Other Metro Area Projects

[WeNeed2Progress]

Looking at the rendering, it sure is aquarium-ish, but how do you know it's an aquarium? The trim kinda looks like fish too, but it could be a seafood restaurant.

If you look at the rendering closely, it actually reads "aquarium"... oooh, fishy eh?

[cwetteland]

If you look at the rendering closely, it actually reads "aquarium"... oooh, fishy eh?

Good eyes. I blew it up and it's still hard to make out, but I believe you. Hmmm. Fishy indeed.

The note boasts its closeness to Seaworld et.al.; but that wouldn't be necessary.

[sunshine]

Good eye, it will be great if they move this project to downtown Orlando.

[WeNeed2Progress]

Good eye, it will be great if they move this project to downtown Orlando.

Agreed... and thanks for the compliment. To think I was thinking of getting an eye exam soon.

[Jaybee]

Good eye. It is an aquarium.

[Chemmie]

Could it possibly be like the Downtown Aquarium in Houston?

http://www.downtownaquariumhouston.com/about/index.htm

Downtown Aquarium has recently been bought by Landry's Restaraunts. They have recently opened one of these in Denver, too.

It looks like they might be expanding this franchise, Orlando might be a good spot.

[cwetteland]

First mention of new Aquarium in Orlando was about a Ripley's Aquarium. This sounds very possible because they already have one in Mertle Beach and in the Smokies.

The one in the Citymark rendering looks more like a theme restaurant - like in Houston.

So maybe we've got two new fish tanks on the way, eh?

FTUKnight

[prahaboheme]

Kissimmee Development News:

Lakefront debate heats up

Article talks about the controversial plan to turn the lakefront/downtown area into a condo project, luxury hotel, retail/shops, etc. Very interesting.

renderings:

[WeNeed2Progress]

Kissimmee Development News:

Lakefront debate heats up

Article talks about the controversial plan to turn the lakefront/downtown area into a condo project, luxury hotel, retail/shops, etc. Very interesting.

renderings:

Such fear of development, especially in what appears to be a positive addition is precisely why I despise visiting the town I grew up in--- Kissimmee. As a family, we never went downtown because it was always a bit rundown. Don't get me wrong, I love nature and "greenery", however this shore of the lake is bordered also by utilities and such. So it isn't that picturesque.

[prahaboheme]

Agreed--they could do a LOT more with the space down there. Luckily it sounds that the city realizes this, even if the citizens do not.

[Orlandoguy24]

Such fear of development, especially in what appears to be a positive addition is precisely why I despise visiting the town I grew up in--- Kissimmee. As a family, we never went downtown because it was always a bit rundown. Don't get me wrong, I love nature and "greenery", however this shore of the lake is bordered also by utilities and such. So it isn't that picturesque.

I completely agree, I grew up in Kissimmee also.

[JRS1]

QUESTION:

I was on CR 432 (i think), the exit Championsgate is off of last night. As I passed Reunion Resort (on the north side of the road), there were two very tall construction cranes to the north lit up as though they were building some tall tower.

So, as I got on I-4 east, you could see the cranes on the right at least 1/4 mile east of I-4. I must have missed this one, but does anyone know what that's gonna be?

[cwetteland]

Lake Nona developer gives $20 million in cash and land for UCF medical school

Challenge grant requires campus be located at the lake

OrlandoSentinel.com staff

October 3, 2005, 9:37 AM EDT

A private investment company that owns Lake Nona and Isleworth gave the University of Central Florida more than $20.5 million in cash and land to help establish a medical school, the university announced today.

Tavistock Group will give UCF a $12.5 million grant and 50 acres of land valued at more than $8 million to establish the UCF Healthcare Campus at Lake Nona. UCF characterized the grant as "an important step in creating a proposed medical college," according to a press release issued this morning.

The $12.5 million challenge grant is expected to generate matching funds from the community and the state, which including the land value, could result in a total of more than $58 million for the new school.

"Tavistock Group founder and chairman Joe Lewis shares UCF's vision for a medical college that will improve health care in our community and the nation and provide great economic benefit in Central Florida," UCF President John Hitt said. "This generous gift -- and challenge to raise additional money from the community -- will strengthen UCF and Orlando's case for establishing a world-class medical college."

With the necessary approval and funding to establish the medical college, UCF plans to build a facility for the Burnett College of Biomedical Sciences and a second medical college instructional building on the 50-acre site at Lake Nona. Construction could begin as early as 2006.

