How would you make Orlando Better?

[Theflytyr]

I know this sounds like a very general topic but I wanted to start a thread here on ways we might improve our city. Specifically I was thinking about great cities not only around the world but right here in our own country and what things help to make them great.

I love Orlando and have lived here since 1963. I have seen it from its infancy, through its teen growing years to what I see now as a town in its early adulthood. One trying to become all grownup but experiencing a lot of growing pains along the way.

When I go to some of these great cities such as New York, Chicago, Boston or San Fran I see things about them that help define them. Things that make them somewhat unique and also special. What I am hoping to hear from others on this forum are suggestions of what you would like seen done to help make Orlando even more special.

For me, one of the things I would love to see Orlando do is make use of more Fountains. We have such oppurtunity to incorporate it water in so many of the projects we have yet we don't. For example I think the new round-about in front of 55W would have been perfect for a multi-tiered fountain. Something that would have made a statement and transitioned nicely into a Piazza. But instead we choose a tree. Granted it is a beautiful and somewhat majestic tree, but to me it just seems to be a tree. In fact I would much rather have seen a statue than a tree. I look at a city such as Kansas City which has 49 fountains within its city limits yet I can not even think of 10 within the city limits of Orlando.

So I ask, what can we do to help make Orlando even better.

[neon9]

I would like to see some more parks, a few more pocket parks and one or 2 large ones such as you would see in Europe, or even like the Mall in D.C. - With large wide paths available for bikes and open lawns.

I was just in DC and they don't feel the need to ban everything up to and including laying on your back in the park.

Oh, and of course mass transit. From the airport to Universal/Convention Center and DT, maybe up to at least Altamonte, for a start.

[i_cre8]

I get from my girlfriend on nearly a daily basis, "When the hell can we move out of this god-foresaken city?" We've both lived here for years now, and she being from NYC, is completely "over" the lack of culture here, what she sees as a loosely integrated arts culture and lower-tier museums. She sees a city trying to become something it isn't yet with fancy high-rise condos downtown and no one living there. She sees every new opportunity in Orlando as simply the development du jour -- be that "lifestyle centers" or trendy restaurants. She sees nothing with true soul in Orlando.

And from time to time, in a lot of ways, I can't say that I blame her.

So, with all that said, in my fantasy world, I've love to see development halted beyond, say, 5 miles outside our beltway. All new development must occur more densely and within the confines of our existing urban area. The sprawl has to stop, and in a few years, hopefully it'd force more mass transit. That said, I second the motion for greenbelts within the urban area.

I'd love to see more public art -- statues, signature fountains and sculpture, dispersed throughout the city. Let's blanket the metro with art and inspire our people to call this area "home" -- not just the place they moved to because they were tired of the north, or they're down here for a time because their job transferred them and they don't plan to stay here all that long.

I'd also love to see more regional cooperation here. It seems that every town, every city, every county is generally out for "what's in it for me?". For example, Osceola is still trying for their own convention center. Basically, because they want to reap the convention money that Orange now gets. That's completely understandable. But, why can't each municipality (or entity) cooperate towards one really big goal (and in turn get pay-outs proportionate to what they put in), rather than each trying to make manifest their own smaller project?

All pipe dreams, I know.

Unfortunately, I think we as a society (not just Central Florida) are more concerned about me, me, me ("Those statues are going to cost me, the taxpayer, too much money," "I don't want my neighbor living 'on top' of me.") -- most of these ideals will never come to fruition because they're too inclined to the population as a whole.

[mgsports]

More Highways and such to get around Orlando and surronding area's faster.

[neon9]

More Highways and such.

Why?

It's your position that we do not have enough pavement in Central Florida?

[FrigginGr8est]

More parks and culture is the way to go, with public transportation a priority. Enlarge MCO and Sanford Airport to accommodate private aviation and close down the executive airport to make it a park. Buy any land available around Lake Eola to enlarge that park. Someone previously said that they should shrink the lake a bit and make the green area bigger. I agree. Also, instead of selling the old arena when the new one is built, tear it down and make that into a park too. The city needs to spend money to make it a better place to live. Give the shortsighted people who dont want progress (in a controlled manner) a one way ticket to beautiful downtown Fayetteville, NC. They'll be happier there.

