A megamall called iSquare promises to bring luxury hotel accommodations, a helicopter landing pad and a rotating rooftop restaurant to Orlando’s tourist corridor.
Developers of the $400 million project plan to break ground this year at the corner of Kirkman and International drives.
iSquare’s two hotels will be built in adjoining towers. The deluxe Capella Orlando Hotel will include 70 studio rooms with butler service and extended security. The 466-room Solis Orlando Hotel will resemble other Central Florida five-star properties like the Four Seasons and the Ritz-Carlton.
“There has never been a project like this built before,” said Abdul Mathin, chairman and CEO of the BlackMINE Group, which is developing the property. “Not only will we create thousands of jobs for Orlando….but we are making this a totally green building with a greater focus on innovative technologies.”
The iSquare project was first proposed in 2013 and has passed two hearings before the Orlando City Council. It has faced little opposition, despite being a major development. Concerns about traffic were addressed by the Orlando-based BlackMINE Group.
The 350,000-sqaure-foot retail area of the mall will feature high-end stores and a ice skating rink with colored ice. Other amenities include a rooftop infinity pool and a rotating restaurant.
iSquare is scheduled to be completed by early 2020, according to Mathin.