Downtown Orlando Project Discussion

[Jernigan]

True - and another thing that may be a factor is that Highwoods donates the space - if it became a full store that might change that.

[spenser1058]

More money and more neighborhoods coming to Orlando’s Facade Improvement Program:

https://bungalower.com/2019/05/29/city-hall-upping-the-limit-on-their-facade-improvement-program/

From Bungalower 

[aent]

On 10/17/2018 at 10:48 AM, dcluley98 said:

"With the sale, Bags Inc. will continue to operate as an independent company based out of Orlando. Earlier this year it started work on a new global headquarters near the Amway Center, moving from a spot near SeaWorld. Bags Inc. has been growing fast in recent years, bringing its total number of full-time employees up to 3,000, SP Plus reported Thursday. That’s up from about 1,875 earlier in the year, Bags Inc. reported." 

Apparently the Sentinel got this wrong. Even though Bags Inc purchased the land across from the Amway Center Geico Parking Garage, they have decided to keep the existing leased space near SeaWorld and not move it downtown at this time.

https://www.bizjournals.com/orlando/news/2019/05/31/exclusive-orlando-travel-services-firm-nixes.html?ana=RSS&s=article_search

Edited June 2, 2019 by aent

[spenser1058]

23 minutes ago, aent said:

Apparently the Sentinel got this wrong. Even though Bags Inc purchased the land across from the Amway Center Geico Parking Garage, they have decided to keep the existing leased space near SeaWorld and not move it downtown at this time.

https://www.bizjournals.com/orlando/news/2019/05/31/exclusive-orlando-travel-services-firm-nixes.html?ana=RSS&s=article_search

Again, going with the whole clustering idea, that always seemed an odd fit to me downtown so I can’t say I’m shocked.

[Jvest55]

I haven't ever been to the downtown orlando information center, mostly because it sounded so lame, but their re-branding seems cool. Anyone check it out?

 

[spenser1058]

16 minutes ago, Jvest55 said:

I haven't ever been to the downtown orlando information center, mostly because it sounded so lame, but their re-branding seems cool. Anyone check it out?

 

I haven’t been since the redo but I did visit a few years back and got a free DTO t-shirt so I’m a fan.

 

 

[spenser1058]

Scott J notes that Mark Baratelli’s indoor farmers’ market is a go for a June 9 starts and will feature about 20 vendors.

Best of all, he promises the produce won’t come from a Del Monte box!

https://www.scottjosephorlando.com/news/4779-bullet-point-buffet-food-halls-markets-and-the-milky-way

[AmIReal]

On ‎5‎/‎1‎/‎2019 at 10:10 PM, Jernigan said:

GDC filed a demo permit for the 3 story office building across Anderson from the DPAC,

Drove by today... building is gone.

[spenser1058]

7 minutes ago, AmIReal said:

Drove by today... building is gone.

Are we expecting something soon or is it just going to be an empty lot for a hopefully brief time?

[AmIReal]

On ‎5‎/‎2‎/‎2019 at 12:17 AM, VWguy97 said:

From Growthspotter:

https://www.growthspotter.com/news/hotels/gs-owner-to-demo-building-next-to-dr-phillips-center-for-new-hotel-20190501-story.html

"The New York-based company that paid nearly $1.4 million for a nearly century-old office building across from the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts has filed plans with the city to demolish it.

GDC Properties President William Ingraham told GrowthSpotter the company is prepping the quarter-acre site for a future 11-story hotel tower with retail and restaurant space on the ground floor.

GDC is the same firm that transformed the former Orlando Utilities Commission headquarters at 500 S. Orange Ave. into the city's first Aloft-branded hotel. Ingraham said the company doesn't have a start date yet for the new 126-key Orlando tower because all of its attention now is focused on a project in New York.

"We don't have a construction date yet, but we're preparing for the eventual development of that site," he said.

Not sure how "brief" the empty lot period will be.

[Jernigan]

Delaney OBGYN has relocated - a few blocks away under 408 

[jliv]

On 5/14/2019 at 1:34 PM, AmIReal said:

I was reading that over the weekend and was struck by 2 things... the newspaper's campus is 18 acres and there are only 3 locations in all of the region with 50,000 contiguous square feet.

At 18 acres I believe that makes it about 30 % larger than SoDo. I know everyone would like to see a big, beautiful high-rise on this spot, but a well done mixed use like SoDo would also fit well.

If they are indeed not renting the space then there are only 2 locations with 50,000 feet available, which makes me wonder why more builders are not building more office space. Also, if they are no longer renting I believe it guarantees they are going to demo the property after the current lease ends (2023).

On the other side of Orange Av I read Garber Communities bought the old United Trophy business and building (610 N. Orange) from the family of local hero Syd Levy. Garber is the same firm that restored State Auto in WP and their plan, in a few years, is to do the same here.

https://www.growthspotter.com/news/retail-dining-developments/grs-downtown-orlando-s-united-trophy-building-sells-and-is-up-for-a-major-restoration-20190412-story.html

With a restored Firestone and United trophy, plus what ever gets built on the OS property, this block could look very nice in a few years.

