Downtown Orlando Project Discussion

[HankStrong]

Sounds like a job for - - - - - Arbor Man!

[nite owℓ]

On 3/2/2020 at 7:17 PM, orlandoguy said:

There was an environmental remediation company working at the ol’ fuel station on the NE corner of Orange and Robinson today.

 

Random observation, but I never knew we had above-ground power lines in the CBD (see upper left), I thought they were all buried.

 

[dcluley98]

There are several powerlines in that back alley area where the parking lot is behind FedEx/Kinko's  and also some down Palmetto. (which I only know from walking around there to snap some pics of the big Oak  there). 

 

[nite owℓ]

5 hours ago, dcluley98 said:

There are several powerlines in that back alley area where the parking lot is behind FedEx/Kinko's  and also some down Palmetto. (which I only know from walking around there to snap some pics of the big Oak  there). 

 

 

Interesting, I never noticed that one either. Power lines are so few and far between that they really stand out when you see 'em. Probably holdovers from a bygone era.

Waiting for @spenser1058 to drop some obscure historical info on us. I'm sure he remembers when street lights used arc lamps and when utility poles were knob & tube

[spenser1058]

Actually, @dcluley98 just reminded me of the huge tree behind the Metropolitan (at the corner of Jefferson, I think).

Before the Met was built as the Robert Meyer Hotel in the ‘60’s, Memorial was a school on the site. Apparently, under the tree was a favorite gathering spot and apparently some of the students hid high up in its branches when they skipped classes during the day.

I haven’t been over that way lately to see how the tree is doing almost 60 years later. Hopefully, all is well and it can stick around for another century or two.

[nite owℓ]

1 hour ago, spenser1058 said:

Actually, @dcluley98 just reminded me of the huge tree behind the Metropolitan (at the corner of Jefferson, I think).

Before the Met was built as the Robert Meyer Hotel in the ‘60’s, Memorial was a school on the site. Apparently, under the tree was a favorite gathering spot and apparently some of the students hid high up in its branches when they skipped classes during the day.

I haven’t been over that way lately to see how the tree is doing almost 60 years later. Hopefully, all is well and it can stick around for another century or two.

Yes, the tree is still going strong. Looks pretty good for its age, actually.

Your story reminded me of our special tree next to Dubsdread that we would use while skipping class. The branches extended very low to the ground and you could sit underneath almost totally concealed to passersby. We had a few picnics there, blanket spread out, my friend's gf would make sandwiches and we'd have a little toke to top it off. Very peaceful.

[dcluley98]

Yep, that's the one.  It's in the middle of the photo above. (although from that angle doesn't look as big and cool as in real life).  

It is in the front of an engineering firm.  Somebody from the engineering firm came out and asked me what the hell I was doing that day. "Taking pictures of this majestic tree, what does it look like?"

[Jvest55]

This is pretty big news.

https://www.fox35orlando.com/news/orlando-plans-to-convert-major-downtown-roads-into-two-way-streets

Orlando’s Transportation Director Billy Hattaway said the City Beautiful plans to convert Orange Avenue and Rosalind Avenue into two-way streets in downtown. “There’s a lot of benefits to converting one-ways to two-ways,” Hattaway said.

Reason 1: Improving business for shops and restaurants that sit on the one-way streets. “The more visibility they have, the better they perform,” Hattaway said. Reason 2: Making it easier to navigate downtown for drivers who do not frequent the city center.  “We have lots of tourists coming downtown. They get off on Orange Avenue. They have no idea where to go, to go northbound,” Hattaway said. Reason 3: Improving detours around events that shut down either street.

“This will allow us to detour to one or the other two-way streets,” Hattaway said. The broader goal is to improve the quality of the downtown experience. This is all part of the city’s master plan. The first phase will be Orange Avenue in the north quarter. No timeline has been set, but this is no longer an idea.

The plans are moving forward. City leaders say this is a long-term project.

