Downtown Orlando Project Discussion

[slapdash09]

noticed tonight that there's all new tile on the front of the dolive, but it looks like the interiors are gutted. anyone have ideas of the plans for this building? lots of my young adulthood memories happened within those walls ... would be nice to see it brought to life again — even if not in the full-blown way that was once proposed.

[John Hargrove]

New Blog Post: FUMCO’s Building Progressing, The Rusty Spoon Coming to 55 West

http://downtown-otown.com/2010/11/13/fumcos-building-progressing-the-rusty-spoon-coming-to-55west/

[DeepEyez]

Downtown Central Land LLC purchased the commercial building at 44 E. Central Blvd. in downtown Orlando, for a "new food and beverage concept." Tom Cook and Marc Cook, principals of Cook Commercial, represented the buyers, while Scott Corbin of Colliers International represented the seller.

Orlando Sentinel Real Estate News

Edited November 14, 2010 by DeepEyez

[UPSDAN]

I heard a rumor that there was an Ale House going into the Cheyenne Saloon space. Has anyone else heard this?

[DeepEyez]

I heard a rumor that there was an Ale House going into the Cheyenne Saloon space. Has anyone else heard this?

Where did you hear that from, that sounds like something major!!! IF that does happen, Church Street's identity will most definitely rise as THE place to be.

So far, I like what I'm hearing. Hopefully it'll be like a mini-Bourbon Street (minus the strip clubs, of course)

[prahaboheme]

Ale House certainly draws in the local crowds in Hunters Creek and LBV/535, especially for sporting events. Sounds like a promising development.

[prahaboheme]

New Blog Post: FUMCO’s Building Progressing, The Rusty Spoon Coming to 55 West

http://downtown-otown.com/2010/11/13/fumcos-building-progressing-the-rusty-spoon-coming-to-55west/

Thanks again castorx! I too like how this building hovers over South Street. DPAC should also have the closing in effect on this from the South side of the street.

[DeepEyez]

Has anybody ever driven west on the 408 coming from east Orlando? I don't know about you all, but I have and I see the serious potential for downtown Orlando's skyline to be pretty impressive.

With densification happening in downtown Orlando, especially in the area surrounding City Hall, the closing-in of the FUMCO and DPAC will definitely force future development northward in the direction of Lake Ivanhoe.

[alex]

Has anybody ever driven west on the 408 coming from east Orlando? I don't know about you all, but I have and I see the serious potential for downtown Orlando's skyline to be pretty impressive.

With densification happening in downtown Orlando, especially in the area surrounding City Hall, the closing-in of the FUMCO and DPAC will definitely force future development northward in the direction of Lake Ivanhoe.

I actually drive that way a lot and I completely agree. It's probably my favorite view of downtown. It's a little sparse still, but even within the six years that I've lived here it's improved. I think we already have one of the best skylines for cities our size (and even bigger) and there's a lot of room for growth,

[DeepEyez]

Dedication Mass unveils renovated St. James Cathedral

Former Bishop Thomas Wenski returned to Orlando on Saturday for the official unveiling of the renovated St. James Catholic Cathedral. Wenski, now archbishop of Miami, lead the dedication Mass.

Church officials estimated a thousand clergy members and parishioners attended the two-hour service. Those in attendance included Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer and former U.S.Sen. Mel Martinez.

"This renovation wasn't undertaken because God needed it, but because God's people needed it," Wenski said during the dedication. He had led the $10 million renovation project before heading to Miami in June. He said the renovated cathedral on Robinson Street and Orange Avenue is a now a place worthy of being the "mother church" for the Catholic Diocese of Orlando.

"You have a wonderful cathedral here," Wenski said to Rev. John Noonan, who will become Orlando's fifth bishop when he's vested next month.

Dedication Mass unveils renovated St. James Cathedral

Edited November 21, 2010 by DeepEyez

[DeepEyez]

Alinean Expands Headquarters in Downtown Orlando

Alinean, the leading creator of value-based interactive sales and marketing tools for B2B vendors, today announced the expansion and relocation of its headquarter offices to the tenth floor of the One Eleven building (111 North Magnolia Avenue) in downtown Orlando. The new office space is about 50% larger than the prior downtown Orlando office, designed to accommodate key new financial/business analyst and business development hires.

Situated in the heart of Downtown Orlando, One Eleven is a showcase of the growing skyline, featuring a modern glass exterior with floor to ceiling glass, delivering some of the best views of the downtown Orlando skyline and Lake Eola. The new Alinean offices are designed to foster creativity with open offices and workspaces, exposed ceilings, polished concrete floors and cool artwork.

"Alinean had a very specific look and feel that they wanted to provide to both their employees and customers," said Greg Morrison, CCIM, SIOR, principal with Morrison Commercial Real Estate who was the leasing agent. "We did a thorough search of the downtown core and considered a variety of options. In the end, the One Eleven Magnolia building was the one that truly fit the bill."

Read more about Alinean Expansion >>

Edited November 22, 2010 by DeepEyez

[bulldogger]

How much money did they get to stay put? Also, that press release doesn't delve into how many jobs are expected. It would be nice for the city to have contingencies with their incentives. For example, you must increase your employee base by 15 the first year to get $$$$$ amount and 10 the next year to get $$$$$ amount.

Off thread, but has anyone heard anything about whether our local government will be credited back some of the incentive money from Southwest Airlines / Air Tran??? That's been buried.

[DeepEyez]

City sweetens deal for 55 West

Six years after Orlando leaders approved a generous incentive package to jumpstart downtown's 55 West high-rise development, they've renegotiated sweeter terms for its current owner.

