Downtown Orlando Project Discussion

[FLClarkKent]

maybe they are waiting when the Magic is good again...so people will go there....that's 4 or 5 years....

 

Yes, they'll definitely be in a "rebuilding" phase for a while.

[popsiclebrandon]

Thought it was interesting that in the OBJ article that the city (I believe it was Dyer) said that downtown didn't need any more "after 10 p.m." venues and that the Magic should look into attracting families downtown. The emphasis was that the Magic need to help diversify the downtown scene.

I think that's sage advice. Can downtown support many more bars and night clubs? How many restaurants do we need? And will these types of amenities draw new clientele to downtown, or only cannibalize the current customer base?

There are more than enough bars downtown. Although that seems to be an industry where new ones always spring up to put out of business older ones and the cycle repeats.

I would love to see more dining options downtown. Everything down here seems to be pizza and sandwiches which again cater to a late night crowd and lunch crowd. After seeing the business Eola Wine does in the after work/dinner time there is definitely a market for more options. Not much different but I'd kill for good BBQ down here. Wildside is so awful in both food quality and service I can't go back there. 4Rivers downtown would do crazy business.

[Jernigan]

I read somewhere that 4Rivers was closing in on a Church Street location but it fell through. I totally agree about good options that are appealing even when sober.

Took a drive around tonight, including your shop (didn't get to stop in but will soon) - tons of people out and about enjoying the weather. Good mix of downtowners and those who drove and parked. Edens Wraps was suspiciously empty. I didn't even think they were open but the lights were on and the door was open.

[John Hargrove]

Restaurant-wise, I think downtown is missing a few key options:

 

1) A make-a-burrito joint. We had Panchero's, but it died. Poor timing, I think. It would probably do a lot better now. My strategy for this one has just been to harass Moe's via Twitter once a month, to which I've gotten several "no plans, currently" replies.

2) Indian. There is some kind of Indian cuisine black hole centered over downtown for some reason.

3) Cheap, chain fast food. This one is a lot better than it used to be. We have Five Guys, Jimmy John's, Pita Pit, Subway, Jersey Mike's -- all good fast food places. Some of those options are a little more expensive (why is Five Guy's always like $13? what the hell) ... but I can always use more options here. Mostly because I have dropped like 90 pounds and I give a crap about what I eat now, so every menu is wwwwaaayyyy smaller than it used to be.

[Jernigan]

Not a fan of Gringos Locos or Tijuana Flats?

[John Hargrove]

Not a fan of Gringos Locos or Tijuana Flats?

 

I do like them. Tijuana is far enough East to not be practical for a quick lunch.

 

Good luck counting calories at Gringos 

[Captain.Metro]

I still don't understand why there's not a Chipotle downtown. Either Chipotle has great real estate planners or people just find their way. Either or both reasons would lend well to a downtown location and could strategically bring traffic to an area.

I agree, the restaurant scene downtown is "meh." I think a Whitewood-like concept would lend itself well to the Thornton Park area. IZA tapas seems seems to be cursed by the same problem as the former tenant of that location, Aroma--- odd and inconsistent hours.

 

In my opinion, downtown needs good, solid full service restaurants. What? I'm not sure. We do have great spaces housing restaurants of mediocre caliber at best in Spice (horrible service, teriffic location and poor layout), Prickly Pear and Nick's Italian Kitchen (I'll pair these both together because I'm amazed they're both still in business. Overpriced, poor service and underwhelming food).

 

Why have local restauranteurs such as the owners of Ravenous Pig and Cask & Larder not developed a concept downtown? If costs for a downtown location are too high, I would hope management companies would reconsider their $ sq' to bring in vibrant businesses to the area.

[CaptainJustice]

I must say, Steel House has grown on me. I drove by there the other day and I take back everything I said about it. 

[popsiclebrandon]

I still don't understand why there's not a Chipotle downtown. Either Chipotle has great real estate planners or people just find their way. Either or both reasons would lend well to a downtown location and could strategically bring traffic to an area.

I agree, the restaurant scene downtown is "meh." I think a Whitewood-like concept would lend itself well to the Thornton Park area. IZA tapas seems seems to be cursed by the same problem as the former tenant of that location, Aroma--- odd and inconsistent hours.

 

In my opinion, downtown needs good, solid full service restaurants. What? I'm not sure. We do have great spaces housing restaurants of mediocre caliber at best in Spice (horrible service, teriffic location and poor layout), Prickly Pear and Nick's Italian Kitchen (I'll pair these both together because I'm amazed they're both still in business. Overpriced, poor service and underwhelming food).

 

Why have local restauranteurs such as the owners of Ravenous Pig and Cask & Larder not developed a concept downtown? If costs for a downtown location are too high, I would hope management companies would reconsider their $ sq' to bring in vibrant businesses to the area.

Agree with your takes on just about all of those. As far as downtown costs they are definitely wayyyy cheaper than Winter Park. For whatever reason it seems restauranteurs in the area don't view downtown as refined or something. Something on the level of Cask or something would certainly do well in downtown (find it somewhat hard to believe no nice restaurant thought they could give it a go in the future WOB space on the lake). Speaking personally while I have no plans to ever do a full service restaurant there are two additional concepts I am working on that don't exist downtown (one of them anywhere in Florida actually) that I would like to put in the general area but without some serious changes to the way the city runs things I will probably be forced to go elsewhere.

