Developers are looking at building a mixed-use project in Ivanhoe Village along Virginia Drive and Alden Road [GMap of property boundary].
The development is being called The Yard (Website).
Local developer Chance Gordy with Real Estate Inverlad Development LLC told Bungalower that they are working with the community on the plan before submitting for approvals from the city.
“We’re trying to incorporate a lot of the concerns of the neighborhood,” he said.
The property is on the western side of the Lake Formosa Neighborhood and is currently home to a variety of business, warehouses and artist studios. It’s currently owned by R-Kid Properties.
Gordy says his hope is to “retain as much of the creative culture as possible.” He says that includes adding in loft space for artists and ensuring that places like The Venue still have a home there.
“The reason we are in the neighborhood is because of how awesome the neighborhood is,” he said. “We don’t want to change that.”
You’ll note the more industrial looking design to fit within the existing Ivanhoe Village district.
Gordy met with residents earlier this week and shared some initial concepts and says they are already in the process of making changes based on the feedback.
Some of the key components to the development (starting at Virginia Drive and heading north):
- Green Space
- Green space in front of retail along Virginia Drive
- Retail, pocket park and pedestrian plaza
- Retail opening into a pedestrian plaza and park space (they’re calling The Yard)
- About 30,000 square feet of neighborhood retail
- Multi-family housing and integrated parking
- Over 500 multi-family units
- Three separate buildings for the residential units
- Integrated parking garage
- Building at Philadelphia Ave would be nine stories and run perpendicular to Philadelphia Ave along what is currently Midway Drive
- Other building would be seven stories at the tallest point closest to the railroad tracks and drop to four stories as it moves closer to the neighborhood
- Possible artist studios with visibility to Orange Ave
Currently, the concept shows Alden Road being removed and turned into the pedestrian plaza.
Because the developer is still working with the community to get feedback, an exact timeline hasn’t been set, nor specific phasing. However, Gordy says they hope to break ground within a year.
Here’s a look at the current conceptual renderings and conceptual site plan that the community was asked for input on and are being worked on by the development team:
Correction October 27, 2014: An earlier version of this story incorrectly identified the development as Ivanhoe Place. The development is being called The Yard.
I just wish the design was cooler. Standard wood built apartments with some shiny edges. I wish developers would push the envelope more in Orlando. How about an elevated promenade as the public space?
Whatever. As long as the hideaway stays I guess it’s cool.
Mural fundraising is off, but when we find a new home, I will let you know!
MichaelRizzo Thanks. Confirmed with the developer and updated the story.
It’s not. It’s actually Philadelphia that would be realigned and would remain 2-way.
Where is the imagination in this city? It’s unfortunate that this is what our homegrown talent can come up with.
No better than Florida Hospital and ORMC buying up every last inch of anything with reuse potential
Florida Hospital owns all the space at Orange and Princeton.
Growth is going to happen, that’s a given. The only choices are to expand out, or to expand up. I’d rather they go up than out. I’d rather they knock down warehouses than than knock down trees. I’d rather they build rail projects than build roads.
nothing I have seen or read makes me think this is a viable development plan. And if it fails, that means lower property values for the ppl that live and work there.
Think about it…how does a bar with view of the traintracks stay in business….free shots for every train passing by. Without that ‘unique’ gimmick, the place would not be a destination.
Jeffery McClain I don’t mind the development but I am not convinced that they thought this all the way through. there are tons of new units going up within a mile of this location but somehow the most noise polluted of them will be viable….I don’t buy that.
dbain
parking is an issue…agreed but will this parking be for the 1.9 cars per unit(500 of them)…or actually parking for visitors?
NYY_Gossip
I really want to see their financial feasibility study, on getting 500 units filled when nobody wants to live there even before all the train traffic was rescheduled to night time hours, to all Sun Rail during the day.
I hope they plan on good soundproofing for the 3 am freight trains passing thru.
I noticed that the artist map realigns Alden road so it crosses squarely at Virginia. I also know that in some old plans on the City site that it was proposed that Alden become one way north-bound to Rollins and Orange become one way southbound–that realignment was critical to it obviously. Any idea if this is part of this plan?
Looks great. Those complaining about the density of growth in Orlando and Winter Park need to get a freaking clue. The population continues to explode. Everyone has to have a place to live. Don’t like living in the City Beautiful anymore because it’s “too big”? Leave and move to the sticks. I hear Ocala is nice.
Looks great. Those complaining about the density of growth in Orlando and Winter Park need to get a freaking clue. The population continues to explode. Everyone has to have a place to live. Don’t like living in the City Beautiful anymore because it’s “too big”? Leave and move to the sticks. I hear Ocala is nice.
I like it and now having a garage would make me more likely to head over to Ivanhoe area more often. I love The Venue, but don’t care for warehouses and lack of parking. I hope they do make it convenient to cross the tracks somewhere in the middle.
This town really knows how to ruin the character of a neighborhood and kill small business. It’s a shame….
Adding 500 living units to an area and not wanting to change the neighborhood? Please.
What do I think? I think developers and politicians are just plain greedy. They are coming in and destroying another wonderful area. Nothing should be seven stories high in that space. There is so much charm in that area with beautiful sunsets over Lake Ivanhoe. You’re trying to take away another really cool area with wonderful houses and buildings that give that area it’s charm. You think by coming in and building places for the artists and The Venue will make it okay, but the way they are and the way they look now is what is so wonderful. Yay Orlando, the destroyer of history and charm. Ever onward and apparently way upward.
IvanhoePlace.com is the website. The current proposed name is “The Yard at Ivanhoe.”
So much for fundraising for that Fringe Festival office building mural. They just did a presentation on that at East End Market not that long ago.
If the developer does something for The Venue I will be hugely grateful! We are already losing Theatre Downtown.
Venue will be able to stay while the first phase is built and the developer would like to have them move into the first phase when it’s complete. I know the guys at the Thirsty Topher are keeping their eye out for other spaces
Is anyone that is actually a regular visitor to Ivanhoe Village actually okay with this? This is a horrible plan. Ivanhoe Village is losing TWO great theatres (one because of FL Hospital), a great local bar, and other small businesses. What is next?
Less reasons to go to Ivanhoe Village means the remaining businesses suffer.
Alyssa Porrello Nashed Ami Fox not good news for the Thirsty Topher
It appears they are being forced to close, along with The Venue.
Sad- seemingly every time something new is proposed, people lose their minds about how they don’t like it, yet I keep hearing about how growth in Orlando is needed. I like this project.
Stuart Campbell
What will happen to the Thirsty Topher bar?
I’m sorry but the artist rendering looks like yet another high rise apartment complex with high rent commercial space.
This hasn’t worked at SoDo which is still sitting with the majority of its commercial space empty. The greatest travesty however will be the lost opportunity to grow small galleries and shops in urban space and expand on what makes Ivanhoe so unique.
…bungalow?!?!?!…
It’s interesting how close this is to the railroad tracks. I’m curious if they’ll push for a pedestrian crossing across the tracks on the north side of the property. The only other options to cross seeming to be south at Virginia or north at Princeton…
This should be up at Princeton & Orange, not right up on those Virginia Dr homes. Lk Formosa will lose its sunset view behind this thing.
What artist that works out of Alden Rd., will be able to afford “loft space”? ugggggh … I hope I’m totally wrong and this turns out to be an amazing space. Also, those sylos would be great canvases for a local artist … if Gordy’s really interested in making it a creative space, public art and a more people-centric scope would help.
Adrian La Sala
Matt and Crystal