Business 'very worried' about Downtown Orlando's future

On the first floor of the Chase building along Orange Avenue in downtown Orlando is where you’ll find Nifty’s Korean BBQ and Ramen. Helen So and her husband have been in business for seven years - just the two of them. Helen takes the orders and serves customers while her husband cooks the food. The Sos’ authentic Korean cuisine, though, may be the only thing that’s consistent right now.

[@davidslaton]

One reason I don’t go downtown anymore was the last time I went to Lake Eola it felt it was turning into a homeless encampment. My wife went into the bathroom and someone was washing their rear in the sink. Downtown just feels gross. 🤢

[@bryant6524]

she simply needs to relocate her business to The Villages. Those retired people are loaded with cash and always wanting to try new places to eat out.

[@bnwo]

Downtowns all over have been hollowed out since covid.

[@flint9889]

Really? It's staying booming here in Tampa and st.pete :P

[@marvelharris9540]

She states the problem (crime, vagrancy etc) and the development board member talks about programs to "revitalize" church st. lol not a mention of crime or law enforcement.. pathetic

[@ducheau100]

Downtown has become so ghetto. Orange avenue is really rough now, especially at night.

[@Patrick-yh5yd]

The city made pulse nightclub going nowhere. Orlando need leadership that cares about gays.

[@asklouie]

People have finally realized that Downtowns are just annoying.

[@dajewel1982]

I don’t go downtown because it’s too dangerous

[@wturner777]

I live in Pensacola and homelessness has been a problem in the area as well. Really it's a problem nationwide.

[@xoxxobob61]

I used to do UBER Eats Deliveries & I would avoid downtown because of how horrible the parking situation was. If you can find a free parking space then you had to walk several blocks to pick up an order. Dropping off Orders was even worse.

[@wturner777]

I did rideshare out there years ago pre-pandemic and it was a pain on weekends. I almost rear-ended a disabled vehicle on I-4 at night because of low visibility, no flashers, no triangles or nothing. That vehicle was on the traveling lane and not on the shoulder.

[@repboy1]

Just don’t feel safe down there

[@Tam-zp2ef]

This is so true. I work downtown and was laid off over a month ago due to business being extremely slow. No one is booking performances at the arts center like that, and a lot of parties were canceling their reservations. In my job search, I'm staying clear away from downtown. It started out slow, and business just never picked up.

[@flatcube3706]

The city is selling out downtown. Same happened in Miami. Downtown Miami use to be a lot of small business shops and became all big name places

[@Whimmery]

i love her food. went on a date there and she gave us so much i could not even finish. I wish her the best for her and her family! I would go more but there isn't an easy parking spot, the mall parking garage is scary at night and tight corners. wish there was more open air parking or bigger garages that are monitored there. Orlando is also way too expensive to live or work at, the cost of living is unsustainable. ppl can live on the wages in orlando so they live outside of orlando and maybe* commute or work locally. but anything 30 minutes or longer away has a lot of ppl in Florida unwilling to travel for.

[@kakerosa5466]

People are also working from home so that traffic is gone. It’s boring down there .

[@markprad]

Meanwhile, Downtown Miami is booming

[@Kbtoy789]

Homelessness is the biggest issue along Orange. People don’t feel safe walking around there. Meanwhile, the neighborhoods of South Eola and Thornton Park, just to the East, where it is much cleaner, are thriving and full of people at all hours. Orange needs to be cleaned up. Plain and simple.

[@eyelovecolorado2195]

I see so many comments about homelessness and crime. Even in Florida?!? I’m so ashamed about What America has become. 😢😢

[@GODLUAT]

It's so ghetto now. Too much ghetto thuggish black people there and downtown Orlando was flooded with all kinds of college students and young professionals and not ghetto like this from 2018-2019 when I was at UCF

[@NathanBrooks-x1c]

One word to describe the problem, DeSantis.

[@kevhayden6506]

I think it's a double dosing of Desantis and Dyer. Dyer used to be good but this last term has been awful. especially for downtown (downtown resident for the last 8 years). On the macro level desantis has let people in this state fall to below the poverty line without any help and dyer has made it too easy for businesses to fail in the central district. it's really a lose lose.

[@jamesgillespie5057]

It's the homeless problem and the ghetto nightlife

[@sandtoy11510]

Keep posting and regurgitating those DNC talking points!

[@rotavarp]

They aren’t talking points if the facts back it up, dummy

[@coreylucas5997]

You wanna know why ? INFLATION, overpriced fast food, care LESS if it’s authentic you RAISE your PRICE, you have less traffic Simple and sad enough

[@PURAHOUSEDERESTREPO]

Walkable communities will change this.

[@alexbr550]

The republican state complaining and worried about it's major cities. So it seems that it has nothing to do with politics. Republicans saying this only happens in democratic cities or states is BS.

[@jaredhammon344]

Florida is a red state yes but Orlando is a blue city and Orange county is blue.

[@GODLUAT]

Downton Orlando is run by Democrats dude

[@kend2006]

Keep voting Democrat...

[@GetNLine]

Jacksonville voted red until recently. What's their excuse?