The UCF Board of Trustees last month approved a proposal for a medical college that could begin holding classes in 2008 if approved by the state Board of Governors. The Board of Governors is expected to consider UCF's proposal and another from Florida International University at its Nov. 17 meeting in Jacksonville.

The UCF medical degree and college would capitalize on the university's strengths in biomedical sciences, modeling and simulation, and optics and photonics while fulfilling the community's need for more physicians, according to the university's proposal.

Copyright

[prahaboheme]

This is dumb. A medical campus should be located downtown like in real cities.

[orlandonative]

This is dumb. A medical campus should be located downtown like in real cities.

Ironic the timing involved with the anouncement of tourist tax dollars for arena, pac, etc. Seems like a bit of a smoke screen while the county fanagles the real deals.

[prahaboheme]

Not to mention that UCF is now basically cut out of the PAC deal. That would have brought hundreds of people to the site everyday, making an overall better use of the center, all because the county wants in on the deal. The city can be real pushovers.

[cwetteland]

I don't blame UCF for exiting the PAC deal. The planners decided to sweeten the deal for the county. When I read that someone in planning figured that the county had to get more out of the PAC it made me furious. Don't they realize the the PAC, Stadium, and Arena benefit all the citizens of Orange Co and that you don't have to screw it up by tossing an admin building into the mix and tossing out UCF in the process. IDIOTS.

As far as the Med school, I haven't seen where the OC is involved. It's just Travistock so far and if they get matching funds I believe a lot of that would come from the state. Part of the deal is 50 acres for a campus. I don't think you could find that downtown, and if you could who would donate it?

[jack]

Isn't Lake Nona in the City limits now/

[downtowninvestor]

besides with the extention of alafaya.....the ucf campus will be very close to the lake nona area

[cwetteland]

Sentinel says plaza at corner of Edgewater and Par will be replace by Retail Office Condo project.

$100 million College Park redevelopment project planned

Jack Snyder | Sentinel Staff Writer

[Chemmie]

Sentinel says plaza at corner of Edgewater and Par will be replace by Retail Office Condo project.

$100 million College Park redevelopment project planned

Jack Snyder | Sentinel Staff Writer

SWEET!

As long as they don't tear down Jax 5th Ave., the best place for beer in Orlando!

My wife teaches at Lee Middle School, right around the corner from there. They are trying to get the money to build a new school, but it seems the government only wants to give up enough for renovations. Lee is one of the most embarrassing looking schools in our district, they should pay the money to rebuild instead of renovate a building that is falling apart.

[cwetteland]

SWEET!

As long as they don't tear down Jax 5th Ave., the best place for beer in Orlando!

My wife teaches at Lee Middle School, right around the corner from there. They are trying to get the money to build a new school, but it seems the government only wants to give up enough for renovations. Lee is one of the most embarrassing looking schools in our district, they should pay the money to rebuild instead of renovate a building that is falling apart.

Yea, OCPS has some other pits as well. Wife left Catalina and it wasn't just the building, no supplies or other teaching support.

I went to Lee ... (It was a Jr. High then) ... My wife teaches elementary. Wackadoo's, eh?

[Chemmie]

Yea, OCPS has some other pits as well. Wife left Catalina and it wasn't just the building, no supplies or other teaching support.

I went to Lee ... (It was a Jr. High then) ... My wife teaches elementary. Wackadoo's, eh?

It's always the same with OCPS. Then again, its that way with schools all over the country.

I'm still not sure what I'm doing for the game. I think it will be a "game time decision" for me. I know I have to be somewhere for the wife to watch the Noles. I had a heck of a weekend last weekend (AC blew out in my house and ended up in a hotel for a couple nights, one of my dogs had an emergency and needed to go to the vet) so this weekend I'm trying NOT to spend money and trying to relax a bit.

[facilities man]

Sentinel says plaza at corner of Edgewater and Par will be replace by Retail Office Condo project.

$100 million College Park redevelopment project planned

Jack Snyder | Sentinel Staff Writer

This sounds like a great project for College Park. It takes out the one big plaza type developement that doesn't really fit in the area and replaces it with a more urban look. It also extends the College Park "downtown" area further north and links in the Dubsdread area even better. This sounds like a winning project for everyone.

[JRS1]

Sounds like a winner.

Emerson Plaza #1 is now 8-9 stories high.