Downtown Orlando arts center setting stage for future parking garage

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Jim Carchidi

Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts may have a parking garage in its future.

Richard Bilbao

Reporter- Orlando Business Journal

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It looks like the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts is seeking to add an on-site elevated parking garage to the Seneff Arts Plaza's future hotel property.

The city of Orlando on Dec. 8 will review an amendment ordinance for the arts center's planned development that would allow for a colonnade — a long series of classic architectural columns — along South Street that fronts the northern side of a potential parking garage. In addition, the documents show the need for a parking entry area that would serve as a limited-access entrance for service vehicles, as well as a parking exit for the garage onto Magnolia Avenue.

"In order to fit a feasible parking garage on the site and still meet existing conditions of the planned development, a study was conducted of the possible streetscape as a colonnade and a parking podium encroaching over [the street]," said the document.

Update: Arts center's parking garage plan sweetens deal for future hotel

See the graphic from the planned development amendment below for more details.

On a different note, this also raises the question of how a parking garage plays into the arts center's plans to include retail or restaurant space on that parcel of land. The images included in the documents show the floor of the parking garage would be about 20 feet high, which could leave room for commercial space underneath.

No details on the timeline or number of parking spaces were included in the document. Arts center guests currently must park at nearby parking garages and lots in the downtown Orlando area.

This is a developing story. Be sure to check back to Orlando Business Journal for more.

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