The Orlando Wishlist

[retorsky]

It is through dreams that many great ideas have been born. Dubai was a dream. Look at it now. Perhaps we too can dream and one day find ourselves where other great cities do today. Orlando has the benefit of age, rendering it as dynamic as politics willl allow (which at times seems hopeless). I hope that this thread becomes popular among you urbanism/architecture/orlando/etc. fans. It doesn't hurt to dream.

1. A light rail system connecting UCF/Technology Park, downtown Orlando, OIA, I-Drive and Cape Canaveral.

2. A new arena for the Orlando Magics that can also host a hockey team belonging to the NHL. A new football stadium caterring to an NFL team would be nice as well.

3. An array of skyscrapers with blending but radical designs. Throw some Foster, and some Gehry in the mix (maybe even Liebeskind) and see what happens. A glass pyramid (tetrahedral) would be an awesome addition. Green towers!! I would say our skyline is somewhat architectually distinct and will continue to become moreso over the next few years. It is certainly more flavorful than, in my opinion, almost anyother skylines in the US. We really don't have many eye soars. I am very impressed with the Bank of America and Suntrust Building, as well as the few others that dot our skyline. Height isn't everything, but eventually it'd be nice if we had some of that too. If Dyer is to pay for a new arena (or renovated arena and perhaps even a new/renovated Citrus Bowl), a more ambitious, large-scale overhaul of downtown would be appropriate (not simply the 65 acreas). Investors could play a large role, just as they have done overseas. Orlando: Clean, Green, and Modern. That'd be nice. Maybe buildings similar in exoticness as those that are being erected in Beijing or other areas in China. I'm not sure Dubai architecture is distinct enough for our downtown. A dream, if assimilated and conveyed correctly could become the impetus for a downtown rennaissance.

4. World's largest mall. Downtown? Not sure how that'd work out. If we had an intricate transportation system and large-scale additions of residential complexes in downtown, perhaps.

5. Large-scale Modernization/Renovation of the entire Walt Disney World Resort. I'm sick of Disney cookie cutting their resorts across the globe. Orlando needs to remain a destination(.) I'm sure most Floridians have gotten sick of the same ole' disney as well. If Cypress Gardens can do it, surely we must!

6. Orlando as the SE US hub with OIA as the busiest airport in the nation (hence, the world). A lot of the above would have to come to pass first.

7. World class medical school and biomedical research community. Perhaps it is time that we started another research/technology sector in close proximity to UCF. If all this is accomplished, rankings of UCF among the top public undergraduate/graduate universities and the top metropolitcan research university. The community should be similar in style to the Scripps Institute, but is more of a Investor/City/UCF affiliated research park. It might prove to be a one-of-a-kind mix. A creative, interdisciplinary atmosphere. Of course it would have to be connected with the light rail to downtown and I-Drive.

8. Regional hub for Fortune 500 companies, each of which dot the skies with their marvels.

9. New EA skyscraper. Additional gaming companies/electronics companies could really make a name for downtown.

10. A cluster of Trump Towers in Orlando, better than any of the others constructed thus far.

Please add, I'll update as often as I can. Hope you all enjoy putting on your dreaming caps.

[Brickell]

since you took the time to write it, i'll take the time to answer.

1. A light rail system connecting UCF/Technology Park, downtown Orlando, OIA, I-Drive and Cape Canaveral.

That's quite a distance for light rail. I would like to see an east/west line connecting UCF with the airport and a theoretical N/S line. Cape Canaveral would be more for commuter rail. I think the I-4 corridor would be a great place for it. New Smyrna and Daytona are becoming bedroom communities not to mention DeLand, Deltona, Lake Mary, etc etc.. It'd also be nice to see one going west towards Winter Springs and Clermont.

2. A new arena for the Orlando Magics that can also host a hockey team belonging to the NHL. A new football stadium caterring to an NFL team would be nice as well.

Maybe a new Arena, but I for one think NHL, NFL and MLB are long shots. Doesn't mean you can't build some very good minor league facilities or go after other sports.

