$200M downtown development would tie into SunRail station
By Mark Schlueb, Orlando Sentinel
October 24, 2011
The company that built ChampionsGate and Hilton Orlando plans to build a $200 million mixed-use project that would tie into SunRail's main station in downtown Orlando, the Orlando Sentinel has learned.
Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer plans to announce details of the project today during his annual "State of the Downtown" speech.
The Central Station project is slated for a 5.6-acre parcel adjacent to the Lynx Central Station and across Orange Avenue from the Orange County Courthouse. Rida Development Corp. bought the property for $15.1 million in 2008.
It would be the first example of transit-oriented development connected directly to SunRail, the 61-mile commuter train system scheduled to launch in 2014. A spine running through the center of the complex would link Orange Avenue with downtown's main SunRail platform at the Lynx center.
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"With … Central Station, we have the emergence of the sustainable, walkable, transit-oriented development we've been talking about," Dyer said.
A hotel and midrise apartment buildings of seven to 10 stories would run along the north side of the property, along with ground-floor shops and restaurants. That's the first phase of the project, which would cost an estimated $100 million.
The second phase would feature office space on the south side of the property and cost another $100 million, but it would not happen until the office market improves.
The developer hopes to take advantage of the proximity of SunRail and the railroad tracks. They hope easy access to the rail system will be a selling point for apartment renters, and that downtown workers who take the train will provide retail traffic as they pass through the development going to and from the station.
"We're very excited," Rida Senior Vice President Marc Reicher said. "We have the best multimodal site in Central Florida. This is going to further establish transit-oriented development and further establish the central business district."
The property, bounded by Orange Avenue, Amelia Street, Livingston Street and the Lynx headquarters, is the last large undeveloped parcel downtown. More than one developer has had big plans for the site that never materialized.
It was once owned by Ron Pizzuti, who proposed Orlando City Center, a tower topped by a large open cube. The Federal Aviation Administration refused to allow the nearly 500-foot-tall building, saying it would endanger Orlando Executive Airport air traffic.
Pizzuti sold the property to Palm Beach Land Trust, which in 2006 proposed a $250 million mixed-use project with off-kilter architecture. It, too, would have tied into the commuter-rail system. That developer sold the property to Rida.
Reicher pointed to Rida Development Corp.'s history of completing large projects under trying circumstances as evidence the company will succeed with Central Station.
In addition to ChampionsGate and the Hilton next to the Orange County Convention Center, the Texas-based company built the Omni Resort, the first major hotel in the country financed and built after the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks.
Rida has a substantial portfolio in Texas, Florida, Poland, Germany, Russia and Ukraine.
"We're accustomed to finding paths to success in challenging economic times," Reicher said.
mschlueb@tribune.com or 407-420-5417
(http://profile.ak.fbcdn.net/hprofile-ak-ash2/370204_100002948261443_1905485767_n.jpg)
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/breakingnews/os-central-station-development-20111024,0,6420263.story
Great for Orlando. If Jax leaders ever consider looking outside of our metropolitan area for economic development success stories and examples, Orlando is a great example of what fixed mass transit can do for job creation, downtown and urban core revitalization. The TOD around Florida Hospital (one stop north) has already broken ground. This is the type of sustainable economic development the mobility plan was designed to deliver to Jacksonville (both in the burbs and the urban core).
(http://assets.bizjournals.com/orlando/print-edition/3-FL-Hosp-rendering*280.jpg?v=1)
Quote
Florida Hospital’s Jody Barry is keeping his fingers crossed for SunRail.
That’s because Florida Hospital’s massive Health Village development of regional impact at the downtown campus got extra considerations from the city of Orlando for adding a SunRail station. And it’s not just a little: In total, if SunRail is axed, it would reduce the construction projects by $150 million and eliminate 2,500 permanent and construction jobs, Barry said.
“We have our fingers crossed,†said Barry, administrative director of facilities administration. “SunRail would be a cultural change for Orlando. Our roads are a clogged pipeline and they can only hold so much water. SunRail is a new pipe.â€
In total, Health Village is slated to have 2,000 hospital beds, 1.5 million square feet of medical office, 201,760 square feet of general office space, 349,997 square feet of educational space, 874 multifamily residential units, 110,000 square feet of retail space and 463 hotel rooms. The amount of development for Health Village would be reduced by the following if SunRail doesn’t go through: 198 hospital beds, 148,000 square feet of medical office, 20,000 square feet of general office space, 32,970 square feet of educational space and 30,000 square feet of retail space.
Overall, kicking SunRail to the curb would put 11 percent of the total square footage at risk for Health Village, and 15-20 percent of total project, if you include the hospital beds, Barry said. What’s more, since Health Village is, at its core, a transit-oriented development, losing SunRail would fundamentally change the project.
“The vitality of it, without SunRail, would go away,†Barry said.
full article: http://www.bizjournals.com/orlando/blog/2011/06/florida-hospital-has-a-lot-riding-on.html
(http://www.sunrail.com/files/boards/FloridaHospital.jpg)
QuoteOfficials on hand for SunRail documents signing
It’s official, Central Florida: The SunRail commuter rail project’s funding is in place.
