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The Daily City – #41 – Lil’ Bao Bao

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PFT Media Podcast NetworkTRANSCRIPT: 1. University Club to Open December. Construction begins in June on the University Club of Orlando located inside the already under construction 350 unit Modera Central high-rise at 150 E. Central Blvd at Central Boulevard & Rosalind Avenue in downtown Orlando.
With four floors and over 25,000 square feet, the clubhouse contains, a variety of dining options including a casual lounge, the more formal Main Dining Room, and the outdoor terrace overlooking Downtown. Members can also reserve rooms for private dining, civic events and business meetings. The facility also houses a two-story, gym. Opening is expected December 2018.

Modera Central, the building in which the club is being constructed, is a 22-story highrise that broke ground in 2016. Modera will will contain:
  1. 350 multi-family residential dwelling units
  2. Elevated pool deck with views of Orlando skyline and Lake Eola
  3. Outdoor demonstration kitchen
  4. 12,384 square feet of ground floor retail space
2. King Bao Opening 2nd Location. The very popular King Bao restaurant is opening a new second location in East Orlando in the Alafaya Village shopping center at the corner of Colonial and Alafaya. Their first location is at 710 N. Mills Ave in Mills50 District near downtown Orlando.
Working as a sushi Chef for over 18 years gave Chef Vic Nguyen an insight and techniques in Asian cuisine. Chef Nguyen worked his way up the ranks to become formidable award-winning Executive Chef in Florida and Northern Virginia before coming to Orlando.
Restaurant reviewer Scott Jospeh said of the two bao he sampled during his review visit “all were good and worth having again.”
Bao is a Chinese steamed bread roll with a filling of meat or vegetables. Food Republic reported in 2017 that “achieving the highest quality bun requires very exact practices performed by dedicated bao artists” according to Tom Tong, founder of Tom’s Bao Bao.
3. Two New Orlando Urban Trail Sections Will Connect SODO and North Quarter with Downtown Orlando
The City will give $810,647.05 in Florida Department of Transportation funds to Vanassee Hangen Brustlin, Inc for engineering services towards the completion of two missing pieces within the Central Business District portion of the Orlando Bicycle Beltway. The missing pieces are as follows:
  1. From the Colonial Drive Overpass to the existing Dinky Line Trail. This will put The North Quarter of Downtown Orlando onto the trail.
  2. Along Division Avenue between Michigan Street and Anderson Street. This will be called the Downtown Connector Trail. This is the southern section of the beltway which will start at the existing Lake Underhill Path and travel west along Anderson Street to Rosalind Avenue, nearly two miles. It will be a minimum of ten feet wide. This segment of trail will better connect the Lake Como, Lake Davis, and Lake Cherokee neighborhoods with a safe and convenient alternative transportation option to access the Central Business District.
These two projects will help to extend Gertrude’s walk to the south and further the completion of our Downtown beltway.
The Orlando Bicycle Beltway is one of 10 neighborhood infrastructure improvements coming to Orlando. It’s an 8.25 mile loop that will circle through the Central Business District all the way to Fashion Square/Colonial area and back once completed. It will ultimately connect Downtown to the region’s trail system. This beltway will utilize the existing Orlando Urban Trail, Cady Way Trail, and Lake Underhill Path.
4. Casselberry is getting its own Metro Diner in June.
5. Downtown Ambassadors Will Bring Safety and Hospitality to Visitors. Orlando City Council voted to create a downtown Ambassador Program. The contract with Block by Block for downtown ambassador services is for an initial term of two years beginning this Fall for an annual estimated amount of $725,000.
Operated in partnership by Block by Block and the City’s Community Redevelopment Agency, the Ambassador Program will provide a direct, on-the-street connection to safety escorts for workers and residents, helping visitors navigate their way to one of our many venues for an event, connecting our most vulnerable individuals to critical social services or curbing aggressive panhandling.
6. Massive Arts Building Coming to Loch Haven Park Area
The existing former Loch Haven Neighborhood Center at 610 N. Lake Formosa Dr is to be replaced with a new two-story 37,600 sq. ft. building for the Orlando Ballet that will contain the following:
  1. Studio space for the Orlando Ballet School
  2. Studio space for the Orlando Ballet Company
  3. Headquarters/offices for the Orlando Ballet administrative staff
  4. 7,300 sf ballroom for local public and private functions, including recitals, cultural presentations, private parties, and banquets for up to 450 people.
The Ballet will share the existing Orlando Science Center garage through an agreement with the Science Center. Sidewalks will connect the new Orlando Ballet building through Loch Haven Park to the Orlando Science garage.
7. Cafe Linger has opened its doors
A new coffee and diner has opened in College Park in the old NYPD Pizza building called Cafe Linger at 2912 Edgewater Drive. Their menu includes cod fritters, the ubiquitous avocado toast, salads, chicken and waffles and more. The space is large and includes a children’s play area, community table and comfy couches and dining tables.
8. A lawsuit has been filed by a downtown company that makes crystal and silicon lenses for fighter jets and tanks, E.R. Precision Optical, saying the company lost a million dollars between 2015-2016 because the contractor “did nothing to minimize vibrations from construction” of the Orlando City Soccer stadium.
EXCITING NEWS: We are doing a brand new event called Orlando Flea in downtown Orlando. Vendors applications and more may be found at theorlandoflea.com.

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