[uncreativeusername]

Speaking personally while I have no plans to ever do a full service restaurant there are two additional concepts I am working on that don't exist downtown (one of them anywhere in Florida actually) that I would like to put in the general area but without some serious changes to the way the city runs things I will probably be forced to go elsewhere.

 

So what are the serious issues with the city that would force you to develop another concept out of downtown, if you don't mind my asking?  It seems that's the question that needs to be asked...

[FLheat]

A much needed improvement on Church Street in Paramore

 

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/breakingnews/os-church-street-renovation-20130424,0,5909813.story

[SKK]

Anyone know what is going on at the intersection of Church and Eola?

[Jernigan]

Can you be more specific? Road work? Signage? Buildout?

It may be paver and curb repairs as part of the LYMMO expansion.

[SKK]

The intersection is completely closed (or was this morning) and I saw some construction vehicles. I did not get close enough to see anything else.

[FLClarkKent]

Pretty cool advertising campaign for the new Transformers ride at Universal Studios.

 

http://www.clickorlando.com/news/80foot-transformer-sticker-placed-on-building-in-downtown-orlando/-/1637132/19962852/-/jqqvot/-/index.html

[sunshine]

Why are there so many 7-11 in downtown? Another one is being built.

[Jernigan]

There will also be one in either RIDA or SkyHouse. I like their view of our consumer potential, just wish something like a Walgreens or CVS would share the opinion and take the place of one of these.

[JFW657]

I'm all for 7 Elevens downtown.

Quick, convenient & CHEAP!!!

[Xander]

There are enough 7 freaking Elevens. Good lord, almighty. Can we please maybe get a Dunkin Donuts?? 

[Xander]

Btw, Beth's Burger Bar, Pine 22, Gringos Locos, Frank & Steins, Jersey Mikes, Five Guys, Rusty Spoon, Urban Flats, Ginos, Fratellis, and Hamburger Marys are ALL good places to grab food and are ALL located in the CBD. I'm not sure exactly as to how there's a perceived shortage of restaurants in downtown. Put on your shoes and walk! We have good places here. Could we use more? I think we could, but I definitely don't think there's a shortage of restaurants.

Now, does Uptown Orlando need more places to eat? Currently, we have four and absolutely nowhere to shop. 

[FLheat]

Btw, Beth's Burger Bar, Pine 22, Gringos Locos, Frank & Steins, Jersey Mikes, Five Guys, Rusty Spoon, Urban Flats, Ginos, Fratellis, and Hamburger Marys are ALL good places to grab food and are ALL located in the CBD. I'm not sure exactly as to how there's a perceived shortage of restaurants in downtown. Put on your shoes and walk! We have good places here. Could we use more? I think we could, but I definitely don't think there's a shortage of restaurants.

Now, does Uptown Orlando need more places to eat? Currently, we have four and absolutely nowhere to shop. 

Ceviche, Harry Buffalo, Kres, Whitewood, Celt, Cafe Annie, Zillie Bee, Boheme, La Strada, Thai Cafe, Shakai, Amura and Napasorn to add a few more.  None stand out as great and we have an abundance of Hamburger, Sandwich and Pizza places.  We could use a little bit more diversity of full menu restaurants.

[Pete C]

Kres is thought of as great, if Yelp is any indication. It's the highest rated restaurant downtown.

[Xander]

Ceviche, Harry Buffalo, Kres, Whitewood, Celt, Cafe Annie, Zillie Bee, Boheme, La Strada, Thai Cafe, Shakai, Amura and Napasorn to add a few more.  None stand out as great and we have an abundance of Hamburger, Sandwich and Pizza places.  We could use a little bit more diversity of full menu restaurants.

If Kres doesn't stand out as great(or any other of those restaurants, for that matter)to you, you might wanna consider the problem NOT being the 24 places listed above.

[Jernigan]

We really don't have that many. I think they just stick out because:

Plaza and 55 West ARE very close together

It's still a novelty in general to see a chain brand locate downtown as a walk up store no less. We don't even have the normal handful of Starbucks.

By my count we have 2 to be 3-4 walk up only 7-11s. Adding in Summerlin, there is only one more. You have to go to Orange/50, Mills north of 50 to get to the next ones.

[sunshine]

 some of the restaurants u mentioned above are great,but  a lot of them are just over priced restaurant with average food. And I really cant afford gourment dinner every nights.

 

Just to mention a few, these restaurants would be good to cater to average folks like me: Chipotle, Qdoba, Sweet tomato, olive garden, buffalo wild wings....sort of like Bento (good value with adaquate food)

 

Bento is a good value restaurant but i can only take it so much....

 

Saw Foodease in chicago, hope that we have something like that here.

 

And also, a downtown like Orlando got to be able to support a walgreen or  CVS...

 

Driving thru downtown on daily basics, I just think it is time to add couple of office towers and bring some jobs downtown.... we have a lot of residential towers but those people got to have a plce to work. Another thing I want to point out, I think Orlando need a lot more green space. I always hope that they will turn the entire city block that was cleared out at paramorre into a park instead of surface parking lot for amway.

 

Does anybody know where Orlando City Soccer gonna put their two soccer fields in Paramorre?