Crossroads

[jimmykitefan]

I heard that Crossroads is going to be torn down. Has any of the restaurants closed up yet? Or when will they be closing or if they are relocating in stead.

 

[HopperFan]

As of April the purchasing of the land was still in negotiations.

According to Orlando Sentinel ...

" .... The shopping center is slated to be torn down by the end of 2019 as part of the Interstate 4 expansion project ....

Tenants at the property said they have been given until at least the end of 2019 before they would be required to leave, according to GrowthSpotter ...."

I would guess between now and then some will be at the end of their lease or find other locations and move out slowly.

 

[writerguyfl]

I think I'm going up to Disney World next week. If I go, I'll be staying at one of the Disney Springs Hotels. I'll try to stop by Crossroads to see if anything has significantly changed since I was there in January.

 

[jimmykitefan]

We do a budget Birthday trip in January and eat at many of the restaurants. I get a free meal at most of them for my birthday. We especially love Sweet Tomatoes! They will all be missed. Hopefully, they won't move too far away.

 

[disneysteve]

We especially love Sweet Tomatoes! They will all be missed. Hopefully, they won't move too far away.

There are other Sweet Tomatoes locations. The other one we go to is on 192 West in the Target shopping center (3236 Rolling Oaks Blvd). There's also one on I-Drive (6877 South Kirkman Road).

 

[disneysteve]

I think it's a disgrace that they are forcing so many thriving businesses to shut down and putting probably hundreds of people out of work in the process. Just another abuse of eminent domain.

 

[bankr63]

Who's forcing them out of business? There is sooo much available retail space in the area, with more being built all the time. I would imagine that many of the buildings are being leased anyway, and that fair value is being offered to the owners; as @HopperFan indicated, purchases are possibly still being negotiated. Personally I avoid Crossroads because of the horrendous traffic in the mall and on surrounding streets. I will be more likely to go to some of the establishments that are/were there once they are relocated at more favorable locations. I also think that the realignment of the interchange may go a long way toward easing congestion on the streets in the area; everyone can benefit from that.

 

[HopperFan]

Who's forcing them out of business? There is sooo much available retail space in the area, with more being built all the time. I would imagine that many of the buildings are being leased anyway, and that fair value is being offered to the owners; as @HopperFan indicated, purchases are possibly still being negotiated. Personally I avoid Crossroads because of the horrendous traffic in the mall and on surrounding streets. I will be more likely to go to some of the establishments that are/were there once they are relocated at more favorable locations. I also think that the realignment of the interchange may go a long way toward easing congestion on the streets in the area; everyone can benefit from that.

ALL OF THIS^

I think it's a disgrace that they are forcing so many thriving businesses to shut down and putting probably hundreds of people out of work in the process. Just another abuse of eminent domain.

Back in the day Crossroads was the only option. There are ton of options now in close proximity and so much more being built. Everyone there will find new jobs if their business doesn't open up elsewhere.

The folks who are sitting on the parking lot known as I-4 will be glad that this interchange is getting enhanced and will keep the flow moving. Orlando continues to grow and add more business, the highway has to grow with it. And not only is I-4 a mess, but 535 that Crossroads is on ... can be a nightmare thanks to the highway ramps.

 

[disneysteve]

I will be more likely to go to some of the establishments that are/were there once they are relocated at more favorable locations.

I guess with Uber and Lyft now location is less of an issue than it used to be. Disney built Crossroads where it is for a reason. Even today, a lot of guests can be seen walking over there, especially from the hotels along Hotel Blvd.

If most of those places can relocate down the street somewhere, it may not be that bad, though I would still expect them to see some drop in business the farther they get from property because they'll lose the walkers. Convenience is key and Crossroads is super convenient if you're staying on property. Personally, we stay offsite so location is less of an issue to us. We go to Crossroads every trip (for Sweet Tomatoes) but we can just as easily go to another location.

