Other Metro Area Projects

[alex]

I was driving to the Enzian this weekend and passed by this sign for Ravaudage, which I didn't realize was still on the table:

It's hard to make out, but the top lines say "Ravaudage - Future Mixed-Use Village."

I searched for the project online and found this article from the OBJ from January. Some facts:

• $500 million
  
• 73 acres (22 city blocks) of Maitland and Orange County to be annexed by Winter Park
  
  • First phase is 22 acres with
    
    • Two restaurants
      
    • Entryway features
      
    • Parking area (surface parking? eww)
      
    • Retention pond
      

  [*]First tenant will be Miller's Ale House

  [*]Construction could start this summer

Also, and image from the Orange County rezoning document compared to a current (but out-of-date) Google maps shot:

Here's an old concept drawing from this article:

[klstorey]

Any idea of what all the construction on University Blvd at Collegiate Way and Quadrangle Blvd is? Both side of University have construction now. Looks like commercial pads being prepped for something. The Collegiate ones were prepped awhile back but then stopped, now they have major working going on,

[spenser1058]

I was driving to the Enzian this weekend and passed by this sign for Ravaudage, which I didn't realize was still on the table:

It's hard to make out, but the top lines say "Ravaudage - Future Mixed-Use Village."

I searched for the project online and found this article from the OBJ from January. Some facts:

• $500 million
  
• 73 acres (22 city blocks) of Maitland and Orange County to be annexed by Winter Park
  
  • First phase is 22 acres with
    
    • Two restaurants
      
    • Entryway features
      
    • Parking area (surface parking? eww)
      
    • Retention pond
      

  [*]First tenant will be Miller's Ale House

  [*]Construction could start this summer

Also, and image from the Orange County rezoning document compared to a current (but out-of-date) Google maps shot:

Here's an old concept drawing from this article:

I recently bought a car at Don Reid Ford and during the process talked to various folks about the project (it's a small family-owned dealership and many of the employees have worked there for a number of years). No one I spoke with expected it to affect the dealership, nor did they expect any activity on the project to take place soon. Of course this is just anecdotal, but I'm wondering how the developer is planning to work around a car lot and just how imminent construction really is.

Edited March 4, 2012 by spenser1058

[DeepEyez]

I hope this project happens. Sounds pretty cool to have some development in that direction.

[spenser1058]

I continue to be astounded and impressed at what this small bedroom community is doing. The latest:

http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2012-03-17/news/os-winter-garden-vibe-beth-kassab-031812-20120316_1_plant-street-winter-garden-farmers-market

From high-tech to low-tech and everything in between, Winter Garden continues to be a "little engine that could." They haven't lost any of the community's heritage - in fact, they've added to it. Amazingly, local "good ol' boy" politicians (I'm happy to say that as someone whose family hails from west Orange) continue to do just about everything the textbooks call for to build a vibrant, growing city with hardly a hint of NIMBYism to be found. Color me fascinated.

[klstorey]

Lots of stuff starting out in the UCF area in the months to come. I was surprised to find that NorthView is back on track.

Coming Soon: Developments Around UCF

[prahaboheme]

Rollins College construction news: http://www.rollins.edu/news/2012/03/what-will-rollins-look-like-in-5-years.html

Always good to see local colleges / universities expanding.

[Jernigan]

Good to see UCF redeveloping - hard to imagine it really changing character unless UCF also makes a move on their side of Alafaya and they put 434 on a major road diet between 50 and McCulluch. Not to mention some placemaking instead of just a row of apartments against Alafaya with no plazas, courtyards, parks or retail.

[Pete C]

Downtown Maitland revitalization to finally get going? Let's hope so.

http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2012-03-26/news/os-maitland-downtown-rezoning-20120326_1_verl-emrick-new-downtown-planning-and-zoning-commission

Here is a link to the original plan on the Maitland website:

http://www.ci.maitland.fl.us/downtown_revitalization_mid.pdf

[prahaboheme]

Valencia CC Osceola construction:; Building Four (largest building in VCC's history)

This project has a website, and construction is pretty far along: http://vcbuilding4.com/index.htm

[alex]

East Orlando Update

Avalon Park

Despite the outer-ring suburbs being hardest hit in the housing bust, Avalon Park's "traditional neighborhood development" seems to be rebounding with three new projects this year.

Overall Plan

Avalon Park is on its way to looking a lot like Baldwin Park: multi-story, mixed-use buildings line a grid; parking is placed in the middle. Much of the original plan has been completed. Still, there are many empty lots reserved for offices and condos. Notable, I think, is the senior living facility -- which would be a great location for it considering the walkability for people who don't drive.

Townhouses

Completed earlier this year, Avalon Park added another block of townhomes. It looks like some have already been sold.

Preschool

This week, a sign was posted and ground in being moved on a lot facing Avalon Park West Blvd. According to the website, this will be the future home of Creative World Preschool. Groundbreaking is scheduled for April 14th. The school is set to be built for Fall 2012.

New Townhouses

Behind the new preschool is a sign for planned three-story townhomes that will be sold as condos.