3. An array of skyscrapers with blending but radical designs. Throw some Foster, and some Gehry in the mix (maybe even Liebeskind) and see what happens. A glass pyramid (tetrahedral) would be an awesome addition. Green towers!! I would say our skyline is  somewhat architectually distinct and will continue to become moreso over the next few years. It is certainly more flavorful than, in my opinion, almost anyother skylines in the US. We really don't have many eye soars. I am very impressed with the Bank of America and Suntrust Building, as well as the few others that dot our skyline. Height isn't everything, but eventually it'd be nice if we had some of that too. If Dyer is to pay for a new arena (or renovated arena and perhaps even a new/renovated Citrus Bowl), a more ambitious, large-scale overhaul of downtown would be appropriate (not simply the 65 acreas). Investors could play a large role, just as they have done overseas. Orlando: Clean, Green, and Modern. That'd be nice. Maybe buildings similar in exoticness as those that are being erected in Beijing or other areas in China. I'm not sure Dubai architecture is distinct enough for our downtown. A dream, if assimilated and conveyed correctly could become the impetus for a downtown rennaissance.

Orlando does have some nice designs coming up and I like the the blend of southern highrise architecture with the more colorfol florida style of buildings that i see coming up. the skyline has a long way to go though.

4. World's largest mall. Downtown? Not sure how that'd work out. If we had an intricate transportation system and large-scale additions of residential complexes in downtown, perhaps.

Orlando already has enough malls. I don't think having the worlds largest is going to bring in that many more tourists. why don't we just build a roof over I-drive and call that a mall. Maybe more upscale shopping areas like Vegas would be nice, but not needed in my opinion.

5. Large-scale Modernization/Renovation of the entire Walt Disney World Resort. I'm sick of Disney cookie cutting their resorts across the globe. Orlando needs to remain a destination(.) I'm sure most Floridians have gotten sick of the same ole' disney as well. If Cypress Gardens can do it, surely we must!

increased competition will force disney to innovate. not that they aren't doing so already. some parts of the park are stale no doubt, but they try to keep it fresh.

6. Orlando as the SE US hub with OIA as the busiest airport in the nation (hence, the world). A lot of the above would have to come to pass first.

too many nearby hub airports for that to happen. i don't see any real benefit in being the busiest beyond using it on message boards. as long as you have decent connections to a most business centers you'll do fine and I'm sure MCO is already there.

7. World class medical school and biomedical research community. Perhaps it is time that we started another research/technology sector in close proximity to UCF. If all this is accomplished, rankings of UCF among the top public undergraduate/graduate universities and the top metropolitcan research university. The community should be similar in style to the Scripps Institute, but is more of a Investor/City/UCF affiliated research park. It might prove to be a one-of-a-kind mix. A creative, interdisciplinary atmosphere. Of course it would have to be connected with the light rail to downtown and I-Drive.

Isn't UCF in the process of applying for a medical school?

8. Regional hub for Fortune 500 companies, each of which dot the skies with their marvels.

Again, too many other regional centers in florida and beyond. Tampa, Jacksonville, Miami, Atlanta. That's a lot of comptetion. Creating a regional view of business would do us all well. Orlando should work with both Tampa/St. Pete and Jacksonville to work to bring in more business to all of north and central Florida. Orlando needs to find a niche to make them stand out. Luring EA goes pretty far towards doing that.

9. New EA skyscraper. Additional gaming companies/electronics companies could really make a name for downtown.

see above. I'd love to see them downtown.

10. A cluster of Trump Towers in Orlando, better than any of the others constructed thus far.

This one... not so much.

[bobliocatt]

1. Light Rail connecting downtown to the airport, UCF and the theme park area.

2. A Central Florida commuter rail system running from downtown St. Petersburg, through Tampa and Orlando, all the way to Volusia County.

3. The restoration of Parramore into a vibrant urban neighborhood, without losing its historical cultural ties.