[spenser1058]

51 minutes ago, Jvest55 said:

This is pretty big news.

https://www.fox35orlando.com/news/orlando-plans-to-convert-major-downtown-roads-into-two-way-streets

Orlando’s Transportation Director Billy Hattaway said the City Beautiful plans to convert Orange Avenue and Rosalind Avenue into two-way streets in downtown. “There’s a lot of benefits to converting one-ways to two-ways,” Hattaway said.

Reason 1: Improving business for shops and restaurants that sit on the one-way streets. “The more visibility they have, the better they perform,” Hattaway said. Reason 2: Making it easier to navigate downtown for drivers who do not frequent the city center.  “We have lots of tourists coming downtown. They get off on Orange Avenue. They have no idea where to go, to go northbound,” Hattaway said. Reason 3: Improving detours around events that shut down either street.

“This will allow us to detour to one or the other two-way streets,” Hattaway said. The broader goal is to improve the quality of the downtown experience. This is all part of the city’s master plan. The first phase will be Orange Avenue in the north quarter. No timeline has been set, but this is no longer an idea.

The plans are moving forward. City leaders say this is a long-term project.

We’re now covering this in three different threads - I think that’s a record. No doubt it means it has to happen! *prepares for @JFW657 to abandon downtown *

[Jvest55]

Sorry, I looked. Didn't see.

[nite owℓ]

No worries, it was bound to happen. Channel 9/WFTV broke the story first, then over the past few days WKMG, Fox, Orlando Sentinel etc. began running the story.

They've been talking about converting Orange Ave and Rosalind to 2-way streets for years now. I'd love for Robinson & Rosalind to take on Central Blvd characteristics. I just wonder what will be sacrificed to achieve this:

• The on-street parking buffer (on both sides of the street)
• Bike lanes (will they stick with one-way, convert to two-way or do away with them and have the bikes share the roadway similar to Central)
• My beloved LPIs (for the sake of moving traffic through downtown faster)
• Access to mid-block buildings (depending on which direction you're coming from, you won't be able to cut across traffic)

Maybe @JFW657 or @spenser1058 can shed some light on the way things were, back when Orange & Rosalind were two-way?

[codypet]

On 3/7/2020 at 8:01 AM, nite owℓ said:

Yes, the tree is still going strong. Looks pretty good for its age, actually.

Your story reminded me of our special tree next to Dubsdread that we would use while skipping class. The branches extended very low to the ground and you could sit underneath almost totally concealed to passersby. We had a few picnics there, blanket spread out, my friend's gf would make sandwiches and we'd have a little toke to top it off. Very peaceful.

Its also survived a pair of 18 wheelers crashing into low branches with it.  I saw pic back when I worked around the corner from there.

[Jvest55]

Mystery crane. Anybody want to check it out?

Maybe the town homes they were building with "lake" views?

[jgardnerucf]

AC unit

[spenser1058]

Frasier Crane?

[Jvest55]

49 minutes ago, jgardnerucf said:

AC unit

Yeah, you were right. I saw them hauling an AC up to the PNC building. Thanks

[spenser1058]

Given the precarious state of the economy, it probably won’t matter anyway, but the former Gulf station site at Orange and Robinson (NE corner across the street from St. James’) will be undergoing remediation from an old petroleum spill for a year.

https://www.thedailycity.com/post/1-east-robinson-orlando

From The Daily City

Edited March 31, 2020 by spenser1058

[JFW657]

Seems like it would be less expensive for the owners to just demo the building then excavate the site about ten feet deep or however far down is necessary, truck in clean dirt, refill it and put up a for sale sign.

Why is that old gas station even still there to begin with?

[spenser1058]

9 minutes ago, JFW657 said:

Seems like it would be less expensive for the owners to just demo the building then excavate the site about ten feet deep or however far down is necessary, truck in clean dirt, refill it and put up a for sale sign.

Why is that old gas station even still there to begin with?

The owner sounds like he has other low budget properties he does relatively little improvement to while collecting the rents.