Amendments to the incentive agreement were approved by the City Council on Monday, clearing the way for the owner to sell the property to an undisclosed buyer. The council also leased 9,600 square feet of "arts space" within the project that city officials plan to sublease to Mad Cow Theatre.

The city's action is the latest addition to 55 West's long, checkered history.

"At one point, I never thought it would actually get built," MayorBuddy Dyer said.

http://www.orlandose...0,3534325.story

Edited December 7, 2010 by DeepEyez

[DeepEyez]

Orlando offers cash to lure retailers downtown

The Orlando City Council on Monday approved a plan to offer cash incentives to lure more retail businesses downtown.

The city will pay as much as $25 per square foot — with a maximum of $50,000 — to retailers who invest at least an equal amount in new space.

"We find ourselves in a very competitive environment," Downtown Development Board director Thomas Chatmon said. "We have to compete with malls, strip shopping centers and open-air malls."

The city said aside $250,000 for the program. The plan initially included new restaurants, but commissioners decided the program should focus on retail stores.

http://www.orlandose...0,6429602.story

Edited December 7, 2010 by DeepEyez

[DeepEyez]

55 West already under contract to sell?

55 West appears to be the next lender-owned, large-scale downtown Orlando project to change hands.

FFWO LLC, the Dutch lender/developer of the 55 West mixed-use development on Church Street, got approval from the city of Orlando on Dec. 6 to revamp its economic incentive agreement to reflect changes made since the property was foreclosed in 2009. Some of those changes included removing a condo requirement and leasing a 9,000-square-foot arts space to the city, which in turn plans to sublease the space to Mad Cow Theater, as previously reported by Orlando Business Journal.

The agreement needed to be reworked to set the stage for a potential sale of the property, since FFWO has been in discussions with buyers for the development, city documents showed.

In fact, the property is rumored to be under contract. Although a buyer is unknown, real estate sources speculated it would likely be a foreign entity — similar to entities that bought other downtown condo towers earlier this year, such as The Vue at Lake Eola and The Paramount on Lake Eola.

Read more: 55 West already under contract to sell? {sodEmoji.|} Orlando Business Journal

Edited December 8, 2010 by DeepEyez

[mrh3]

Orlando offers cash to lure retailers downtown

The Orlando City Council on Monday approved a plan to offer cash incentives to lure more retail businesses downtown.

The city will pay as much as $25 per square foot — with a maximum of $50,000 — to retailers who invest at least an equal amount in new space.

"We find ourselves in a very competitive environment," Downtown Development Board director Thomas Chatmon said. "We have to compete with malls, strip shopping centers and open-air malls."

The city said aside $250,000 for the program. The plan initially included new restaurants, but commissioners decided the program should focus on retail stores.

http://www.orlandose...0,6429602.story

Nice little carrot stick to dangle. Although at $25/PSF and $250K set aside that's only 5 businesses.

[bic]

X-way Approves Wekiva Parkway Path

[prahaboheme]

$1.8 billion to cut through the Wekiva preserve at tax payers expense (and then charge for ridership), but the state cannot find a way to cover an additional $400 mil for high speed rail?

Edited December 14, 2010 by prahaboheme

[John Hargrove]

$1.8 billion to cut through the Wekiva preserve at tax payers expense (and then charge for ridership), but the state cannot find a way to cover an additional $400 mil for high speed rail?

Or finish the damn I-4/408 interchange ... you know, the thing that causes a lot of the "downtown traffic jams"

[cwetteland]

Or finish the damn I-4/408 interchange ... you know, the thing that causes a lot of the "downtown traffic jams"

To the previous poster on the 400 mil for HSR, the fed just ponied up an additional 300mil plus ... there is nothing left for the state to come up with. Regarding the I-4 408 ... the interchange is not being held up for money. They cannot go any further until the fed widens I-4 which is still a ways off.

[prahaboheme]

^The state is still responsible for about $350 million in addition to what the Feds just sent to Florida. This is well documented in high speed rail thread, have a look.

[John Hargrove]

To the previous poster on the 400 mil for HSR, the fed just ponied up an additional 300mil plus ... there is nothing left for the state to come up with. Regarding the I-4 408 ... the interchange is not being held up for money. They cannot go any further until the fed widens I-4 which is still a ways off.

Didn't realize that was the issue with I-4/408. Is the widening held up for money, or is that just taking a while to get through planning/bidding?

[cwetteland]

Didn't realize that was the issue with I-4/408. Is the widening held up for money, or is that just taking a while to get through planning/bidding?

Separate Projects. What was just completed as part of the 408 rebuild was an Expressway Authority project. The I-4 rebuild has been on the state's books for a while and is tentitive slated to begin in 2014 with completion in 2018. I wouldn't say "held up," it's just part of the state's long range plans. It's a major redo (neighborhood barrier walls, widening, possible toll lanes etc., rebuild interchanges (408, SR 50 etc)), just like the 408 project through downtown was a major redo by the authority.

[bic]

East-West Expressway Interchange with GreeneWay will be Overhauled

[aent]

East-West Expressway Interchange with GreeneWay will be Overhauled

I really wish they would at least try the idea of putting some signs up indicating that the exit is on the left... it took me years to get used to the fact there is absolutely no warning... there is no reason to redo the road and eliminate the exit, just add a very clear left lane exit only about 2 miles before the exit... compared to the first indication now which is extremely close to the interchange... there are so many more useful projects they could be doing...