A group of federal, state and local officials celebrated during a formal ceremony with supporters and business community leaders on July 18 at the site of Florida Hospital ’s planned Health Village SunRail stop. At the same ceremony, Federal Transit Administration administrator Peter Rogoff and Florida Department of Transportation Secretary Ananth Prasad signed what’s known as the full funding grant agreement to release the remaining federal funds pledged to the project: $50 million in fiscal year 2012 and $27.38 million in fiscal year 2013.
The federal government provided $178.6 million in federal funds, of which $101.2 million was allocated to SunRail through fiscal year 2011, state transportation officials said.
Speaking at the festivities were Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer, U.S. Reps. John Mica and Corrine Brown, U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and Prasad, while several other local officials â€" past and present â€" were in attendance to celebrate the moment.
“When people want to know the definition of this vision thing, this is it,†LaHood announced to the crowd. “Central Florida got its act together and look what’s happened â€" SunRail is coming. Congratulations, Orlando.â€
Meanwhile, celebration host and Florida Hospital President and CEO Lars Houmann also told the crowd that Florida Hospital has committed to its first transit-oriented development at Orange Avenue and Princeton Road: a 90,000-square-foot office and retail building that will serve as headquarters for the Florida division of Adventist Health System.
full article: http://www.bizjournals.com/orlando/news/2011/07/18/local-national-officials-on-hand-for.html
These two projects are just the start of something that will completely transform Orlando and it's economy, both short and long term. Anyone willing to bet our mobility fee moratorium will have a greater impact on job creation in Jax and our economy?
What amazes me is how fast TOD --- impressive TOD --- is coming to Orlando.
Developers seem to have invested a lot of time, effort, and money preceding final go-ahead on mass transit.
It shows me that you can get development lined up even before the bulk of public expenditures on the mass transit spine.
It's not amazing to me. This is the same thing that's happened in every city that has invested in fixed transit this past decade. As soon as you officially make the commitment that your're going to do it, development happens. It's instant job creation (for the construction industry), generates higher ad valorem taxes, revitalizes every neighborhood that has a station (DT, urban core and suburbs) and changes unsustainable growth patterns over the long term. When laying every thing out on the table, its simply foolish for a large city to not do it.
Here are a few examples of this that we've featured over the years:
Austin:
http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2010-may-metrorail-commuter-line-opens-in-austin
Norfolk:
http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2009-apr-a-lesson-for-jacksonville-norfolks-tide-light-rail
Albuquerque:
http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2008-dec-open-for-business-rail-runner-comes-to-santa-fe
Imo, we're further kill our economic future with each day we sleep on this national known fixed transit/economic trend.
^This is the reason, I believe Jax needs to invest in a starter line as soon as possible (something we asked JTA to do back when they had that $100 million in BJP funds). So what if it doesn't initially reach the beach, Mandarin, SJTC or the airport? If all you can pull off initially is a Riverside to DT streetcar or a DT to Gateway LRT, do it. There are enough major destinations along both to create a viable transit corridor that also breeds private TOD investment.
Every example shown above, including Orlando's, doesn't take you all over those cities either. However, they do immediately stimulate private sector development, job creation, infill growth and economic revitalization. All the things we say we want here but fail to put the foot forward in actually doing anything to accomplish these goals.
Thanks for the cites...I'll do some reading in my spare time this week.
Just from a layman's perspective, I see ground being lost (literally) as time passes.
It hasn't been very long since the Lowe's plaza at Baymeadows and Phillips and the Walmart plaza (Avenues) at Phillips were developed. That kind of development won't help any commuter rail development (those seem to be stop locations envisioned).
If this "layman" sees stuff like this I wonder what others see and know.
A layman would never notice unless he spent some time visiting other places. Yes, we're losing ground to our peers on a daily basis but our leaders haven't paid much attention outside of our city limits to notice it. This particular economic issue works so well, places like Orlando, Charlotte and Salt Lake City are already working on expanding what they have already set in place. In a ten year period, SLC has gone from being Jax to a city with 60,000 LRT riders a day. They now have LRT, commuter rail, BRT and streetcar (under construction), with billions in TOD surrounding those new public investments. We're still trying to beat the 1980s back to life with more expensive, less economically producing, projects like 9B and the Outer Beltway. The national economy doesn't rotate around Jacksonville and it doesn't wait for our community to make decisions. That's something I think we forget about sometimes.
Oh but Lake, "Jacksonville can't afford streetcar." Everyone knows, "Jacksonville isn't dense enough," (well anywhere except between the ears of the city council members). How silly Lake, "You seem to think just because it's a streetcar it will carry more passengers then our buses." Jacksonville can't do this, "Just look at the failed Skyway, terrible and subsequently failed BILLION DOLLAR BRT plan, failed southside parking garage, failed Kings Avenue Station and Daycare Center, disastrous guaranteed to fail JRTC plan. Remember Lake, "The people hate rail, they want buses, beltways and toll roads."
