ARCHIVE: Downtown Orlando Master List

[sunshine]

Technically, only Ritz is in Orlando. LOL

I had been to the Regent in Kuala Lumpur

Check out my Orlando photo in PHOTO thread

[Guest donaltopablo]

That JW Marriott/Ritz center on John Young is pretty nice, although a sprawling campus. Still, very nice resort.

[bobliocatt]

I stayed at the Ritz, when I attended a theme park convention last November. I must say, it is without a doubt, very impressive, especially when someone else pays the bills!

[prahaboheme]

The Regent is going to be outstanding..I've peered inside the Regent on Wall Street and passed the Regent in Wilshire..its nice that Winter Park is movin' on up there...i read an article not too long ago that the winter park "ghetto" which is literally on the wrong side of the tracks is slowly going to be eaten up by buyers and developed into a more "thornton park like" setting..Orlando has an absolutely terrible record of pushing out the poor.

[sunshine]

Expedition Everest

200 ft high, tallest mountain in Florida

What do you think of this 100 millions project?

[prahaboheme]

I think all of Disney's rollercoasters have to have a mountain..

I'm excited for it! That and the new Mummy ride at Universal.

I think there is also a new rollercoaster going up at Epcot.

[bobliocatt]

Expedition Everest

200 ft high, tallest mountain in Florida

What do you think of this 100 millions project?

I wonder how tall is Iron Mountain (the land where Bok Tower sits) on the ridge? It's got to be pretty close to 200ft or a little higher. The views from Bok Tower Gardens are amazing.

I think all of Disney's rollercoasters have to have a mountain..

I'm excited for it! That and the new Mummy ride at Universal.

I think there is also a new rollercoaster going up at Epcot.

The ride looks cool, what park is it going in? Magic Kingdom? BTW, Cypress Gardens is also planning to add a couple of roller coasters.

[sunshine]

Possible high rise for donwtown Orlando again

a quote from today news

"Regardless of whether EA chooses to build a downtown high-rise or a sprawling suburban campus, the deal may rest with Gov. Jeb Bush and the Legislature."

_______

Full article can be seen in another thread.

[bobliocatt]

^Well this definately means the city has got to get EA downtown. I'm pretty sure all parties concerned, know that downtown is a far superior location for this project, due to the fact that most of EA's employees are young educated and urban minded people.

[sunshine]

Plus, Orlando has a very well established simulation technology with UCF being one of the very few college in the country that offers simulation major.

But, it might be cheaper for them to build it at suburbs and maybe CANADA.

But, it is very hard to top the 40+ millions incentives. They can use the money to build a possible 10 floors skyscraper.

With 1000 plus workers and possibly a campus, how many floors do you think the skyscraper will need to be?

I hope it will be build at the old bus station with ground floor retails which will include a huge game stores and maybe a simulation museum would be nice..

Damn, I asked for too much.

[bobliocatt]

^You might be asking for a little too much, but the incentives make it possible for them to really do a standout project instead of building and being housed in a regular box-like office complex. I think EA is the type of company that it would be in their best interest, as well as the metro, to include something like a game store or gallery at street level, in their plans. I guess we'll have to keep our fingers crossed.

[prahaboheme]

This is awesome news (if its actually news or us just being over anxious)..chances are they might just occupy existing vacant office space

[tm68]

i really hope we land this. an extra 700-1,000 young, tech-savvy people dt will do wonders for the scene. ...i have an inside scoop on this project, so i'll be sure to keep you updated on the (non-confidential) information.

[sunshine]

New Courthouse To Have Higher Security Standards

Work On Building Expected To Be Finished By April 2005

POSTED: 6:30 am EDT April 5, 2004

UPDATED: 11:04 am EDT April 5, 2004

The effort to revitalize downtown Orlando and redevelop Parramore takes another leap forward Monday as the federal government breaks ground on a new state-of-the-art courthouse, according to Local 6 News.

The new six-story courthouse -- which is expected to change the look of downtown Orlando -- will be located at Hughey and Central Roads, near the location of the current building. It will have a parking garage and urban park.

The structure will also have higher secruity standards and meet the latest guidelines from the Interagency Security Committee for protection against potential explosions. The security standards of this new courthouse are being described as near embassy standards, according to the report.

Government officials have fought to get the estimated $65 million it will cost for the new building, Local 6 News reported.

Congressman Ric Keller, Orange County Chairman Rich Crotty and Orlando Mayor Buddy Dye will be at Monday's official groundbreaking.

