Village of Imagine developer reconsiders plans for complex

Orlando Sentinel ^ | May 13, 2008 | Sara K. Clarke

[Notary Sojac]

The Village of Imagine has fallen victim to the local and nationwide housing slump.

The project's developer is reconsidering plans to build the mixed-use complex of shops, restaurants and residential units across from the Orange County Convention Center. The project -- originally hailed as Orlando's version of the famed San Antonio River Walk -- is spearheaded by Intrawest Corp., a Canadian developer known mostly for its ski resorts.

The planned village, across Universal Boulevard from the county's giant convention center, was to include more than 40 boutiques and restaurants along waterfront walkways. But all that has materialized is a 315-room condominium-hotel -- the recently opened Westin Imagine Orlando -- surrounded by a few retention ponds and barren ground where the rest of the development would have gone.

"At this point, we're not financially in a position to go forward with it," said Jim Boivin, vice president of development in charge of the Village of Imagine. "It's all under review," he said recently, adding that the company is "trying to figure it out."

snip......

[Notary Sojac]

Another run of the mill housing bubble story except for the drop dead gorgeous title line.

"Village of Imagine" is 2008's winner in the you-can't-make-this-stuff-up department, and might just retire the trophy.

All over America 2001-2005, delusional buyers were snapping up real estate in their own personal "villages of imagine" but I had no idea any of them were actually named as such.

[waverna]

Pity. There’s just nothing to do in Orlando now.

[csistrueblue]

For Years my brother - who lives there - calls it Borelando!