Dr. P Phillips Orlando Performing Arts Center [Phase 2 Under Construction]

[smileguy]

A second crane is going up at the DPAC site today - and the flagpole has been removed. We should start seeing steel peeking over the fence any day now!

[prahaboheme]

We have steel!

[IAmFloridaBorn]

Whats the height on this thing?

[Pete C]

I read this in the Sentinel the other day and it is concerning. What does this mean, that she can effectively delay Phase 2 of the arts center for convention center renovations??

"When leaders approved the $1.1 billion venues plan, they made sure the arts center would be fully funded before any tourist taxes flowed to the stadium. Jacobs said she would lift that bar, but even if that restriction were gone and hotel-tax collections stayed robust, the city cannot currently sell bonds for the Citrus Bowl."

http://articles.orla...s-exhibit-space

Edited May 2, 2012 by Pete C

[prahaboheme]

That article was very disappointing. It makes me long for the days when we had a better partnership between County/City -- Rich Crotty and Buddy Dyer. Jacobs hasnt proven her worth if you ask me.

[FLClarkKent]

Jacobs problem is that she has no vision. What does she want to see happen in Orange County in the next five years? The next 10? 20? How does Orlando fit into the county's future? How about the rest of Central Florida?

She never said during her campaign and, quite frankly, I doubt she knows. Or cares. She campaigned as a conservative bean counter, and touted herself as someone who could reform the "good ol' boy" system. Personally, I think her record in these areas is mixed, at best (shelling out a ton of cash to hire a former Sentinel columnist as a "consultant," and signing off on the Wekiva Parkway [a travesty of transportation and urban planning, in my opinion] being two of my gripes).

Her reluctance to sign off on a domestic partner registry for the county also struck me as having an especially narrow view of the county's future.

As for the arts center and Citrus Bowl, the county will get on board - eventually. But Jacobs will go through her typically MO (releasing sharply worked memos and feasibility studies, hemming and hawing about expenses, public hand wringing over finances, etc. etc.) to at least show that she's the fiscally responsible "leader" some people believe her to be.

[IAmFloridaBorn]

I thought the arts center phase 2 was funded and that the citurs bowl would not be rennovated to update the convention center?

[John Hargrove]

While I very much dislike Jacobs and her entire political world view, I'm not sure she's wrong on this one. The convention center is a much more valuable asset to Central Florida than the bowl currently is. While it's true that renovating the bowl could change that equation, if the reality of the situation is that only can go forward at the moment, I do think the convention center needs it.

That said, the best thing to do is to do both things and they'll eventually pay for themselves, but that is not the reality of our political climate.

[IAmFloridaBorn]

DPAC Progress

[nite owℓ]

Semi-good news from today's DPAC emailer:

CONSTRUCTION UPDATE

The building is taking shape! The steel structure for the rotunda staircase is now in place. This weekend our third crane will be installed to construct the Walt Disney Theater. The Theater will be built around the crane, which will be disassembled once the structure is up.

Demolition for Stage 2

To demonstrate our commitment to completing the entire project, on June 27 the church annex building on our site will be demolished, making way for construction of the Multi-form, Acoustical Theater.

[IAmFloridaBorn]

Thats great news!

[klstorey]

Semi-good news from today's DPAC emailer:

CONSTRUCTION UPDATE

The building is taking shape! The steel structure for the rotunda staircase is now in place. This weekend our third crane will be installed to construct the Walt Disney Theater. The Theater will be built around the crane, which will be disassembled once the structure is up.

Demolition for Stage 2

To demonstrate our commitment to completing the entire project, on June 27 the church annex building on our site will be demolished, making way for construction of the Multi-form, Acoustical Theater.

So this is just the demo for Stage 2. Any word of funding for that phase? What about that famous glass box hanging over Magnolia. Last I heard the funding to pay for that was still up in the air. That is the icon of this building so I hope it is still in the plans.

With three cranes here and maybe one or two at SkyHouse, the O/C Hotel and Central Station each downtown may start resembling the pre-recession look once again.

[prahaboheme]

The Magnolia overhang is included in Stage 1: http://drphillipscenter.org/documents/plans.pdf

[Tim3167]

I wonder how today's agreement between the city and the county for the Citrus Bowl rennovations starting by 2014 impacts phase 2 of Arts center. Didn't the original agreement include stipulations that the arts center must be fully funded before work can begin on Citrus Bowl?

