Other Metro Area Projects

[spenser1058]

7 minutes ago, aleonrivera said:

I drove throughout the Downtown Tampa area a couple of weeks ago and thought the same thing. The new construction in Water Street look VERY nice. Lots of detail. There were a few other developments I saw that were nice, including the JW Marriott and pedestrian bridge over to the Water Street Marriott and the Waterfront Park improvements.  The big HOWEVER is how disconnected everything is feeling, with the factors you mentioned as well as rail yards and distance. Over time the gaps may be filled if growth and redevelopment continues along with softening and humanizing those "barriers", but it will be a while before  all of that occurs. 

That’s always been an issue with downtown Tampa - how spread out and disconnected it is. That’s been our chance to shine. Recently, however, because we’re not really keeping our downtown as walk- friendly with retail and such but just building sterile apartments with no reason to visit unless you happen to live there, we’ve been losing ground. Hopefully, that will shift after another decade or two if someone with a vision for the area comes along again.

 

Edited December 21, 2020 by spenser1058

[AmIReal]

It has been previously reported a Conn's Home Plus is going in the old tile store space in the Colonial Plaza. Now it seems a Sprouts is going in the recently vacated Stein Mart in the same plaza.

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/os-bz-orlando-colonial-plaza-sprouts-conns-20201229-g7mmx5ecorhvhpcr6snhdefmmm-story.html

[codypet]

Yes yes yes!!!!!!

 

[spenser1058]

New programs underway to clean up Lake Apopka and keep Lake Minneola swimmable:

Lakes Apopka and Minneola get new help in battles against algae plagues
https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/environment/os-ne-lakes-apopka-minneola-projects-20210102-hlam4kqwzzbgjk6sgtb3ycbicy-story.html

From The Sentinel

 

Minneola has been mostly OK until recently. Fertilizer, storm water runoff and those damnable septic tanks may be the culprits.

 

[AmIReal]

OC is dusting off the old pans for the fancy pants pedestrian bridge at Sandlake and I-Drive. "the county released a request for proposals for the International Drive Pedestrian Overpass Intersection Analysis and Overpass Conceptual Design Study"

https://www.bizjournals.com/orlando/news/2021/01/15/county-seeks-experts-for-this-major-i-drive-bridge.html

[WAJAS]

2 hours ago, AmIReal said:

OC is dusting off the old pans for the fancy pants pedestrian bridge at Sandlake and I-Drive. "the county released a request for proposals for the International Drive Pedestrian Overpass Intersection Analysis and Overpass Conceptual Design Study"

https://www.bizjournals.com/orlando/news/2021/01/15/county-seeks-experts-for-this-major-i-drive-bridge.html

Honestly needed. That road acts as a barrier for people staying on either side of I-Drive.

[codypet]

Oof that perspective is giving me a headache.  It looks like there's a pier right in the middle of the turn lanes.

Classic OC timing.  DOT is done building so lets rip it all up again and build instead of doing a "goes with" project.  It happened with the Sand Lake /JYP Spui too.  

Seeing the Mobil station and the old "largest McDonald's" does make me smile for a by-gone time.

Edited January 16, 2021 by codypet

[spenser1058]

1 hour ago, codypet said:

Oof that perspective is giving me a headache.  It looks like there's a pier right in the middle of the turn lanes.

Classic OC timing.  DOT is done building so lets rip it all up again and build instead of doing a "goes with" project.  It happened with the Sand Lake /JYP Spui too.  

Seeing the Mobil station and the old "largest McDonald's" does make me smile for a by-gone time.

It pleases me to think I may never have reason to see Sand Lake Rd or I-Drive again.

It’s like when I lived in Atlanta and never had reason to go outside the Perimeter unless I was headed out of town.

This week, I also found it interesting that Jacksonville is our only city in the state that has a nice, round beltway.

Edited January 16, 2021 by spenser1058

[spenser1058]

Scott J reviews What the Chuck. It’s, ummmm, a burger. I wanted to get it in here because it has the first pics I’ve seen of Henry’s Depot, a food hall in a converted train station in Beautiful Downtown Sanford.

https://www.scottjosephorlando.com/reviews/50-burger/5535-what-the-chuck

 

[TRENCH]

hey guys I don't know where to ask this but there are some apartments being built by Sand Lake and Winegard Rd and I cant find any information about them... where am I able to look up info on it? they have a now leasing sign but nothing else

 

this is all I know

Latiude 28.452460

Longitude  -81.384925

[AmIReal]

https://www.apartments.com/sandlake-mirage-orlando-fl/d606wyh/

maybe

[TRENCH]

On 1/26/2021 at 2:59 PM, AmIReal said:

https://www.apartments.com/sandlake-mirage-orlando-fl/d606wyh/

maybe

yes! The site has 3 4-story buildings, and I think the one in the photo is the last building they're working on.. cant wait for the extra traffic 

[AmIReal]

This is a really small project that will likely not add to our skyline, thrill any of the UP crowd or bring much media attention, but may be the type of project that creates a better situation for someone. A south FL company is looking to convert a hotel into  affordable apartments at 830 Lee Rd. There was a time when it made sense to have a hotel along I4 at Lee Rd, but those days are gone. While this is far from a sexy reuse of this piece of real estate I think the concept is a good idea... I hope more of these take off considering our great need for affordable housing in the area.

https://www.bizjournals.com/orlando/news/2021/01/29/south-florida-firm-orlando-hotel-into-apartments.html

[codypet]

There's another one right on I-4 like that at Lee Road.  There's a little driveway that takes you there and the I-4 project has to build a separate road to access it now.   That area in the 80's must have been full of hotels there because the Home Depot had I think a HoJo there as well.

