Happy Monday, Orlando. Welcome back to another week of the newsletter. Expect some showers popping up this morning, with scattered thunderstorms rolling in later. Highs will reach about 90°, with lows sitting at around 74°. Here’s what’s on deck:

• Church Street and Magnolia Ave Could See Major Revamp

• What’s Happening This Week?

Let’s dive in.

DOWNTOWN

Church Street and Magnolia Ave Could See Major Revamp

What's happening: Orlando may soon redesign two major downtown roads, converting one from a one-way to a two-way street. The Downtown Orlando Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) Advisory Board will review proposals on July 31st.

Key details:

• Church Street: Jacobs Engineering Group Inc. may be tasked with designing a "festival street" on a 250-foot stretch of Church Street between Hughey Avenue and the SunRail tracks. This is the first phase of a larger project aimed at creating a flexible, pedestrian-friendly corridor from Garland Avenue to Rosalind Avenue, featuring potential curb-less streets and enhanced landscaping.

• Magnolia Avenue: DRMP Inc. might handle the redesign of a 0.6-mile segment of Magnolia Avenue, transforming it into a two-way street between South Street and Livingston Street. This change aims to improve accessibility and integrate multiple transportation modes.

Why it matters: These corridors are crucial for pedestrian traffic and aim to connect key city landmarks like the Kia Center, Inter&Co Stadium, Camping World Stadium, and the Dr. Phillips Center. The redesigns are part of a broader effort to enhance downtown Orlando's infrastructure, making it more conducive to events and business activities.

Timeline: The festival street on Church Street could be completed by 2026/2027. Subsequent phases will extend improvements from the train tracks to Orange Avenue and then to Magnolia Avenue.

Broader vision: The changes on Magnolia Avenue are part of the city's Project DTO 2.0, which plans to convert other one-way streets to two-way to facilitate better business access. Orlando’s also gearing up to start construction in early 2025 on The Canopy, an urban gathering space under Interstate 4, expected to be completed in two years and capable of hosting thousands of people

What's next: The CRA Advisory Board's decisions on these projects will set the stage for the next steps in Orlando's downtown development.

Read more here (Orlando Business Journal)

ON THE DOCKET

What’s Happening This Week?

1. Nashville’s The Band Camino performs for a sold-out crowd at The Vanguard tonight at 8 PM.

2. Manchester City takes on Barcelona on Tuesday at 7 PM at Camping World Stadium as part of the 2024 FC Series.

3. The Orlando Pride face Racing Louisville FC in the Summer Cup on Thursday at 7 PM at Inter&Co.

QUICK HITS

In Other News…

1. On Sunday morning, SpaceX launched a rocket carrying 23 satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

2. City Barbeque, a popular chain with over 50 US locations, opened its first Florida spot in Winter Park earlier this month.

3. Florida condo owners are facing massive fees, and Gov. DeSantis is looking to potentially make some changes.

Thanks for tuning in to today’s edition of the newsletter. See you back here tomorrow.

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