What about both? That's how the OU ped crossings I mentioned are set up...

ehh I just don't think those signs are aesthetically pleasing. And if the design of the street itself changes for the better, signs like that wouldn't matter anyway.

Broadway is a stroad.

https://www.google.com/search?q=stroad&oq=stroad&aqs=chrome..69i57j0l3.2426j0j4&client=ms-android-motorola&sourceid=chrome-mobile&ie=UTF-8

Learned a new word today! Thanks, HHE!

I would readily give up the aesthetics by having a few blinking signs than worry that I'm going to be hit by a car every time I cross broadway. Seems like a lot of people treat auto alley more like a painting than a function part of the city.

Maybe replace the paddles with bollards. Then at least the cars that hit them would start paying better attention.
(Only medium sarcasm with that)

I would readily give up the aesthetics by having a few blinking signs than worry that I'm going to be hit by a car every time I cross broadway. Seems like a lot of people treat auto alley more like a painting than a function part of the city.

The point is that if the street is designed properly those blinking signs would be a gratuitous addition. Cars and people will know how to act in a safe way around each other without the need for blinking signs because safety is implicit in the design of the street. Safety is the most important concern here, but aesthetics are also very important and we should treat our streets as works of art. Turns out that many of the things we can do to make streets safer actually can serve to beautify as well.

New condos proposed for 6th and Broadway.

http://okgazette.com/2017/02/22/automobile-alley-developers-announce-plans-for-urban-condos/

Yay! One more parking lot gone.

was just about to post that....

New condos proposed for 6th and Broadway.

http://okgazette.com/2017/02/22/automobile-alley-developers-announce-plans-for-urban-condos/

Yay! One more parking lot gone.

Fantastic.

According to the TDRC/1 (Teo Design Review Committee of 1), the only thing it would receive pushback on is not addressing the corner better. What I'm afraid of is that the Downtown Design Review Committee is going to be like "ugh, balconies, and your exterior materials don't match as well as we'd like".

This had better fly through Design Review

I created a new thread for this project:

http://www.okctalk.com/showthread.php?t=43056

This won't actually be at the corner, correct? They mention NW corner of 6th and Broadway, but that is where RCB Bank is located.

edit: Actually I had the location wrong. I misread it.

Based on the other buildings in the rendering, this is planned for the NE corner.

^ For some reason I couldn't see the rendering in the article. I saw it when Pete posted it in the other thread, though.

any idea what's taking over the Benz dealership once it moves north?

any idea what's taking over the Benz dealership once it moves north?

I believe they will just expand the Volvo, Jaguar and Smart offerings at the current location.

That facility is always jammed tight as it is.


(For those who don't know, they are building a new Merc dealership on Broadway Ext near Memorial.)

I believe they will just expand the Volvo, Jaguar and Smart offerings at the current location.

That facility is always jammed tight as it is.


(For those who don't know, they are building a new Merc dealership on Broadway Ext near Memorial.)

Would this move potentially free up any of the space on rob and 13th that these dealerships are using as car lots?

Would this move potentially free up any of the space on rob and 13th that these dealerships are using as car lots?

No, because they are already overflowing.

I'm not 100% on this but I think the plan is to move Mercedes out to their own shiny new dealership then use that space and building for the other 3 makes. They are currently spilling over everywhere.

But the back lots on Robinson should free up a little, right? Those are all loaded with MBs.

They are also storing cars at the parking structure next to the Buick Building.

I'll see what more I can find out but I don't think this will change much in AA.

(For those who don't know, they are building a new Merc dealership on Broadway Ext near Memorial.)

Are they for sure moving out of Auto Alley and not just expanding to another location? When is the new facility supposed to open?

Are they for sure moving out of Auto Alley and not just expanding to another location? When is the new facility supposed to open?

I'm not sure but doubt they would have two so close together and I know they are very squeezed for space in the current location.

Both Jaguar and Volvo have some new, hot products and I bet they want them to have more space.

Crap, crap, crap.

Really like them having the downtown presence and hate to think of driving to suburbia for any and all car matters. Oh well...

Crap, crap, crap.

Really like them having the downtown presence and hate to think of driving to suburbia for any and all car matters. Oh well...

Ah, well I don't know this for sure and I'll see what I can find out.

