Orlando...a big city

[jvance75]

Phoenix has a skyline?

[jzquince69]

So if Holland & Knight only leases 3-4 floors inside Suntrust, that doesn't count as a large operation? There's 4 other major companies in that bldg alone, including Suntrust, for that matter.

The BOA deal in St. Pete is crazy. Bogin, Munns & Munns had more office space leased in the dinky Southern Community Bank Bldg than that, and they weren't even its largest tenant. Companies here hang their shield on the front door when they are the building's major tenant. So, I am pretty sure, BOA Orlando has more than 2 floors leased.

Again, to my recollection:

Suntrust Orlando is its Fla HQ.

Hughes Supply has its HQ just west of I-4.

CNL, has a few divisions in Jax and Orlando. They have 2 bldgs. downtown and are planning a third.

Wachovia has its "name" on 2 bldgs downtown. split the difference and say they have only one with twice as much office
space.

Intercontinental has its HQ there.

I can't speak for other HQ's or other companies with a "large presence" downtown unless I research it some.

[Jasonhouse]

Originally Posted by jvance75

jasonhouse, it seems as though those stats for other cities include the "sketchy" and twin tower projects counted as two towers....so if we go by that, lets follow the Tampa Trib's total list which is 45 and that does not count all the twins as two. And let's not forget that Clearwater, St. Petersburg exist in the bay area, and also the projects on the beaches for Jax, Tampa Bay, and South Florida. Wait though, you can't really compare because of all these other variables. pointless...

I don't count sketchy crap like they did...

However, you made me realize that I really did forget several real, bonafide projects in Channelside (the ones along Meridian)... Add to Tampa's count 5 more buildings that would be 8 stories or taller.

[jvance75]

naming rights for a building can be from the largest tenant to retaining a lease with a large company just for the name on the building, or who can write the largest check...

[jzquince69]

Then I think the appropriate stat to find is the downtown office vacancy rate in ratio to total DT office space; do some division, and you'll have a figure for total occupied space, which is more relevent than who stroked the larger check to get their name on a wall vs. who didn't.

Tradition Towers (2 400 footers), and Ivanhoe (2 400 footers), and Dynetech (400') are set to break ground within a couple of months. 55W (just under 400') will break ground after demo is completed (it already started 3 weeks ago).

Go to UPSDAN's site. He removed the sketchy projects from the list aand has a list of existing bldgs. as well.

[smiley]

My right big toe is bigger than your left big toe. . . .

[Jasonhouse]

Hmm.... According to Dan's site, Orlando has 35 buildings of 11 floors or more in the DT area... I really thought it had more than that...

[smiley]

That would be a very broad definition of the "downtown area" - but who really cares?

[jvance75]

I really just wanted to know more on Orlando...that is really the only reason I asked about companies in Orlando. It really is the only large city in Florida I know nothing about because most people never get past the mouse mentality or the rest of the mess on the SW fringe of the MSA.
I had really hoped that someday the Census could combine the MSAs, but after reading this thread, I had no idea of the competition between the two now...I can't imagine what the political uproar would be. To really stay competitive in this world it would really only make sense to merge at some point, which would only add more arts, business, population, education, entertainment, etc stats and give a better reflection of what Central Florida* has to offer. This will end up like South Florida someday...

*(aka..Tampa-Orlando-St. Petersburg, I could even see people b*tching about placement of names, I'm just basing this off of population projections for the cities.)

[jzquince69]

Smiley, I'm not the one debating which companies have a larger presence than the other- nor comparing them to any other city--I'm just answering the question of which companies they are, period, in DT O-town.

You need to come out here more often, Jason. DT Orlando, IMO is pretty dinky, so 35 of 11 or more doesn't shock or astound me. Frankly, I'm surprised that its that many. That's why its hard for me to believe that its got more office space than Tampa and Miami, and is right behind Jax when the projects I mentioned get completed by September.

[jzquince69]

Smiley, are you referring to UPSDAN's list of completed bldgs downtown? How is that considered a "broad definition of downtown"? Every one of those bldgs. is downtown. get at a map or take a drive up I-4.

