projects that have amazing designs 1. CityMark 2. City Place & 3. Blue Rose. Only one of them is technically in the CBD. I really like City Mark but it is hard to tell from the massing model how this gonna look from the street level. Out of the three though it places alot of emphasis on retail, entertainment, and also envisions a transit component as an integral part. Outstanding! :thumbsup:

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  • 5 months later...

Delta is like 1/3 demolished; taking their time.

EB's billboard is up. Are they really going to go thru with this project?

ps, I'm going to keep posting comments here to keep this thread active so our friend can chime in more often-- I really want to know what the deal is here. Blue Rose is way further along than this project, obviously... I'd just like to see it built.

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Delta is like 1/3 demolished; taking their time.

EB's billboard is up. Are they really going to go thru with this project?

ps, I'm going to keep posting comments here to keep this thread active so our friend can chime in more often-- I really want to know what the deal is here. Blue Rose is way further along than this project, obviously... I'd just like to see it built.

Hamlet et al:

I guess I am that friend that is supposed to chime in, so here goes. With regard to the demolition of the old Delta, it is conservatively 30 days ahead of schedule. The size (800 rooms of re-enforced concrete) and amount of hazmat abatement involved in the original schedule required 4 months. We will better that by at least 30 days.

In regards to the CityMark project you can rest assured that it will be built. We did not spend in excess of $1 million/acre to close on the property and another $2 million to demo it not to proceed with this project. We have been working steadily refining the design and making it less blue sky concept and more concrete reality. It is not my business practice to make grand announcements and release renderings or begin selling units before a project is real. The initial renderings of CityMark that leaked to the public last year were exactly that, a leak. I believe that it is a disservice to the public and myself to take a project public too early.

As designers we will conceptualize a project in idyllic form initially and then take that design and make it real. That process is tempered by a number of considerations, traffic, school, neighbors, market conditions, zoning, drainage, environment, the approvals process and finance to name just a few. This process is unfortunately measured in years, not weeks or months.

I would hope to have a fully designed phase one of CityMark approved and ready for building permits by the first quarter of 2007. The major difference that you will see in the real project is that it will have a significant urban park element. Feedback from the City and others placed a priority on park/greenspace and I have taken that to heart. I believe that the revised design will be more dynamic than the previously leaked blue sky concept.

As for Blue Rose, I commend them on their project. I have visited the site with one Owner and believe in their vision. The conceptual design is good and I wish them well making it a reality. I view projects like Blue Rose not as competition, but as momentum for the area.

Thank you all for your continued interest.

John K. Markey

Chief Operating Officer

EB Developers, Inc.

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Mr. Markey,

Thanks for your response. Being that this is Orlando and having experienced the last recession which saw many projects cancelled both on I-Drive and downtown, I know I am not alone when I feel "paranoid" that a grand project, such as this, won't be built as anticipated.

As for Blue Rose, that's apples to oranges; a totally different project and direction; I know. Didn't mean to make any type of comparison there.

Aqua is perhaps the latest example of a grand project that I have in mind that is backed by Unicorp and LaSalle Natl. Bank, yet still hasn't gone further that that drawing we all saw last year. I mean, with money like that, you would think it would get built, right? Hence my "concern."

But, I thank you for your post. And I thank EB for buying this tract of land to develop it... a thousand thanks.

Time permitting, please keep us informed as much as possible b/c this project is the most interesting and most "kinetic" of any I've ever seen in Orlando or most anywhere.

Thanks again.

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A memory fades for me as the Caravan Inn (what it was called back in '84) AKA The Delta Resort is demolished. I stayed in that hotel for a month before moving into my family's home. Fun memories of watching what seemed to be "wicked" lightning storms and running from the pool as thunder cracked every afternoon around 4pm. Natives would tell us that you could set your watch by it. Sure seemed like it. It had the only place with a miniature golf course indoors (at least to my knowledge). The only attraction in the area at that time was Turkey Lake Park and Wet n Wild.

Anyway, I'm glad to trade that in for a beautiful CityMark.

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A memory fades for me as the Caravan Inn (what it was called back in '84) AKA The Delta Resort is demolished. I stayed in that hotel for a month before moving into my family's home. Fun memories of watching what seemed to be "wicked" lightning storms and running from the pool as thunder cracked every afternoon around 4pm. Natives would tell us that you could set your watch by it. Sure seemed like it. It had the only place with a miniature golf course indoors (at least to my knowledge). The only attraction in the area at that time was Turkey Lake Park and Wet n Wild.

Anyway, I'm glad to trade that in for a beautiful CityMark.

Thanks Mr. Markey i hope this does get built.Best wishes

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From the initial rendering, it looks like it would be a skyline unto itself. Whatever the changes it undergoes I hope that it doesn't lose it's height or the number of buildings. It would be great to have something like that just rising out of the ground, lighting up the night sky! :shades:

Thanks for the info, Mr. Markey. This is an awesome project!

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