5 Ways to Bring People Back to Downtown: Examples from Orlando, Florida

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5 Ways to Bring People Back to Downtown: Examples from Orlando, Florida


January 29 2013

Read More: http://www.globalsiteplans.com/uncat...lando-florida/

Orlando, Florida’s downtown is undergoing what you might call a “residential renaissance.” As one of the leaders in this national trend, Orlando is seeing faster growth in its downtown than in its suburbs.

Economists suspect thousands of apartment units will be added to Orlando’s urban core over the next four years, with a handful of projects already under construction. This is great news for the city, since urban planners consider dense development patterns more economically powerful and more environmentally responsible.

Here are five ways downtown Orlando is attracting new residents:

1. Transit - New rail and bus projects are transforming the way Central Floridians get around. Living and working close to a transit stop is seen as an asset, making well-connected developments easier to market. Building to watch: Central Station mixed-use TOD

2. Jobs - A major draw for any downtown resident is the close proximity to their place of work. In Orlando, some of these include governmental facilities, schools, sporting venues, and, of course, the Central Business District offices. Building to watch: Sky House apartments; The Sevens mixed-use project

3. Vibe - People move to downtowns because they want to experience everything from trendy restaurants to quality people-watching. They want to be close to major venues, museums, and events. Building to watch: Dr. Phillips Performing Arts Center.

4. Convenience - Downtowns generally represent the epicenter of a city, with major highways and transportation hubs making it easy to get just about anywhere. Furthermore, apartments are replacing pre-bust condominiums, allowing a wider audience to live downtown. Buildings to watch: Steel House and NORA apartments

5. Value - Usually we think of living downtown as expensive. However, downtowns are looking to diversify their populations by adding affordable housing, workforce housing, and student housing. On top of that, rents in downtown Orlando can rival those in other parts of the region. Buildings to watch: Health Village and Affordable Housing apartments

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