Lake Nona - Medical City

[Urbo]

15 minutes ago, Gtothree2748 said:

I believe it’s a new design altogether,  replacing the design from 2018. That one is half the height. 

I don’t think the design will change much outside of adding some more height. But maybe, if it is a new design hopefully they wrap the building around the garage. 

[prahaboheme]

Is the Wave Hotel now open and if so, does anyone have first impressions?

[Urbo]

Just now, prahaboheme said:

Is the Wave Hotel now open and if so, does anyone have first impressions?

Yes the hotel is open. I would say they are about 90% done. They still have to finish The 3rd restaurant Haven with the rooftop pool and cabanas, and some of the additional ground floor spaces is still to be completed. Once the place is 100% completed I will upload pictures .

my first impression is that this is by far one of the best hotels in Orlando (specifically boutique hotels). The sculpture garden is gorgeous and will easily be one of Orlando most instagramable spots once the word gets out. It’s a mini outdoor museum and the plethora of palm trees actually provide shade and gives it a very tranquil vibe.  Tavistock has emphasized art in this project. The interior lobby is full of art, from the ceilings to the floors almost the entire interior is decorated with some type of art. It’s very well designed, and gives off a very trendy upscale modern aurora. The lighting through the entire project combined with the art really makes the place pop and gives it a great ambiance. They do have a few gathering/ meeting spaces and a ballroom but the lobby along with the living room bar is pretty small (it’s very well design but when you walk in the front you have about 20 steps before you walk outside on the other end to the sculpture garden). The Bacan restaurant includes more art and a bar that overlooks the open kitchen, it’s a nice fine dining option but rather expensive.  The first floor of the hotel is very inviting even if you aren’t a guest, it honestly doesn’t feel like a hotel and instead an upscale art and dining infused hangout.  
 

Overall this is one of the best developments Orlando has seen over the past few years in my opinion. The attention to detail and design are outstanding. The architecture is refreshing for Orlando. Reality came out pretty damn close if not better than the renderings (one of the few projects where the design actually got better as progress was made).  I was very amazed with the sculpture garden even though it’s not huge, to have $1million+ of art outside for anyone to enjoy is a great addition. You can see that Lake Nona is proving itself as a viable location for a museum since it missed out on the Orlando Museum  of Art expansion. The rooms are very tech savvy and modern. Didn’t get a chance to view but they say the penthouse is one of the best rooms you can book in Orlando at over $5k a night. 
 

more photos of the hotel will follow in a few weeks once it’s 100% completed. 

[prahaboheme]

2 hours ago, Urbo said:

Yes the hotel is open. I would say they are about 90% done. They still have to finish The 3rd restaurant Haven with the rooftop pool and cabanas, and some of the additional ground floor spaces is still to be completed. Once the place is 100% completed I will upload pictures .

my first impression is that this is by far one of the best hotels in Orlando (specifically boutique hotels). The sculpture garden is gorgeous and will easily be one of Orlando most instagramable spots once the word gets out. It’s a mini outdoor museum and the plethora of palm trees actually provide shade and gives it a very tranquil vibe.  Tavistock has emphasized art in this project. The interior lobby is full of art, from the ceilings to the floors almost the entire interior is decorated with some type of art. It’s very well designed, and gives off a very trendy upscale modern aurora. The lighting through the entire project combined with the art really makes the place pop and gives it a great ambiance. They do have a few gathering/ meeting spaces and a ballroom but the lobby along with the living room bar is pretty small (it’s very well design but when you walk in the front you have about 20 steps before you walk outside on the other end to the sculpture garden). The Bacan restaurant includes more art and a bar that overlooks the open kitchen, it’s a nice fine dining option but rather expensive.  The first floor of the hotel is very inviting even if you aren’t a guest, it honestly doesn’t feel like a hotel and instead an upscale art and dining infused hangout.  
 

Overall this is one of the best developments Orlando has seen over the past few years in my opinion. The attention to detail and design are outstanding. The architecture is refreshing for Orlando. Reality came out pretty damn close if not better than the renderings (one of the few projects where the design actually got better as progress was made).  I was very amazed with the sculpture garden even though it’s not huge, to have $1million+ of art outside for anyone to enjoy is a great addition. You can see that Lake Nona is proving itself as a viable location for a museum since it missed out on the Orlando Museum  of Art expansion. The rooms are very tech savvy and modern. Didn’t get a chance to view but they say the penthouse is one of the best rooms you can book in Orlando at over $5k a night. 
 

more photos of the hotel will follow in a few weeks once it’s 100% completed. 

I hope they are paying you!

Just kidding — it’s always good to be excited about something in your backyard.

[Urbo]

14 hours ago, prahaboheme said:

I hope they are paying you!