Edited February 1, 2021 by codypet

[spenser1058]

51 minutes ago, codypet said:

There's another one right on I-4 like that at Lee Road.  There's a little driveway that takes you there and the I-4 project has to build a separate road to access it now.   That area in the 80's must have been full of hotels there because the Home Depot had I think a HoJo there as well.

That HoJo was YUGE and was (in)famous for the big bowl of citrus fruits sculpture out front. There was also the Holiday Inn across the street and another independent behind it plus a Sheraton just up the street.

That brings up the point of all the mom and pops on 17-92 from the older Holiday Inn next to the Villa Nova all the way down to Virginia in Orlando plus the Mt. Vernon Inn (also huge). All of those are gone now and yet the WP nimbys just shot down the Henderson. Hotel capacity in that area has just plummeted.

Edited February 1, 2021 by spenser1058

[codypet]

31 minutes ago, spenser1058 said:

That HoJo was YUGE and was (in)famous for the big bowl of citrus fruits sculpture out front. There was also the Holiday Inn across the street and another independent behind it plus a Sheraton just up the street.

That brings up the point of all the mom and pops on 17-92 from the older Holiday Inn next to the Villa Nova all the way down to Virginia in Orlando plus the Mt. Vernon Inn (also huge). All of those are gone now and yet the WP nimbys just shot down the Henderson. Hotel capacity in that area has just plummeted.

Referred by Patty in a public meeting recently as the no-tell motels.

[spenser1058]

We’ve also lost most of the in town motels on Colonial from the old Pine Hills Ramada to the Colonial Plaza Sheraton and on OBT from the Parliament House down to about Holden Ave.

While there have been a few replacements in downtown proper and uptown, we really are forcing a lot of visitors out toward I-Drive when they come to town, even if they aren’t here for the theme parks.

[JFW657]

Maybe that's because there just isn't much of a market for motels in the central Orlando area anymore.

The Colonial Plaza Sheraton used to get the major chunk of its business from the Naval Training Center.

Not just from parents and families coming to watch their kids graduating from boot camp, but also from the newly graduated seamen getting their first weekend liberty with two months of back pay in their pockets looking to shack up with someone or just sleep in a real bed that isn't in a barracks with a couple of dozen others.

At any rate, I don't see how "we" are "forcing" anyone to do anything. 

The situation is not due to some failure of leadership or government or policy, it's just the free market determining what kind of businesses are located where. 

[smileguy]

 

On 2/1/2021 at 11:30 AM, spenser1058 said:

We’ve also lost most of the in town motels on Colonial from the old Pine Hills Ramada to the Colonial Plaza Sheraton and on OBT from the Parliament House down to about Holden Ave.

While there have been a few replacements in downtown proper and uptown, we really are forcing a lot of visitors out toward I-Drive when they come to town, even if they aren’t here for the theme parks.

I don't think there is much of a market for motels anywhere anymore. They are accommodations of last resort both for travelers and for people experiencing homelessness.  Our Residence Inn, Doubletree, Marriott, and event AirBnB give plenty of options in and around downtown for under $150/night, and as economy and midscale brands continue to improve their amenities and finishes, they give people a much better experience for just a few dollars more than a motel -- or sometimes less!

[spenser1058]

I guess what I was thinking was more along the lines of a Fairfield Inn (Marriott’s entry-level brand) or a Hampton Inn, especially for the Milk District*, Mills/50 and Winter Park.

* I definitely would have preferred one of those over the 1000th self-storage place behind the bowling alley.

Also, we are lacking on B&B’s and boutique hotels compared to some other cities I visit. I suppose AirBnB is taking up that slack,but I still prefer places that are a little less “here today, gone tomorrow”, though I know that just mostly makes me old-fashioned. I’d join @JFW657 and tell the kids to get off my lawn now, but I still won’t have one for another 11 days..
 

 

Edited February 3, 2021 by spenser1058

[JFW657]

Make sure the rifle is all cleaned and oiled first....

Wouldn't want it jamming on you and letting one of the little snots get away.

[spenser1058]

The bar owners vs. the downtown residents - this time it’s Sanford’s turn:

Vibrating windows, thumping walls: Sanford tells downtown bars, restaurants to turn down the volume 
https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/seminole-county/os-prem-sanford-downtown-noise-ordinance-20210202-fxge5y53lvhvdjlk6oxtraipne-story.html

From The Sentinel 

Where have you gone, Glenda Hood?

 

[EngineerNole]

On 2/1/2021 at 9:36 AM, codypet said:

There's another one right on I-4 like that at Lee Road.  There's a little driveway that takes you there and the I-4 project has to build a separate road to access it now.   That area in the 80's must have been full of hotels there because the Home Depot had I think a HoJo there as well.

Speaking of I-4 and Lee, anyone remember “The Boobytrap”?

[spenser1058]

1 minute ago, EngineerNole said:

Speaking of I-4 and Lee, anyone remember “The Boobytrap”?

A blast from the past (ummm, not my demographic, though, so I never actually went).

[JFW657]

1 hour ago, EngineerNole said:

Speaking of I-4 and Lee, anyone remember “The Boobytrap”?

Who could forget?

I heard pilots coming into Herndon used to look for it as a landmark.