Image via The Daily City

It appears we have received our first look at what the City may have planned for the upcoming Bridge District project.

Project DTO identified the parking lots under the I-4 as a potential home of a potential new park space called the Bridge District in their final report, which we looked at HERE.

When the Parking Lot 9 under the interstate was about to be closed, we had heard rumors that they would in fact not re-open again and would be transformed into the new Bridge District that the City has been hoping to build for years. When we reached out to the City this past June, this is what they told us:

The Bridge District has long been a vision for the City under the I-4 overpass for quite some time.  That vision has also been recently supported by the Project DTO task force and solidified in the new Downtown Outlook plan.  As to what that entails though is still to be determined.  As construction under I-4 happens and that area changes, this will begin to materialize and we will know more then.  In the meantime, we will continue to work with FDOT to envision what this will look like and how we can connect the Downtown neighborhoods on both sides.

According to the City’s website, the Bridge District will be constructed under the I-4 overpass as the I-4 Ultimate construction continues. The new park will have new architectural and design features like improved lighting, public artworks, and green space.

The Daily City recently released the above brainstorming graphic that the City had not yet officially released. Click HERE to see their story. It is important to note that this is not the official plan for the new park, it is simply a draft of what it could be like. Nothing has been cemented at this time.

From what we can make out in the rendering, the City is hoping to have food truck parking and cafe seating, a boardwalk, pop-up event spaces, games like life-sized chess boards, a dog run, splash pads and toddler play areas, a LYNX super stop, swings, and athletic fields. But again, this is not an official final rendering. This is just a draft.

 

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Brendan O'Connor

Editor in Chief of Bungalower.com

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  1. Well tons of parking if you enjoy walking far, paying and dealing with all the side streets. While I agree we need more reasons for families to want to live downtown, I’m not sure the Bridge District is worth the cost of living.

  2. Less cheaper (hourly) parking will keep many of us away from downtown . Also was great for Citrus Bowl and Amway …boo

  3. This simply rocks! I’ll try to remember this when I’m stuck in traffic during the Ultimate changes.

  4. I wish we could have done a cut and cover with I-4 through downtown, but I imagine it would have been near impossible logistically.

  5. Downtown has tons of parking. Smart cities don’t put cheap, convenient parking ahead of having a city worth living in and visiting. All the best cities in the world have a “parking problem. “

  6. Home run. The highway for far too long divided the city and efforts like these should help unite the city.

  7. I hope that’s true. Dallas TX did this a few years back and the park is amazing a great family spot! I have been waiting for Orlando to do something like this.

  8. This is a great opportunity for Orlando to link our one city while spurring all sorts of entrepreneurial energy. In 10 years, this will seem like a no-brainer.
    Denver is planning a similar project but over the highway. Any other similar projects ?

  9. The farmers market used to be under I-4. And I’ve seen farmers markets under highways in other cities. It worked because if it’s raining, you can still go to this park. If it’s oppressively hot, you can still go to this park. I do think it will sit empty on week days.

  10. I’ve been to a park like this in Guangzhou, China.There is a park system under a major highway with a stream, green space, and pedestrian and bike trails. It was like an oasis in the city. It was really surprising how they were able to transform a dirty underpass to a peaceful place where people want to be.

  11. Good intentioned idea, I would like a roller hockey rink. But yes, as the area is now, I would not feel comfortable letting my children out of my sight. Also will there be enough light down there for those activities? as it sits today (well not exactly today since they removed that one overpass) it is pretty dark even in the middle of the day.

  12. Most fun park for the homeless ever ! How are they gonna curb the sound from cars above? Has this worked in any other cities ?