UCF Area

(The New) University House

As a follow-up to Sterling Central, East Orlando's newest building in the student housing boom will be University House. They've made progress (see below) and they've posted an aerial of their very urban-looking apartment on their website. According to a March 1st article, it will open in August and is already 70% pre-leased.

University Shoppes

Since 2009 we've been hearing about owners of the University Shoppes Plaza (NW corner of University & Alafaya). The article mentions a 2000-bed student housing project with retail at the bottom. A related article was posted in 2011, and the project may be a reality in the coming years with over 1,500 beds and retail, built in two phases. The project could be one story of retail with four stories of apartments above.

If only they could make the Alafaya-University area more pedestrian-friendly. But until the speed is 30 mph with more realistic intersections and side-streets, all the urban buildings will be in vain.

[jgardnerucf]

Could we soon see pedestrian flyover(s) on Alafaya?

[Pete C]

Maitland moves toward fulfilling a long-held dream: Having a downtown

http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2012-04-22/news/os-downtown-maitland-development-20120422_1_verl-emrick-bob-reese-linda-frosch

[IAmFloridaBorn]

Maitlands New Downtown be near SuNRail Station?

[Pete C]

Maitlands New Downtown be near SuNRail Station?

The new downtown would be roughly a half a mile south of the SunRail station.

[prahaboheme]

Maitland has been pretty aggressive with their downtown plans as of late. The new fire station and police station is open, and city hall is well underway. Hopefully the private sector will follow.

I think it is a big mistake not to have move the SunRail station closer to downtown.

City Hall Rendering:

Police Station:

Fire Station:

Edited April 24, 2012 by prahaboheme

[aent]

Could we soon see pedestrian flyover(s) on Alafaya?

I sure hope so. Quite a few housing projects should be getting started right around UCF this summer...

Northview (McCulloch entrance) announced they plan to open August 2013

University Shoppes (University entrance) sent notice to all tenants they will no longer be renewing any leases even month-to-month, so May 31st will be the closing date for many businesses in there. September 30th marks the last lease expiration date.

Academic Village Expansion (on campus in Libra entrance) had the parking lots closed on Monday for construction to begin. Greek Park is having 2 new houses and a Greek Life Center at the Centarus entrance.

So nearly every entrance is having, or will have had construction in the past couple years, to increase the density and add more urban style student housing.

[Jernigan]

Would prefer a road diet to flyovers with the exception of a flyover where Little Econ trail meets up with campus by Dr. Hitt's house and Central Florida Blvd.

Otherwise, they are expensive and hard to believe they will be well used by anyone other than people who happen to be on one side and need to go directly to the other side. Otherwise, it would make more sense to just continue to cross mid-block (frogger) or at another light.

[klstorey]

Do we have any real stats on the usage of the ones in Lake Mary? How are those ones being used?

I would like to see a few along Colonial, one near Fashion Sq, one near JYP, one near West Oaks, and one in Winter Garden. One connecting the newer developments near the airport on Semoran would be welcomed as many of the people in that area are visitors who wouldn't mind walking to dinner.

Two on Kirkman, one at I-Drive and one at Universal's entrance would be nice. One connecting to Crossroads across 535 would be helpful.

I agree though that they should be a last option and that roads should be designed with pedestrians in mind in most places.

I was in Baldwin Park the other day and stopped by the Post Lake at Baldwin Park apartments. Dirt is being moved but no vertical construction yet.

Glimpses: Post Lake at Baldwin Park Phase III

[prahaboheme]

Colonial from Parramore to Fashion Square is an urban zone. It should be redesigned for pedestrian traffic. I'm discouraged that they plan to widen it to 8 lanes right through downtown.

[JFW657]

Just read in the June issue of Conway News:

The old Blockbuster Video store at The Market at Southside (Orange & Michigan) is in the process of becoming an Applebee's along with a Domino's Pizza & a tanning salon.

The biggest news though, is that the old Albertson's is slated to become a Walmart Neighborhood Grocery.

http://conwaynews.com/

[Jernigan]

Interesting. That plaza is huge and would be neat to see some infill in some of the parking since the southern LYMMO extension will loop through there.

[JFW657]

Interesting. That plaza is huge and would be neat to see some infill in some of the parking since the southern LYMMO extension will loop through there.

Yeah, there is some prime space for a small restaurant or two right along Orange Ave.

Looks like they're trying to do just that, too:

Who knows? Maybe we'll get a Red Robin or something there.

I hear Del Taco is trying to make a comeback in the Orlando area.

You may remember a few of them around here back in the 80's.

[jgardnerucf]

--Wal-Mart Neighborhood Market is going in the old Albertson's. (late 2012)

--Applebee's is in the old Blockbuster. (month or two until almost done)

--First Watch is going in next to Office Depot. (soon)

--Domino's is relocating from long time Fern Creek/Michigan location to Applebee's wing next to fairly new Subway.

--OTown Tanning just came in this month.

[IAmFloridaBorn]

^^I Seen that today on Business Journal. Im Excited.