 

[HopperFan]

I guess with Uber and Lyft now location is less of an issue than it used to be. Disney built Crossroads where it is for a reason. Even today, a lot of guests can be seen walking over there, especially from the hotels along Hotel Blvd.

If most of those places can relocate down the street somewhere, it may not be that bad, though I would still expect them to see some drop in business the farther they get from property because they'll lose the walkers. Convenience is key and Crossroads is super convenient if you're staying on property. Personally, we stay offsite so location is less of an issue to us. We go to Crossroads every trip (for Sweet Tomatoes) but we can just as easily go to another location.

When it was built there was a need, but now it's just competition to Disney because ... as you say, walkability. Disney does not want their guests leaving property which is why ME is still free. I am sure Disney is perfectly content that it is leaving. But in the years we do have other things that help such as amazon and grocery delivery services, uber/lyft keeping the car service costs down. Disney has grown so much in hotels/parks/Disney Springs that I don't think Disney hotel guests have a need or desire for more restaurants beyond what is easy to get to. The need for Crossroads has diminished over the years, the successful businesses will find new spots.

That said there are a couple "shopping centers" being built that many may show up in. One not far away is Vineland Pointe, it is well under construction and leasing.

 

[writerguyfl]

Just another abuse of eminent domain.

Eminent domain is something I've researched because it's tangential to my doctoral dissertation. Without question, there are many instances where it has been used to advance highly questionable projects. My natural inclination upon hearing it will be used for anything is to wonder if any "funny business" is happening.

That said, this is not a questionable project. There is certainly a well-documented need for traffic improvements in that area. Something needed to happen.

I'm not even sure if the property owner is upset. According to a few article snippets online, I believe The Crossroads last changed hands in 2005. According to this article synopsis, it was purchased for $57 million.

https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-137230619.html

And according to this Orlando Sentinel article from December 2016, the cost to buy the right of way (aka eminent domain) is expected to cost more that $400 million.

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/trav.../os-disney-crossroads-535-20161216-story.html

It's hard to know how much of that goes to the land owner and how much to the businesses that lease there. I would bet that the land owner will make a healthy profit...enough where they aren't going to challenge the acquisition.

Anyway, that's my 2 cents.

 

[disneysteve]

My "abuse" of eminent domain comment was a little extreme. The real abuses are when they seize private property and hand it over to another private entity, which has happened. Eminent domain is supposed to be for reclaiming private property for public use, which the I-4 project is doing, so it's not abuse really.

I just think it sucks that all of these places are being, if not put out of business, at least being forced to move to a new location that may or may not get as much traffic.

 

[disneysteve]

Disney has grown so much in hotels/parks/Disney Springs that I don't think Disney hotel guests have a need or desire for more restaurants beyond what is easy to get to.

I would tend to disagree. As Disney has gotten more and more expensive, and car services have gotten ubiquitous, I think more guests are venturing off property for an affordable meal to keep the cost of their trip down.

 

[HopperFan]

I would tend to disagree. As Disney has gotten more and more expensive, and car services have gotten ubiquitous, I think more guests are venturing off property for an affordable meal to keep the cost of their trip down.

We can agree to disagree

I think the conversations on these boards alone support that the main reasons folks stay onsite is "the bubble" and "not having to ever use their car" and "dining plan" ..... and those who sleep/swim/play in Disney hotels are not spending lots of time heading offsite to eat ... and if they do it will - it is to areas more reasonable than the Crossroads.

And those who are concerned about food money tend to get grocery deliveries (surprising how man do) or if driving like me, bring their own food. Great way to save money is continental breakfast food in the room and sandwiches for mid day breaks or take into the parks. Way more is saved than taking the time to drive offsite.

We go often, we know the area well, we will drive offsite to eat dinner IF we are leaving the parks early OR we are heading to Universal or Outlet Mall so more about convenience. But I'm not going to burn lots of time to go eat at a Crossroads restaurant (literally nothing there I can't get at home or will save me that much money) especially when the crowded parks mean my time is better served at parks.