The owner, Midtown Opportunties, is behind Midtown Miami (https://www.midtownmiami.com/).  If their ultimate plans looks anything like those driving Midtown Miami development, the area will look very different and provide a much more dramatic entry into downtown from Colonial.

[spenser1058]

3 minutes ago, Jernigan said:

Delaney OBGYN has relocated - a few blocks away under 408 

Wow- it seems like that was first announced back in the Dark Ages and here we are.

[AmIReal]

6 minutes ago, jliv said:

If their ultimate plans looks anything like those driving Midtown Miami development, the area will look very different and provide a much more dramatic entry into downtown from Colonial.

Yum... me like.

[AmIReal]

I couldn't find a SunTrust Center section, so I guess we will discuss the ongoing changes here.

"A new food hall, restaurants and shops are being sought for one of downtown Orlando's most iconic office buildings... leasing for roughly 15,000 square feet of retail space at 200 S. Orange Ave., formerly the SunTrust Center...About 10,000 square feet of space fronting the building's park and courtyard is being marketed for a food hall or full-service restaurant user. In addition, about 5,000 square feet of retail space fronting Church Street is being marketed for full-service restaurant, casual dining and other retail uses... "An upper-end Italian or seafood restaurant may work well in the space, as there's demand downtown for more posh eateries", says Janet Galvin, co-founder of Orlando-based Archon Commercial Advisors..."

https://www.bizjournals.com/orlando/news/2019/06/05/for-lease-shops-restaurants-sought-for-iconic.html?iana=hpmvp_orl_news_headline

I think a Panera would be a license to print money, but I'd really like to see some fairly high end dinner spots.

[orlandoguy]

Agree with the Panera comment (and I think Covelli is scouting for a new DTO location since the closure of the Lake Eola spot, right?), but you’re spot on about the need for a few more high end restaurants. People at work often ask me for restaurant recommendations for before a show at DPCPA, and other than the usual suspects the list is quite short.

[sunshine]

Basically, we all want downtown Orlando to be more like Park Ave.

[dcluley98]

I don't. I'm too poor for that mess! 

I will stick with Tacos, some decent parks, and a movie theater.  

[spenser1058]

I’m curious as the number of bankers and attorneys (and maybe accountants?  I haven’t kept up with them) downtown declines due to consolidations and they are replaced by folks in co-working spaces, is the need for high-end dining as prevalent? Are the expense accounts as ample?

The property appraiser’s and the tax collector’s main offices also left downtown.

OTOH, once DPAC is fully online, will those patrons want more high-end dining? Scott Joseph has been pretty regularly reporting on the decline of top end restaurants out in the tourist district (where conventioneers often have the biggest expense accounts).

Meanwhile, we have so many more options in places like Winter Garden (the Chef’s Table at the Edgewater, for instance) that never existed before.

I know the downtown we have is very different from the one we envisioned when we first imagined it coming back in the ‘80’s.

I know that every few years they assemble a wish list of all the things folks want downtown but then never really have anyone move in a particular direction to implement it, so we’re left guessing.

I guess the current mish mosh  of what pops up just happening is how will continue. With so many different focus (the bar district), UCF/VD, DPAC, the arena, etc., it’s going to be a challenge for marketers to sell a particular brand for downtown and for retailers and restaurant owners to decide whom to target (and, hopefully, Target!)

 

[AmIReal]

3 hours ago, sunshine said:

Basically, we all want downtown Orlando to be more like Park Ave

I'd prefer downtown to be more like Asheville or Savannah*-  very weird/ eclectic, high number of local retail with a smattering of nationals, great food and bar scene, tremendous art scene and music venues that even the 50-something crowd finds enjoyable. 

*Charleston, Austin, Nashville, etc...

[gibby]

8 hours ago, spenser1058 said:

The property appraiser’s and the tax collector’s main offices also left downtown.

 

This happened for sure?  I thought that was cancelled or put on hold.

[spenser1058]

37 minutes ago, gibby said:

This happened for sure?  I thought that was cancelled or put on hold.

The bulk of Scott’s folks moved (to West Oaks) and I thought Rick Singh’s did also but he may have indeed changed his mind.

UPDATE: Gibby’s right, Rick Singh did reverse course and stay put.

Edited June 6, 2019 by spenser1058

[TRENCH]

not sure if photo was posted 

[ucfpatriot18]

Has there been an update on this hotel?

[AmIReal]

53 minutes ago, ucfpatriot18 said:

Has there been an update on this hotel?

Jernigan had mentioned last month the developer filed to demo one of the building on the property- the Designzilla building. As of early this week it has been removed.

Last I heard this mentioned was in 2016 under the name Magnolia Hotel, a proposed 10 story, 126 room hotel with offsite parking and full service restaurant.

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/tourism/os-magnolia-hotel-downtown-orlando-20160729-story.html

https://www.bizjournals.com/orlando/news/2016/10/20/sneak-peek-check-out-renderings-of-proposed-new-dr.html