I know the new facility is just for MB and it's going to be big and elaborate.

Crap, crap, crap.

Really like them having the downtown presence and hate to think of driving to suburbia for any and all car matters. Oh well...

Humblebrag about your Benz? ;)

Crap, crap, crap.

Really like them having the downtown presence and hate to think of driving to suburbia for any and all car matters. Oh well...

Agree with this. Downtown location is a great perk.

No, because they are already overflowing.

I'm not 100% on this but I think the plan is to move Mercedes out to their own shiny new dealership then use that space and building for the other 3 makes. They are currently spilling over everywhere.

I know pre oil crash an exotic car dealership was poking around AA, maybe they're back. Okc+Tulsa+thunder the thought was there's enough to support a lambo or Ferrari dealer

I know pre oil crash an exotic car dealership was poking around AA, maybe they're back. Okc+Tulsa+thunder the thought was there's enough to support a lambo or Ferrari dealerYou are correct though I don't think it's Ferrari or Lamborghini. More like Bentley & Aston Martin, maybe both.

Steve L. mentioned a "Brewery Row" in his chat today when referring to the Prairie Artisan Ale project in Auto Alley. Who else is down there to make the reference?

Steve L. mentioned a "Brewery Row" in his chat today when referring to the Prairie Artisan Ale project in Auto Alley. Who else is down there to make the reference?

Twisted Spike Brewery

Thinking out loud here, but how cool would it be if Broadway Dr.(the two lane road next to Broadway near the new art museum) were closed off to automobile traffic and turned into a Pedestrian Paseo and Broadway were narrowed here to two lanes so new developments could be built in between. This could feature a bike greenway path that could run under 235 and connect to Grand Ave Trail and link to an extended Deep Fork Creek Trail.

So essentially this stretch could be a mile or less and feature two 4 ft wide bike lanes and two 2 ft wide walking and jogging lanes. This Trail would have bike specific traffic signals at each crossing and most crossings would hopefully be grade separated anyways throughout the city outside of downtown.

I don't know it was just a random thought. :)

I just noticed that there are new ADA parking spaces and ramps that have been installed between several blocks in AA.

Thinking out loud here, but how cool would it be if Broadway Dr.(the two lane road next to Broadway near the new art museum) were closed off to automobile traffic and turned into a Pedestrian Paseo and Broadway were narrowed here to two lanes so new developments could be built in between. This could feature a bike greenway path that could run under 235 and connect to Grand Ave Trail and link to an extended Deep Fork Creek Trail.

So essentially this stretch could be a mile or less and feature two 4 ft wide bike lanes and two 2 ft wide walking and jogging lanes. This Trail would have bike specific traffic signals at each crossing and most crossings would hopefully be grade separated anyways throughout the city outside of downtown.

I don't know it was just a random thought. :)

Cool idea but pedestrian malls have utterly failed everywhere. Even the Paseo allows automobiles. It's just very walkable.

Cool idea but pedestrian malls have utterly failed everywhere. Even the Paseo allows automobiles. It's just very walkable.

Have you been to the 16th Street Mall in Denver, or downtown Fort Collins? Both of those examples work very well. Granted, I don't know if that would be feasible with Auto Alley.

Have you been to the 16th Street Mall in Denver, or downtown Fort Collins? Both of those examples work very well. Granted, I don't know if that would be feasible with Auto Alley.
Isn't Denver getting ready to make serious changes to the 16th St Mall because it's not working anymore?

We don't have the weather for outdoor pedestrian malls

Isn't Denver getting ready to make serious changes to the 16th St Mall because it's not working anymore?
Changes are being considered but it doesn't sound like anything major. The article indicates that it is being used more than ever before and they want to make it friendlier.

http://www.denverpost.com/2017/02/08/16th-street-mall-analysis-friendlier-downtown-denver/

“It will look at what is next for the mall,” focusing on “how to create a balanced environment for both transportation and pedestrians,” city planning director Brad Buchanan said.
In its early days, mall buses carried between 10,000, and 15,000 riders-per-day. That number has increased four to five times, and pedestrian users have climbed as well, Buchanan said.

This isn't a vote for or against a such a thing but does anyone else see the irony in having a pedestrian mall in a place called Automobile Alley.

