Downtown Orlando Project Discussion

[AmIReal]

1 hour ago, dcluley98 said:

This is the rumor I heard last week, but I thought they were going to do portions of the remodel. That sucks. 

Did the article say anything about planned renovations/remodel? From my understanding the owner's rep was soliciting credentials from contractors, so they would at least do some sort of work, but may just be interior reno now instead of the reskin with glass facade and GF retail. I know they are going to be doing some work to the building as it is in a state of disrepair currently. Whether that means just interiors and "freshen up" or more extensive work, I don't know. 

The article does not say the improvements are no longer planned- just that they were previously held up due to lack of tenant. It does not indicate yes or no on future remodel. However, this new lease is the entire building, so the planned "retail" component is not happening.

[orange87]

2 hours ago, spenser1058 said:

Federal government rumored to take 104,000sf in former Southern Bell building at 500 N. Orange - remodel on hold:

https://www.bizjournals.com/orlando/news/2020/09/23/empty-downtown-orlando-building-lands-tenant.html
 

From OBJ

That building has been unoccupied for years, hasn't it? Which federal agency is planning on moving in, or is the federal government just buying it for future use?

[AmIReal]

13 minutes ago, orange87 said:

That building has been unoccupied for years, hasn't it? Which federal agency is planning on moving in, or is the federal government just buying it for future use?

Agency is not named and they are leasing- not buying.

[dcluley98]

Thank you @AmIReal From my understanding, they were still doing renovations. I REALLY hope they do the glass Re-skin. Also, the leasing website from the developer says    total building size is  115,800 SF, so there still may be some  common or GF space that will be renovated. (I sure hope so).  I am just glad that it is true and will be occupied. That block is DISMAL. Just having it fixed up and occupied is a great plus, not to mention the hundreds of new decent jobs downtown for other local businesses. 

Edited September 25, 2020 by dcluley98

[elefants]

3+ year old proposed renovation of 500 N. Orange

Edited September 24, 2020 by elefants

[codypet]

I'm glad that spot is going to be occupied.  I'm hoping that cleans up the surrounding area.  When SE steel closes for the night, that place kind of becomes a druggie hangout.  Hopefully Vantage opens back up and the upgrades to United trophy links those two blocks to NQ until the Sentinel gets redeveloped.

[orange87]

15 hours ago, elefants said:

3+ year old proposed renovation of 500 N. Orange

Wow! That looks great! The building currently looks horrible.

[orlandoguy]

3+ year old proposed renovation of 500 N. Orange

In this view, are we looking Southwest? I can’t picture where the parking garage is that’s shown because I haven’t been on that block since March, lol.

[JFW657]

1 hour ago, orlandoguy said:

In this view, are we looking Southwest? I can’t picture where the parking garage is that’s shown because I haven’t been on that block since March, lol.

Northwest, I'm pretty sure.

[AmIReal]

6 hours ago, orange87 said:

Wow! That looks great! The building currently looks horrible.

Just remember, as pointed out by @elefants this is a 3 year old rendering. The owner put it on hold due to lack of tenant and the newly announced tenant is a federal agency- who is not typically known to pay big rents. This picture may get severely pared down.

[orange87]

16 minutes ago, AmIReal said:

Just remember, as pointed out by @elefants this is a 3 year old rendering. The owner put it on hold due to lack of tenant and the newly announced tenant is a federal agency- who is not typically known to pay big rents. This picture may get severely pared down.

I just realized that the pic shows a new parking garage next to it too. Does anyone know if that's still in the plans?

[dcluley98]

The garage was planned originally on the north side of the building in between the building and whatever they are calling the theater in the old Firestone building now. The idea was to add the garage and get ride of some fo the surface lots and redo the landscaping. There is a fence now around the property that is not ideal. 

None of us have any idea what the new plans are.  They will have to do some things to the building regardless of who the tenant is. However, it could be less than they originally planned. The whole idea for the original building was for Class A office tenants and the amenities to draw them. They could not generate interest in the building for corporate tenants, however. 

Baker Barrios was the designer, and it was originally approved by the MPB in June 2018.    http://www.cityoforlando.net/city-planning/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2018/06/MPBStaffReport2018-06_MPL2017-10026nAdden.pdf

According to the approval report : 
"Minor Modifications. Minor modifications and design changes including but not limited to fences, signs, landscaping, interior alterations, and other minor changes, that are required beyond those previously reviewed by the Municipal Planning Board, may be approved by the Planning Official without further review by the Municipal Planning Board. Major changes shall require additional review by the Municipal Planning Board."

My understanding is that they cannot substantially alter the building or that approved plan without resubmitting to the MPB for approval.   According to the MPB report, the building has a total SF of 115,801 SF, of which 104,000 SF is reserved for tenant office space and   11,801 of GF Retail.

They provided options for both a 450 space garage or only surface parking on the North and West sides of the building for a bare minimum of 104 spaces. The SE corner of the lot parking area will be vacated and re-landscaped providing an open area on the south side of the building for pedestrian setbacks on the street for the GF retail.   Full details and more plans/drawings are included in the report linked above. 

 

Edited September 25, 2020 by dcluley98

[codypet]

I thought they couldn't get MPB approval because of the garage fronting Orange?  Since the feds are leasing the building, I wouldn't be surprised if they were happy with just redoing the inside and leaving the outside as is.

[dcluley98]

It was approved as designed.  The developer would just have to pay extra for the larger capacity garage. 

