Downtown Orlando

[annerk]

Originally Posted by IAm_FloridaBorn

Yeah but how many people would want to drive from Marion County, park their car, get on a train, then take a bus, and perhaps do it all over again. Those 30 minutes turn into about 2 hours.

Huh? I'm talking about the Chinese businessman proposes $150 million Asian merchandise mart for Apopka - Orlando Sentinel. Why would someone drive from Marion County to Orlando to take the train halfway back again?

You seem to think that the only way to get there will be by train. I'm saying your logic is skewed because half of the workers will come from Lake and Marion Counties and drive directly there.

[IAm_FloridaBorn]

Originally Posted by DavieJ89

I agree with you. Even driving from Marion into Orange can be cumbersome

Back in 2000, my family lived right on the border of Lake and Marion Counties, and my father's job was in Taft, he drove that distance back and forth every day and hated every minute (and mile) of his commute

We moved to Metrowest after about 4 months of that

I lived in Mascot for two years drove the 80-90 something miles a day in the Clermont traffic, so you know how much of a hassle that can be,

But To Taft that just utterly undo-able. Im not saying I'm against it, I just would imagine someone from Marion would be better off driving, in-case of emergency or anything, not only that, our weather is crazy at times. Nobody wants to be getting wet in a 7PM Thunderstorm you know. .

[IAm_FloridaBorn]

Originally Posted by annerk

Huh? I'm talking about the Chinese businessman proposes $150 million Asian merchandise mart for Apopka - Orlando Sentinel. Why would someone drive from Marion County to Orlando to take the train halfway back again?

You seem to think that the only way to get there will be by train. I'm saying your logic is skewed because half of the workers will come from Lake and Marion Counties and drive directly there.

If you were specific then that would have been a different post. Not only that you don't know what people in Marion might use the commuter rail for or even where they work. Someone may just live in Ocala and work in Poinciana. They just may take the OBX to downtown then transfer to Sunrail (When the phases are complete) you never know. If just going to Apopka then thats not an issue. I'm specifically talking about the Orange Blossom Express so my logic is not "Skewed:. I just wouldnt take a train to Orlando leaving my car behind, knowing I live some miles away. But apopka to Marion, different Ball game.

[Downtown Steve]

Wow - I love that this thread is picking up steam. Could probably divide Downtown into a few different threads with so much going on. Since I love keeping up on it, here are my random thoughts:

- I can see why you'd want to make the OBE rail first, but I liken it to the High Speed Rail fiasco. While Tampa-Orlando made sense for financial reasons and that it was more "shovel ready" it was certainly not the ideal way to introduce a new technology to the USA - the route was very short and the train would have barely, if at all, gotten up to impressive speeds. Commuter Rail is very new to our area and I think, given the political climate here and the general car dependency, it would have been a much harder sell for the OBE route than SunRail. SunRail had a TON of business support to the point that the Governor couldn't say no. Disney, Tupperware, Florida Hospital, Orlando Health. Plus CSX was required to re-invest all of their earnings from the sale of the tracks back into Florida jobs and that helped make the case for the project.

- The SunRail track, because of the cities it is serving, is pretty ideal in that you have destinations in Orlando and Winter Park. You have cities in the middle that are committed to building Transit Orientated Development (Check out Lake Mary, Winter Park and Orange Countys plans!). TOD is key in these areas because people are right when they say no one will drive to a train station in Maitland to take a train into Orlando. But if you can take the car completely out of the equation..... and then you have places in Volusia and Poinciana where yes, people will drive to a station to take a train because I-4 is that bad and gas isn't going to get cheaper.

As excited as I am about SunRail as someone who lives downtown but would not mind living in a nice area around the Maitland or Longwood stations, I am stoked about the Orange Blossom Express and what it can do for cities like Apopka. I'm also excited about the OIA Connector Project that would connect 1 or 2 SunRail stations (Sand Lake and maybe Osceola Parkway) to places like the FL Mall, Convention Center, I-Drive and Disney, and of course the airport.

Also - pretty peeked about Creative Village. It will complement the rail, the newer development near the LYNX station, and give another cleaner and safer way to connect from downtown to College Park on bike or foot. I-4 and Lake Ivanhoe make the best routes now pretty intimidating.

