Downtown Orlando Project Discussion

[dcluley98]

There was a map of the DT/South Eola/Thornton area height restriction guidelines for the Orlando Executive Airport flight path posted in the Monarch thread.  That area would seem to be limited to 300'-400', but subject to review and approval from FAA and GOAA.  The site for this is about 3 blocks north and one block east of the Monarch site identified.  (that multi-parcel square just south of the Waverly building lot)

https://www.urbanplanet.org/forums/topic/120232-monarch-30-story-mixed-use-proposed/?do=findComment&comment=1705384

Edited May 13, 2021 by dcluley98

[Uncommon]

New sculpture in downtown:

https://m.orlandoweekly.com/Blogs/archives/2021/05/19/new-sculpture-in-downtown-wants-to-know-if-youre-down-to-orlando?utm_source=feature&utm_medium=home&utm_campaign=hpfeatures&utm_content=HomeFeaturedStoriesCustomMobile

Edited May 19, 2021 by Uncommon

[elefants]

8 minutes ago, Uncommon said:

New sculpture in downtown:

https://m.orlandoweekly.com/Blogs/archives/2021/05/19/new-sculpture-in-downtown-wants-to-know-if-youre-down-to-orlando?utm_source=feature&utm_medium=home&utm_campaign=hpfeatures&utm_content=HomeFeaturedStoriesCustomMobile

Holy cow I remember that from the rendering.  I figured they forgot about it. 

 

It's awful.

[Uncommon]

2 minutes ago, elefants said:

Holy cow I remember that from the rendering.  I figured they forgot about it. 

 

It's awful.

I like it! I just hope it doesn’t get vandalized.

[bqknight]

2 hours ago, Uncommon said:

I like it! I just hope it doesn’t get vandalized.

It should say Orlando. No one knows what DTO is. 

[jgardnerucf]

At least ORL.            What a horrible branding nightmare.   Wtf.  I'm embarrassed.

[spenser1058]

*Remembers not to wear his DTO t-shirt if we ever have a UP meetup*

[jgardnerucf]

That Fort Worth airport would be proud!

Or better yet, get your hunting gear at dto.com!!!

...lol, embarrassing...

[dcluley98]

ORL would have made much more sense. 

 

Stupid. 

[JFW657]

2 hours ago, bqknight said:

It should say Orlando. No one knows what DTO is. 

I do.

I used to abbreviate downtown Orlando as DTO fairly often.

I kind of like it.

I wonder if they light up at night.

That would be cool. 

[nite owℓ]

7 hours ago, bqknight said:

It should say Orlando. No one knows what DTO is. 

Agreed, for the sake of placemaking. Spelling out the name makes it easy to identify the city in photographs. It would allow more people climb into the letters and interact with the sign.

The TORONTO sign is very popular with tourists... When they take pictures, there is no questioning where it was taken.

image by Marcus Mitanis

[Uncommon]

I mean, sure, ORL or Orlando spelled out entirely would be nice, but I think most people in Orlando would understand what it means. And if not, they can learn.

Kind of ironic how much Orlandoans (including a few prominent posters here) hate the idea of catering to tourists, then complain how the DTO doesn’t cater to those same tourists visiting the NON- tourist section of Orlando.

[bqknight]

14 minutes ago, Uncommon said:

I mean, sure, ORL or Orlando spelled out entirely would be nice, but I think most people in Orlando would understand what it means. And if not, they can learn.

Kind of ironic how much Orlandoans (including a few prominent posters here) hate the idea of catering to tourists, then complain how the DTO doesn’t cater to those same tourists visiting the NON- tourist section of Orlando.

You have to remove yourself from the board for a minute and think - would the random person walking downtown know what "DTO" means? I would wager they wouldn't. 

For them "learning", I can get behind that - but then there needs to be some sort of campaign around the sign, more than just a press release. 

[spenser1058]

5 minutes ago, bqknight said:

You have to remove yourself from the board for a minute and think - would the random person walking downtown know what "DTO" means? I would wager they wouldn't. 

For them "learning", I can get behind that - but then there needs to be some sort of campaign around the sign, more than just a press release. 

Admittedly, it’s been less than comprehensive (anything to do with downtown hasn’t been for a long time), but I knew instantly what it was. Why? Because, as previously mentioned, I got a DTO t-shirt a few years ago. It says “DTO -Unlock the Secret” on the front and there’s a QR box that can be scanned on the back for info about downtown.

I’ve often worn it to work out at the downtown Y in Orlando and in Jax (that gets definite interest) and am often asked about it.

[dcluley98]

I mean, I get what they are trying to do.  Which is create a "Unique" tag/brand for downtown Orlando and drive traffic/mentions to their content/brand. But it's a stupid idea. 

