Creative Village

[Boomer136]

W. Livingston St. re-alignment underway. Bentley St signs up on Parramore.  Nothing being done to connect W. Livingston with Parramore yet. And the three blocks where the new OCPS facilities are to be build have been demo'd and pavement ripped up.

Edited February 1, 2016 by Boomer136

[Jernigan]

anyone gone for a spin on the now open Lime Line (Parramore BRT)

[nite owℓ]

The Orlando Sentinel reports the City of Orlando lays out $75 million in support for UCF's downtown campus.

Just in time before the next Board of Governors meeting.

[JFW657]

Saw a short segment on Channel 6 news after the Late Show post Super Bowl show about the city council taking up some issue related to CV, but I wasn't really listening. Probably something to do with funding.

But I did look up just in time to see a rendering on screen that I've never seen before.

Something new, maybe?

While I was searching for that rendering, I happened upon a couple of others I haven't seen before.

Don't know how conceptual they are.

Got the second two here...

http://everythingworthdoing.com/orlando-backs-ucf-downtown-campus-with-75m/

Not really anything new in that article, but the following one might lend some new perspective...

http://floridapolitics.com/archives/200728-orlando-city-council-being-asked-to-address-first-big-if-in-downtown-creative-village-plan

 

 

[metal93]

This is some great news, the renderings look good, but what worries my if this whole development would end up being a cluster of sterile steel and glass buildings. I don't necessarily mean try to recreate old brick buildings and all that, but something to break up that postmodern vibe the renderings give me.

At the end of the day, all these renderings are conceptual and no one can really predict what it's really going to look like. But I'm glad the project is finally moving forward.

[JFW657]

Well, the developer is saying 15 - 20 years before it's all built out and that he envisions the look and design happening organically rather than every building being pre-planned to stick to a specific look. So some of the current design concepts will almost definitely change.

 

[alex]

1 hour ago, JFW657 said:

Well, the developer is saying 15 - 20 years before it's all built out and that he envisions the look and design happening organically rather than every building being pre-planned to stick to a specific look. So some of the current design concepts will almost definitely change.

 

I might have mentioned this before, but to follow up on your comment: Ustler has said that his inspiration for Creative Village is the Pearl District in Portland. There, they did a nice job of balancing new, contemporary construction with more traditional materials (brick and metal). The buildings also vary in design from one another.

On an interesting note: The Pearl District also preserved some warehouses, including an old armory. Locally, the Orlando Historic Preservation board recently named the Davis Armory (currently the Orlando Recreation Center), close to the future campus site, a historic landmark. I wonder if they have any specific plans for the armory once the Parramore K-8 and community center are complete.

[JFW657]

12 minutes ago, alex said:

I might have mentioned this before, but to follow up on your comment: Ustler has said that his inspiration for Creative Village is the Pearl District in Portland. There, they did a nice job of balancing new, contemporary construction with more traditional materials (brick and metal). The buildings also vary in design from one another.

On an interesting note: The Pearl District also preserved some warehouses, including an old armory. Locally, the Orlando Historic Preservation board recently named the Davis Armory (currently the Orlando Recreation Center), close to the future campus site, a historic landmark. I wonder if they have any specific plans for the armory once the Parramore K-8 and community center are complete.

Re: the rec center, I read about where they're keeping both the BCA and the ORC. 

I would think that the rec center could be kept as just that. A gym and rec center. 

Why not?

[John Hargrove]

10 hours ago, alex said:

I might have mentioned this before, but to follow up on your comment: Ustler has said that his inspiration for Creative Village is the Pearl District in Portland. There, they did a nice job of balancing new, contemporary construction with more traditional materials (brick and metal). The buildings also vary in design from one another.

On an interesting note: The Pearl District also preserved some warehouses, including an old armory. Locally, the Orlando Historic Preservation board recently named the Davis Armory (currently the Orlando Recreation Center), close to the future campus site, a historic landmark. I wonder if they have any specific plans for the armory once the Parramore K-8 and community center are complete.

Recently stayed in a hotel in The Pearl District while I was out there for work. Really enjoyed that area. These two buildings remind me of the architecture out there:

Edited February 9, 2016 by castorvx

[prahaboheme]

An article from January from Tampa Bay that compares the Creative Village to Tampa's own Vinik development and a similarly sized Vegas project:  http://www.tampabay.com/news/business/economicdevelopment/three-visions-to-remake-three-downtowns-who-will-best-deliver/2213066

[FLheat]

4 hours ago, prahaboheme said:

An article from January from Tampa Bay that compares the Creative Village to Tampa's own Vinik development and a similarly sized Vegas project:  http://www.tampabay.com/news/business/economicdevelopment/three-visions-to-remake-three-downtowns-who-will-best-deliver/2213066

January 2015...Thought I saw that article before in here in the Coffee House.

[Jernigan]

1.5 m donation from FL Hosp for UCF Downtown announced today 

[Kaz]

Another 2.5 million in donations for UCF downtown:

 

http://www.bizjournals.com/orlando/blog/2016/02/ucf-gets-another-2-5m-in-donations-for-downtown.html?ana=e_du_pub&s=article_du&ed=2016-02-29&u=zDsrP4Mai%2FmoHBXCUQzfJw01170114&t=1456778251

[cbejar93]

Dr. Phillips Foundation just gave 3 million today. UCF is within striking distance now of their $20 million goal. Things are getting excited 

http://www.bizjournals.com/orlando/news/2016/03/01/ucf-downtown-lands-another-3m-donation.html

[JFW657]

Another conceptual rendering I happened across.

