Universal Orlando Resort Expansion (Part 1)

[JoeCamel]

I agree that parcel 2 is likely to be a prime value, but I believe its development is far enough in the future that land acquisition should have ample time to be resolved. The Mandarin extension is planned to run across the north border of parcel 2, which creates some division, and the universal parcel to its north has a very low height limit which decreases the odds of something substantial being built there anytime soon. Multiple hotels is a possibility, but I also think an eventual 3-4k room resort on parcel 2 and the one to its south is the most likely and ideal outcome.

I'm of the belief that the parking garages will be on the south/southeast side of the new site, and if they got parcel 2 right away they locate some or all of the parking west of Kirkman, which would really open up possibilities for the large contiguous portion of the site. Acquiring it later in the construction process and just adding an additional hotel on that side of Kirkman is certainly a reasonable option, but as you suggested, they will need to have some plan for transporting a significant number of people across the Kirkman extension and past any new parking garages that are built just east of the extension. I'll be interested to see what they end up doing, but at this point I just want some more information or permits to pick apart and speculate on.

Following all this I wonder if the powers that be would entertain not making these extensions and allowing Universal to build as they wish now that the parcel is being consolidated. They do have a bit of clout and while the plans are finalized how essential are they to the traffic flow through the area. I can cut through Universal North to get to I-4 if I need to or bypass Kirkman traffic to Turkey Lake why would that not work for the southern plot?

 

[Happytycho]

This is apparently a timely discussion, as a public meeting has been scheduled to discuss the Kirkman extension.
Source: Universal Orlando Resort – State Calls Meeting to Plan Road for Universal’s Expansion

Public notice is here: Public Meeting Notices

KIRKMAN ROAD EXTENSION PUBLIC MEETING
District: Five
Meeting Type: Hearing
Date: Thursday, November 08, 2018
Time: 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm
Location Name: Orange County Convention Center in the West Concourse
Street Address: 9800 International Drive
City: Orlando
Purpose:
The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) is holding a public meeting for the above referenced project. The proposed improvements include extending Kirkman Road from Universal Boulevard to Carrier Drive. The meeting is Thursday, Nov. 8, at the Orange County Convention Center in the West Concourse, Room W315, located at 9800 International Drive in Orlando. Follow signs for the West Concourse and park in West Concourse Parking Lot, located behind the West Concourse Building. For free parking, tell the parking attendant you are attending the Kirkman Road Public Meeting.

The meeting is being conducted to present the proposed improvements, seek public and agency input, and provide interested persons an opportunity to express their views about the project. The meeting is an open house from 5–7 p.m. during which time project information and displays are available for review. While no formal presentation is planned, public input is important and staff is available to discuss the project. Notices are being sent to all property owners and tenants located within 300 feet of the project limits, and to other public officials, regulatory agencies, organizations, and individuals interested in the project.

Persons with disabilities who require accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act or persons who require translation services (free of charge) should contact Amy Sirmans by phone at 407-839-4006 or via email at asirmans@vhb.com at least seven (7) days prior to the meeting. If you are hearing or speech impaired, please contact us by using the Florida Relay Service, 1-800-955-8771 (TDD) or 1-800-955-8770 (Voice).

Public participation is solicited without regard to race, color, national origin, age, sex, religion, disability or family status. Persons wishing to express their concerns relative to FDOT compliance with Title VI may do so by contacting Jennifer Smith, FDOT District Five Title VI Coordinator, by email at Jennifer.Smith2@dot.state.fl.us.
Project Web Site: I-4 Beyond the Ultimate: Building a Better I-4 | I-4 Beyond
Primary Contact: Todd Alexander
Primary Phone: 386-943-5420
Primary E-Mail: todd.alexander@dot.state.fl.us
Expires: 11/9/2018

 

[GadgetGuru]

This is apparently a timely discussion, as a public meeting has been scheduled to discuss the Kirkman extension.
Source: Universal Orlando Resort – State Calls Meeting to Plan Road for Universal’s Expansion

Public notice is here: Public Meeting Notices

I’d be shocked if there was any real information that comes out of this meeting.

At most, this is probably just going to be a lot of schematics.

 

[gator]

I’d be shocked if there was any real information that comes out of this meeting.

At most, this is probably just going to be a lot of schematics.

We may get to see the final route at this meeting. Typically the road agency will present 3 or 4 "alternatives" at this meeting for the public to comment on but the "preferred alternative" has likely already been chosen with design work started.

 

[ParkRumors]

The documents for this meeting have already been published. There's several thousands of pages of studies and data for each section of the extension project - North and Middle - but the section that cuts through the Universal land is the Middle section. I've briefly skimmed its 2196 page report and included some of the interesting tidbits below:

In addition to the existing uses, the OCCC is proposing a $600M expansion plan that includes an 18,000-seat multi-purpose venue, as well as a Grand Concourse with an additional 40,000sf of meeting rooms and a 60,000sf ballroom. LMC recently broke ground on a new $50M, 2,555,000sf office facility and plans to hire an additional 500 employees in the next two years while the SLRC Holdings/Universal City Development Partners owns approximately 1,365 total acres (758 developable) of adjacent property for future development.

The Kirkman Road Extension recommended by this study is proposed to feature a multi-modal corridor with six general traffic lanes, two dedicated transit lanes, and a multi-purpose path. The dedicated transit lanes will facilitate the person-carrying capacity of the corridor and will provide tourist and convention visitors, and local service employees an alternative choice for meeting their mobility needs. The study also recommends a total overhaul of the Sand Lake Road interchange with Kirkman Road into a new Single Point Urban Interchange (SPUI) that will allow (i) greater volumes of traffic to flow through this intersection with less congestion, (ii) shorter wait times, and (iii) the intersection to operate at an overall higher level of service than exists today.

