Amway Center

[prahaboheme]

Not much to see here, but a first conceptual rendering of the sports and entertainment complex by DeVos.  It looks like there will be a "radius" style plaza and a larger highrise on the Southeast corner of the property.  Otherwise, nothing else to see.

 

 

 

The arena rendering is very old.

[spenser1058]

City to pay Magic $1.7M to add conference space downtown

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http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/orange/os-orlando-magic-conference-center-20131026,0,1717713.story

 

Well, here's the convention space we needed downtown - this should eventually inspire another hotel or two.

[jack]

Good for them, I hope it works out. I guess this means that Rida's block will not have a conference center. 

[Jernigan]

Orlando will be hosting the 2016 and 2017 American Conference basketball tournament.

The American includes hometown UCF, USF and as well as national powers like Temple, Cincinnati and defending National Champion Connecticut.

[John Hargrove]

OBJ:

 

Orlando Magic detail plans for Phase 1 of new $200M downtown complex

 

http://www.bizjournals.com/orlando/blog/2014/05/orlando-magic-detail-plans-for-phase-1-of-new-200m.html

[truebluecfl]

The spire thing's look cool, the office building is underwhelming.

[Bungalower-MattBroffman]

More photos and plans:

http://bungalower.com/2014/05/new-details-phase-one-magics-sports-entertainment-district/

[sunshine]

With all these construction, what happend to the retails currently underneath the parking garage? It was such a big deal for them when this project was proposed...do they get payout to shut up?

The spire thing's look cool, the office building is underwhelming.

"underwhlming" is the anthem of downtown orlando......

[gibby]

Hopefully, they are fully committed (per their master plan) to poke Pine Street through with phase 2.

[prahaboheme]

I don't find this underwhelming.

 

Let's keep this in perspective -- this is replacing a PARKING GARAGE.  This is still a risky investment in Parramore and it is certainly a leap ahead of other downtown developments (ie Crescent and the other apartment buildings u/c).  It brings actual office space (that will be immediately filled) to downtown Orlando as well as additional retail and entertainment options.  It's not LA Live and it was never going to be.  If you were expecting a billion dollar investment on par with LA Live, then of course you are going to be underwhelmed. 

 

.02c

[orlandoguy]

Good points.  It's also important to keep in mind the structures will have giant media screens incorporated into the façades which will provide a very dynamic presence.  Contrary to what the city commission said at the time, it's impossible to not look at the Amway Center screens as you drive past on I4.  I think this will have the same effect for the festival plaza.

Speaking of which, I hope they come up with a different name for the public plaza.  We already have Festival Park in Orlando so it'd be nice if they'd recognize other established venues in the city and come up with something unique.  Otherwise you end up with the same issue as the "plaza" moniker downtown:  "We're meeting at the Plaza."  "The one on Bumby?"  "No, the movie theater on Orange."  Every time!

[Dale]

I've been to LA Live. LA Live ain't overwhelming.

[alex]

I did a comparison of the Magic complex and LA Live.  I was actually surprised that they are both similar in area.  Also, most of LA Live (other than the huge Marriott building) is only 4 - 6 stories.  Don't know the exact square footage of each, but they could be comparable.  Plus, Orlando is obviously much smaller than LA, so it has the chance to make a much bigger impact on downtown.

[prahaboheme]

Hopefully the Magic complex does land a Marriott / JW complex or something similar such as a Westin or W.  Something like this towering over I-4 would have a nice effect.

[truebluecfl]

I don't find this underwhelming.

 

Let's keep this in perspective -- this is replacing a PARKING GARAGE.  This is still a risky investment in Parramore and it is certainly a leap ahead of other downtown developments (ie Crescent and the other apartment buildings u/c).  It brings actual office space (that will be immediately filled) to downtown Orlando as well as additional retail and entertainment options.  It's not LA Live and it was never going to be.  If you were expecting a billion dollar investment on par with LA Live, then of course you are going to be underwhelmed. 

 

.02c

 

True, I didn't think about how much the video boards will add to the building. The west elevation is the only one I really felt underwhelmed with, but the more I think about it I will look good.

[Boomer136]

What I notice is LA Live seems surrounded mostly by parking lots, while the Magic complex extends, or perhaps links the existing destination that is our downtown.

 

True no 7,000 seat concert venue or Grammy Museum which hosts far more live events than one would think, at least more than I would think. LA Live looks like a place to go to and not step off their property. I am excited about Phase II (all the Phase IIs that are waiting). The hotel and convention space downtown will be great for downtown.

[sunshine]

i remembered they talked about a Orlando Magic museum.

[truebluecfl]

A House Of Blues or Hard Rock cafe concert venue would be perfect for the Magic's Plaza. Don't know why they wouldn't incorporate a smaller concert venue to host more intimate bands and shows that cant fill Amway and otherwise would go to downtown disney or Universal. Firestone used to be a good place to see some shows but not so much anymore.

[CalvinEggnog]

Hmmmm.....I admit I'm a little nervous.  The NW and SW corners are the two parts of the plan I like the least.  With them being Phase I, it makes me wonder if the best parts will even come to fruition, and if so, whether they will remain in their current state or not.  My fear is that the taller buildings are downsized or funding dries up and it takes another 10+ years to be developed.

 

I'd have been so much happier if either the NE or SE portions had been in the works for Phase I.  

 

Fingers crossed.

[codypet]

Anyone wondering how I-4 Ultimate is gonna play into all of this.  I'm told all the bridges over the parking lot are going to be rebuilt.  Is much of that connection to the Amway Center gonna be severed for 6 years?

[aent]

Anyone wondering how I-4 Ultimate is gonna play into all of this.  I'm told all the bridges over the parking lot are going to be rebuilt.  Is much of that connection to the Amway Center gonna be severed for 6 years?

I'm sure they're not going to be able to sever access like that. I'd also imagine its going to be done in bits and pieces, just not the entire project done for 6 years and not having the new lanes opened for 6 years. That was the case when they redid 95 in south florida.

[jrs2]

^^

Do you mean the Anderson St. exit?  If so, that is part of the ultimate interchange plan.  It was just built as a phase I.  It won't get shut down.

 

However, on the issue of replacing the bridges currently over downtown, there's no way they can shut them all down (westbound, for example) and also sever the Anderson St. exit.  They could, but I think they'll just route traffic around a little bit as the bridge gets replaced (I think) lane by lane or however they decide to do it.  They may just shut down I-4's eastbound or westbound lanes (whichever comes first) for a few days and route all vehicles to the other side and constrict it to two lanes going one lane coming or whatever while they do complete bridge reconstruction on the other side, then, do the same again.  In this scenario, they may shut down that exit completely.

[Ocityst]

Edited June 23, 2014 by Ocityst

[Pete C]

Wow, that looks great!

[Jernigan]

Awesome - where was this pulled from?