[prahaboheme]

I like the DC Mall idea over by the old Arena. There is already a mini "mall" that starts at the retention pond at Colonial and terminates at the arena doorstep. Widening this and extending it South past the Bob Carr toward the Expo Center be wonderful. Zone the whole area for mid to highrise with streetlevel retail opening up onto the mall (like Las Ramblas in Barcelona or Lincoln Rd in South Beach) and put out bids to artists/architects to design an iconic monument for the new mall.

[jack]

Make myself the supreme ruler of the state. Seriously. I would be benevolent and loved by the masses.

More parks and public transportation. Diversify governments tax base. I think they should be priorities. Also, reorganize the criminal justice system from the ground up. You canot have a great place to live with the current crime level.

[leclercnlakenona]

More Highways and such to get around Orlando and surronding area's faster.

A true urban enviromentalist. How about fixing the crumbling infrastructure we currently have and expand to other "alternative" means of transportation such as light rail?

[neon9]

What's up here? I wrote a quick message supporting praha's mall idea, hoping more traffic would decrease trash in Lake Dot, and asked Jack if he thought there was any chance of changing some laws (drug laws esp.) since we're currently locking up 1 out of 100 of our population and we have 25% of the world's prison population...and asked if there was a concidence that we also use 25% of the worlds oil. Nothing personal, just wondering if that is kind of what he means or thought it would help.

Also noted our legislators can't put money back in the renewable energy fund but they are finding time to outlaw salvia divornium, if anyone even knows what that is.

Is there something offensive about that? If I'm just going to have posts deleted then I'm not wasting my time here.

[BoneFish]

Q - How would you make Orlando Better

A - Kick everybody out that arrived after the early 60

[bulldogger]

I already make Orlando better. I'm here.

[codypet]

I already make Orlando better. I'm here.

I think the city would benefit from OOCEA and Lynx building some sort of light/elevated rail project in the right of way of SR 408 and head it toward the Waterford Lakes area, with a spur toward Oviedo.

[OCF]

Some form of mass transit be it commuter rail, light rail, designated bus lanes, whatever. A practical mass transit system, even if only in the core would do alot for our city. Ideally I would love to see a practical mass transit system that links Altamonte through downtown to Lake Buena Vista area. I know I've excluded alot of Central Florida but feel if we had a working system through this small segment it would encourage density and greatly urbanize that area. I am all for that, I really disagree with continuing sprawl. Instead of spending money of adding another section of the beltway through the wekiwa river basin, why don't we leave that area untouched and put money into something like this instead. I'd much rather see the developed areas become more urbanized and green areas stay green.

[depechecureguyorl]

Orlando would be a much better place if the respective city and county administration could actually WORK TOGETHER instead of suing each other over trivial matters. Hell will freeze over before the two actually coexist. And I'm not talking about deals for billionaire sports owners and convention center developers.

[depechecureguyorl]

What's up here? I wrote a quick message supporting praha's mall idea, hoping more traffic would decrease trash in Lake Dot, and asked Jack if he thought there was any chance of changing some laws (drug laws esp.) since we're currently locking up 1 out of 100 of our population and we have 25% of the world's prison population...and asked if there was a concidence that we also use 25% of the worlds oil. Nothing personal, just wondering if that is kind of what he means or thought it would help.

Also noted our legislators can't put money back in the renewable energy fund but they are finding time to outlaw salvia divornium, if anyone even knows what that is.

Is there something offensive about that? If I'm just going to have posts deleted then I'm not wasting my time here.

Don't feel bad. I recently had a "moderator" from South Carolina give me a warning because I called him "childish" for writing derogatory rants about Orlando in Jacksonville forums. Speaking of...what is WITH Jax's inferiority complex with Orlando??? Anyways...that's the reason why I hardly come to this site. Too many thin-skinned cybertrolls with a chip on their shoulder.

[bulldogger]

Me small in real world. Big on internet. Crush others that oppose me.

[mgsports]

You will be happy to know that the T-Rex Restaruant is coming to Downtown Disney this fall.

[Whipp]

Turn Orlando into a Beach town with Beach theme Commercial. Gets some Places not in Florida yet to come to Orlando by exapnding the Transportation here.

wow, dude. something tells me you have a few bulbs missing. i LOVE it when Places come to Orlando!!

the only way orlando becomes a beach town is to have a beach. and perhaps that will happen in 50 years when the ice caps have melted. so you may get your wish eventually. at that point i'll be living in central greenland.

