Construction between Contemporary and TTC

[Basil of Baker Street]

Not a shame at all. I could think of fifty better uses for the cleared land next to FW. For one, it's RIGHT next to a horse stable.

For starters...MORE CAMPSITES!

 

[Heppenheimer]

You don't have to guess...check out the source in the blog mickey article, it seems like a pretty clear case of the ground being buildable and claims to the contrary being untrue. Sure, there are problems with the land, but no more so than anywhere else in FL

My point not being my personal opinion, but the type of people who go on Twitter to rant about these sort of things. Are they going to zoom in on a relatively obscure (for the general public, at least) website like Blog Mickey? Probably not, there's enough claims to the contrary that a Google search will bring up first.

Wikipedia's article on the never-built Mediterranean resort repeats the claim about the poor suitability of the ground. I'm not personally weighing which source is correct on the actual circumstances, but I guarantee someone researching the topic will see the Wikipedia article before Blog Mickey.

 

[castlecake2.0]

My point not being my personal opinion, but the type of people who go on Twitter to rant about these sort of things. Are they going to zoom in on a relatively obscure (for the general public, at least) website like Blog Mickey? Probably not, there's enough claims to the contrary that a Google search will bring up first.

All of Walt Disney World is/was swamp. I don’t see this huge Twitter storm happening .

 

[marni1971]

Sounds like there were economy barriers the last couple of times they tried. I'd imagine that they are encouraged right now given how well everything is bouncing back and what appears to be true pent-up demand

Last time they tried circa early 80s for the Med the piles sank and kept sinking.

They really want to build here.

 

[doctornick]

Last time they tried circa early 80s for the Med the piles sank and kept sinking.

So are you saying that the site is not feasible? Or that something has changing in the past 40 years that allows them to use it.

 

[peter11435]

Whether or not the ground actually is suitable, I don't claim to know either way. But it doesn't take more than a cursory search on the internet to find claims that there's problems with the ground. Whatever the truth, it wouldn't take the Twitterati long to paint a narrative that Disney is building on unsafe ground, which would have particular bad optics after the events of the last week.

Perceptions could well be far worse than the reality.

True. Public perception is often not based on reality. Ground being difficult to build on does not inherently make it unsafe. There are structures around WDW on worse ground than this site. The rumors of ground conditions being the reason nothing has been built there has been pretty solidly put to rest by multiple interviews with Holland and others.

There is no indication that the recent event in Miami was the result of ground conditions.

 

[GimpYancIent]

Why is Discovery Island ignored for possible development? It may just be 11.5 or so acres but still?

 

[marni1971]

So are you saying that the site is not feasible? Or that something has changing in the past 40 years that allows them to use it.

I assume they’re possibly maybe thinking of trying again with more modern techniques. Or maybe it’s nothing.

@Master Yoda may know more about present day construction feasibility.

 

[marni1971]

Why is Discovery Island ignored for possible development? It may just be 11.5 or so acres but still?

Lack of utilities. Even down to how do you get the laundry off? Get the restroom sewage off? Cost effectively?

 

[bcoachable]

Wouldn’t it be fun if we had access to the long term facility usage plan?

 

[lazyboy97o]

Whether or not the ground actually is suitable, I don't claim to know either way. But it doesn't take more than a cursory search on the internet to find claims that there's problems with the ground. Whatever the truth, it wouldn't take the Twitterati long to paint a narrative that Disney is building on unsafe ground, which would have particular bad optics after the events of the last week.

Perceptions could well be far worse than the reality.

As of now it does not look like the ground was a major factor in the collapse of Champlain Towers South. The current focus appears to be in water damage to the lower levels.

Last time they tried circa early 80s for the Med the piles sank and kept sinking.

They really want to build here.

The problem with this story is that you don’t just start driving piles and see what happens. The foundation is designed based on a geotechnical analysis. You wouldn’t be ready to build without knowing the site. Friction piles don’t require hitting something below and is what was used on portions of the Skyway with some of the piles being 100’ deep. Bob Holland also claims to have worked on the site much more recently than the early 80s.

 

[danlb_2000]

Wouldn’t it be fun if we had access to the long term facility usage plan?

Yeah, maybe a map that color codes each area showing if it's suitable for construction. For example red could designate suitable, and light green marginally suitable. Really a shame that nothing like that exists.

 

[castlecake2.0]

Lack of utilities. Even down to how do you get the laundry off? Get the restroom sewage off? Cost effectively?

Any long term plan for something here one day? Or does the island belong to the birds now?

 

[marni1971]

As of now it does not look like the ground was a major factor in the collapse of Champlain Towers South. The current focus appears to be in water damage to the lower levels.


The problem with this story is that you don’t just start driving piles and see what happens. The foundation is designed based on a geotechnical analysis. You wouldn’t be ready to build without knowing the site. Friction piles don’t require hitting something below and is what was used on portions of the Skyway with some of the piles being 100’ deep. Bob Holland also claims to have worked on the site much more recently than the early 80s.

We know they tried again in the early and late 90s. One might assume later than that too. Like I said they really want to build there. It’s considered the prime plot. I’m sure if they could do it before now they would have.

 

[Ripken10]

How many people are waiting for the next Skyliner type discovery in one of these threads, and are reading this thread thinking "maybe this is the one".

 

[Heppenheimer]

Lack of utilities. Even down to how do you get the laundry off? Get the restroom sewage off? Cost effectively?

I know somebody up here in Vermont who has a lake house on an island. Despite being barely 200 feet from the shore, keeping a house there is not easy, even for the 2-4 people that occassionally stay there. I can only imagine the added logistical challenges to operate a public concession on a small island with potentially hundreds of daily visitors.

 

[mysto]

You just need a bigger drill.

The auger isn't present in this photo, but it's over 200' long when assembled. They used it to build a skyscraper on sand. They spent months drilling, a guy on site said they drilled 400 of these holes and filled them with rebar and concrete.

 

[GimpYancIent]

We know they tried again in the early and late 90s. One might assume later than that too. Like I said they really want to build there. It’s considered the prime plot. I’m sure if they could do it before now they would have.

Why can a structure not be built on a foundation that floats? All that would be necessary are some anchor points. It would take some creative engineering but it is conceivable. Think of it a resort that is basically a house boat on serious steroids.

 

[GimpYancIent]

I know somebody up here in Vermont who has a lake house on an island. Despite being barely 200 feet from the shore, keeping a house there is not easy, even for the 2-4 people that occassionally stay there. I can only imagine the added logistical challenges to operate a public concession on a small island with potentially hundreds of daily visitors.

I just feel that if Disney is capable of installing the horror in the EPCOT lagoon and making it work doing something w Discovery Island would be small potatoes.

 

[nickys]

I know somebody up here in Vermont who has a lake house on an island. Despite being barely 200 feet from the shore, keeping a house there is not easy, even for the 2-4 people that occassionally stay there. I can only imagine the added logistical challenges to operate a public concession on a small island with potentially hundreds of daily visitors.

You only need to look at TSI and Aunt Polly’s, for example, to see the logistics involved with a simple Cafe.