That is odd. I could see them laying the CMU structure for the planter as masons are one of the first trades you have on site, but it looks like they even have the cultured stone up already.Here is a picture from Save Pleasure Island showing the current progress on the STK along with the concept art. The way this is being built looks rather interesting to me. It looks like they have already built the planters in front of and beside the building, but haven't actually built much of the building yet.
http://savepleasureisland.blogspot.com/
They look like tilt up.
Depends on how much they saved. If they saved anything, the answer is most likely yes.
Then the answer would be most likely be no, it was not permitted as a remodel. Although there might be a loop hole or two that I am unaware of when it comes to strip malls.
Oh. It looked like the free standing wall and some of the structural steel might have been from the old building.
actually the underground basement that's under the pathway is connected to this structure so they could have argued that it was a remodel if they really wanted to.
I don't think they have to "argue" anything. Disney Springs is in the incorporated City of Lake Buena Vista, Florida whose government is the Reedy Creek Improvement District which is controlled by Disney. While they do pay nominal fees for construction permits/notices of commencement to Orange County, I don't think the county has much say on what they do within city limits. The city controls that. And again, the City is the District and the District is Disney.
Florida has been under a unified building code since 2000. Disney, at minimum, has to meet the Florida Building code. There is no way they can get around that. It has never really been an issue though as Disney always seems to a tick or two above what has been required.
As I understand it, the biggest savings usually comes in the way of not having to pay impact fees which both Osceola and Orange county have in one form or another. I also can't imagine that Disney would be able to sidestep any of the fees that the counties charge those that are not Disney.
Yes, the District charges Disney fees. (Here you go: http://rcid.org/DoingBusiness/PermitsFees.aspx) There are 'walls' between the two. Even though the District is supported by Disney, it operates independently and acts like any other municipality would. I believe the planters were done prior to the building simply because the vendor was already doing the same stone planters in the completed areas going down the strip towards the Boathouse. They just did the planters as part of the plaza after they did the faux turntable and pavers. The top planter isn't part of the building, it's on the plaza, but will be incorporated into the patio of the restaurant. The bottom one is adjacent to the wall of the building.
