Mills/50

[JFW657]

Oh, it might not be all that bad.

Here's an urban RaceTrac in Atlanta:

Couple more:

They aren't terrible looking buildings by any standard.

I certainly like the brick. 

[spenser1058]

Personally, I just need a Shell station now that the last one remotely close to downtown has gone away.

[Jernigan]

As urban as those may be, I expect the city to require the building come to the corner like they did across the street 

[codypet]

They just built a Racetrac at Lee Road and I-4 if you want an idea of what their current concepts are.

[jrs2]

55 minutes ago, codypet said:

They just built a Racetrac at Lee Road and I-4 if you want an idea of what their current concepts are.

Ah, over at the HD...

[alex]

I'm still holding out hope that the Racetrac is just a joke...

But for the sake of discussion, these two lots are zoned MU-2, which is defined as:

Quote

MU-2 High Intensity Mixed Use Corridor District. The MU-2 district is intended to provide for concentrated areas of mixed residential and office uses at high intensities extending along and oriented to arterials, recognizing the character of the thoroughfare along with it is located. Commercial, public, recreational and institutional uses and conservation uses are also consistent in these areas as part of mixed use development or when otherwise subject to appropriate limitations, conditions and safeguards. A mixture of land uses is specifically encouraged. This district is intended for locations where intermediate and high levels of mass transit service are available or are programmed.

At a combined area of 1.63 acres, this lot could accommodate:

• Either 122 residential units (203 units if a bonus is granted)
• Or 71,002 sq ft of office/commercial space (142,000 sq ft if a bonus is granted)
• Or a combination of units and sq ft within those limits

If this City actually cared about its development goals, we should be getting something like:

4400 Manchester  |  St. Louis, MO  |  0.4 acre site
- 5 stories
- 55 apartment units
- 4,000 sq ft retail
- 58 parking spaces

Highland Residences  |  Los Angeles, CA  |  0.7 acre site
- 6 stories
- 76 apartment units
- 2,500 sq ft retail
- 143 parking spaces

The Grove  |  St. Louis, MO  |  0.4 acre site
- 3 stories
- 20 apartment units
- 1,400 sq ft retail
- 20 parking spaces

The Cricket  |  Ardmore, PA 
- 5 stories
- 77 apartment units
- 12,000 sq ft retail
- 105 parking spaces

[jgardnerucf]

Will the Racetrac roller dogs have white sauce?

[spenser1058]

6 minutes ago, jgardnerucf said:

Will the Racetrac roller dogs have white sauce?

If only they could get the new McD's Szechuan sauce!

[JFW657]

I just hope they're cheap, like 2/$1, so I can get four for 2 bucks.

I'll settle for the chili sauce or mustard. Or both. 

[Jernigan]

On 2/28/2018 at 3:15 PM, alex said:

Is this for real or just a tasteless joke?

Fo’ real real 

[spenser1058]

Bungalower says another empty lot on Colonial in the Mills/50 'hood is about to be filled:

http://bungalower.com/2018/03/04/permits-filed-build-new-retail-vacant-mills-50-site/

It seems to be where the old Shell and Coastal gas stations were, so apparently the brownfield issues are resolved. There's a no-gas 7-Eleven just around the corner on Mills and two others w/pumps just to the east and west on Colonial, so  maybe it will be something else.

[codypet]

Drive thru eh?  My money is on Dunkin Donuts.  They've been building like crazy lately.

Edited March 5, 2018 by codypet

[HankStrong]

It would be an interesting topic all of its own to see how they remediated that brownfield.  I know nothing personally about it, but I've seen it mentioned many times that this was an ugly one.

 

Maybe a new drive-thru 7/11 concept store?????

[bqknight]

My . money is on Starbucks but DD is the only other choice I can see there. With the amount of people on Colonial in the AMs - both would do great. 

[codypet]

The reason I say DD is because Starbucks has stores across the street from each other east of Bumby and they have a Bunch of cafes in the downtowers.  DD has two downtown and I'm not aware of anything until you get across from Wawa on Colonial.  Firehouse subs is where there used to be a DD clearly, so getting back into the neighborhood makes sense.