There are also now several reasonable places to eat at Disney Springs, which really is enjoyable to wander around that we'd like hop a bus to go enjoy rather than get in our car and drive off. I don't think anyone is walking there off of Disney property, not when they have the Disney Springs option. I use that entrance often, stay in Disney Springs but I really think the only folks we see walking are those in the hotels just outside of Disney Springs who are walking TO Disney Springs.

NOW WHEN WE STAY OFFSITE, yes we will utilize the offsite restaurants but honestly I still usually avoid any offsite TS. Didn't take me long to find out the same exact restaurant chains I have at home charge lots more to eat the same thing if close to Disney.

I am actually shocked Crossroads lasted this long and wasn't bulldozed for a more dense hotel or outlet style shopping location. The property was underused expensive real estate.

NOTE: In 47 years of going to Disney, I have eaten at Crossroads ONCE at a TS (I think now gone) and drove through McD ONCE and picked up some items at Goodings ONCE - wow talk about price gouging.

I only wish the whole corner was getting bulldozed so the first exit you have to Disney looks a whole lot better.

 

[bankr63]

I WISH more people walked over to Crossroads!

Last visit in March we went to Sweet Tomatoes for dinner. Had to wait 4-5 (maybe more?) full cycles of the traffic light to get out of the Crossroads parking lot turning left. (Yes, I know, I could have gone out a secondary exit and turned right and then made a huge loop around back to our resort; probably would have been much quicker, but I'm stubborn once I've set my plan). A few pedestrians probably would have extended the timing of the light enough to get more than 3-4 cars through per cycle. The lineup to exit went back as far as Johnnie's Hideaway. And nothing really seemed to be that busy that night.

 

[disneysteve]

NOTE: In 47 years of going to Disney, I have eaten at Crossroads ONCE at a TS (I think now gone) and drove through McD ONCE and picked up some items at Goodings ONCE - wow talk about price gouging.

Goodings was awful. We used to do our grocery shopping there years ago when it was really the only supermarket around. Once they built the center at Formosa Gardens, we switched to that one. Then they added a couple of Publix locations along 192 and we've been shopping there ever since.

As for the restaurants, we always eat at Sweet Tomatoes at least once and usually twice. Yes, I know there is one on 192W, which is actually closer to where we stay, but we like the Crossroads location much better and go well out of our way to eat there so we'll miss that.

 

[Upatnoon]

We eat at the Crossroads every trip. It has a good variety of restaurants but it can be a traffic challenge.

Traffic improvements are needed, but I feel bad for the people that walk over from the Disney Springs hotels and have no car.

They now will be captive to the more-expensive hotel restaurants and Disney Springs unless they pay for an Uber -- More cost.

I would love to see the move the Amateur Athletic Union out of there and put in a nice mixed-use shopping center for lots of restaurants, but I don't that will fly with Disney.

 

[DOOM1001]

There's so much construction and new development in the area I wouldn't be surprised to see an entire shopping center go up with the majority of the Crossroad tenants.

 

[DOOM1001]

I would tend to disagree. As Disney has gotten more and more expensive, and car services have gotten ubiquitous, I think more guests are venturing off property for an affordable meal to keep the cost of their trip down.

I totally agree,I'm a local and live 10 minutes away from the Crossroads so I know its only a small percentage of Disney visitors who just stay in the Disney bubble.

 

[writerguyfl]

I would love to see the move the Amateur Athletic Union out of there and put in a nice mixed-use shopping center for lots of restaurants, but I don't that will fly with Disney.

That building and the attached parking lot doesn't cover much land. It looks to be about 125,000 square feet according to Bing Maps.

By comparison, the front section the of Crossroads plaza about 420,000 square feet. That section includes Chevy's, McDonald's, Uno, Perkins, Red Lobster, and Taco Bell. Note: These images are the same scale.

Even if you got rid of the Reedy Creek Improvement District building next to the Amateur Athletic Union, you probably wouldn't be able to fit more than two stand-alone restaurants into that space. Building codes tend to require a lot of parking spaces for any retail/dining.