Just kidding — it’s always good to be excited about something in your backyard.

As much as I advocate for Lake Nona I should be on Tavistock's payroll haha

[KJHburg]

Back in the City Beautiful and since I drove up from South Florida and came into the area via US 192 I went by Lake Nona.  The town center is looking great the new Wave Hotel and 2 office buildings going up.  (One of those I think is for Disney or maybe both)  (does anyone know for sure?) 

Had to park at the top of the Wave hotel parking deck so I got some overviews of the town center.  It cracks me up to see those cows grazing but I think one of you said it was for agricultural purposes.  Anybody moving from Burbank with Disney should be very happy to come here.   I will tour around more tomorrow and to see where I have been in Florida already check the Jacksonville UP or South Florida Miami threads. 

Really love the designs of the buildings out there in Lake Nona great planning.  You may not know it but this is one of the best planned communities in the country going right now and I have been to a lot lately.   

Lots of photos but I am tourist and what is with this cool gray day?  I see now the sun is popping out.  

[GregoryMCSE]

21 hours ago, KJHburg said:

Back in the City Beautiful and since I drove up from South Florida and came into the area via US 192 I went by Lake Nona.  The town center is looking great the new Wave Hotel and 2 office buildings going up.  (One of those I think is for Disney or maybe both)  (does anyone know for sure?) 

Had to park at the top of the Wave hotel parking deck so I got some overviews of the town center.  It cracks me up to see those cows grazing but I think one of you said it was for agricultural purposes.  Anybody moving from Burbank with Disney should be very happy to come here.   I will tour around more tomorrow and to see where I have been in Florida already check the Jacksonville UP or South Florida Miami threads. 

Really love the designs of the buildings out there in Lake Nona great planning.  You may not know it but this is one of the best planned communities in the country going right now and I have been to a lot lately.   

Lots of photos but I am tourist and what is with this cool gray day?  I see now the sun is popping out.  

Thank you for posting all of these pics.   It gives a real nice overview 

[jrs2]

there are a few buildings u/c I noticed; it looks like 2-3 office buildings, maybe 3 total.

[KJHburg]

Just now, jrs2 said:

there are a few buildings u/c I noticed; it looks like 2-3 office buildings, maybe 3 total.

I saw at least 2 multi story office buildings under way one 8 story one (might be the Disney one) and another one 4-5 stories.  

[KJHburg]

More jobs for Lake Nona.  I knew it could help Orlando compete with other cities better.

From the Orlando Biz Journal

Dnata, a Dubai-based global air and travel services firm, is set to open a new U.S. headquarters at Lake Nona in 2022.

The new state-of-the-art facility will be the home to 50 corporate employees with the potential for future growth. The headquarters will take up the top floor and naming rights of Lake Nona's new Class-A office building at 13495 Veterans Way.

The Central Florida location will support the company’s U.S. operations that provide a range of ground, passenger and cargo handling services to more than 60 airlines at 26 airports across the country. In addition, employees onsite will range from the executive team to payroll, finance, analytics equipment, procurement, IT and safety/training staff. 

“Our new, high-tech headquarters will ensure the continued efficiency of our U.S. operation and support our customer-oriented team of more than 3,000 aviation professionals throughout the nation,” said David Barker, Dnata’s divisional senior vice president for airport operations, via a prepared statement.

Meanwhile, Lake Nona has been a hotbed for aviation-related entities. For instance, aviation training company Simcom International Corp.; aviation services firm BBA/Signature Flight Support; and German vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft maker Lilium all call Lake Nona home. 

The southeast Orlando community also caught the attention of The Walt Disney Co. Last year, Disney confirmed it will relocate roughly 2,000 jobs from its California headquarters to Lake Nona throughout the next 18 months. Most of those relocating professional roles will be related to Disney's Parks, Experiences & Products division who are not fully dedicated to the Disneyland Resort. Walt Disney Co.'s headquarters will remain in California and the relocating jobs will represent less than 5% of the total number of Disney jobs in California.

[Poe Tempkin]

On 1/24/2022 at 6:39 PM, KJHburg said:

I saw at least 2 multi story office buildings under way one 8 story one (might be the Disney one) and another one 4-5 stories.  

I think Disney may be occupying one of the buildings in the immediate term, but eventually they're building a whole campus.  I've highlighted the area where that's going in with blue dashes in the attached screenshot.

Edited January 30, 2022 by Poe Tempkin

[KJHburg]

That makes a lot sense.  I did see 2 office buildings going up there.

this is one of the buildings I saw going up.

https://www.loopnet.com/Listing/13410-Veterans-Way-Orlando-FL/14155850/

[Urbo]

Haven Lounge in the Wave is set to up open in a few weeks (think they are shooting for 3/10 date). Construction is pretty much finished and the renderings don't do it justice. The the aesthetic of this place is rare for Orlando and it will definitely top the list for the best upscale bar/lounge in Orlando. Glad to see Tavistock furthering their commitment to art, placemaking and high quality design.  Hope to see more projects like this in the core of Orlando, but will surely take it in Lake Nona for now!