[IAm_FloridaBorn]

Originally Posted by Downtown Steve

Wow - I love that this thread is picking up steam. Could probably divide Downtown into a few different threads with so much going on. Since I love keeping up on it, here are my random thoughts:

- I can see why you'd want to make the OBE rail first, but I liken it to the High Speed Rail fiasco. While Tampa-Orlando made sense for financial reasons and that it was more "shovel ready" it was certainly not the ideal way to introduce a new technology to the USA - the route was very short and the train would have barely, if at all, gotten up to impressive speeds. Commuter Rail is very new to our area and I think, given the political climate here and the general car dependency, it would have been a much harder sell for the OBE route than SunRail. SunRail had a TON of business support to the point that the Governor couldn't say no. Disney, Tupperware, Florida Hospital, Orlando Health. Plus CSX was required to re-invest all of their earnings from the sale of the tracks back into Florida jobs and that helped make the case for the project.

- The SunRail track, because of the cities it is serving, is pretty ideal in that you have destinations in Orlando and Winter Park. You have cities in the middle that are committed to building Transit Orientated Development (Check out Lake Mary, Winter Park and Orange Countys plans!). TOD is key in these areas because people are right when they say no one will drive to a train station in Maitland to take a train into Orlando. But if you can take the car completely out of the equation..... and then you have places in Volusia and Poinciana where yes, people will drive to a station to take a train because I-4 is that bad and gas isn't going to get cheaper.

As excited as I am about SunRail as someone who lives downtown but would not mind living in a nice area around the Maitland or Longwood stations, I am stoked about the Orange Blossom Express and what it can do for cities like Apopka. I'm also excited about the OIA Connector Project that would connect 1 or 2 SunRail stations (Sand Lake and maybe Osceola Parkway) to places like the FL Mall, Convention Center, I-Drive and Disney, and of course the airport.

Also - pretty peeked about Creative Village. It will complement the rail, the newer development near the LYNX station, and give another cleaner and safer way to connect from downtown to College Park on bike or foot. I-4 and Lake Ivanhoe make the best routes now pretty intimidating.

As was I. I was excited because of what it could have done for the area. There is a 97 mile commuter rail in New Mexico. Tampa and Orlando ought to look into a REGINAL RAIL as they have in the northeast. I think that alternative suites our area better than HS rail. HS rail to Miami made more sense to me. heck I can be to Tampa in 57 minutes by vehicle.

And I heard nothing about Disney doing or having anything to do with SunRail.


Nail on the head. I4 wont get better. it's our main artery here in Orlando. Unexpandable maybe one or 2 lanes through parts at best. That was my argument with another poster about Tri-Rail Vs SunRail.

tri Rail does not go through the heart of the cities, nore did it spark up development around it. SunRail already has $1BILLION in development alone aorund it planned and I truly think that is the beginning. I thought SunRail would truly fail but I re did my research and have been studying this thing since middle school. I think those smaller cities will greatly benefit and I think the numbers will exceed projection, based on how reasonable prices are for tickets and bus transfers.


SunRail has actually allowed my family to reconsider where to re-locate. Were looking to be near the line as you said, I wouldn't mind staying near a station for great use. I'd hope to live downtown though as it is ideal for me. Hopefully downtown can add another grocery store and a drug store, and a Starbucks. I mean What is buddy waiting on? I need more info on the OIA connector, I'd really consider staying in South Orlando as I enjoy the multi-cultrual vibe.

What do you mean? As in just the part of downtown or starting a new trend for Orlando and the way it builds?

[annerk]

Originally Posted by IAm_FloridaBorn

If you were specific then that would have been a different post. Not only that you don't know what people in Marion might use the commuter rail for or even where they work. Someone may just live in Ocala and work in Poinciana. They just may take the OBX to downtown then transfer to Sunrail (When the phases are complete) you never know. If just going to Apopka then thats not an issue. I'm specifically talking about the Orange Blossom Express so my logic is not "Skewed:. I just wouldnt take a train to Orlando leaving my car behind, knowing I live some miles away. But apopka to Marion, different Ball game.

I freaking quoted the post I was replying to in my original response referencing Marion County. How much more specific could I be?

I'm not even talking about commuter rail, I'm talking about the Chinese guy talking about building in Apopka. You are the one assuming that all 8000 employees would come out of Orange County and take the train. I'm saying that as many as half could come out of Lake and Marion and would drive--and that the train (which is not even planned for Lake and Marion) is irrelevent. Not sure why that's such a difficult concept to understand.

[IAm_FloridaBorn]

Im still confused about the way downtown Orlando Builds.

[IAm_FloridaBorn]

Hey I have a question to anyone . I didnt know where to post it, but the Orange Blossom Express, would it be connected with Lynx Central or creative Village along those Tracks that head due west out of downtown Orlando?