[bulldogger]

Is that a 55W-styled top/visor?

If they do an open air style space at the base, I hope they install fans.

[Pete C]

UCF Downtown approved

http://www.bizjournals.com/orlando/blog/2016/03/ucf-downtown-approved.html

[Pete C]

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/features/education/school-zone/os-downtown-campus-vote-0302-story.html

[JFW657]

 

[Urban Mail Carrier]

I was walking around the other day on Robinson, between Downtown UCF and FAMU and I couldn't help but notice how the railroad tracks are conveniently nestled between both campuses. Wouldn't it be something If EVER the Sunrail OBE were to terminate there at that Junction. Wishful thinking I guess.

[uncreativeusername]

9 hours ago, bulldogger said:

Is that a 55W-styled top/visor?

If they do an open air style space at the base, I hope they install fans.

I had the same reaction (concern?) at first, but this vantage point shows what actually looks like a pretty cool building: 

[metal93]

On 3/2/2016 at 6:50 PM, Urban mail carrier said:

I was walking around the other day on Robinson, between Downtown UCF and FAMU and I couldn't help but notice how the railroad tracks are conveniently nestled between both campuses. Wouldn't it be something If EVER the Sunrail OBE were to terminate there at that Junction. Wishful thinking I guess.

I've been toying with this idea for a while. It was something actually discussed as an architecture project for UCF architecture students - a train station behind the Center for Emerging Media building. Mass transit to serve students of the educational institutions of the area, the employees and residents of Creative Village, as well as the nearby residents of Parramore. A stop on the proposed Orange Blossom Express is a great idea, plus the tracks hook up to the Sunrail/CSX tracks further on and the OBE could continue on to Church St. Station - the line is actually planned to terminate at the Orlando Health/Amtrak station. Which is logical as one could catch the Sunrail there, or an Amtrak train, and also that proposed Sunrail extension that will eventually go to the airport. It's a long shot, but I'm hoping all of this gets done within 5 years if not 10.

[Urban Mail Carrier]

What I invisioned was a true central station complex. The station would be a block or two away from the main terminal. Especially after ultimate I4 is complete, the highway will be elevated thus presenting an opportunity to connect one station to another via retail shops or a mall. I suppose terminating the OBE at church St could save money. However then there will be no need to build a train station at Hughey and Robinson to serve Downtown UCF.

[metal93]

Oh, I see. The drawings for Ultimate I4 look discouraging though. Their plan for the bridge district only extends up to Washington St. FDOT's plan is to only leave the elevated column portion for this area. The rest of the I4 up to Colonial Drive is still going to sit on compacted mounds of dirt, only opening up where the streets cross, and this time with retaining walls because there would be no space for the sloped earth that currently exists there, they're doing that because it's the cheaper option. Though very pedestrian unfriendly in my opinion as it would be straight up walls instead of sloping grass that's there now.

I like your idea about the shops. Would be nice for FDOT to instead elevate the whole I4 on columns throughout Downtown. That way a sort of linear mall/park can exist under I4 and connect the two stations, instead of being limited to just the "bridge district" area.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orange_Blossom_Express

The proposal from FDOT is to terminate at the Amtrak/Orlando Health station. Church St. would just serve as one of two stations where one can switch between Sunrail and OBE, acting as a regular station like it currently does and not a terminus. It's all FDOT's plan because they want to directly link the OBE to Amtrak and the Sunrail Airport expansion line.

Any confusion aside, your original idea of a central station complex is great, though it doesn't have to just cut off and terminate the rail line there when there is an opportunity to continue the line so it can link to other major transfer points in the rail network. There would still be a need for a station at UCF Downtown close to the LYNX station, terminal or not. And a large one too, as it would have to serve students as well future employees and residents of Creative Village, taking strain off the LYNX station that would be caused by a ton of people moving here. The other plus is that the LYMMO Lime line is planned to run along Garland and Hughey to serve those who don't want to walk much. With a terminal, dead-ending the line, it would just serve people wishing to to get to just Creative village, and walking to get the LYNX station to get to other destinations, making it a two, or three-seat ride with some walking involved. Transportation planners try to avoid this and make things a one-seat ride if possible. As a full station, someone can make the hypothetical one seat trip on OBE from Downtown Apopka, Tavers, Mount Dora, to the Amtrak station, while still being able to make the stop at UCF downtown as well as Church St. where they can catch a Magic game without having to make a transfer. So a station at UCF downtown is still warranted, the people will just have to demand FDOT to build it. Redundancy is a good thing when it comes to mass transit, gives people more options.

[Urban Mail Carrier]

Another option would be to build the train station on Paramore between Robinson and Livingston.

1.It would serve the creative village on the other end.

2. Award the Paramore community with a train station directly in its neighborhood.

3. Serve the Orlando city stadium since it would be only 2 blocks away.

This can potentially revitalize that strip of Paramore Ave from the creative village all the way to the stadium. Businesses will fill in the gaps since there will now be increased pedestrian traffic in that area.

Edited March 11, 2016 by Urban mail carrier
Complete my thought