Officials are hoping to finish work on the courthouse by April of 2005.

[Hisma]

construction on CNL II will begin later this month with the announcment that a law firm has leased the first 4 floors...

via orlandosentinel

"CNL Financial Group, one of the nation's largest privately held real estate and finance companies, said Monday it has signed a major tenant for its second downtown office tower, triggering a construction start later this month.

Akerman Senterfitt, a law firm with more than 400 attorneys in offices around the state and in Washington, D.C., will lease 80,000 square feet on the top four floors of CNL Center II when it's completed in late 2005, said James Seneff Jr., CNL chairman and chief executive officer.

CNL companies -- they range from hotel investments to retirement homes -- will occupy at least 85,000 square feet of the new tower.

CNL operations and the law firm together will take about 60 percent of the 275,00 rentable square feet in the 12-story tower.

The tower will rise on the north side of Orlando City Hall, steps away from CNL Center I, a 14-story tower completed in late 1999 and CNL's headquarters.

CNL Center I was the first high-rise completed in downtown Orlando in more than a decade. Seneff said CNL's growth is driving the tower construction.

"We are committed to growing our business right here in Central Florida, and our future plans have created an immediate demand for space in the new tower," Seneff said in a statement.

Robert L. Mellen III, Orlando managing shareholder for Akerman Senterfitt, said in a statement: "We've experienced significant growth during our tenancy at Citrus Center, which has resulted in our operations being spread over eight floors."

The law firm was one of the original tenants in the Citrus Center tower, just steps away from the new CNL tower on the east side of Orange Avenue. Citrus Center, known as the CNA Tower when it was completed in 1971, was downtown Orlando's first modern skyscraper.

Greg Morrison, executive director of Advantis Commercial Real Estate Services, which leases and manages Citrus Center, said he's sorry to see the law firm leave.

"They've been a great client," he said. "But we have a great building and a great location and we're working to get new tenants."

The prestigious Citrus Club, a private dining and social club which boasts many of the area's top business people as members, operates on the top floor of Citrus Center.

The law firm lease was handled by Nan McCormick and Michael Phipps, both of CB Richard Ellis' Orlando office, and Scott Bell of Atlanta-based Carter & Associates Orlando office."

we're gonna have alot of cranes in the air downtown by the end of the year!

[bobliocatt]

Its nice to know that this project will be getting under way soon. Does anyone know if it will include street level or courtyard facing retail spaces?

[prahaboheme]

That's a no! I would be nice if they at least had a ground floor coffeeshop in the building.

[sunshine]

This is a old news about the Public Safety Complex. It will tell you where the location of the project is. But, where is the Wellbuilt Museum? It is the African American Museum?

ORLANDO, Fla. -- Mayor Glenda Hood has announced that a downtown neighborhood will be home to a sprawling new public safety complex.

It's the biggest boost to Orlando's Parramore District since the Orlando Arena, WESH NewsChannel 2 reported.

The complex will be built on an 11-acre site across from the historic Wellsbuilt Hotel on South Street, and it will house the police and fire departments.

Had it not been for the refurbished Wellsbuilt Museum, author and registered dietician Roniece Weaver said she would have never established her practice in the Parramore area.

"Having the Wellsbuilt Museum here in the community brought me to this facility. I would not want it any other way. I love being here in the community because that's the community I serve," Weaver said.

The Wellsbuilt property helped reverse a trend of decline in the area, which is west of downtown along Church Street. The Hughes Supply complex that is under construction will also offer mixed-income apartment housing, and the new public safety complex will kick Parramore's urban renewal into high gear, officials said.

Ann Showers and Lewis Deriso welcome the new complex. They're sick of the infestation of drug dealers.

"There's so much drugs. Girls walk all day. They come through more than the cars come through," Deriso said.

"Some of the people have been here 50 or 60 years in these homes. I hate to leave it, but I like for the police department and fire department to be here because the drugs won't be going on here," Deriso said.

But there are those like Ella Brown. Her home will have to go to make way for the new complex.

"I really don't know what they need, but I know what we need. We need places to live, and this is our home," Brown said.

City commissioners Daisy Lynum said people like Ella Brown will be offered a fair deal and taken care of.

"People who are stakeholders, we have a vested interest in them. We are taking good care of them. We are making them whole in the process," Lynum said.

The city will decide on design proposals in February, and then it should take another three years to get the combination police headquarters and fire administration campus built.