 

Just doing the obvious is sometimes more important than your brand. 

I can see them maybe in  9 months saying. "well it didn't drive the traffic we were expecting, so we changed it to ORL" 

[spenser1058]

Assuming it’s in front of the downtown store, wouldn’t that be a hint?

[prahaboheme]

I've used DTO on this forum for years. 

It's not really an "Orlando thing" and is commonly used in other places:

DTLA = Los Angeles

DTX = Downtown Crossing, Boston

There are a dozen others I can recall.

4 hours ago, nite owℓ said:

Agreed, for the sake of placemaking. Spelling out the name makes it easy to identify the city in photographs. It would allow more people climb into the letters and interact with the sign.

The TORONTO sign is very popular with tourists... When they take pictures, there is no questioning where it was taken.

image by Marcus Mitanis

This looks nice - the Creative Village front yard (whatever they are calling it) would look sharp with a design like this.

[Uncommon]

6 minutes ago, prahaboheme said:

 

This looks nice - the Creative Village front yard (whatever they are calling it) would look sharp with a design like this.

Agreed. Toronto is an incredible city. I think something like this would look really awesome in the slightly-revamped Lake Eola Park. Since that’s DTO’s (see what I did there?) crown jewel, it would make sense to market Orlando branding there instead of Luminary Green or whatever that park is gonna be called.

[JFW657]

40 minutes ago, bqknight said:

You have to remove yourself from the board for a minute and think - would the random person walking downtown know what "DTO" means? I would wager they wouldn't. 

For them "learning", I can get behind that - but then there needs to be some sort of campaign around the sign, more than just a press release. 

I think most people are perceptive enough to make the connection.

"DTO?.... Hmmm, well, lessee..... I'm in downtown Orlando, so DTO must mean..... etc., etc."

And for those who aren't, are we really even concerned with them?

[JFW657]

1 minute ago, Uncommon said:

Agreed. Toronto is an incredible city. I think something like this would look really awesome in the slightly-revamped Lake Eola Park. Since that’s DTO’s (see what I did there?) crown jewel, it would make sense to market Orlando branding there instead of Luminary Green or whatever that park is gonna be called.

I disagree.

Eola Park is more of a natural oasis in the middle of the city.

Going there should be all about nature.

The grass and trees. The lake and the ducks and swans and other birds, etc.

Having these giant bright yellow metal and plexiglass letters blaring  DTO  at you from everywhere  kind of kills the ambience.

I don't even like that giant eyeball thing on Central.

Doesn't fit in thee at all.

[codypet]

15 hours ago, Uncommon said:

New sculpture in downtown:

https://m.orlandoweekly.com/Blogs/archives/2021/05/19/new-sculpture-in-downtown-wants-to-know-if-youre-down-to-orlando?utm_source=feature&utm_medium=home&utm_campaign=hpfeatures&utm_content=HomeFeaturedStoriesCustomMobile

Patty looks thrilled.

[jgardnerucf]

Sell it to that fort worth airport or the hunting gear website.  It's stupid! Horrible branding blunder. Dumb.   Downtown is a compound word anyway. Duh.    Grrrrr.

[opivys85]

Any updates on what might be going into the old Orlando Sentinel and adjacent lots?

[codypet]

10 hours ago, opivys85 said:

Any updates on what might be going into the old Orlando Sentinel and adjacent lots?

Offices and print shop are for lease having most recently been used as a drop off location for the Salvation Army.  The southern lot is being used as parking for the contractors of Society.

[dwSouthEola]

First, I don't mind the DTO ... they're trying ? That said, I have always loved the information center. After meetings at city hall I wander over there and pick up info from the magazine stands they have, and they've really put a lot of effort into the new shop. Personally knowing people who have their products there for sale, t's a great way for locals and visitors to support the local artist/maker community - and they're always running promos for % off, like today's Flash Sale is 50% until 1pm.

On 5/20/2021 at 9:24 AM, prahaboheme said:

DTX = Downtown Crossing, Boston

I lived in Boston for 15yrs, had 2 jobs, worked for the state gov't, always out & about meeting people - while I def get that's what DTX stands for, I have never met anyone who uses that. It's like calling the city Beantown, or the Ted Williams Tunnel the TWT, it just doesn't happen. I have many a txt message where I've shortened it to dwntwnxing but that's about it. The same will prob go for DTO, it makes sense and that's fine, but doesn't seem like it will be widely used. Kinda like 'Turn Up Downtown' you have to figure if these are the ones they picked, the whiteboard after their brainstorming session must have been just terrible.