Rida Development Corp's Mixed-Use Complex [Under Construction]

[spenser1058]

My issue was never with 7-Eleven downtown (I've been getting my Combos fix for years from Bonnie at the Thornton Park Sevvie.) My concern has always been the tendency for everything downtown to come in waves. In 1980, Mayor Bill bemoaned the plethora of tattoo parlors and wig shops. Next came the stores that were replaced in a huge wave by dozens of bars. Then the 7-Elevens. Downtown will thrive with a good mix of retail. Once we get there, I welcome a Big Gulp in every household!

[JFW657]

1 hour ago, orange87 said:

In one of the early posts in this thread, unless I'm reading it wrong, I believe someone said they were going to build a 493 foot tower in this spot but the FAA refused to allow it. This is so maddening. It's things like this that prevent cities like Orlando from really going to the next level.

The building with the hollow cube on top is what was to be a shorter version of what the FAA interfered with.

Designed by Arquitechtonica, the same firm who designed the Atlantis  Brickell condominium with the big open square in the middle that used to be featured in the opening credits of Miami Vice...

 

[spenser1058]

Ron Pizzuti was the larger than life developer who sought to build a 600' tower with the Arquitectonica-designed cube. As JFW noted, that dog didn't hunt and we got a shorter version. Truth be told, it never really got far enough along for pushback over any FAA concerns. When Sun Bank Center was built, it was originally too tall for the FAA but as we know they got a variance. With friends in the right places, that probably could get us past 441' here. At the time, Ron decided to concentrate on Columbus OH as more lucrative and came back to Orlando later with, iirc, a stubby on North Orange.

When a bona fide plan is actually ready to move forward, I firmly believe the cap will be raised. To date, there hasn't been a serious attempt.

[AndyPok1]

Signage up!

[spenser1058]

Oh, Thank Heaven!

[codypet]

1 hour ago, AndyPok1 said:

Signage up!

Shut up!  No way!  That's ridiculous!

[jrs2]

So... did 7-Eleven take up the corner unit? Or is it recessed off of Orange?

[JFW657]

5 hours ago, spenser1058 said:

Oh, Thank Heaven!

I agree!!! And I mean it, too.

Now I know that next time I get stuck with jury duty, come lunchtime I can just be-bop across the street and grab a couple of cheap-o hot dogs and a Big Gulp rather than having to trudge all the way down to Pine St or over to Central and Ros.

Awesome!!! 

[spenser1058]

If only Publix hadn't abandoned its Pix convenience stores. I wouldn't have minded a dozen of those downtown. Oh well.

[bqknight]

It's a nice thing for the people living there. Need a quick bite? Forgot something at the store? Yeah - it's going to be more expensive but so are drug stores. I was a frequent visitor of the 7-11 at 55W when I lived there. 

[spenser1058]

I suppose I'm spoiled. My walk to Publix at the Paramount really is only about a block farther than the TP 7-Eleven and closer than the one across from the library. Just one more reason I'm loathe to ever leave downtown.

[orlandoguy]

So... did 7-Eleven take up the corner unit? Or is it recessed off of Orange?

It's the corner unit, which I believe was originally marketed as a restaurant space.

[Mark Baratelli]

Downtown retail will always be dog crap thanks to these landlord/management companies. It's the suburbs in high heel shoes. 

[jrs2]

16 hours ago, Mark Baratelli said:

Downtown retail will always be dog crap thanks to these landlord/management companies. It's the suburbs in high heel shoes. 

yeah, but this is great for that building.  There are 7 or 8 spaces leased now.  that's fantastic.  unfortunately, right up the street in The Sevens, that is not the case.

[leondecollao]

4 hours ago, jrs2 said:

yeah, but this is great for that building.  There are 7 or 8 spaces leased now.  that's fantastic.  unfortunately, right up the street in The Sevens, that is not the case.

Retail at Crescent makes sense, with the courthouse, Bank of America, lynx, and the train station right there. I can’t think of any reason the sevens should even have retail at all. 

[dcluley98]

Pet Store and Groomer store should have gone into Sevens and old Mama B's should be a better new good building on the corner at the entrance to the city on Orange. 

Such a waste to refurbish that awful property for a most likely failed business. Should have bought the property, swapped it out to developer, and finished out in one of the suites in the sevens where people actually live and don't have to cross the streets. 

[TRENCH]

4 hours ago, dcluley98 said:

Pet Store and Groomer store should have gone into Sevens and old Mama B's should be a better new good building on the corner at the entrance to the city on Orange. 

Such a waste to refurbish that awful property for a most likely failed business. Should have bought the property, swapped it out to developer, and finished out in one of the suites in the sevens where people actually live and don't have to cross the streets. 

i just decided to minor in Urban Planning, and if all goes well, i hope to have the power to design/mandate something of respect in that corner bc yall deserve it 

[orlandoguy]

Things aren't looking good for the Philly cheesesteak place. Two weeks ago I went to grab lunch and there was a handwritten sign stating the business was closed that day due to "lack of employees" - on a weekday.

I've been twice since- again, both weekdays during peak lunch times- and the place is shut down, albeit without any notices on the door.

Meanwhile, Greenbeat still has a line nearly out the door everyday and DD keeps a steady stream of customers throughout the day.

[codypet]

10 minutes ago, orlandoguy said:

Things aren't looking good for the Philly cheesesteak place. Two weeks ago I went to grab lunch and there was a handwritten sign stating the business was closed that day due to "lack of employees" - on a weekday.

I've been twice since- again, both weekdays during peak lunch times- and the place is shut down, albeit without any notices on the door.

Meanwhile, Greenbeat still has a line nearly out the door everyday and DD keeps a steady stream of customers throughout the day.

Darn!  I love eating at that place!  I only wished they were open for dinner.

[Jernigan]

One thing I noticed about PC is that they didn’t have a way to order online on their website.   I was organizing a bike ride with a lunch stop and we were going to go there but switched to Skyhouse because both Subway and YourPie had online ordering which was critical in trying to work within lunch breaks.

In 2018.   It’s hard to see this as a black mark on the location when the company is barely trying.