Looking back to the future of Bricktown

Steve Lackmeyer

Chuck Davis, a longtime columnist for The Oklahoman, passed away several years ago. Recently I stumbled upon one of his writings from 1989 — "Bricktown Could Be Like Dallas' West End.” And in light of Oklahoma City's effort to draw up a new master plan for Bricktown, it's enlightening almost two decades later to read Chuck's thoughts.

But unlike 1989, it's Bricktown that's thriving, and West End that is on life support. The West End Marketplace has remained closed since June 2006. Dick's Last Resort and most of the other West End attractions that captured Chuck's eye are long gone. And so it is that we begin with a 1989 headline that is now a cautionary tale, rather than hope as expressed by Chuck.

Now, with no further comment — here's the rest of Chuck Davis on Bricktown (minus his habit of adding quotes from famous people):

The historic West End in Dallas is just five blocks long and four blocks wide.

It stretches from McKinney Avenue on the north to Elm Street on the south, from Houston Street on the west to Lamar Street on the east. A small area in a great city. But we in Oklahoma City can learn a lot from this little bit of Texas.

The West End today is what Oklahoma City's Bricktown could be tomorrow. But why wish and hope and dream? We could make it happen.

Let's take a closer look at just some of the things one can find in the West End: Under the Woodall Rodgers Freeway are Newport's, a renovated brewery that is famous for its seafood; Kuby's, with authentic German food and live entertainment every night; the Starck Club, good for people watching and high-tech disco dancing; and the Prohibition Room, featuring billiards, live music and dancing.

In the West End Marketplace (surrounded by McKinney, Record Street, Munger Avenue and Lamar) are: Alley Cats, a popular sing-along bar; Back Stage, a quiet piano bar; Froggy Bottoms, live rhythm and blues; and the Boiler Room, featuring disco dancing. And more. One cover charge admits you to each of the Dallas Alley clubs.

Bubble's Beach Diner, a classic roadside diner with Art Deco decor.

Frillz, featuring hand-painted clothing; Satin & Lace & Funny Face, with hand-painted porcelain-and-fabric dolls; Cajun Connection, books and spices; Dallas Western Wear, with jeans, boots and hats; and D.B. McCalls, a mock country store with clothing and gifts.

At the corner of Munger and Market Street, just across the street from the Marketplace, is the Spaghetti Warehouse, featuring a great Italian food menu. One block south is more Italian food. On Ross Avenue, further south, are Dick's Last Resort, featuring live jazz; and the Outback Pub, Australian-style items with occasional live music.

At 702 Ross is the West End Cabaret, a theater with drinks and a changing "menu” of performances, including the Dallas Lyric Opera. On Pacific Avenue are the Pacific Pearl, featuring Chinese food; Grumbles, with burgers and munchies; and the Voodoo Room, an exotic bar featuring steel band reggae music on weekends. Further south and west are the West End Pub, an old-fashioned bar, and Morton's of Chicago, a basement steak house.

That is just a sampling of the things you can find at the West End.

But that's not all. The West End Marketplace is a trip all by itself. The marketplace is a renovated warehouse complex that has been turned into a four-level market, featuring more than 100 small shops and vendors. What can you find at the Marketplace? You name it. Clothing, fun gifts, T-shirts, souvenirs and snack food.

So, how are the West End and Bricktown similar? They both have a Spaghetti Warehouse. And that's about it. What is keeping Oklahoma City's Bricktown from being as lively and vibrant as Dallas' West End? A lot of elbow grease and a little bit of financial commitment.

That's all.

If I had a bit of extra money, which I don't, I would sink some of it into Bricktown to start: 1) a Hard Rock Cafe franchise. 2) a dinner theater, which could house both live theater and film. And, in about two years, I would be rich.

Here's a question I'm posing with my blog post today at OKC Central — Just another Blog.newsok.com weblog (http://www.okccentral.com) and thought it might spur some discussion here as well: which is better, West End in Dallas at its peak, or Bricktown as we know it today?

I still think West End was better. The Marketplace had that missing element of retail that Bricktown so desparately needs.

A little off topic, but another poster on here mentioned Old Town in Wichita. I went there this past weekend. I liked the fact that parking was free.....there are city-owned garages. I think that really attracted people there, who use the "pay for parking" as an excuse not to go to Bricktown.

We really need property owners to realize that high rents aren't the answer in Bricktown. If they used their heads, they'd charge low rates to fill up their properties, then slowly raise rents as the businesses got established. Then, their properties would be worth so much more. Lower rents would help get more retail in Bricktown as well.

I don't know how they're structuring leases now, but it seems to me that the leases should start with lower base rent with a larger percentage of sales, escalating over the option periods (5-10 years), then be renegotiated based on actual performance. However, it seems a lot of the owners are just in it for equity, not cash flow, so they sit on them waiting for the big pay day.

I assume they are looking for larger guarantees in their rents to mitigate their risk and inflate the value even further with a high paying lease. That'd be why so much sits unused. I think they're afraid to take any risk upfront, because that makes their property look less valuable on the open market and that's what they're playing for.

There needs to be some creativity in the terms of the leases to get it jump started, imo. If bricktown is what they say it is, they will get cash flow plus increased equity. but the fact that they can't or won't do this is the real indicator of bricktown's health. It comes off as a ruse. They want big name rents, but can't seem to get big name tenants. I thought 2007 would be a tipping point for the district, but it looks like it may take more time and maybe the successful completion of the Cotton Exchange to get it going now.

I really don't think Bricktown can be called a success until the canal is full at both canal and street level with destination establishments. I think it will take that to avoid going the way of the West End.

Hey Steve,
I wonder with credit being as tight as it currently if financing will really be available for these projects like the Cotton Exchange, etc to kick Bricktown into higher gear? Or perhaps it's not an issue if local banks are primarily involved, like BoK?

Just curious. Cheers.
Michael

www.unitedstatesofmichael.com

I still think West End was better. The Marketplace had that missing element of retail that Bricktown so desparately needs.

A little off topic, but another poster on here mentioned Old Town in Wichita. I went there this past weekend. I liked the fact that parking was free.....there are city-owned garages. I think that really attracted people there, who use the "pay for parking" as an excuse not to go to Bricktown.

We really need property owners to realize that high rents aren't the answer in Bricktown. If they used their heads, they'd charge low rates to fill up their properties, then slowly raise rents as the businesses got established. Then, their properties would be worth so much more. Lower rents would help get more retail in Bricktown as well.

I agree with Patrick. Not to mention, West End doesn't have near the sea of flat surface parking lots that Bricktown has. West End is more vertical on average and more urban feeling in its peak than Bricktown ever has been.

West End. It doesn't involve the Urban Renewal Authority, who is responsible for Lower Bricktown.

Michael, that's a good question - and one I posed to Gary Gregory. He seems confident the market for this project is immune to the jumbo mortage crunch (the lesser reported downside of the mortgage crash).

Cool, good to know. I definitely hope he's right - generally, I think everything seems to suggest we can hold our own during this period of real economic uncertainty nationally. If the financing does go through for the project as proposed - I think it would be a real positive sign for city's momentum and speak volumes about the strength of our local economy.



www.unitedstatesofmichael.com

It's hard to say. Yes, we have more surface parking. Yes, we have a lot of empty spaces, even on the canal, and no, we've never been successful in creating a West End Marketplace-type retail destination.

But we have the Ballpark, the Canal, and Harkins--three major anchors that have a lot more staying power than any of the come and go restaurants and clubs that filled West End.