Downtown Orlando Project Discussion

[jrs2]

Sh!tty photo, but you get the point.  WB I-4 to WB 408 ramp bridge sections being installed.

Oh, man, this is messing up my eyes.  I'll snap another today.  If you need me to take it down, just say the word.

Edited March 22, 2018 by jrs2

[codypet]

Well I4 ultimate website has really updated the user interface with the construction updates.  I kinda like it a lot better.

[Dale]

^{I-4 is going to be fabulous when at long last done. Also, is the "under I4" project a given ?}

[Jernigan]

[orlandouprise]

Good god, does every developer come here with the ugliest and cheapest looking design they can throw out there?  Are we that desperate that the city would actually entertain this $h!t??  I would vomit if that crap actually get built

[tc01]

Ugly building I agree, I'm sure it's just a concept. Glad to hear New York developer is investing thou......

[Dale]

Yes, please.

[orlandouprise]

IMO we shouldn’t accept crap for the sake of building stuff. More fat stumpy generic and butt ugly buildings. I for one am sick and tired of this.  We are not the red headed step child that has to accept anythingfrom developers 

[Mark Baratelli]

2 hours ago, orlandouprise said:

IMO we shouldn’t accept crap for the sake of building stuff. More fat stumpy generic and butt ugly buildings. I for one am sick and tired of this.  We are not the red headed step child that has to accept anythingfrom developers 

Yes the hell we are. This City accepts the craptiest designs constantly. The Appearance Review Board is a angel love joke. And every design I've seen in my short time writing about these trash projects is first presented as a crapty-ass building that can only go up from there. They force the city to demand design elements and they do that because this Appearance Review Board and Staff don't push very hard. They crap themselves over those gold metal covers on the elevator and part of the parking garage, but have you seen all 4 sides of this building? Blank. This is the second review and still the west-facing wall is blank despite the Staff telling them to fix it. This City takes it up the ass. yes we are the red headed step fudgeing child. Bleeehhhhhh.

[I am Reality]

The developer, Property Markets Group, is no joke. They have deep pockets and a great reputation for amazing buildings. They have several buildings in NYC and are building 2 monster projects in Miami right now (one of them over 1k feet downtown; see pic).  Assuming PMG is not overextended, this Orlando project has a very-real potential to actually get built. 

I am sure the rendering for the Orlando project is just that - an early rendering (pre-architect). 

[Dale]

Not to be that guy, but even though PMG is supposed to be the firm that gets things done, nonetheless, its much ballyhooed Miami project is on hold. PMG says it's "waiting for a good cycle." Well, if this ain't a good cycle, I don't know if they will ever find one.

Also, it's Fort Lauderdale project is underway, but has been shortened.

To be fair, those two cities have been going bonkers on highrises for awhile now. Maybe PMG sees some pent-up demand in Orlando.

[HankStrong]

Let's hope that a much better version gets built.

[Jernigan]

Whatever they build there needs to improve the quality of transit hub and how it connects to Orange Avenue.    To build something that acts more as a barrier or hides the station....and walk away with a TOD incentive...would be insane 

[popsiclebrandon]

Overall the developer is a huge addition to Orlando but that better be a placeholder design. Be a good bridge project between the current DT and CV and hopefully spur some Sunrail use.

[sunshine]

ISnt that just three citi towers stand right next to each other? With Baker Barios involved, the design will be iffy.

 

Developer files rezoning & vets new hotel options for downtown Travelodge site

http://www.growthspotter.com/news/hotels/gs-tennessee-developer-files-first-rezoning-steps-for-downtown-travelodge-site-20180322-story.html#nt=oft13a-2gp1

[bqknight]

37 minutes ago, popsiclebrandon said:

Overall the developer is a huge addition to Orlando but that better be a placeholder design. Be a good bridge project between the current DT and CV and hopefully spur some Sunrail use.

That would fill a massive hole in the Orlando Skyline. Not sure how you guys can judge anything based off that design. It has no detail whatsoever....

7 minutes ago, sunshine said:

ISnt that just three citi towers stand right next to each other? With Baker Barios involved, the design will be iffy.