Don't worry boys and girls, our mobility plan moratorium will cause developers from around the globe to flock to Jacksonville, soon enough we'll be awash in a sea of 70 story buildings. All of these $200 million dollar Jacksonville projects are going to be built now that the developers can save a hundred thousand or so. This is going to be fast Lake, I might even be tempted to pitch a tent in Brooklyn just so I can see the skyline rise around me. We'll show Orlando, and Salt Lake City, and Norfolk, and St. Louis, and Memphis, and Portland, and Tampa, and Seattle, and New Orleans, and Nashville, and San Diego, and Charlotte, and Los Angeles, and Phoenix, and Albuquerque, and all of these other cities how it's done, they obviously don't have a clue.
Sprawl, concrete, asphalt and nickle and dime savings are where it's at, we are the biggest city after all. Jacksonville, unfinished metal shed capital of the free world, thrift store of American cities.
OCKLAWAHA
Some hate to say "I told you so." Others like me...don't. ;)
QuoteSunRail starting to showcase its worth
No need to say we told them so.
Or to point out the irony that they â€" the opponents of SunRail â€" included business advocates like Rick Scott who questioned whether SunRail would ever provide a return on investment.
There's no need because the facts, just four months after the governor grudgingly signed off on SunRail, tell the story perfectly well: The investment in the 61-mile rail line that will serve commuters from DeLand through Orlando to Poinciana already is beginning to pay off.
Even in this rotten economy.
In the form of what's called transit oriented development, where businesses and residences sprout around stations.
On Monday, Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer announced plans to build a $200 million project on a barren lot adjacent to the Lynx Central Station, one of 17 SunRail station sites. The plans call for the Rida Development Corp. of Houston to construct a hotel and apartment buildings of seven to 10 stories that also would house shops and restaurants.
The project's supposed to open around the time SunRail begins service, in 2014. Rida says it also will build offices once the market for them improves.
SunRail should make the project a success, its developer said.
A few miles north off Orange Avenue at Rollins Avenue, Florida Hospital is moving forward with plans to develop a new 8-floor, 90,000-square foot administrative office building near its SunRail station. And Ustler Development of Orlando will be constructing a 230-unit apartment building for nurses and other hospital staff. Both are expected to break ground next year.
The hospital also struck a deal with Windsor Healthcare of New Jersey to develop a 150,000-square foot bioscience building, which the hospital believes should attract tenants who research heart diseases and diseases at the cellular level.
The projects' success, according to regional vice president Rich Morrison, depends on SunRail.
SunRail's also the engine driving development projects several miles north in Longwood. Orange Crown Holdings, an Orlando company, got Longwood's OK to begin work near the city's SunRail station on a 200-unit multi-family development with space for stores and offices. A state university also is expected to offer some classes there. Nearby, Orange Crown also plans to develop a 120-apartment complex for seniors.
In a letter to Scott in May, Managing Partner Ryan von Weller suggested that because of SunRail, companies like his, working with governments like those in Longwood, can help renew communities.
Can. And will.
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/opinion/os-ed-sunrail-102911-20111028,0,7811286.story
With the investment in fixed transit, a development market niche in a sea of overbuilt suburbia was instantly created in Central Florida. It's the same niche that was created in Salt Lake City, St. Louis, Denver, Charlotte, Nashville and a host of other cities who have figured it out. It can happen in Jax too as soon as we realize the economy doesn't rotate around Duval County.
Good. This will only help Jacksonville's case. We need that system to be seen as a success. CR planning is moving forward here too!
We're going to have to brand and define its success. Many wrongly define transit success as breaking even at the fare box and that's not going to happen with Sunrail or any other transit project, including BRT. Like the Florida/Georgia game, financial success comes indirectly.
agreed. we need to change the way we define "success". It is not all about farebox recovery. I really do not think it should be about that period!
Quote from: fsujax on October 31, 2011, 10:48:49 AM
Good. This will only help Jacksonville's case. We need that system to be seen as a success. CR planning is moving forward here too!
Do you know where the CR stations would be on a SE line? Particularly closer to DT.
the feasibility study identified one at San Marco (Prudential Drive), one at Emerson/Jackson Square, and one at JTB.....it may also be worthwhile to evaluate station potential at Atlantic and University
The Atlantic location, combined with a skyway extension to the same spot, makes the most sense (just my two cents). A station at the intersection of Prudential Drive & San Marco Boulevard duplicates the skyway investment and misses the opportunity of efficiently connecting San Marco to the fixed transit network.
Quote from: thelakelander on October 31, 2011, 12:57:14 PM
The Atlantic location, combined with a skyway extension to the same spot, makes the most sense (just my two cents). A station at the intersection of Prudential Drive & San Marco Boulevard duplicates the skyway investment and misses the opportunity of efficiently connecting San Marco to the fixed transit network.
You beat me to it... needless to say, I agree 100%