As a sixlane facility, the Kirkman Road Extension between Sand Lake Road and the Lockheed Martin Access (North Section) will service 58,000 vehicles per day. For the segment between the Lockheed Martin Access and SLRC Holdings/Universal City Development Partners development (Mid Segment), Kirkman Road Extension will service 48,000 vehicles per day. For the remaining segment of the Kirkman Road Extension from SLRC Holdings/Universal City Partners development to Universal Boulevard (South Segment) will service 43,000 vehicles per day.

The OCCC has periodic big shows and a more spread out small to medium sized conventions/exhibits/shows throughout the year. Convention morning arrivals are spread out between 9-11 a.m. with afternoon dismissals also spread out between 4-6 p.m. The SLRC Holdings property is expected to operate between 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and even later during the peak summer months.

Here are the two alternatives for the combined North and Middle sections of the project. They are basically the same, with the main difference being the access ramp and overpass from Lockheed to northbound Kirkman.

ALT 1 (Preferred)

ALT 2

And lastly, here's a landscaping plan of the surrounding pedestrian trails that also happens to show a bit more of the planned access into/through the Universal property from the new Kirkman intersection to the Destination Parkway intersection:

Access:

 

[UniversalRBLX]

:grin:

 

[AlexanderMBush]

Okay, so that Internal Roadway Trail..has some fascinating details.. :stun:

 

[JungleSkip]

So would those roads to nowhere in the Uni land area be the entrance to the resort off Kirkman?

 

[Magic-Man]

So would those roads to nowhere in the Uni land area be the entrance to the resort off Kirkman?

I'm not sure. That seems like an odd place to put an entrance, but I don't see anywhere else it can go.

 

[JungleSkip]

I'm not sure. That seems like an odd place to put an entrance, but I don't see anywhere else it can go.

I mean it makes sense. The backstage stuff is all going up on the northern part, so I'm not sure where else it would go.

 

[AlexanderMBush]

It would make sense, especially if they are using prominently the left side of the massive heap of plot at the start. Then, later on, perhaps they add a second entrance on the eastern front, that way you split up traffic flow.

But hey, IMO.

 

[ParkRumors]

So would those roads to nowhere in the Uni land area be the entrance to the resort off Kirkman?

Yes, it looks like it. The main access point into the property, labeled as "Future Entrance #1" on the stop light planning sheets, will be through that large ramp and round-a-bout system they're planning on Kirkman:

There's also a smaller entrance further north on Kirkamn labeled "Future Entrance #2". I'm assuming this is mostly going to connect to the BOH areas, as there's also a road labled "BOH Exit" nearby and the road seems to curve somewhat north after the intersection:

And then there's also the other entrance on Destination Parkway which was included in the trail/landscaping plans. Here's a slightly high-res look at that:

 

[JungleSkip]

Yes, it looks like it. The main access point into the property, labeled as "Future Entrance #1" on the stop light planning sheets, will be through that large ramp and round-a-bout system they're planning on Kirkman:

There's also a smaller entrance further north on Kirkamn labeled "Future Entrance #2". I'm assuming this is mostly going to connect to the BOH areas, as there's also a road labled "BOH Exit"[/i] nearby and the road seems to curve somewhat north after the intersection:

And then there's also the other entrance on Destination Parkway which was included in the trail/landscaping plans. Here's a slightly high-res look at that:

Thanks for all this great info!

I think Future Entrance #2 could maybe be for one of the resorts?

 

[UniversalRBLX]

Intersections have the same design as the ones at the current resort.

 

[ParkRumors]

Thanks for all this great info!

I think Future Entrance #2 could maybe be for one of the resorts?

Could be - it's impossible to tell from from these schematics because they're only for Kirkman and none of the internal roads Universal will be building. The extension was designed with the access both Lockheed and Universal needed into their properties, so the destinations of the roads beyond the Kirkman intersections is anyone's guess.

 

[zg44]

Figured I'd mark off Parcels #1 and #2 and their relationship to various Universal lands, since those 2 parcels may be for sale pretty soon. The thing I'm sort of interested in is how would Universal integrate Parcel #1 (if they buy that) and KE_S6 parcel into the resort.

I also wonder if that Future Entrance #1 west road could be extended further west into Parcel #1 as a sort of back entrance for Parcel #1 and KE_S6.

 

[JungleSkip]

I could see those two parcels become value resorts. So not on the boat line of the South Resort and a bit more detached

 

[zg44]

I could see those two parcels become value resorts. So not on the boat line of the South Resort and a bit more detached

Yeah main reason I think Universal needs Parcels 1-2 is just so that you can keep another 3000+ rooms off of the main property.

 

[Happytycho]

This is the image that has me most intrigued:

That possible path for a future road seems peculiar enough to not be a random guess and logical enough to be real. Universal owns about 80 acres to the south of the internal roadway, which would be an appropriate amount of land for parking garages w/ accesses, a drop-off area, and transit hub. For reference, in the current resort garages+access sit on approximately 70 acres. I would also argue that this eastern roundabout (and future entrance 2 on Kirkman) is in a good location to connect to the hotels that are likely to be built on the edges of the property.

 

[DisneyDoof]

Okay, so that Internal Roadway Trail..has some fascinating details.. :stun:

Yep, looks like a dedicated bus lane, similar to the one near Disney Springs.