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

[spenser1058]

Bungalower suggests OBJ is getting ahead of its self again with the idea of apartments over the loading dock. Emphasis will continue on the front plaza:

https://bungalower.com/2018/12/26/ask-bungalower-is-dr-phillips-really-building-a-residential-project-on-site/

[HankStrong]

OBJ, what are you thinking?

 

[prahaboheme]

4 hours ago, spenser1058 said:

Bungalower suggests OBJ is getting ahead of its self again with the idea of apartments over the loading dock. Emphasis will continue on the front plaza:

https://bungalower.com/2018/12/26/ask-bungalower-is-dr-phillips-really-building-a-residential-project-on-site/

It’s a shame the hotel concept was abandoned for the north parcel. 

[JFW657]

11 minutes ago, prahaboheme said:

It’s a shame the hotel concept was abandoned for the north parcel. 

I would take the comment about the hotel plans being abandoned as a "for the time being" statement. Ten years from now, there could very well be something going up there. If not a hotel, possibly an office/mixed use building.

Sounds like whatever is currently planned for the front plaza is something that could be easily ripped out to make way for a building project.

5 hours ago, spenser1058 said:

Bungalower suggests OBJ is getting ahead of its self again with the idea of apartments over the loading dock. Emphasis will continue on the front plaza:

https://bungalower.com/2018/12/26/ask-bungalower-is-dr-phillips-really-building-a-residential-project-on-site/

I hope they build something back there.

As it currently exists, it's a pretty ugly facade to be facing the 408 like it does.

[IAmFloridaBorn]

Not too much here...

[JFW657]

Lot of progress has been made since the last time pics were posted.

[jrs2]

[JFW657]

After looking at that pic, I'm wondering if once this thing is fully completed and operational, it might spur new and increased level of interest by investors to build something substantial on the two green spaces. 

That could really be a grand complex if done the right way.

[jrs2]

1 hour ago, JFW657 said:

After looking at that pic, I'm wondering if once this thing is fully completed and operational, it might spur new and increased level of interest by investors to build something substantial on the two green spaces. 

That could really be a grand complex if done the right way.

good point; it will rise to a new level of notoriety then.

Also, if the Magic Entertainment Complex (MEC) does in fact get built, the combination of the two may have a major impact there.  why do I say that?  because the entertainment complex may actually, or be perceived to, complete the Amway Center ala LA Live standards.  It will be a rather large node of activity and on show nights at DPAC that overlap with Magic games, and with Church Street Plaza also being opened, there could be a lot of contiguous active development between DPAC and the MEC.  I mean, there already is now, along Orange to Church; I mean, alternatively along South St. as well.

[smileguy]

Looks like the rehearsal hall is coming out of the ground too, behind the concert hall, and parts of the roof structure have been being assembled in front of the building for a month or two.
 

Word on the street is that DPAC wants to develop the two green spaces and put an amphitheater in between, possibly with underground parking. Some people at the City would rather keep the lawn open.

[spenser1058]

50 minutes ago, smileguy said:

Looks like the rehearsal hall is coming out of the ground too, behind the concert hall, and parts of the roof structure have been being assembled in front of the building for a month or two.
 

Word on the street is that DPAC wants to develop the two green spaces and put an amphitheater in between, possibly with underground parking. Some people at the City would rather keep the lawn open.

I have to say I’m fond of the green space, especially since UCF/Valencia seems to be headed toward building out all of what was once Sunshine Park and the city is resisting further plans for Eola Park expansion.

The more people who live and work downtown, the more the need grows for people to breathe.

Back when DPAC was proposed, it was an open question whether the facility could survive without ancillary funds coming in from the additional buildings.

Those concerns seem to be muted of late and if it’s not a requirement, I hope we can keep the space open.

[JFW657]

If they keep it open then plant some trees on it and put sidewalks and benches in there. Nothing worse looking downtown than a flat, green suburban front lawn.

That notwithstanding, I kinda doubt they'll let such valuable property sit undeveloped for long if someone with deep pockets and a quality design concept comes along waving their checkbook under the right noses.

[spenser1058]

3 minutes ago, JFW657 said:

If they keep it open then plant some trees on it and put sidewalks and benches in there. Nothing worse looking downtown than a flat, green suburban front lawn.

That notwithstanding, I kinda doubt they'll let such valuable property sit undeveloped for long if someone with deep pockets and a quality design concept comes along waving their checkbook under the right noses.

They definitely could use additional landscaping as long as it keeps the appearance as the city’s “front lawn”.

This being Orlando, I suspect you’re  right, but it’s a pity we can’t join the great cities of the world that manage to preserve their open spaces, even if this one happened mostly by accident.

Edited January 23, 2019 by spenser1058

[JFW657]

14 minutes ago, spenser1058 said:

They definitely could use additional landscaping as long as it keeps the appearance as the city’s “front lawn”.

This being Orlando, I suspect you’re  right, but it’s a pity we can’t join the great cities of the world that manage to preserve their open spaces, even if this one happened mostly by accident.

I dunno.

The grass just looks unfinished to me. As much as I hate seeing permeable ground being paved over with concrete or asphalt, I'd rather see them pour concrete over both sides and add some planters, benches, pieces of sculpture or other artwork and finally, maybe some type of grand focal point element. Maybe something akin to the Washington Square Arch etc.

Something to define the space and attract people there like a public plaza. As it is, I think most people are reluctant to walk on the grass for fear it may be off limits.

