Mills/50

[alex]

5 hours ago, spenser1058 said:

Bungalower notes the dirt lot fronting on Mills Ave is up for sale. When Mills Park was sold it was not included in the sale.

It's interesting to ponder how much more slapdash the entire process surrounding Mills Park was compared to SoDo. It's a situation made even worse by the fact that we still have a 2.5 acre dirt lot fronting the development after all this time in a booming economy. Tacky much?

http://bungalower.com/2018/05/09/that-dirt-lot-in-mills-park-is-for-sale/

I wish it wasn't limited to office/hotel. I bet they could get an apartment builder to bite pretty easily...just not sure how easy it is to change a planned development (PD) once it's half constructed.

[spenser1058]

The Guardian suggests Barnes & Noble might not make it. If it doesn't what might be next for the space at Colonial Plaza?

Will it be just another big box or is it time to reimagine what was once Orlando's first mall after 25 years as an uninspired power center?

https://amp.theguardian.com/books/2018/may/12/barnes-noble-bookstores-retail-amazon

 

[bqknight]

19 minutes ago, spenser1058 said:

The Guardian suggests Barnes & Noble might not make it. If it doesn't what might be next for the space at Colonial Plaza?

Will it be just another big box or is it time to reimagine what was once Orlando's first mall after 25 years as an uninspired power center?

https://amp.theguardian.com/books/2018/may/12/barnes-noble-bookstores-retail-amazon

 

That place is PACKED (the center, not B&N). Always. It's doing fine. It's not going to change. I don't think it needs to either. I go there constantly. Total Wine, Marshalls, Ale House, Olea, Chick-fil-a, Walgreens, Petco. It's quite convenient. 

[JFW657]

Sounds like maybe they need to jack up the prices of their coffee and pastries, since that's about all they sell. I've always questioned the wiscom of letting people sit down in comfy chairs and spend hours reading books and magazines they have no intention of buying. I hope it remains a bookstore no matter what becomes of B&N.

2 minutes ago, bqknight said:

That place is PACKED (the center, not B&N). Always. It's doing fine. It's not going to change. I don't think it needs to either. I go there constantly. Total Wine, Marshalls, Ale House, Olea, Chick-fil-a, Walgreens, Petco. It's quite convenient. 

I go to Hobby Lobby occasionally. Usually around the holidays.

Maybe drop in to Big Lots. That bulk buying store is pretty cool, too.

[spenser1058]

A combo Amazon bookstore/Whole Foods?

[bqknight]

25 minutes ago, spenser1058 said:

A combo Amazon bookstore/Whole Foods?

Yes, please. Lucky's is opening up not too far from there. 

[JFW657]

Is the store big enough for a Pottery Barn?

Maybe they could expand the upper mezzanine level.

That's the kind of store that would be a good fit for that center.

[spenser1058]

9 minutes ago, JFW657 said:

Is the store big enough for a Pottery Barn?

Maybe they could expand the upper mezzanine level.

That's the kind of store that would be a good fit for that center.

For a long time, it seemed like the market research wasn't keeping up with what had to be increased income levels in the area. As a result, it was hard to get anything more upscale than an Old Navy. I wonder if that's changed any with Baldwin Park filling up and Colonialtown housing prices shooting up.

[JFW657]

I don't know, but on the subject of PB, I cannot fathom why we don't have one in central Orlando yet, but we're getting a 2nd Floor and Decor less than a mile from the one that's already in Colonial Plaza. 

I wonder if they're closing the existing one when the new one opens.

I'd like to see a PB go in that center somewhere.

[orlandouprise]

1 hour ago, JFW657 said:

I don't know, but on the subject of PB, I cannot fathom why we don't have one in central Orlando yet, but we're getting a 2nd Floor and Decor less than a mile from the one that's already in Colonial Plaza. 

I wonder if they're closing the existing one when the new one opens.

I'd like to see a PB go in that center somewhere.

They may believe its too close to the WP store

[klstorey]

Pottery Barn is on Park Ave. There used to be on at Mall at Millenia but I think that one might've closed. 

[JFW657]

I can't imagine who would want to fight the 17-92  traffic to get to Park Avenue, then deal with the traffic and parking hassles once you get there.

IMO, we need one in the Colonial Town area.

Put an Aldi's around there somewhere, too.

[popsiclebrandon]

I bet they knock it down like they did with Borders in WP Village

[spenser1058]

It will be sort of sad if they level it. Whenever I drive past it to get to Walgreens, I remember when it used to be a Publix. Oh well, at least I don't get grumpy about building sidewalks for school kids yet. 

[Jernigan]

I agree the center won’t change....even if they were losing B&N and Floor & Decor at the same time.

If that KMart plaza at 1792 and Lee could reinvent itself in the same big box fashion so can CP

[JFW657]

1 hour ago, spenser1058 said:

It will be sort of sad if they level it. Whenever I drive past it to get to Walgreens, I remember when it used to be a Publix. Oh well, at least I don't get grumpy about building sidewalks for school kids yet. 

I don't think the B&N building is the same one that housed the old Publix. I think they demo'd right up to the building that houses PetCo. That and the old Belk Lindsay building down on the south end are the only two they saved.

[spenser1058]

2 hours ago, JFW657 said:

I don't think the B&N building is the same one that housed the old Publix. I think they demo'd right up to the building that houses PetCo. That and the old Belk Lindsay building down on the south end are the only two they saved.