[smiley]

Please, grow up. If you haven't figured it out yet - I don't care about esoteric defiintions of useless categories that amount to nothing. Plainly all the numbers are meaningless. Cause otherwise you are saying that DT Orlando is actually - in reality - bigger in terms of office space than what is really downtown Miami - which, of course, includes a large stretch of Brickell south of the river. And that is just plain silly. And even if it were true, so what? Which, of course, is the real point. So what?

[Maxim98]

Reminds me of short men who get their pride on for no reason.....

[jvance75]

I totally agree with you Smiley...but because of the competitiveness of trying to retain, gain, and court business to metros and cities, a lot of the data is manipulated to give the view that a certain area is more desirable than others in this state. Not attacking Orlando, this can also be seen when Jax consolidated for the sake of sprawl but in reality also had the effect of Jacksonville being on every single publication that comes out about information on Florida as the largest city, and this will continue for decades to come. This was because they really were losing their grip in this state as being a major player to its new shiny boomtowns to the south that were once only a citrus city or mainly tourist related economy. Colliers-Arnold publications just follow what cities define, but this is the kind of crap I keep saying companies look at initially to even get a city in the running for a possible expansion, relocation, headquarters. Another example to not cause any problems with Jacksonville posters, this can be seen with every single city that can in the United States to annex more land into their city or gain a county in the metro area(which Atlanta does a lot compared to other southern cities, 28 counties and counting)...not only for the extra taxes that come for the city or sprawl into more counties, but also for the gain that comes along on every single list. Example: most large advertising campaigns only want the top 20 DMA(Nielsen) markets in the United States a lot of the times, hence this benefits local television stations in Tampa/St. Petersburg/Clearwater(Sarasota)(12),Miami/Ft. Lauderdale(17), and now Orlando(20).

I think if Jacksonville had not made that move, it would not be what it is today, a very competitive city that can and does bring in Fortune 500 companies....I am not saying that is the only reason, but just to get a look you have to be something worth looking at on paper.

[Lakelander]

From what I understand, Jax's consolidation was done for local political reasons which were mainly to get rid of a corrupt city and county government. However, some of the side effects, which are positives, include what you state. However, I think the biggest positive of consolidation is the central city's ability to afford massive public improvements or presenting impressive corporate relocation incentive packages, because the leeching suburbanites also have to pay taxes. For example, over the past couple of years a new state-of-the-art arena, minor league ballpark, main library, federal courthouse and a nice sized riverwalk have all been constructed without undergoing 10-20 years of planning or asking the state to help fund these projects. $100 million has also been set aside to start a 29 mile BRT system. I truly believe that these projects were able to be streamlined through government faster than the typical city, mainly because of consolidation. Since Jax's consolidation, many cities, such as Nashville, Indianapolis, Louisville, Augusta and Athens, GA have followed suit. If Orlando was consolidated, it would have light rail running by now and if Tampa were consolidated, the orginal Central Park plan would be well underway. Although it will be difficult for Florida's other major cities to accomplish, I hope that each central city will make it a priority to annex or consolidate with their core county, as much as possible to lessen the power their county governments and suburban communites currently have.

[Jasonhouse]

Originally Posted by jzquince69

You need to come out here more often, Jason.

I've been to Orlando ALOT in the 20 years I've lived in Florida... For a few years in my early 20s, I used to go over there on an almost weekly basis to go to clubs and the theme parks... I went there this past year 3 times, but only got to go to DT twice, and that was at night...

[SkyDiveJunkee]

Originally Posted by smiley

That would be a very broad definition of the "downtown area" - but who really cares?

Well, for what its worth, DT Orlando's boundaries are pretty clearly defined. Miami's, on the other hand is not (hence Brickell excluded from downtown stats).

[SkyDiveJunkee]

Originally Posted by Jasonhouse

I don't count sketchy crap like they did...

However, you made me realize that I really did forget several real, bonafide projects in Channelside (the ones along Meridian)... Add to Tampa's count 5 more buildings that would be 8 stories or taller.

I also left out the sketchy, or conceptual proposals also (400 Uptown and Orlando City Place). The others are solid proposals.

[MIAballinboi]

^so if brickell was included it would have the most office space?

[Jasonhouse]

^I would certainly think so.