Renovations Coming to Friendship Fountain

[Dog Walker]

Reed, the reason for all the elevated approaches to the newer bridges is the 65' height requirement over the water.  FDOT does not want to build or operated anymore opening bridges so they are building the higher bridges instead.

Bridges like Main Street and the Bridge of Lions don't have the real estate available to convert them to high bridges.  Makes them a lot friendlier to have around.

[reednavy]

I'm referring to the connection from Riverplace to I-95. It is unnecessary and ruins connectivity for the Southbank.

[Captain Zissou]

I'm referring to the connection from Riverplace to I-95. It is unnecessary and ruins connectivity for the Southbank.

Extremely true.  That is the worst area.  I have to drive through it everyday and it always makes me furious.  The lights don't cycle well, it's ugly, and at night it just looks sketchy.

[Dog Walker]

Got it!  How right you are.  They had to raise all that when they replaced the Old Acosta and Fuller Warren Bridges so that they could be high enough to not require a draw.  Can make you feel like you are underground sometimes and does make a traffic mess.  Ugly.

[finehoe]

They had to raise all that when they replaced the Old Acosta and Fuller Warren Bridges...

Seems to me the Main St Bridge's Southbank ramp was elevated way before that.

Whenever it was done, I agree it's not very attractive or pedestrian friendly.

[Dapperdan]

Sell the whole damn area to the Miccosukee Tribe of Florida. Trust me, not only will they fix the city's budget woe's they'd bring in more development dollars in an hour then Jacksonville saw in the last decade. I wouldn't even suggest what they do with it, because they are quite able to make it happen with or without us. Talk about a "rope cable tram" to the stadium? Hell's bells, the Miccosukee, could string one to the beaches.


OCKLAWAHA 

You can't just 'sell' land to a  Indian tribe. They can only build on reservation land. Nice try though.

[videojon]

This doesn't show much but this progress photo was on COJ's facebook page.

[Duke]

1st Annual Chillounge Night at Lake Eola Don’t miss this 1st annual outdoor lounge party with six truckloads of chic, South Beach style lounge furniture, artistically arranged at Lake Eola Park. An event which has already seen success in Tampa, Sarasota and St. Petersburg, promises to show Orlando the coolest way to chill. Chillounge Night provides a place to mix and mingle among the social crowds of Orlando and relax among friends while overlooking Downtown Orlando’s beautiful Lake Eola.

The event will take place on Saturday, February 27 and includes live entertainment by AJ & the Automatics and Opera Tampa, local vendors, cash bars, a runway fashion show organized by Roquois, a Cleopatra Parade on chic daybeds, a cigar lounge area by Santandres Cigars and a spectacular fireworks display by Creative Pyrotechnics. It also serves as a great opportunity for the Downtown community to come together for a good cause, with proceeds going to the Make-a-Wish-Foundation of Central and Northern Florida.

Buy your tickets today at a special rate of $15 online at www.chilloungenight.com. Day of event tickets will cost $20, and if you are looking for the full VIP treatment including an open bar, complimentary food and cigars you can purchase VIP tickets for $75. You must be 21 or older to attend. For more information on the 1st Annual Chillounge Night in Downtown Orlando visit www.chilloungenight.com.

http://downtownorlando.com/news/events/1st-annual-chillounge-night-lake-eola

I was invited to this by a friend who lives in Orlando... Wouldn't this be something cool to start on the new green area around the fountain once it's complete?  It would be nice to have a monthly event like this to get people together to hang out with friends or even make new ones... and what better place than at Friendship Fountain...  Awesome time with the skyline as the backdrop...

Maybe it could be tied in with Art Walk, have people taxied over via water taxi from the northbank where Art Walk takes place. 

[urbanlibertarian]

Great idea!

[duvaldude08]

This doesn't show much but this progress photo was on COJ's facebook page.

Well I look at the progress from my jobs window everyday and they are out there everyday. Ive been trying to make out what they are doing and have no idea. However, The other day they were doing something to the fountain and I see they have the palm trees up.

[Cliffs_Daughter]

I thought I saw some tall palms lined up while driving by the other day. Hmm, guess I need to stop and take some 'during' photos this week for myself.

[wsansewjs]

Sell the whole damn area to the Miccosukee Tribe of Florida. Trust me, not only will they fix the city's budget woe's they'd bring in more development dollars in an hour then Jacksonville saw in the last decade. I wouldn't even suggest what they do with it, because they are quite able to make it happen with or without us. Talk about a "rope cable tram" to the stadium? Hell's bells, the Miccosukee, could string one to the beaches.


OCKLAWAHA 

You can't just 'sell' land to a  Indian tribe. They can only build on reservation land. Nice try though.

Uh yes you can. You have to sell the land from the city to the state government (or with state approval's straight to the federal level) then have the federal mandates it and convert into a reservation land for a tribe to acquire.

-Josh

[acme54321]

Palms have been up for a few weeks now, went by yesterday and there was a crew inside the fountain painting it.  Hopefully they can get this thing done soon.

[thelakelander]

Here is a recent example:

Seminoles plan tribal housing on land near Lakeland

LAKELAND - The rumors flew fast and furious when news broke in 2006 that the Seminole Tribe purchased 750 acres of pasture land here northeast of Lakeland.

Would they build a casino, neighbors wondered, on land in the Green Swamp?

Many locals have owned this land for generations, including 75-year-old Wayne Bryant, who was born 50 feet from the front porch he was relaxing in Tuesday afternoon. His family lived up and down Bryant Road growing lettuce, turnips, "anything green and good to eat," he says.

Their curiosity grew when large groups of Seminoles began walking up and down Bryant Road en route to their property, mothers holding their children's hands, in a procession led by Seminole police and ambulances.

In fact, the tribe is planning no gambling palace here, documents filed with the U.S. Department of the Interior show. But it does hope to build a housing development for tribal members, where Seminoles from throughout the Tampa Bay area can live together.

They are asking the federal government to take possession of the property and place it into trust for the Native American tribe. Tribal law experts say it won't technically be called a reservation, because it wasn't reserved for the tribe by the government.

Several residents said they'll welcome the Seminoles' development, as long as it doesn't create a flood of traffic.

"I can't say I'm against it," said Scott Heard, who has a family compound a stone's throw from the Seminole land. "Because I'd much rather them have it than have some developer build mobile homes."

full article: http://www2.tbo.com/content/2011/feb/04/041718/seminoles-plan-tribal-housing-on-land-near-lakelan/news-money/

[duvaldude08]

Palms have been up for a few weeks now, went by yesterday and there was a crew inside the fountain painting it.  Hopefully they can get this thing done soon.

Oh ok. I was wondering what they were during inside the fountain.