We don't have the weather for outdoor pedestrian malls

I'm not sure about that. I'm not really a fan of pedestrian only malls, but the more pedestrian oriented districts seem to be doing very well. You pretty much can't park at the front door in the Plaza, Paseo, or bricktown most of the time, not really even in Uptown, and those districts keep expanding. The concourse of the outlet mall is outside (granted, with covering) and I'm pretty sure it's working. Then consider that outdoor spaces have become common at a lot of new restaurants and bars, and I think the old conventional wisdom that the weather in Oklahoma will hinder the success of pedestrian oriented areas or outdoor focused establishments has been shown to be false.

Of course, it's not San Diego and the weather does impact businesses (even ones with big ole parking lots and even just the threat of bad weather sometimes), but it doesn't seem to be a total non-starter and for some areas / places offering outdoor space and / or a pedestrian friendly environment has been proven to be an advantage.

That being said, I don't think we need a pedestrian only oriented mall. It's an interesting idea, but I don't think it's been shown that it's any better than a traditional shopping district with normal street access.

Of course, it's not San Diego and the weather does impact businesses
That can be said of most places. There's not many places with year round weather like San Diego. Which, incidentally, is German for a whale's ******.

Pete, any movement that you've heard of with leasing the Blevins Paint and Body shop space?

Pete, any movement that you've heard of with leasing the Blevins Paint and Body shop space?

801 N. Broadway was purchased by an investor last year and is for lease.

Have not heard anything about possible tenants.

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/801nbroadway.jpg

801 N. Broadway was purchased by an investor last year and is for lease.

Have not heard anything about possible tenants.

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/801nbroadway.jpg

Cheese and Rice...at $24/sf are you going to be hearing anything about possible tenants?

I'm not at all familiar with commercial, but seems well over 10% high for what that property is at this point.

There is no way that space is going to get $24/sf. I could maybe see it for some of the newer prime retail spaces like on 10th and Broadway, but then again Steve Mason is not charging Slingers that kind of rent or they'd go under.

That's a $250,000 rent payment each year. Since they call it base rent, that's prob not a gross rent and they might be charging additional for the triple nets, or have a CAM fee, and utilities and misc on top of that.

We talked about this before and this article in the Oklahoman confirms their downtown Mercedes dealership (Bob Howard) will not remain after the new one is built on Broadway Extension near Memorial.

The Jaguar dealership has already moved to the same area (now owned by Bob Moore) and the only question is when the Volvo dealership will move.

The article sites lack of parking but I assure you this is all about getting closer to the demographic that does most the buying. They could have easily built structured parking on the lot they own to the west (lots of dealerships do this in other markets) and now this is going to leave a massive empty hole in this area at a time when Bob Howard and Midtown Renaissance seems to be going into a holding pattern for future development. It also sounds like they want to adapt the existing dealership rather than start new.

The move won't happen until the new dealership is built, but they've already filed their building permits as I had mentioned earlier.

http://newsok.com/last-car-dealership-along-automobile-alley-headed-for-edmond/article/5544414

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/dealerships.jpg

I think this is good news. That space can provide for a better use than a car dealership esp. with the streetcar stop right across the street!

Pete, I noticed on Google street view that the lot just south of the Garage Lofts is being used by the Mercedes dealership, but your map doesn't indicate it is a Bob Moore property. Is that an oversight, or were they just leasing that lot?

Pete, I noticed on Google street view that the lot just south of the Garage Lofts is being used by the Mercedes dealership, but your map doesn't indicate it is a Bob Moore property. Is that an oversight, or were they just leasing that lot?

That's the Mayfair Apartments lot.

I suppose they are using the northern part for temporary car storage?

MB is using several lots that aren't in red on that map. I assume red is just what they own. Lots on both sides of Robinson between 13th and 10th are loaded with MBs.

They also park cars in the Midtown parking structure.

That would be a great location for more mid-rise housing and retail, extending AA and getting density closer to 23rd street retail. Or, just maybe the MB building is just the right size for a GROCERY.

I like both suggestions! Grocery store and/or housing!

I guess it's for the "greater good" for them to move, but it bugs me that we will soon no longer have any auto dealers in or near Auto Alley.