I think you're probably right. They also kept the original Belk's where Total Wine is now. The Petco was the original Walgreens.

From  Swampy's Photos

This blogpost says the Publix "retenanted" as B&N but that's not quite right, either. The Publix left after the Herndon Plaza store opened about 1986 and was replaced by Rhodes Furniture. 

http://mall-hall-of-fame.blogspot.com/2010/01/colonial-plaza-east-colonial-drive-and.html?m=1

Edited May 13, 2018 by spenser1058

[codypet]

On 5/12/2018 at 1:53 PM, bqknight said:

Yes, please. Lucky's is opening up not too far from there. 

I want a Sprouts so bad.

On 5/12/2018 at 9:12 PM, spenser1058 said:

I think you're probably right. They also kept the original Belk's where Total Wine is now. The Petco was the original Walgreens.

From  Swampy's Photos

This blogpost says the Publix "retenanted" as B&N but that's not quite right, either. The Publix left after the Herndon Plaza store opened about 1986 and was replaced by Rhodes Furniture. 

http://mall-hall-of-fame.blogspot.com/2010/01/colonial-plaza-east-colonial-drive-and.html?m=1

The offices above Petco are still there.  

[Jernigan]

On 2/27/2018 at 9:41 PM, Jernigan said:

Sometimes you have to laugh....sometimes you have to cry...this is a time for both.

The former Barnie's and Chevron combined site is now set to be.....downtowns.....first....ever.....

 

 

 

Future Headlines:

@UngaBungalow = Eyes on the Street say, "I need a blindfold"

@Mark Baratelli = #@!#! *(*$#$ *!$! $!#@$ *$#$

Orlando Business Journal = Transit Oriented Fuel Station To Change The Way You Do Business. Subscribe!

 

Plot twist - per Bungalower, it’s now going to be a Wawa.

Note to @UngaBungalow - This wasn’t really ever rumored to be a Kobes!  It was a mixed use plan then a Racetrac. 

[alex]

Well, there goes the neighborhood...

[spenser1058]

39 minutes ago, Jernigan said:

Plot twist - per Bungalower, it’s now going to be a Wawa.

Note to @UngaBungalow - This wasn’t really ever rumored to be a Kobes!  It was a mixed use plan then a Racetrac. 

I'm sort of wondering where the next "Not A Kobe" location will be. It could be the urbanista alternative to "Where's Waldo?"

I have to say I'd rather have a Wawa than a Race Trac. Better sammiches if I have to give up Pub Subs again.

Edited May 31, 2018 by spenser1058

[FLClarkKent]

24 minutes ago, spenser1058 said:

I'm sort of wondering where the next "Not A Kobe" location will be. It could be the urbanista alternative to "Where's Waldo?"

I have to say I'd rather have a Wawa than a Race Trac. Better sammiches if I have to give up Pub Subs again.

I am not ashamed to admit that I've eaten many a meal at the WaWa on Curry Ford and Crystal Lake. 

What I also like about them is that they aren't afraid to move into urban areas. 

[codypet]

1 hour ago, Jernigan said:

Plot twist - per Bungalower, it’s now going to be a Wawa.

Note to @UngaBungalow - This wasn’t really ever rumored to be a Kobes!  It was a mixed use plan then a Racetrac. 

There had been a sign saying Coming soon Kobe on the Barnie's sign  when the building was still up.

 

13 minutes ago, FLClarkKent said:

I am not ashamed to admit that I've eaten many a meal at the WaWa on Curry Ford and Crystal Lake. 

What I also like about them is that they aren't afraid to move into urban areas. 

Wawa has been constructing cheaply by using a handful of floorplans and "stamping" them on a site.  This doesn't look like what 7-11 or Wendy's had to do to maintain a street wall.  What gives?  It can't be that the old Chevron didn't have that look.  Across the street 7-11 replaced that Gulf/Mobil/Marathon and had to build a kind of street wall.

1 hour ago, alex said:

Well, there goes the neighborhood...

First I've noted of a stormwater pond this far downtown as well.

Edited May 31, 2018 by codypet

[dcluley98]

WaWa isn't bad for that area. Could do worse. I agree with you on the streetwall, CodyPet. I would hope they would orient that opposite with the store building fronting Fern Creek and Colonial corner and the gas islands in the back off the street. And the retention says dry retention area, which I assume just means a grass swale for runoff and not an actual pond. There are a couple of larger trees on that area of the property, which I don't see on the plan, but I assume they are trying to preserve with the runoff area. 

[alex]

25 minutes ago, FLClarkKent said:

What I also like about them is that they aren't afraid to move into urban areas. 

This is an urban Wawa:

What they're proposing here is a lazy, off-the-shelf suburban gas station.

11 minutes ago, codypet said:

Wawa has been constructing cheaply by using a handful of floorplans and "stamping" them on a site.  This doesn't look like what 7-11 or Wendy's had to do to maintain a street wall.  What gives?  It can't be that the old Chevron didn't have that look.  Across the street 7-11 replaced that Gulf/Mobil/Marathon and had to build a kind of street wall.

First I've noted of a stormwater pond this far downtown as well.

Unfortunately there's a stormwater pond by the new CFE on Mills, too.

But yeah, how this plan conforms to the "Traditional City Overlay" zoning is beyond me. It shouldn't get approved.

Edited May 31, 2018 by alex
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