Edited March 6, 2018 by codypet

[spenser1058]

57 minutes ago, codypet said:

The reason I say DD is because Starbucks has stores across the street from each other east of Bumby and they have a Bunch of cafes in the downtowers.  DD has two downtown and I'm not aware of anything until you get across from Wawa on Colonial.  Firehouse subs is where there used to be a DD clearly, so getting back into the neighborhood makes sense.

Fun fact: My next door neighbor used to have the Mister Donut franchise where the Firehouse/DD is. I sooooo miss their donuts.

[smileguy]

This is at the end of my block - I hope they're able to lease to businesses that will continue to add to the neighborhood's character - unique restaurants, retail, Asian-owned businesses, etc. I don't want a SODO strip of mattress stores!

[alex]

On ‎3‎/‎5‎/‎2018 at 3:57 PM, spenser1058 said:

Bungalower says another empty lot on Colonial in the Mills/50 'hood is about to be filled:

http://bungalower.com/2018/03/04/permits-filed-build-new-retail-vacant-mills-50-site/

It seems to be where the old Shell and Coastal gas stations were, so apparently the brownfield issues are resolved. There's a no-gas 7-Eleven just around the corner on Mills and two others w/pumps just to the east and west on Colonial, so  maybe it will be something else.

Really disappointing. At the risk of repeating myself, I don't think people realize what an absolute waste of land this is:

Quote

AC-1 Community Activity Center District. The AC-1 district is intended to provide for concentrated areas of community-serving commercial, office, residential, recreational and cultural facilities, at higher intensities than in surrounding neighborhoods. Although some Community Activity Centers may be composed of a single type of use, a mixture of land uses is specifically encouraged. These activity centers are intended for locations where a combination of arterials and four lane collectors and mass transit service are available, providing access to other activity centers and surrounding neighborhoods.

At a combined area of 0.57 acres (1010 and 1022 E Colonial Dr), these AC-1 lots could accommodate:

• Either 22 residential units (45 units if a bonus is granted)
• Or 17,380 sq ft of office/commercial space (24,829 sq ft if a bonus is granted)
• Or a combination of units and sq ft within those limits

If these lots were to be combined with 1030 E Colonial Dr next door, at an area of 0.95 acres, a project here could accommodate 38 to 76 units and/or 28,967 to 41,382 sq ft of office/commercial. There's no reason we shouldn't be getting projects like the ones I mentioned in my earlier post. Instead, we're under-developing our few high-density/intensity corridors outside downtown with:

• Colonial & Hyer: 0.57 acres of AC-1 = strip mall with drive-through
• Colonial & Fern Creek: 1.63 acres of MU-2 zoning = RaceTrac (and probably another strip mall)  
• Colonial & Hampton: 0.74 acres of MU-2 zoning = Uniform City
• Colonial & Hampton: 0.86 acres of MU-2 zoning = almost a Popeye's drive-through, but luckily Bento HQ
• Colonial & Maguire: 17.9 acres of AC-3 zoning = new Floor & Decor and a few suburban outparcels 

   vs   

Again, really disappointing that city leaders keep talking about the need for residential units, affordable housing, walkable mixed-use areas, and transit-ready corridors—but have no resolve to follow through. Our code is progressive enough to allow for better development and we're in a market that supports $600k townhomes and new commercial space in these same areas. Still, uninspired projects that barely meet minimum development requirements are approved left and right, meaning our city misses out on hundreds of residential units and thousands of square feet of commercial space.

/rant

Edited March 8, 2018 by alex

[codypet]

Wait are both properties not being developed?  I was under the impression this will replace both abandoned gas stations.

[alex]

1 hour ago, codypet said:

Wait are both properties not being developed?  I was under the impression this will replace both abandoned gas stations.

The block is actually three lots: 1010 and 1022 are this new project, shown below; 1030 is the other section that would be on the right side of the image below, on the other side of the drive-through lane. 