The old Gulf station was in pretty consistent use until recently. Hertz had a location there until (I think) they moved over into the Marriott after its last redo.

In any event, he’s probably just waiting for someone to propose a high rise and get a big payday.

[dcluley98]

Workers were there this morning at United Trophy building that is undergoing facade renovations. This is one of the cooler small projects downtown with the new owner preserving the old look/feel of the building with new nickel arcade and  facade elements/window frame with somewhat of an art deco design. They are keeping the neon signage as well. 

https://bungalower.com/2019/10/15/united-trophy-building-restoration-moves-forward/

[codypet]

1 hour ago, JFW657 said:

Seems like it would be less expensive for the owners to just demo the building then excavate the site about ten feet deep or however far down is necessary, truck in clean dirt, refill it and put up a for sale sign.

Why is that old gas station even still there to begin with?

Would be a good A la Carte type spot.  So would Hoods Up

Edited March 31, 2020 by codypet

[spenser1058]

As we discuss what makes downtowns user-friendly at the street level, here’s something I’ve noticed lately.

Once upon a time in downtown Orlando, there were pretty much continuous overhangs from building to building which allowed sidewalk pedestrians to be covered from rain and blaring sun.

Driving past 420 Church last week, it dawned on me such cover is conspicuously missing. Hardly welcoming. So, I started looking around downtown and discovered that seems to be a thing.

For example, the overhangs on both the Orange Ave. and Central Blvd. sides of 1 S. Orange (the old Ivey’s) have been removed.

Admittedly, the 40+ year old cladding that replaced the eisenhowered metal version after Ivey’s closed was looking awful and may have been structurally unsafe as well. 

Maybe it will still be replaced after work on The Bell’s Cantina is done. However, something that was once pretty universal on existing downtown buildings is now disappearing and new buildings like 420 don’t have them to start with.

Compare that with successful walk-friendly downtowns like WG and WP where the overhangs are still the rule rather than the exception.

It’s as if Orlando’s going out of its way to discourage folks from walking in the core. Maybe it’s just more of the dreaded value engineering process but it certainly seems short-sighted.

Edited April 2, 2020 by spenser1058

[elefants]

1 hour ago, spenser1058 said:

As we discuss what makes downtowns user-friendly at the street level, here’s something I’ve noticed lately.

Once upon a time in downtown Orlando, there were pretty much continuous overhangs from building to building which allowed sidewalk pedestrians to be covered from rain and blaring sun.

Driving past 420 Church last week, it dawned on me such cover is conspicuously missing. Hardly welcoming. So, I started looking around downtown and discovered that seems to be a thing.

For example, the overhangs on both the Orange Ave. and Central Blvd. sides of 1 S. Orange (the old Ivey’s) have been removed.

Admittedly, the 40+ year old cladding that replaced the eisenhowered metal version after Ivey’s closed was looking awful and may have been structurally unsafe as well. 

Maybe it will still be replaced after work on The Bell’s Cantina is done. However, something that was once pretty universal on existing downtown buildings is now disappearing and new buildings like 420 don’t have them to start with.

Compare that with successful walk-friendly downtowns like WG and WP where the overhangs are still the rule rather than the exception.

It’s as if Orlando’s going out of its way to discourage folks from walking in the core. Maybe it’s just more of the dreaded value engineering process but it certainly seems short-sighted.

I have a feeling it's to discourage the homeless from spending time in front of their buildings.

[JFW657]

Simple solution....

Problem solved!!! 

[orlandouprise]

On 3/31/2020 at 10:34 AM, dcluley98 said:

Workers were there this morning at United Trophy building that is undergoing facade renovations. This is one of the cooler small projects downtown with the new owner preserving the old look/feel of the building with new nickel arcade and  facade elements/window frame with somewhat of an art deco design. They are keeping the neon signage as well. 

https://bungalower.com/2019/10/15/united-trophy-building-restoration-moves-forward/

how does this look any better? Am I missing something? From the renderings,  it looks just like what is there now.