BTW, all those dealerships along Broadway Extension are actually in Oklahoma City, despite almost everybody calling that area Edmond.

That matters due to the huge about of sales/excise tax that is generated from these car dealers.

We talked about this before and this article in the Oklahoman confirms their downtown Mercedes dealership (Bob Howard) will not remain after the new one is built on Broadway Extension near Memorial.

The Jaguar dealership has already moved to the same area (now owned by Bob Moore) and the only question is when the Volvo dealership will move.

The article sites lack of parking but I assure you this is all about getting closer to the demographic that does most the buying. They could have easily built structured parking on the lot they own to the west (lots of dealerships do this in other markets) and now this is going to leave a massive empty hole in this area at a time when Bob Howard and Midtown Renaissance seems to be going into a holding pattern for future development. It also sounds like they want to adapt the existing dealership rather than start new.

The move won't happen until the new dealership is built, but they've already filed their building permits as I had mentioned earlier.

http://newsok.com/last-car-dealership-along-automobile-alley-headed-for-edmond/article/5544414

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/dealerships.jpg

To be fair the article does mention this,

“We're the last dealership downtown,” Howard said. “That's not the place you want to be, as much as I like downtown. I love it here. I spent a lot of years in Edmond, too. Mercedes pointed out to us that some of the top ZIP codes in terms of net income are in Edmond.”

and then says

"Another factor in the move is space — "

The way it's phrased makes it seem like zip code was the primary reason.

That sucks imo. It is nice having car dealerships downtown as most major cities do. Oh well. Hopefully something cool happens here.

To be fair the article does mention this,

“We're the last dealership downtown,” Howard said. “That's not the place you want to be, as much as I like downtown. I love it here. I spent a lot of years in Edmond, too. Mercedes pointed out to us that some of the top ZIP codes in terms of net income are in Edmond.”

and then says

"Another factor in the move is space — "

The way it's phrased makes it seem like zip code was the primary reason.

Didn't say or mean to imply that parking was the main reason cited in the article, just that they mentioned it as a factor when it could have easily been resolved, especially since the alternative involves a $1MM + build-out.

A little off topic, but I remember my mom bought a Cadillac at a dealership downtown in the mid '80s. But it was in the CBD and not on AA. I don't remember the dealer though.

A little off topic, but I remember my mom bought a Cadillac at a dealership downtown in the mid '80s. But it was in the CBD and not on AA. I don't remember the dealer though.
Bob Moore Cadillac was at 400 N. Walker.

I've been thinking about the Mercedes Dealership site. I think that would be a great space for a downtown grocery store. With its size, abundance of parking, location, and proximity to a street car stop, It's the perfect compromise to accommodate downtown residents as well as people who would need to drive in. It maintains a person's ability to drive to the store and park yet is close enough to the streetcar stop at 11th and broadway for that to be a viable mode. It's still downtown and connected to midtown and AA, yet is close to two highway on ramps. This location could even spur streetcar ridership if people are allowed to, for example, park at the store, ride to bricktown for dinner and ride back to do their shopping.

I've been thinking about the Mercedes Dealership site. I think that would be a great space for a downtown grocery store. With its size, abundance of parking, location, and proximity to a street car stop, It's the perfect compromise to accommodate downtown residents as well as people who would need to drive in. It maintains a person's ability to drive to the store and park yet is close enough to the streetcar stop at 11th and broadway for that to be a viable mode. It's still downtown and connected to midtown and AA, yet is close to two highway on ramps. This location could even spur streetcar ridership if people are allowed to, for example, park at the store, ride to bricktown for dinner and ride back to do their shopping.

I second this. It would be a perfect location.

I've been thinking about the Mercedes Dealership site. I think that would be a great space for a downtown grocery store. With its size, abundance of parking, location, and proximity to a street car stop, It's the perfect compromise to accommodate downtown residents as well as people who would need to drive in. It maintains a person's ability to drive to the store and park yet is close enough to the streetcar stop at 11th and broadway for that to be a viable mode. It's still downtown and connected to midtown and AA, yet is close to two highway on ramps. This location could even spur streetcar ridership if people are allowed to, for example, park at the store, ride to bricktown for dinner and ride back to do their shopping.

Damn good thoughts, Ross! I agree.