[jrs2]

2 hours ago, smileguy said:

Looks like the rehearsal hall is coming out of the ground too, behind the concert hall, and parts of the roof structure have been being assembled in front of the building for a month or two.
 

Word on the street is that DPAC wants to develop the two green spaces and put an amphitheater in between, possibly with underground parking. Some people at the City would rather keep the lawn open.

underground parking, like at Union Square in SF...that's pretty big city-ish...

The Expressway Authority should consider an alternative way to get to 408 EB from Orange Ave.  Perhaps a flyover (or under) when you pass the overpass, go up and over Lake Lucerne and the NB Orange Ave lanes, and bridge it until it connects, and connect close to where the existing on ramp is mow from Anderson heading EB from Rosalind.  If they did that, it would take a lot of the EB traffic off of Anderson east of Orange Ave and make it more of a local road.  

That stretch gets pretty busy at times with street parties, etc, from various festivals.  dunno...

[uncreativeusername]

I definitely appreciate the notion of preserving public space, while I also feel the site plan begging for those parcels to be developed.  I loved the feel of the plaza in the middle of the space as we saw in the original renderings/flythroughs.  It doesn't have to be an either/or in my book.

My ultimate pipe dream?  A creative public/private development that preserves significant public space in the final development.  Ground floor porticos on the plaza-facing sides of the buildings, mid-block cut-throughs to access the central plaza from South & Anderson, grand staircases leading from the plaza to some sort of public space atop a 2-, 3-, 4-story pedestal (the first and last time I'll champion a pedestal in building design) connecting the elevated public spaces with the plaza below. I'm thinking The Bean/Park Grille in Chicago (The Bean and surrounding plaza sit on the roof of the restaurant, for those not aware) meets the Barbican meets St. Mark's Square - obviously scaled to the size of the lots, but there's no reason we can't aspire to a similarly high level of integrated public spaces.

Truthfully, this shouldn't be a pipe dream at all - these are probably the highest profile undeveloped lots in the CBD, and immediately adjacent to the crown jewel of our public facilities to boot. If these lots' eventual usage is anything less than spectacular, heads should fly...

(I had a lot of other things I should have been doing this morning, so sketched a quick mock-up site plan instead ) 

[spenser1058]

The Eagles/You Tube

[WAJAS]

I’m personally fine with buildings going on the grass lots, but, put simply, they need to ‘fit’ extremely well.  I don’t want them to just be any building that could have been built at any corner. Also, they should taper off as they get closer to the PAC, so that more of the facade can be seen from the plaza.

[aent]

7 hours ago, smileguy said:

Word on the street is that DPAC wants to develop the two green spaces and put an amphitheater in between, possibly with underground parking. Some people at the City would rather keep the lawn open.

I'm personally glad to hear this. I personally feel across the lawn provides the best view of the building and adding buildings on the sides would make it feel smaller and like a less impressive building. I'd leave it all grass, no large trees, except on the border perhaps, and I'd personally like to see some sort of fountain as a centerpiece.

[JFW657]

2 hours ago, WAJAS98 said:

I’m personally fine with buildings going on the grass lots, but, put simply, they need to ‘fit’ extremely well.  I don’t want them to just be any building that could have been built at any corner. Also, they should taper off as they get closer to the PAC, so that more of the facade can be seen from the plaza.

 

41 minutes ago, aent said:

I'm personally glad to hear this. I personally feel across the lawn provides the best view of the building and adding buildings on the sides would make it feel smaller and like a less impressive building. I'd leave it all grass, no large trees, except on the border perhaps, and I'd personally like to see some sort of fountain as a centerpiece.

Couldn't we have buildings on each side AND a full view of DPAC?

Maybe do something along the lines of this building planned for Miami

Elevate them on stilts to open up the view. Do something novel with the space underneath.

Just a thought. 

[spenser1058]

Maybe, in my case, I’m remembering how it used to look.

The old city hall, homely as it was, had a spacious lawn in front. Meanwhile, American Federal (the round building) also had a lot of space around it (and a cute little fountain). 

The old American Fire and Casualty building also sat back just a bit so that one got the image of Orange Avenue opening up toward Lake Lucerne (especially before the East-West overpass crossed Orange).

So, in a way, it’s an homage to our roots. Plus, as aent notes, DPAC itself just looks great across an expanse of lawn.If you go back to the vision the architect was supposedly shooting for, it really does capture it. A friendly, welcoming community’s front porch.

Edited January 24, 2019 by spenser1058

[aent]

1 hour ago, JFW657 said:

Elevate them on stilts to open up the view. Do something novel with the space underneath.

Just a thought. 

Haha, as much as I like your idea, I don't feel like that would accomplish my goal of not distracting  from the architecture of DPAC.

1 hour ago, spenser1058 said:

So, in a way, it’s an homage to our roots. Plus, as aent notes, DPAC itself just looks great across an expanse of lawn.If you go back to the vision the architect was supposedly shooting for, it really does capture it. A friendly, welcoming community’s front porch.

Yup, and when you get too close, look at it from the sides, or otherwise limit the site lines, I feel like you're looking at a modern airport instead of performing arts center. But across the lawn, seeing the entire thing is where it looks pretty.

I wouldn't object to some low-rise landscaping improvements, streetscaping/adding furniture/benches, but I don't want the area filled with oak trees to block those views any more then I want buildings on the side. We have so many other empty lots in downtown, filling these will only take away from them.

[IAmFloridaBorn]

[KJHburg]

I got a shot of this too when I went around the block by mistake.

Today. 

[IAmFloridaBorn]