What was this supposed to be? An eyesore?

KBLovedDisney

KBLovedDisney

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Alright guys. I am fixing to head back to the World in a couple of weeks. A thought came to mind. Everytime we go, we pass by this building:
o.jpg

It looks abandoned, or they are just taking their sweet time completing it.

My question: What was this supposed to be? Anyone?

By the way, the process of finding this picture on Google was literally searching for "Florida I4 Eyesore"...sad
 
winstongator

winstongator

Well-Known Member
CoreNovawarAMM said:
This article from 2017 explains what the building was supposed to be, and when the project was started (2001?!😱):
http://www.wftv.com/www.wftv.com/ne...r-project-to-be-completed-this-year/492286369
Click to expand...
Took halfway down to read
According to SuperChannel’s website, the building is going to be an “18 story office, retail and broadcast facility,” that is “designed to serve the business and ministry needs of the Central Florida community.”
Click to expand...
 
cheezbat

cheezbat

Well-Known Member
It’s well known as the I-4 Eyesore. Us central Floridians have joked about this tower for ages. I always wonder what will happen in the future with this thing. Will it ever be finished? Will it be redeveloped? Will it be demolished?
 
KBLovedDisney

KBLovedDisney

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
I am starting to wonder if there maybe people that live near this thing or drive by it everyday that have grown unconsciously attached to it, made it a monument in their minds.:cautious:

Kind of like the "Rocket" at one of the State Fairs I went to as a kid. Ugly thing but it was the go to meet up place for families, and now it will never be forgotten.
 
Master Yoda

Master Yoda

Pro Star Wars geek.
Premium Member
cheezbat said:
It’s well known as the I-4 Eyesore. Us central Floridians have joked about this tower for ages. I always wonder what will happen in the future with this thing. Will it ever be finished? Will it be redeveloped? Will it be demolished?
Click to expand...
As recent as last June, Bowers claims that construction will be ramping up again and it will be done in a year under a best case scenario. Of course this guy has been saying this for nearly 20 years now so take it for what it is worth.

I am not really all that surprised though. I have been in construction on the engineering side since 95 and this is pretty indicative of self funded and especially self funded church projects. The budget is always hanging by a thread, the owners want everything for free and expect you to jump through every hoop imaginable because it is for the church. The worst part is the labor is far too often made up of parishioners that are frequently not remotely qualified to do the work.

Because of those factors construction moves at a snail's pace, delays are plentiful and you run into more errors than any 10 jobs combined. Even well funded church projects never seem to go smoothly.
 
Victor Kelly

Victor Kelly

Well-Known Member
Where is this on I4? If it is church funded it should be done by 2040. I am guessing the preacher delivers their rendition of the bible from the roof or something?
 
Master Yoda

Master Yoda

Pro Star Wars geek.
Premium Member
Victor Kelly said:
Where is this on I4? If it is church funded it should be done by 2040. I am guessing the preacher delivers their rendition of the bible from the roof or something?
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I-4 and Central Parkway roughly 30 miles from WDW.

www.google.com

Google Maps

Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions in Google Maps.
www.google.com www.google.com

1-16-2020 11-57-19 AM.jpg
 
KBLovedDisney

KBLovedDisney

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
They just need to add LEDs to each floor and make it a pretty light show when you are driving on I-4 at night, make it more appeasing at least.
 
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S

some other guy

Well-Known Member
one time I overheard chatter between construction people that the rumor was that under the church ownership they had various volunteers do aspects of building, so subsequent efforts were hampered by having to go through finding and deconstructing the bad volunteer work before later professional work could happen
 
Master Yoda

Master Yoda

Pro Star Wars geek.
Premium Member
some other guy said:
one time I overheard chatter between construction people that the rumor was that under the church ownership they had various volunteers do aspects of building, so subsequent efforts were hampered by having to go through finding and deconstructing the bad volunteer work before later professional work could happen
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That would not surprise me one bit although I hear funding is their biggest problem. I have been in construction since 1995 and I absolutely loathe churches for that very reason. Even the well funded multimillion-dollar projects have volunteers working the project that have no business doing anything on a construction site.
 
Benjamin_Nicholas

Benjamin_Nicholas

Well-Known Member
In a real metro, this would have been shut down by the city after taking so long and basically being abandoned.

I'm sure the good ol' boy system is hard at work keeping this thing going.
 

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