 

 

[jgardnerucf]

Haven Lounge on Forsyth is awesome.  Just sayin'.

[Urbo]

Tavistock plans to build 625 apartments with over 25,000 square feet of commercial and retail on a 5-acre site next door to Landon House. (Orange County Property Appraiser)

 

After winning approval from the City of Orlando to increase the maximum building height in Lake Nona, master developer Tavistock has filed a site plan for a new trio of apartment towers across from the Town Center.

The proposed Skylar Apartments development would rise on a 5-acre site on Tavistock Lakes Boulevard immediately east of the Landon House apartment community. Tavistock Development Company has filed a PD amendment to create the lot from a larger parcel that extends north to Nemours Parkway. The developer also submitted a Specific Parcel Master Plan for the multi-phased development, which includes 25,473 square feet of office and retail space.

Skylar would consist of 625 residential units spread across three mixed-use residential towers and eight 2-story townhouses. Towers A and C would be constructed in Phase 1, along with a 7-story parking garage, according to the application package. Tavistock Vice President Jessi Blakley said the developer is targeting early 2023 to begin construction with an estimated two-year buildout.

 

The Skylar Apartments in Midtown Lake Nona would have two 18-story towers and one 16-story tower. The project would be developed in two phases: phase one is red, phase 2 is blue. (CES Design Group)

 

Tower A, located in the northeast corner of the site, is 18 stories with 221 residential units (including the only three-bedroom units), with 7308 square feet of retail on the ground floor attached to an amenity room that opens up to the shared outdoor swimming pool and courtyard.

Tower C would be a 16-story building attached to the parking garage, which accommodates 811 vehicles and has 25 private garages that offer direct access to the elevator cores. This tower, which is just east of Landon House, has over 10,000 square feet of retail on the ground floor and hosts the leasing office. It would have 166 units, including a mix of studios, one- and two-bedroom units.

There’s also a separate 2-story amenity building on the south end of the courtyard with nearly 14,000 square feet. It will include a lounge space and fitness center.

Developer Tavistock is seeking a zoning amendment to increase the maximum height allowed on the parcel next to Landon House Apartments.

 

Tower B would be another 18-story building with 238 apartments and nearly 8,100 square feet of retail or commercial space. It’s located in the southeast corner of the site. The townhomes also would be built in Phase 2, according to the project narrative. Blakely said they haven’t decided yet whether to offer them as fee simple units or keep them as rental units. Each has 1,850 square feet of living space.

Blakley said the Greater Orlando Airport Authority has approved the height request, but the developer is still waiting for final approval from the Federal Aviation Administration. The tallest towers would slightly exceed the height of the recently opened Lake Nona Wave Hotel, which rings in at 17 stories.

On the north, the community opens up to the future GreenLink Park, a half-mile linear park that connects the Town Center to Laureate Park. The GreenLink will be served by the community’s autonomous shuttles. Tavistock will be seeking a parking reduction from the required minimum of 1,014 spaces. The firm is conducting a parking study to justify the requests.

Blakley said the design team is still exploring opportunities for rooftop amenities.

The new Skylar plan replaces a proposed master plan that was submitted in 2018 for the same parcel. The previous plan for a 450-unit apartment building would have been the largest multifamily building to date in the community and would have matched the height of the 11-story Pixon building.

 

https://www.growthspotter.com/news/residential-property-developments/multi-family/gs-news-skylar-lake-nona-20220307-x73t7e3fmvgzpo5yu3vq3ma2ge-story.html

Edited March 7, 2022 by Urbo

[IAmFloridaBorn]

As much as I hate Lake Nona, this is the kind of development I like to see. Go Skylar

[Urbo]

10 minutes ago, IAmFloridaBorn said:

As much as I hate Lake Nona, this is the kind of development I like to see. Go Skylar

Yes, very happy to see mixed use dense development continue in Lake Nona.

It’s just a matter of time before you come to love it! It’s kinda getting hard not to considering the type of development we are use to seeing in central florida. 

[Jerry95]

10 hours ago, Urbo said:

Yes, very happy to see mixed use dense development continue in Lake Nona.

It’s just a matter of time before you come to love it! It’s kinda getting hard not to considering the type of development we are use to seeing in central florida. 

I think Lake Nona should be it’s own city. I think that’s why it feels off to me. It’s got a lot of good bones, it needs a city hall and government services there to make it feel more authentic. 