 

Developer files rezoning & vets new hotel options for downtown Travelodge site

http://www.growthspotter.com/news/hotels/gs-tennessee-developer-files-first-rezoning-steps-for-downtown-travelodge-site-20180322-story.html#nt=oft13a-2gp1

I want a Kimpton downtown. It won't happen, not there anyway but it would be nice to have. 

[alex]

11 hours ago, Jernigan said:

It actually looks like the pedestal that the towers sit on will be glass, which is a nice change from the parking podiums we're used to (*cough* Modera, Citi Tower *cough*). I'm sure final designs and renderings will look much better. 

More from the article:

• Property Markets Group (PMG) is proposing downtown Orlando's largest mixed-use multifamily project ever
• Three-phased residential towers of 16 to 24 stories
• 867 apartments overall
• 1,374 structured parking spaces
• 41,000 square feet of ground-floor commercial
   
• The project was filed with the city as "Golden Sparrow" but is dubbed "X Orlando" on its conceptual site plan.
• Phase 1 would include 290 residential units, the 41,000 square feet of retail-commercial, and approximately 498 structured parking spaces in between.

 

[sunshine]

This look better. I would suggest them actually break it up into three separate buildings with no share pedestral.  or stack phase 3 on top of phase 2.

And with no office components, where do all these people that move downtown going to work?

[popsiclebrandon]

I don't know if they can get $2.50 a foot there but I hope the numbers work. That empty lot right there is so bad.

[I am Reality]

29 minutes ago, alex said:

It actually looks like the pedestal that the towers sit on will be glass, which is a nice change from the parking podiums we're used to (*cough* Modera, Citi Tower *cough*). I'm sure final designs and renderings will look much better. 

More from the article:

• Property Markets Group (PMG) is proposing downtown Orlando's largest mixed-use multifamily project ever
• Three-phased residential towers of 16 to 24 stories
• 867 apartments overall
• 1,374 structured parking spaces
• 41,000 square feet of ground-floor commercial
   
• The project was filed with the city as "Golden Sparrow" but is dubbed "X Orlando" on its conceptual site plan.
• Phase 1 would include 290 residential units, the 41,000 square feet of retail-commercial, and approximately 498 structured parking spaces in between.

 

That is really great info. Thanks for posting. Do you know if the project will be built in different phases? The different towers are labeled different phases, but they will all be built on the same pedestal. 

Orlando has a history of unfinished phased-projects (DuPont, Olympia).

I actually love the layout, without having most of the architectural details yet. 

I would prefer the project be rotated 90 degrees though.  Rectangular buildings need to be built in a uniform direction. 

Last...I love that it will be located on the old Pizzuti land.  Damn it's been a long time.

[tc01]

This kinda remind me of Brickell City Center down in Miami, but on a much smaller scale.  We need more  developments like this. I am sure the design would be better. 

Edited March 23, 2018 by tc01

[Dale]

Naturally, the stubby one is Phase I.

This is the FTL project ...

 

[prahaboheme]

Phase 1 should be taller and phase 2 should be eliminated altogether or pushed to the west side of the property. 

[dcluley98]

This would look a heck of a lot better with just the first two phases, but taller. The third tower looks just tacked on and makes the pedestal way too bulky. They could just do two phases, go taller, and keep some greenspace open along the corridor to connect to Lynx Central Station, or even shift it all north with a sort of plaza/greenspace fronting Livingston to tie into  Lynx Central Station and the Creative Village.  They could really do something great there to bring it all together with the transit and Orange Ave corridor, as well as human scale setback with green space and plaza that people using the ground floor retail, courthouse, BOA, and Central Station could congregate in.  The big bulky pedestal is horrible design, and does nothing for the usability of the area and the pedestrian experience.  

 

[codypet]

Their garage is the size of Crescent Central.   That's also the worst place for a pool.  With towers blocking the south and west sides of the pool.  If they turn it 180 degrees then the towers are against  Orange and not the railroad/I-4/Ace Cafe.  Do we have enough garages at this point?  800 N. Magnolia has more spaces than it'll ever need because the garage was sized for a tower that was supposed to be built where Nora is now.  I believe that the BOA building has the same situation.  Don't get me started on what is a massive courthouse garage.  Its hideous from the north.