Downtown Orlando Project Discussion

[bic]

Opening day activities will begin at 9:30 a.m. on Friday, October 1 on Church Street in front of the Amway Center. At precisely 10:01 a.m. on 10/01, Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer, Orlando Magic President Alex Martins, Orlando City Commissioners and other Central Florida leaders will open the doors to the new Amway Center for the first time to the public. Following the ceremonial ribbon cutting and building dedication, the community will be invited into the lower bowl for Mayor Dyer’s Annual State of Downtown Address. This year, the State of Downtown is a free event where the entire Central Florida community can participate in this historic day.

[John Hargrove]

I'm going to try to attend this.

[spenser1058]

Went to lunch today at Tijuana Flats in Thornton Park and noticed Urban Body (I believe that's the name- the men's clothing store next door) is closing. With the closing of Urban Think as a bookstore at TPC, the Dog and Friends and Obsession women's store at Post, retail is drying up all over downtown. As the operator of the salon and spa over at Post noted, we really do need to get the folks at the DDB and City Hall to get serious to attract some national retail to serve as a base for the funkier, local shops. We can't have a downtown in which you live work and play if the folks who live here don't have a place to buy socks.

It's time for the next focus on downtown to be on the one element which sticks out like a sore thumb due to its absence. From what I can tell, to attract national retail will require a dedicated space of new construction which allows for them to cluster. Retail is notorious for following, not leading, and it's painfully obvious that we are stalled in this phase of our development.

Added note: I received a note that one of the longtime stalwarts downtown, Labelle Furs is adding a new department, hopefully keeping a finger in the dike to keep things going retailwise until a more wide-ranging solution is underway:

"Labelle Furs will be adding Labella Intimates, a specialty lingerie department, to their store. "

Edited September 10, 2010 by spenser1058

[jack]

I am with Spenser. We need a large national to act as a driver. The problem is that we do not have the density to support retail, the best locations are office buildings with no retail, and we have plenty of retail within driving distance.

[Jernigan]

Both sides are right - the wrong major retail won't be effective (let's say JC Penny...because it's easier to go to a mall with up close free parking and a system that is already known to the commuter) than introduce the idea of going downtown.

Major labels that aren't already in Orlando would be best.

Additionally, services are always good. It was noted that 2 clothing stores and a bookstore have closed Meanwhile the dry cleaners, UPS Store and salon are all up and running. Where are places that people "need" to go. They can't go elsewhere and they definitely can't purchase online.

I never understood why our business density and retail density seems to be segregated almost as if it was zoned. Just food joints on Orange and very few offices on Central past Rosalind where all the shopping is.

[prahaboheme]

Keep in mind that once a long time ago downtown Orlando had a fairly thriving retail scene at Church Street exchange. I specifically remember a Gap, Victoria's Secret, Sharper Image, etc, and I'm sure there were more (but I was young so my memory is a little hazy). Sometimes the best thing to do when looking to your future is to look to your past, and that may be the case here. With Amway Center pretty much a certified slam dunk for the revival of Church Street, it may be wise to consider the redevelopment of the Exchange, and the adjacent parking lot parcel to the North on Pine Street, as a retail center once again.

[DeepEyez]

Now hiring: 200 jobs open at new Cajun bar near Amway Center

With the new Amway Center set to open in a few weeks, several businesses have been trying to capitalize on the expected revenue the Orlando Magic’s new home is expected to generate.

Mojo Is Hiring

Edited September 12, 2010 by DeepEyez

[mrh3]

Spencer and I had a pretty long series of posts on this a year or so ago regarding downtown retail. The problem centers around Fashion Square and Colonial Plaza. By nationa retailer standards there really aren't that many location that can accommodate their floor plates. It would have to be build to suit and the long term forecast for the US Retail market is bleak due to increased savings rates and general economic malaise forecast at least through 2012. Regarding Urban Think, it is always unfortunate to see local bookstores close, but the "Large" bookstore that services the downtown population is Barnes and Noble in Colonial Plaza.

[DeepEyez]

Grubb & Ellis Commercial Florida completed a new long-term lease for Primetime Sports Pub & Grill in the 100 E. Pine St. building in downtown Orlando. The space is the former home of The Clubhouse.

Orlando Sentinel - Real Estate

[John Hargrove]

Grubb & Ellis Commercial Florida completed a new long-term lease for Primetime Sports Pub & Grill in the 100 E. Pine St. building in downtown Orlando. The space is the former home of The Clubhouse.

Orlando Sentinel - Real Estate

Nice! good catch. That's a really nice building too. Glad to see it getting occupied. I think that brings the total count of new businesses opening on Church & Pine to 8.

[prahaboheme]

Is that the small glass building across from the history museum?

Update: Nevermind, I'm thinking of a building on Central.

Edited September 14, 2010 by prahaboheme

[bulldogger]

That is the third sports bar going into that space. Do they get the flat screen TV's as part of the contract each time?

[John Hargrove]

New Blog Post: Mayor Reveals New Amway Center Themed Lynx Hybrid Buses

http://downtown-otown.com/2010/09/22/mayor-reveals-new-amway-center-themed-lynx-hybrid-buses/

[Ocityst]

Saw what looked to be some type of build-out going on at the corner of the Dolive building. Any info? Good to see something happening there.

[John Hargrove]

Saw what looked to be some type of build-out going on at the corner of the Dolive building. Any info? Good to see something happening there.

I saw that too ... been going on for quite a while. No idea what it is.

[steve_o]

Saw what looked to be some type of build-out going on at the corner of the Dolive building. Any info? Good to see something happening there.

Wouldn't that be a perfect building for a real downtown brewery?

[prahaboheme]

I can't imagine the actual Dolive proposal can go through in this market, I just hope they are not going through with the demolition plans. That would be a tragedy.

[DeepEyez]

I can't imagine the actual Dolive proposal can go through in this market, I just hope they are not going through with the demolition plans. That would be a tragedy.

Are you talking about this proposal?

Dolive - Baker Barrios

[prahaboheme]

That's the one. The plan approved by the City allowed Kuhn to tear down the Dolive building and reconstruct it as part of the larger building. I just hope the plan is not to demolish the original structure.

[steve_o]

They have been doing some clean out look. It appears that they are just making the space leasable again. I saw people working in the old Scruffy's space. If nothing else it looks better than it did when it was boarded up.

[go_vertical]

The Dolive was the building I was looking forward to the most during the last boom. It would have added so much at the street level. I'm still keeping my fingers crossed that it will one day materialize.

[bulldogger]

They have been doing some clean out look. It appears that they are just making the space leasable again. I saw people working in the old Scruffy's space. If nothing else it looks better than it did when it was boarded up.

Agreed. Get something in there.

[Jernigan]

Perfect spot for a Four Rivers Downtown Location

[prahaboheme]

New quick service restaurant opens up in Lynx Central Station: Biz Journal

[DeepEyez]

Anybody ever heard of this, The Ajax Orlando? I saw this on Baker Barrios website.....

According to the website, The Ajax Orlando project is a new development marrying retail/office, residential, and athletic space. It represents a new generation of urban stadium which combines multi-use fields with mixed use-space to bring about a truly eclectic locale that promotes progressive, community- oriented urban development.

Baker Barrios - The Ajax Orlando

Edited October 11, 2010 by DeepEyez