[HankStrong]

I love mixed-use.  The retail here is awesome.  That's a lot of retail space on the ground floor. 

The mixed types of homes seems really weird, though.  "Have you seen our eight townhomes?  Yes, there are only eight.  As a bonus the only thing you can see out of your rear windows are three 200'-250' tall apartment buildings with more than 600 units.  Out of your front windows there is  a 70' tall building.   As a bonus, the rear buildings are oriented East/South of you, so your townhouse will be in full shade most of the day except the hottest days of summer!"

[orlandocity87]

2 hours ago, HankStrong said:

The mixed types of homes seems really weird, though.  "Have you seen our eight townhomes?  Yes, there are only eight.  As a bonus the only thing you can see out of your rear windows are three 200'-250' tall apartment buildings with more than 600 units.  Out of your front windows there is  a 70' tall building.   As a bonus, the rear buildings are oriented East/South of you, so your townhouse will be in full shade most of the day except the hottest days of summer!"

Ah yes, I can't wait to walk out of my $800,000 yard-less townhouse to see the Landon House parking deck on one side, or the Skylar parking deck that overlooks the amenity area I share with 600 apartments. 

[Urbo]

5 hours ago, Jerry95 said:

I think Lake Nona should be it’s own city. I think that’s why it feels off to me. It’s got a lot of good bones, it needs a city hall and government services there to make it feel more authentic. 

But why would you want one of the City of Orlando's economic hubs, lucrative tax base and one of the top selling communities in the nation to leave the city limits? seems like it would do more damage than good...Lake Nona is a net positive to Orlando, its great that its apart of the city and helping brand Orlando outside of tourism.

 

1 hour ago, orlandocity87 said:

Ah yes, I can't wait to walk out of my $800,000 yard-less townhouse to see the Landon House parking deck on one side, or the Skylar parking deck that overlooks the amenity area I share with 600 apartments. 

The townhomes are TBD on whether it will be for sale or for rent. The idea of the "Yard-less" townhouse is that it will have direct connection to the Greenlink which will promote a better public realm and community versus having private yards. There are many amenities and greenspace that will surround the townhomes so going without the yard is not a problem. And im sure they wont have any issues with selling or renting those units. There will be many more options for people who want large private yards in the rest of Orlando suburbia. But providing housing variety is key to making a great neighborhood/community. The fact they are including more choice for people is great. There are far worst townhomes with worst views in Orlando. I think this development plan is actually a great addition to Lake Nona.

[orlandocity87]

1 hour ago, Urbo said:

The townhomes are TBD on whether it will be for sale or for rent. The idea of the "Yard-less" townhouse is that it will have direct connection to the Greenlink which will promote a better public realm and community versus having private yards. There are many amenities and greenspace that will surround the townhomes so going without the yard is not a problem. And im sure they wont have any issues with selling or renting those units. There will be many more options for people who want large private yards in the rest of Orlando suburbia. But providing housing variety is key to making a great neighborhood/community. The fact they are including more choice for people is great. There are far worst townhomes with worst views in Orlando. I think this development plan is actually a great addition to Lake Nona.

No doubt they'll be nice and sell or rent quickly. The GreeLink will be cool.

That said, what irks me most about Lake Nona's urban planning is the complete disregard for street hierarchy and form-based transects. E.g. Two-story townhomes don't belong next to a seven-story parking garage and an 18-story tower; the GreenLink should have been planned to take the place of one of the major boulevards or parkways, not squeezed in behind a C-street that will primarily service parking garages. 

[tm68]

Two story townhouse next to a parking garage and 18-story tower?? Wow that sounds just like Thornton par…ehh Eola south.  There’s a horrible neighborhood 

[prahaboheme]

18 minutes ago, tm68 said:

Two story townhouse next to a parking garage and 18-story tower?? Wow that sounds just like Thornton par…ehh Eola south.  There’s a horrible neighborhood 

You’re going to have to explain that one to me.

Is there any urban area out there that doesn’t have a variety of housing styles within proximity to each other? Or to phrase it another way, are the most popular areas of any given city one type of housing that excludes others?

[uncreativeusername]

47 minutes ago, prahaboheme said:

You’re going to have to explain that one to me.

Is there any urban area out there that doesn’t have a variety of housing styles within proximity to each other? Or to phrase it another way, are the most popular areas of any given city one type of housing that excludes others?

I believe @tm68said that tongue-in-cheek, in response to 

 

2 hours ago, orlandocity87 said:

That said, what irks me most about Lake Nona's urban planning is the complete disregard for street hierarchy and form-based transects. E.g. Two-story townhomes don't belong next to a seven-story parking garage and an 18-story tower; the GreenLink should have been planned to take the place of one of the major boulevards or parkways, not squeezed in behind a C-street that will primarily service parking garages.