[INeedAChange]

(I posted this in the Miami forum by accident earlier--apologies)

Does anyone know anything about Orlampa--I heard this is supposed to become the next high tech corridor.

[sunrico90]

Originally Posted by INeedAChange

(I posted this in the Miami forum by accident earlier--apologies)

Does anyone know anything about Orlampa--I heard this is supposed to become the next high tech corridor.

Orlampa is a fictional entity lying halfway between Orlando and Tampa, Florida. On a lot on the north side of Interstate 4 near mile 45, just east of the Polk City exit, a sign visible from the Interstate announces the "Future Site of Downtown Orlampa". The sign was installed soon before March 2002.[1] There is also an oil well pump labeled "Orlampa Oil & Gas Co, Ltd", also put up several years ago.

http://content.answers.com/main/content/wp/en-commons/thumb/5/56/300px-Orlampa_thanks_FDOT.jpg (broken link)

During the widening of I-4 through Polk County, which was completed in 2006, there was a sign thanking Florida Department of Transportation for "paving the way to Orlampa's future" by the Polk City exit ramps. That sign was taken down some time after the project ended.

The property is owned by developer Kermit Weeks, who also owns the nearby Fantasy of Flight aviation museum. On the Fantasy of Flight property, facing I-4 west of the Polk City exit, is an identical oil well pump labeled "Green Swamp Oil & Gas Co, Ltd" (Green Swamp is a nearby swamp).

The Orlampa site includes the Orlampa Citrus Packing Company, opened September 24, 2004. The packinghouse, formerly owned by Barfield Citrus, has been remodeled to look like a 1950s "Old Florida" packinghouse, and includes a gift shop and fruit store.

In October 2006, the gift shop, formerly located at the Orlampa Citrus Packing House, moved to its new location at I-4, exit 44. The gift shop offers soft serve orange ice cream, made with Orlampa's fresh squeezed juice as well as fresh citrus and Florida souvenirs.

The name of Orlampa obviously comes from a concatenation of Orlando and Tampa. Similarly named real places include Sanlando Springs, Florida; SeaTac, Washington; and the BosWash megalopolis. Orlando and Tampa have no plans for a similar metropolis, though they have been moving towards regional cooperation, including the Florida High-Tech Corridor Council (in charge of promoting high-tech business along Interstate 4) and the failed 2012 Olympic bid.

http://content.answers.com/main/content/wp/en-commons/thumb/7/7e/200px-Orlampa_Citrus_sign.jpg (broken link)

This is where some people predict where the sprawling Tampa in Hillsbrough County, and Orlando in Orange County will meet and planners predict that a population increase of 350,000 residents could happen in the next 20 years. Planners also say that this will probably become the nation's next megaregion area.

[gypsychic]

Yes, from what I've been reading this will be the new hi-tech corridor. Also along this stretch is where Lakeland's new campus of USF will be built (unfortunately our governor axed the funding for this year, so they won't start until next year). I expect big huge changes in this area over the next decade.

[Prichard]

I wouldn't expect too much in the way of change. Development in that area is constrained by the following:

1. Lack of capacity of I-4: a developer would have to show that the roads (basically I-4) has sufficient capacity to accomodate the new development before rezoning will be permitted. Since I-4 is so far over its capacity, don't expect this to happen any time soon.

2. Green Swamp and the area that lies to the south are "environmentaly sensitive" - that's going to be one HUGE tough hurdle for a developer to overcome.

3. There's no water or sewer in that area, and none likely to be there any time soon.

I suspect that the land owner out there is a little ticked off, probably because he may have been stonewalled when he tried to sell-off or develop his land.

I always wondered what the point of those oil dereks were - still don't get the point or humor in it?

[gypsychic]

Here is an article giving more info on Orlampa, and the projections over the next few decades:

The New Orlando: Orlampa -- The middle of somewhere: South Florida Sun-Sentinel

Only time will tell what will happen.

[FLANATIVE1]

One word: SPECULATION. That area has really been overlooked by developers and hasn't really been caught up in the "boom." Orlampa was given that name probably because they wanted to create the illusion that the area was a mix of Orlando and Tampa, when in reality it is neither. They are expecting the I-4 corridor to eventually be one continuous strip of development from coast to coast. Orlampa is just trying to make a name for itself. You always here of these "High-Tech Hubs" being proposed all accross Florida, almost all the them never even get off the ground.

[DCTRUE]

The fictional "Orlampa Florida" as previously mentioned is a creation of Mr. Kermit Weeks who is the owner of Fantasy of Flight, Orlamps Citrus amongst other operations. You may read more by visiting Wikipedia at: Orlampa, Florida - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

As for the availability of a water distribution and sewage treatment systems in this area as mentioned by Pritchard "3. There's no water or sewer in that area, and none likely to be there any time soon." The City of Polk City provides water and sewer to a expanding number of developments including Mt. Olive Shores North and Fountain Park.