[bobliocatt]

The Wellsbilt African-American Museum is located in the former Wellsbilt Hotel located on the NW corner of South Street & Division Avenue. That area is rich with historic culture that nobody knows or cares about today. The only way I found out about it was because I used the museum and site as part of my Fifth year architecture final project in 2001.

[sunshine]

Well, when I drive thru there. I all see is just some old residential houses across the street from the museum.

I really dont see how people can be poor in the USA when all they need to do is just work and make a decent living.

[bobliocatt]

Hopefully these people will be relocated in new infill housing within the neighborhood. Improving the area, block by block is the way to go.

[bobliocatt]

Well, when I drive thru there. I all see is just some old residential houses across the street from the museum.

As far as I can remember, there's nothing worth saving across the street from the Musuem, most was torn down years ago and whats left isn;t any good.

I really dont see how people can be poor in the USA when all they need to do is just work and make a decent living.

Easy, its tougher to be successful if you're born into poverty and grow up in a bad neglected environment. Poorly funded schools and a lack of education by the older generation also add to the troubles. There are several examples and factors I could add, just from what I experienced in my neighborhood & school system growing up. The only reason I made it through school and college was because I grew up in a strong educated household.

[sunshine]

tm68, any news on the EA Games?

[sunshine]

Game firm's incentives 'doable'

Mayor Buddy Dyer is checking on funds to bring Electronic Arts to Orlando.

TALLAHASSEE -- With Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer in town glad-handing and lobbying Thursday, a key state lawmaker said there is a "high probability" the Legislature will help fund incentives to persuade the nation's largest video-game maker to expand in Central Florida.

But another piece of a $41 million incentive package to help Electronic Arts is in jeopardy.

Local leaders want the Legislature to spend more than $7 million to help establish a specialized program at the University of Central Florida, which could train prospective employees for Electronic Arts.

The California-based company, which makes games such as the popular Madden NFL franchise, is looking to expand its operations, which EA has said could create 775 jobs. It already employs 275 people at a Maitland subsidiary called Tiburon.

"It's a doable figure," said Rep. David Simmons, R-Longwood, who chairs the House committee that divvies up education funding. "There is a high probability that we will be able to get these funds."

Dyer said he heard similar support from other legislators, as well as the Governor's Office.

"I think everybody wants to do it," he said. "I think we're going to get there."

The proposed Florida Interactive Entertainment Academy at UCF would house a two-year training program for students with degrees in subjects such as digital film or computer science. A company such as EA would enroll prospective employees in the academy to teach them specific game-making skills. University officials envision the academy with a six-member faculty and serving as many as 300 students.

The $20 million UCF academy is part of $41 million in different incentives that Orlando, Orange County and others are trying to put together to entice EA to expand locally. UCF has asked the state to contribute $7.4 million toward the academy, while it would fund the rest.

EA officials downplayed negotiations with local officials, calling them friendly discussions and stressing that the company is not threatening to abandon its Maitland operation.

"We really like living and working in Central Florida," said company spokesman Jeff Brown.

But with just two weeks remaining in the session, another part of the incentive package is in trouble. A proposed tax break for large, publicly owned convention centers -- which could mean close to $1 million a year for Orange County -- has stalled in the House. Local officials have said they hope to use much of that money for the EA bid.

Rep. Sheri McInvale, the bill's sponsor, said House Speaker Johnnie Byrd may squash the proposal because he's upset with Rep. Randy Johnson, R-Celebration, an ardent supporter of the convention center plan.

Two weeks ago, Byrd pushed a phone rate freeze through the House. The freeze, which has little support in the Senate, aimed to stop a controversial rate-hike Byrd helped pass a year ago.

Many accused the outgoing speaker of flip-flopping to boost his sagging bid for the U.S. Senate.

Johnson voted against the freeze. Now, McInvale said, Byrd is retaliating by holding up the convention center bill (HB 61).

"I think we're dealing with a very desperate man," McInvale, D-Orlando, said. "I think he [byrd] realizes that after 11 days, people are not going to return his phone calls."

A spokesman for Byrd dismissed the claim, saying the speaker "does not have time to micromanage" legislation.

Johnson downplayed the dispute, saying that while he and Byrd disagreed, they remain friends.

"I have faith in the speaker that he'll let good ideas float to the top," Johnson said. The convention center bill "is a good idea. It's something that should happen."

[UPSDAN]

Take a look at the Plaza website. There is a new picture of the residential tower. It looks horrible............