So in addition to being a lame strip-mall, the project adds another curb cut on Colonial, which will be dangerous for pedestrians and cyclists while taking away at least two on-street parking spaces.

[JFW657]

4 hours ago, alex said:

Really disappointing. At the risk of repeating myself, I don't think people realize what an absolute waste of land this is:

At a combined area of 0.57 acres (1010 and 1022 E Colonial Dr), these AC-1 lots could accommodate:

• Either 22 residential units (45 units if a bonus is granted)
• Or 17,380 sq ft of office/commercial space (24,829 sq ft if a bonus is granted)
• Or a combination of units and sq ft within those limits

If these lots were to be combined with 1030 E Colonial Dr next door, at an area of 0.95 acres, a project here could accommodate 38 to 76 units and/or 28,967 to 41,382 sq ft of office/commercial. There's no reason we shouldn't be getting projects like the ones I mentioned in my earlier post. Instead, we're under-developing our few high-density/intensity corridors outside downtown with:

• Colonial & Hyer: 0.57 acres of AC-1 = strip mall with drive-through
• Colonial & Fern Creek: 1.63 acres of MU-2 zoning = RaceTrac (and probably another strip mall)  
• Colonial & Hampton: 0.74 acres of MU-2 zoning = Uniform City
• Colonial & Hampton: 0.86 acres of MU-2 zoning = almost a Popeye's drive-through, but luckily Bento HQ
• Colonial & Maguire: 17.9 acres of AC-3 zoning = new Floor & Decor and a few suburban outparcels.

Again, really disappointing that city leaders keep talking about the need for residential units, affordable housing, walkable mixed-use areas, and transit-ready corridors—but have no resolve to follow through. Our code is progressive enough to allow for better development and we're in a market that supports $600k townhomes and new commercial space in these same areas. Still, uninspired projects that barely meet minimum development requirements are approved left and right, meaning our city misses out on hundreds of residential units and thousands of square feet of commercial space.

/rant

I agree that a mid-rise residential or office/mixed-use w/ground floor restaurant/retail would be the ideal and preferable-by-a-long-shot use for that parcel, but I also question whether being right on Colonial Drive with living room windows or balconies overlooking a nearly constant traffic snarl and whatever commercial businesses would be right across from it, would appeal to a lot of people. At least to the point of willingness to pay premium prices for it. Of course there's the Steel House units that front Colonial, but that's downtown, so they have that going for them.

I'm also wondering what, if any legal considerations/ramifications there might be for the city to consider if they denied approval for a project based on such factors.

I will say this. On the bright side, at least the proposed building has a parapet wall along the top giving the impression of a two story building.

That's something, I guess... 

[spenser1058]

IIRC, they had a bear of a time trying to sell the old Acme Glass building at Colonial and the railroad tracks as lofts because of it being right on the highway. Perhaps once-burned, twice shy? Maybe someday when we Orlando folks get a tad more urban or if Colonial gets on a road diet, we'll try again. I'm with Alex though that things like a Racetrac adjoining a Main Street District are kinda tacky.

Edited March 8, 2018 by spenser1058

[popsiclebrandon]

I live at Park Lake Towers and other than getting into and out of the garage during rush hour it is pretty great. You get used to the noise pretty quickly.

[codypet]

5 hours ago, alex said:

The block is actually three lots: 1010 and 1022 are this new project, shown below; 1030 is the other section that would be on the right side of the image below, on the other side of the drive-through lane. 

So in addition to being a lame strip-mall, the project adds another curb cut on Colonial, which will be dangerous for pedestrians and cyclists while taking away at least two on-street parking spaces.

I'm not too worried about the amount of driveways.   The streetview of the previous gas stations had 3 driveways for each plus the sidewalk traffic for the atm.  When you compare that with what they're proposing its an improvement.

[JFW657]

41 minutes ago, codypet said:

I'm not too worried about the amount of driveways.   The streetview of the previous gas stations had 3 driveways for each plus the sidewalk traffic for the atm.  When you compare that with what they're proposing its an improvement.

The parking lot and all that is in back of the building, isn't it? 

That's what I was assuming.