Church Street Disaster !

By in Club Reports

In Part 1 of our series yesterday about the disaster that is Church Street in downtown Orlando, we started at the beginning which is the empty plot of land directly across from KIA Center. We were promised a festival marketplace a decade ago and are still waiting for the first shovel of dirt to be turned. Today in Part 2 we cross under I-4, we cross Garland Avenue and begin our walk towards Orange Avenue. Directly on the corner, the former Harry Buffalo restaurant. STATUS: PERMANENTLY CLOSED
Next on our tour, the former Ceviche restaurant. STATUS: PERMANENTLY CLOSED
And just prior to the SunRail tracks, the former Phineas Phoggs Balloon Works, Bliss Ultra Lounge, Lion’s Pride and Häos on Church. STATUS: PERMANENTLY CLOSED
After crossing the tracks, we come to the 55 West apartment building which has retail space on the ground floor. Rusty Spoon restaurant was in this spot and perhaps later, Elize. STATUS: PERMANENTLY CLOSED
Across the courtyard, the former Artisan’s Table restaurant. STATUS: PERMANENTLY CLOSED Please note that within the courtyard there may be a crepe restaurant that is open and upstairs, the latest location for SAK Comedy Club.
Continuing our journey east, this former home to nightclub Antigua. It closed many years ago and was split into two venues with Irish Shannon’s on the left. STATUS: PERMANENTLY CLOSED
On the right, a place called Saints & Sinners Cantina. During our strolls by there are lights on in the building but we’ve have never seen it actually open. Google says “Temporarily Closed” and their website is defunked. For now we will say: STATUS: TEMPORARILY CLOSED
Chillers was in business forever with their frozen alcoholic drinks. STATUS: PERMANENTLY CLOSED
In the same building in those second floor windows, Big Belly Brewery and more recently, Cahoots. STATUS: PERMANENTLY CLOSED On the rooftop, Latitudes and more recently, High Tide. STATUS: PERMANENTLY CLOSED
The next doorway has been idle for awhile now. Most people will remember the space as Mako’s followed by Native Social Bar followed by Studio 27. Go Go’s Disco pictured in the windows never happened. STATUS: PERMANENTLY CLOSED
Moving right along, this spot was most-recently the 1-Up game room and bar. Most people will remember it as club Dragon Room or also as a German restaurant. STATUS: PERMANENTLY CLOSED That doorway on the far right led to Club 23 that also had other names. STATUS: PERMANENTLY CLOSED
Finally, someplace is still in business on the north side of Church Street. Kres Chophouse seems to be holding its own! STATUS: OPEN
Alas, we’ve arrived at the corner of Happy & Healthy where Walgreens decided to give it a try and didn’t last even two years. The space remains vacant. STATUS: PERMANENTLY CLOSED

Tomorrow we’ll take a look at the south side of Church Street to see if it’s any better.