3. Parking Garage

A. Per Sec. 62.502 Parking Facility Design of the Land Development Code [LDC], in the AC-3A/T district, parking garages and lots fronting on Pedestrian Streets and Malls designated by the Streetscape requirements of Chapter 61 shall be designed as follows: Outside of the City Center Subdistrict, a landscaped pedestrianoriented setback of at least 20 feet shall be required for all parking garages fronting on Pedestrian Streets. However, the setback shall not be required for any portion of the parking garage frontage which incorporates ground floor active uses other than parking. Section 62.502 is intended to create pleasing pedestrian-oriented spaces. The design alternative in this submittal meets the intent of these regulations because it creates a pleasant, shaded public and pedestrian along the proposed parking garage frontage.

B. Design Intent

i. ARB Approval -- The proposed parking garage treatments are acceptable and staff supports the proposed design.

ii. Additional ARB Review—If changes occur to the design of the parking garage between this ARB approval and submittal of building permits additional ARB review may be required.

(Option A) The applicant is providing 30 spaces in the surface parking area on the site. The minimum require for an office use in the downtown Parking Program is 104 spaces. This option is 74 spaces under the minimum parking required for the proposed use on site. (Option B) The applicant is providing 450 parking spaces which consist of 420 spaces in the parking garage plus 30 spaces in the surface lot. The applicant is proposing 103 parking spaces over the maximum allowed by the Downtown Parking Program standards. The proposed parking will require +/- 154,500 or $1,500 per excess parking stall be paid into the Parking Program Fund, Per Chapter 61 Part 3E of the Code.

Edited September 25, 2020 by dcluley98

[AmIReal]

Well I guess the IRS is NOT the federal agency that is moving into 500 N. Orange. They are instead taking 20k feet in Seaside Plaza on Magnolia.

Surprisingly that makes Seaside about 90% full. I thought it was nearly vacant after Signature Flight left.

https://www.bizjournals.com/orlando/news/2020/09/25/irs-to-move-to-downtown-orlando.html

On a somewhat related subject from OS, Thomas Chatmon says “The development pace has not slowed,”.. “In fact, I’m amazed really at the resiliency.”

The article goes on to mention "City officials have prioritized creating space to host business meetings downtown along with increasing hotel rooms, Dyer said."

and my favorite quote from everybody's favorite Mayor... “Orlando and Las Vegas are unique in the sense that the vast majority of hotels are not in our downtown, Every other city in America has a bunch of hotels in their downtown," he said. “We would like to be able to host meetings and conferences. Not at the scale of the convention center obviously, but the smaller ones.”

I seem to recall that being mentioned here a few times...

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/orange-county/os-ne-coronavirus-downtown-orlando-20200925-m6kwvejjfzgn7ivu75ziwadw64-story.html

[Jernigan]

Highwoods is doing good with IRS and that recent tenant announcement in Eola Center.  Hoping that bodes well for Capital Plaza 3

[dcluley98]

I heard it could be ATF. 

[elefants]

1 hour ago, dcluley98 said:

I heard it could be ATF. 

I love alcohol and firearms.  Wonder if they're hiring.

[spenser1058]

OUC to build a $1m + downtown charging facility at 129 W. Robinson St.

It will have 22 charging stations.

https://www.bizjournals.com/orlando/news/2020/09/29/orlando-utilities-commission-to-build-downtown.html
 

From OBJ

Charge On! 

[codypet]

15 hours ago, elefants said:

I love alcohol and firearms.  Wonder if they're hiring.

My first thought was Automatic Transmission Fluid?  I've been frequenting automotive blogs too much.

[Jerry95]

4 hours ago, codypet said:

My first thought was Automatic Transmission Fluid?  I've been frequenting automotive blogs too much.

Mine was the A-Team of Finland, an extremely tenuous Simpsons reference 

[spenser1058]

More on what will be one of the larger EV charging stations in the country:

https://www.wftv.com/weather/one-largest-high-speed-charging-hubs-florida-is-coming-downtown-orlando-2021/623MHDH7QVFIBFMHOC3475GYQE/

From WFTV

[codypet]

I like this.  I like its cause.  I like its location.  I like the use of the land which probably would have otherwise been empty.

[AmIReal]

Not really a comment on a project, but the City Council is going to take up a proposal to assist retail and service businesses to pay their rent, Up to 5k/mo up to total 30k. Goes before the Council on Monday.

"Businesses that are approved would get a subsidy based on a one-to-one "match equal to the amount of the abatement, reduction or deferral of base rent provided by applicant’s landlord,”

https://www.bizjournals.com/orlando/news/2020/10/02/orlando-to-consider-downtown-rent-subsidy-program.html?cx_testId=40&cx_testVariant=cx_11&cx_artPos=2#cxrecs_s

[nite owℓ]

Not major news, but I received notice of an upcoming HPB hearing in the mail: The History Center (former Courthouse Building) will be sprucing up the landscaping and hardscaping (https://orlando.novusagenda.com/AgendaPublic/AttachmentViewer.ashx?AttachmentID=99003&ItemID=53808).

"According to the applicant, the goals of this improvement for the terrace are to create an exterior gathering space for events, improve the landscape and hardscape surrounding the History Center, and provide region specific landscaping in order to help educate the public. The landscape will showcase Florida-friendly and native plants that can survive the urban environment of downtown Orlando. The design scheme calls for live oak, Little Gem magnolias, and relocated sabal palms. The lower tier plantings will combine hardy native shrubs and groundcovers such as Formosa azalea and Blue flag irises with spaces of hardy flowering shrubs in the proposed planters consistent with the existing landscape character of the downtown streetscape."

 

 

I also heard there were plans to spruce up Lake Eola park, but along came the epidemic... Regardless, what better time to invest in public park space?

 

Edited October 5, 2020 by nite owℓ
typo