[drjnieto]

wow, dude. something tells me you have a few bulbs missing. i LOVE it when Places come to Orlando!!

the only way orlando becomes a beach town is to have a beach. and perhaps that will happen in 50 years when the ice caps have melted. so you may get your wish eventually. at that point i'll be living in central greenland.

Orlando is surrounded by water, multiple lakes and beaches on both sides. What Orlando needs is a bullet train to Clearwater beach and one to Melbourn or coco beach. That would be awsome.

[jack]

Downtown and Orlando needs a there there.

[Chemmie]

Something along the lines of this:

[sunshine]

First of all,

I will add an urban development boundary and actually use it. Nothing can be built outside of this boundary. Any developer wish to develop their land outside the boundary will have to pay for premium fees for road building. This will cost there products to be extremely pricy and nobody will buy it.

All commercial strips are to be built right up to the street. All surface parkings are to be hidden. Enourage them to build multistory store with garage. for example, Walmart will have to be 5 stories tall with attched parking garage. All stores are to be pedestrian oriented and not auto orineted.

Really focus in downtown rebuilding by bringing tourist elements. Tourists bring world class downtown. Residents alone cant sustain a busy downtown.

Mass transit. LRT from Sanford all the way down to airport and disney. Monorail along I-drive. Street car around downtown.

Have someone buy Jaguar and the Ray and bring them in town.

Built a broadway style theatre district downtown. Built an urban beach along lake ivanhoe that will rival South Beach or Paris beach.

Last, move everybody from Paramore to deland or deltona and level the entire place to build a central park.

[drjnieto]

First of all,

I will add an urban development boundary and actually use it. Nothing can be built outside of this boundary. Any developer wish to develop their land outside the boundary will have to pay for premium fees for road building. This will cost there products to be extremely pricy and nobody will buy it.

All commercial strips are to be built right up to the street. All surface parkings are to be hidden. Enourage them to build multistory store with garage. for example, Walmart will have to be 5 stories tall with attched parking garage. All stores are to be pedestrian oriented and not auto orineted.

Really focus in downtown rebuilding by bringing tourist elements. Tourists bring world class downtown. Residents alone cant sustain a busy downtown.

Mass transit. LRT from Sanford all the way down to airport and disney. Monorail along I-drive. Street car around downtown.

Have someone buy Jaguar and the Ray and bring them in town.

Built a broadway style theatre district downtown. Built an urban beach along lake ivanhoe that will rival South Beach or Paris beach.

Last, move everybody from Paramore to deland or deltona and level the entire place to build a central park.

Great ideas, we need a state of the art theater district to complement the orlando PAC. We also need to complement the new arena, with night life atmosphere ( see Staples center, LA live just got built across the stree) lets build an O live to complement the arena.

Lets get a pro football team and build a new foot ball stadium. Build a retractable roof baseball stadium for an expansion team or the Rays or Marlins.

Mass transit is definetly needed I agree. Build a highway that go to the airport directly from downtown.

[drjnieto]

First of all,

I will add an urban development boundary and actually use it. Nothing can be built outside of this boundary. Any developer wish to develop their land outside the boundary will have to pay for premium fees for road building. This will cost there products to be extremely pricy and nobody will buy it.

All commercial strips are to be built right up to the street. All surface parkings are to be hidden. Enourage them to build multistory store with garage. for example, Walmart will have to be 5 stories tall with attched parking garage. All stores are to be pedestrian oriented and not auto orineted.

Really focus in downtown rebuilding by bringing tourist elements. Tourists bring world class downtown. Residents alone cant sustain a busy downtown.

Mass transit. LRT from Sanford all the way down to airport and disney. Monorail along I-drive. Street car around downtown.

Have someone buy Jaguar and the Ray and bring them in town.

Built a broadway style theatre district downtown. Built an urban beach along lake ivanhoe that will rival South Beach or Paris beach.

Last, move everybody from Paramore to deland or deltona and level the entire place to build a central park.

Great ideas, we need a state of the art theater district to complement the orlando PAC. We also need to complement the new arena, with night life atmosphere ( see Staples center, LA live just got built across the stree) lets build an O live to complement the arena.

Lets get a pro football team and build a new foot ball stadium. Build a retractable roof baseball stadium for an expansion team or the Rays or Marlins.

Mass transit is definetly needed I agree. Build a highway that go to the airport directly from downtown.