Goodness. I know what you’re thinking.
“There is a way we can make traffic on 17-92 and Fairbanks…worse?”
Still, developers find a way, and the proposed five story hotel that would be built in the area by Lake Kilarney would do just that (newspaper story HERE).
We’re talking about 132 rooms. A 220 seat restaurant. And a 7,500 square foot ballroom space.
That is a lot of cars on the road. That means more delays at these busy Winter Park intersections that already have us leaving the house too early for a commute that shouldn’t take so long. That means more pressure on that bottle neck moving down towards Rollins College and up til I-4. That means more headaches.
Then there is the concern over pedestrian safety. You know exactly what I’m talking about. I’m talking about residents that are already slow jogging across both Fairbanks and 17-92 because the parking lots are already slammed and they have to leave their cars somewhere else.
And what about the existing hotels in the area? We’re in the middle of a pandemic right now. Do we want to increase competition in the area from the organizations that have already made the investment in our community?
This move would hurt our existing neighbors while bringing in more out of towners that would be better off near International Drive, where many of our guests still have to go regardless of where they stay.
There was a time when residents from Orlando could quickly move from I4 to Park Avenue to spend money there and then leave the area with little trouble. This hotel would be another obstacle that would give those visitors another excuse to go to somewhere else or just stay home.
Winter Park residents must proceed very carefully here before adding further strain to a very limited traffic pattern.