Ormond Beach firm takes over hotel project

Ormond

Beach-based hospitality near the firm is University

taking over a hotel project of Central Florida.

According to plans filed in Orange County, the developer is seeking to amend the approved Quadrangle Planned Development to allow for the construction of a 133-room Hyatt Place hotel on about 2.4-acres of land directly on the southeast corner of Quadrangle Boulevard and High Tech Avenue.

Records show PRM Hotel Group paid $2 million for the property this year in January. It was previously owned by Winter Parkbased developer Michael McArdle with Southeast Commercial Development Inc.

The lot is part of a larger 10.4-acre plot of land between High Tech Avenue and University Boulevard, less than mile away from one of the main entrances to UCF along N. Alafaya Trail.

Plans to the develop the roughly 10-acre property have been in the works for over a decade.

Previous pitched designs by architect Timothy Gaus called for a “multi-tenant center” anchored by FedEx Kinko’s and accompanied by an Orlando restaurant to east and retail or restaurant space to the west, but those plans fell through.

Representatives at PRM Hotel Group did not respond to request for comment.

The Hyatt Place brand tends to feature event space, a bar area and fitness facilities. According to its website, the development is called Hyatt Place Orlando East UCF.

Firms bid to build near SunRail station

There is no shortage of developers interested in building affordable apartment homes next to the southernmost SunRail station in Kissimmee, and multiple planning firms will compete to develop a master plan for the 82-acre site.

Economic Development

Director

Tom

Sunnarborg, who chairs the selection committee, described the county’s objective in publishing the Request for Proposals for the master plan consultant. The committee will meet next week to score the five proposals that were received July 21.

The master plan consultant will be expected to create a vision for the property that makes it a catalyst for more development around the station, including some commercial uses like child care, grocery and drug stores. Sunnarborg said the county wants the firm to work with owners of neighboring parcels along Rail Street and Poinciana Boulevard to “create a hub of new activity.”

Miami-based which specializes in transit-oriented design, was the only firm without a Central Florida presence to respond to the RFP. PlusUrbia counts the Miami-Dade Transportation Planning Organization among its clients, and the firm has designed multiple transit corridors for the agency. has the advantage of being the only Kissimmee-based bidder and the only one with previous design experience on the site. The other four firms maintain offices in Orlando.