[nite owℓ]

I wonder how today's agreement between the city and the county for the Citrus Bowl rennovations starting by 2014 impacts phase 2 of Arts center. Didn't the original agreement include stipulations that the arts center must be fully funded before work can begin on Citrus Bowl?

I thought the understanding was for the Citrus Bowl to come up with alternative funding to appease Mayor Jacobs, without siphoning money away from the convention center or DPAC. The Orlando Sentinel reports the city would issue bonds backed by city revenue other than the CRA/property taxes (i.e. sales, utility & communication taxes). But then the article says those sources would only be used to issue bonds, but not to make bond payments - instead county tourist taxes would be used to make those payments. So now I'm confused.

I wonder if they plan for the Citrus Bowl to boost TDT which would then provide another creative funding source to begin building DPAC Phase II sooner. I guess I don't really care as long as they stick to their motto: "Build Them All, Build Them Now and Build Them Right". This is long overdue.

[Jernigan]

Has anyone successfully downloaded the OxBlue app to view the webcam from an iPhone or iPad? i downloaded it (for free) but don't know what to enter in as the open link. Any assistance would be greatly appreciated as I can't even get the live cam to load on this computer.

[Pete C]

I drove by the DPAC yesterday, and wow...it's a lot taller than I though it would be. The giant overhang is going to look impressive, especially when Phase 2 is complete.

[Jernigan]

I wonder if demolition of the remaining FUMCO property is still slated for Wednesday. Debbie might push it back?

[spenser1058]

E-mail from Jim Pugh and Kathy Ramsberger today regarding the Buddy and Teresa lovefest:

"Two favorable solutions for our project came from this process: First, a clause was added to the Interlocal Agreement which allows us to receive funds to recover a portion of project escalation costs from 2010-2015, incurred by delays to Stage 2. This means we will potentially receive an additional $10-12 million from the Tourist Development Tax (TDT). The City-OPAC Agreement will also be altered to include a new commitment from the City to issue bonds for Stage 2 as soon as all philanthropy dollars are raised. This means once the private dollars are in place, we have the funding backing to immediately start Stage 2, regardless of where TDT revenues are at that time. This will be brought to city council for approval on July 9 and the county commission on July 10.

We believe both decisions will assist in completing this project. This is good news for us to communicate to potential donors, the Orlando Ballet, and Orlando Philharmonic, all who want assurances that the Multi-Form Acoustical Theater will be built as soon as possible. This will happen immediately, once our philanthropic goal is achieved. We will soon meet with City staff to determine final project costs. We will then be prepared to report a new fundraising goal."

They are reporting this as a net positive, which seems to square with all the scuttlebutt I've heard around the project the last few weeks. Am I skeptical that the performing arts is being thrown under the bus for tractor pulls? Of course. I must say, however, that Buddy has delivered on just about everything promised so far and I trust Jim Pugh to raise a stink if need be to get the Multi-Form Theater over the hump. Cross your fingers, everyone...

Oh, one more thing (I feel like Steve Jobs!): I believe, btw, that the #1 vacation destination in the country should have a world-class stadium for bowl games, World Cup, outdoor concerts, etc. My only concern in this has been and continues to be that DPAC comes first. If DPAC is built, rock on, Citrus Bowl!

PLUS: a cautionary tale in Today's New York Times about cities that got carried away with bonding for their projects:

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/26/business/surprised-taxpayers-are-paying-for-bonds-they-did-not-vote-on.html?_r=1&hp

I believe Orlando's place as a growing, top 25 MSA and that tourism is, after all, our primary business, we are spending the money on the proper things. Caution is always warranted, however.

Edited June 25, 2012 by spenser1058

[Jernigan]

I wonder if demolition of the remaining FUMCO property is still slated for Wednesday. Debbie might push it back?

It is happening today

[spenser1058]

It is happening today

[prahaboheme]

Well this confirms it: DPACs central feature, the Magnolia overhang, will be built in Phase 1.

Check out the webcam, where it is clearly under construction: http://drphillipscen...progress/webcam

Edited July 15, 2012 by prahaboheme

[uncreativeusername]

Excellent! Although I'm confused...wasn't FUMCO coming down several weeks ago? Or was that just a token clawing at it?

[Jernigan]

It was a ceremonial sort of thing, but there is more of the siding taken off on the east side of the building than the west. It is definitely happening at a slow pace though.

[cwetteland]

Are they about to start the next phase of DPAC? I see that they've started demolishing the church building on the lot.