According to news reports today, Tremont Lendings(the owner) has decided to auction off Orlando’s Historic Church Street Station Friday. The lending giant foreclosed on the former owner Cameron Kuhn and is now trying to offload the complex as quickly as possible.
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Reports recently indicate that the much anticipated movie theater(named Plaza Cinema Cafe) in the downtown plaza will be open to the public on May 29, 2009. The theater will be run by Las Vegas based American Theater Corp. They have many similar projects across the country.

The $6 million deal with the city is what helped this project get the final push for completion. The plaza development(towers and condos) were finished back in 2007 but the movie theater lacked funding/ownership to fully build out and open at that time. Once the funding was issued, the orginal timeline indicated it would open at some point in July of 2009, just in time for the busy summer movie season. Local businesses’ should see growth to their bottom lines earlier now.

More theater discussion

Click here for renderings of the exterior by Visual Impact Studios

More on this story on the Orlando Sentinel…

This popular spot in downtown Orlando will be shutting it’s doors for good on 3/14. However, it will still be available to rent for private parties.

The decision to close can be attributed to lender-owner foreclosure and the recent down turn in the economy.

This was a great spot(especially during football season for Gator games!). It will be missed.

A new survey of 16 downtown Orlando condominium towers, with a combined 3,236 units brought to market since 2001, shows that about one-third of the units remain unsold — with most of those in four relatively recent projects caught in the ongoing real-estate slump.

Nearly 40 percent of the 1,054 vacant units are in one building, the 55 West tower on Church Street, said Paul Sexton, president of Sexton Realty Advisors Inc. in Winter Garden. Read the rest of this entry »

Parking for local Church street attractions just got closer. The 55 West Parking garage(located on 60 West Pine | between Garland and Orange Ave.) is now open and accessible 24 hours a day.

Here is what it will cost you:

Standard Rates*(as of 2/18/09)

$1.00 for the first 30 minutes.

Per Hour: $2 hour / $15 max.

Evening: $10.00 Cash only. Pay at entrance.

Event: $10.00 flat fee. Cash only. Pay at entrance.

Monthly: Call the Parking Division at 407-246-2155 for monthly parking. The monthly limited rate is $110 + tax, unlimited $165 + tax.

Diner’s Special (enter between 6pm & 10pm). $6.00

Evening Rate $10, Event Rate $10

Early Bird $8

* Rates and hours subject to change.

C/O CB Richard Ellis:

On MONDAY, DECEMBER 15^th

Orlando’s City Council will have a crucial vote on the Plaza.

On the agenda is the Community Redevelopment Agency’s presentation to complete the first Downtown Orlando Movie Theater!

We are introducing a one-of-a-kind, entertainment concept within the Orlando/CentralFlorida Region…and a new destination for Downtown!

Please come and show your support!

2:00 MONDAY, DECEMBER 15^th

Council Chambers on the 2nd floor of City Hall, 400 South Orange Avenue

The new Plaza Owner is committed to making this project a success, but needs your help to show City Council that a Downtown Movie Theater is good for business.

Projections for the Plaza Theater are that it will attract approximately 600,000 people to Downtown Orlando each year. The indirect spending and jobs which flow from these visitors is significant…over $12 million annually by one conservative estimate. This could result in the infusion of millions of dollars to other businesses in downtown Orlando and the surrounding community.

For more information, on this unique theater, please download the attachments below.

The Plaza Theater will help to further define the downtown area and connect people to the heart of this up and coming city. Please show your support.

2:00 MONDAY, DECEMBER 15^th

Council Chambers on the 2nd floor of City Hall, 400 South Orange Avenue

We look forward to seeing you there.

Please contact Bobby Palta or Wood Belcher if you have any questions:

Bobby.palta@cbre.com

407 839 3124

Wood.belcher@cbre.com

407 839 3110

Thank You.

The Orlando Sentinel Reports today that the developers/owners of the Plaza Theater plan to work with the City of Orlando to continue moving forward on a plan to finally open the theater. For those of you that have been following this since the plaza opened up back in 2007…it all sounds eerily similar to talks we’ve heard in the past.

According to Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer, the theater will bring needed prosperity to the Plaza and surrounding businesses. I think he’s right in saying that the economic development of this area (CBD) could get a boost from the theaters presence but the “Special Tax” is what concerns most. The plan says it will tax the parking garage and plaza businesses in order

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The Democratic Presidential Nominee and Former United States President will be in Kissimmee on Wednesday night (10/29/2008) at Osceola Heritage Park. The rally will be held later in the the evening and hopes to attract younger as well as hispanic voters.

Gates for the event open at 8:30pm, but Barack Obama and Bill Clinton won’t likely go on until 10:30 p.m. or 11 p.m.

Obama appeared with New York Senator Hillary Clinton last week at a rally in downtown Orlando that some sources report summed up close to 50,000 people.

Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton will hold their Monday rally in Orlando at the Amway Arena downtown at 6pm. Gates for entrance will be open at 3pm. Due to it’s potentially large numbers, it will probably be an outdoor event.

Organizers chose the arena, in part, because it’s a location that is accustomed to handling the traffic that comes with big events. He and Clinton are expected to attract tens of thousands of supporters.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 17, 2008

Downtown Orlando to Host Obama & Clinton for Early Vote Kick-Off

ORLANDO – Kicking off the opening of early voting in Florida, Democratic Presidential Nominee Barack Obama and U.S. Senator Hillary Clinton will hold an “Early Vote for Change” Rally together on Monday, October 20, outside the Amway Arena in downtown Orlando.

Click here to RSVP for the event.

Obama and Clinton will urge Floridians to vote for change in advance of Election Day.

Prior to the joint event, Senator Obama will hold an “Early Vote for Change” Rally in the Tampa Bay region, and Senator Clinton will hold an “Early Vote for Change” Rally in Broward County.

Monday, October 20

EARLY VOTE FOR CHANGE RALLY WITH BARACK OBAMA AND HILLARY CLINTON

Amway Arena North Staircase
600 W. Amelia Street
Orlando, FL 32801

Gates Open: 3:00 PM
Program Begins: 6:00 PM

Members of the public can RSVP by going to http://fl.barackobama.com/OrlandoChange. Space is limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Be prepared for the Florida weather.

Pedestrian Entrance is at the intersection of W. Amelia Street and Revere Avenue.

Public parking is extremely limited. FREE shuttles will be provided from the Citrus Bowl Stadium (1610 W Church Street) beginning at 1pm. For all other downtown lots, normal rates apply.

For security reasons, do not bring bags and please limit personal items. No signs or banners permitted