Automobile Alley (http://www.okctalk.com/showwiki.php?title=Automobile%20Alley) _|_Boathouse Row (http://www.okctalk.com/showwiki.php?title=Boathouse+Row)_|_ Bricktown (http://www.okctalk.com/showwiki.php?title=Bricktown) _|_Central Business District (http://www.okctalk.com/showwiki.php?title=Central%20Business%20District)
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123 Garage (http://www.okctalk.com/showwiki.php?title=123+Garage)
Boathouse Dorms (http://www.okctalk.com/showwiki.php?title=Boathouse+Foundation+Dormitory)
Buick Building
Fedora
Flatiron (http://www.okctalk.com/showwiki.php?title=Flatiron+Building)
GE Global Research
Iguana
Indian Motorcycles
Kamp's 1910
Marion
Mayfair Apartments
Maywood Flatiron
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Metropolitan
OKC Geological Society
Okla. Contemporary (http://www.okctalk.com/showwiki.php?title=Oklahoma+Contemporary)
Pontiac Building
Rand Elliott (http://www.okctalk.com/showwiki.php?title=Rand+Elliott+Flatiron)
Red Prime
Womb

I hope CD Warehouse stays there. People might consider a record store the ultimate underutilized space (that and maybe a pizza parlor) but it is still decent retail that's built up proven longevity in downtown.

It sure beats Pot shops and tatoo parlors.

Yeah. We're loosing CD Warehouse and at the same time we've got enough tattoo parlors popping up everywhere.

It sure beats Pot shops and tatoo parlors.


Those exist here???

Haven't you been to Garden Ridge? That have all kinds of pots.

It sure beats Pot shops and tatoo parlors.

Pot shops? You mean like marijuana dispensaries? I think those would be pretty cool, actually.

On that note, an ABC/Post poll yesterday showed 81 percent national support for medical maryjane, and more than 50 percent for legalization.

And it appears that voters in the state of Washington support legalization and sales of pot in liquor stores.

Is anyone else surprised how quickly the public opinion is shifting on this issue?

I'm with you guru. I used to be vehemently opposed as well. Case in point..

Still, the odds of that happening in Oklahoma in my lifetime, 0 percent.

Yeah and back to A-Alley, I would be excited to see another building on there go lofts..

Another update for Automobile Alley is that Ghost Advertising ghost / 405 605 8147 / contact@ghostadv.com (http://www.ghostadv.com/) is moving from Paseo into the Vesper building on Broadway next month.

New furniture store opening this week next to Coffee Slingers. Another business or two I think are also coming in..A-Alley is becoming pretty serious.

New furniture store opening this week next to Coffee Slingers.
What sort of furniture?

Another update for Automobile Alley is that Ghost Advertising ghost / 405 605 8147 / contact@ghostadv.com (http://www.ghostadv.com/) is moving from Paseo into the Vesper building on Broadway next month.

Good. That space in Paseo could be used for something else more beneficial to the public.

The furniture store is Rawhide, formerly on Main St. in Norman. It's a very upscale Western-themed furniture store. Not my bag at all but it is a nice boutique.

Kind of like the former Lorec Ranch.

Kind of like the former Lorec Ranch.

It's better than Lorec Ranch, IMO.

I was talking to someone and heard this week, went by Coffee Slingers...still a ways out from opening in my opinion.

I heard names dropped of several other openings on A-Alley..forget them all sadly. Anyone know?

A-Alley is becoming pretty serious.

Yes, smells of rich mahogany and leather bound books eminate from storefronts lining the AA. It's kind of a big deal.


I love lamp.

People know it.

Kind of like the former Lorec Ranch.

Former? When did they close? Know they had opened a second location in Stockyards a while back that didn't make it but the one out by Frontier City is still there isn't it? I don't get out that way very often but always stopped in and bought some kewl stuff there.

Yes, smells of rich mahogany and leather bound books eminate from storefronts lining the AA. It's kind of a big deal.


I love lamp.

By the beard of Zeus.

Former? When did they close? Know they had opened a second location in Stockyards a while back that didn't make it but the one out by Frontier City is still there isn't it? I don't get out that way very often but always stopped in and bought some kewl stuff there.

I don't think it's there anymore. It looks fairly abandoned.

Former? When did they close? Know they had opened a second location in Stockyards a while back that didn't make it but the one out by Frontier City is still there isn't it?

They are definitely not by FC anymore, but in the last couple years, I noticed they had a store on Reno in the "Furniture District".

Maybe they'll be coming to a neighborhood near you soon..

$25,000 building permit to renovate the 7,000 square foot building at 725 N. Broadway for office space:

http://www.oklahomacounty.org/assessor/Searches/sketches/picfile/2729/R010012032001rA.jpg

They must not be doing much of anything...

Probably just filling in the for overhead doors on the north side there.

office space huh...that's actually what should be around there...none of that large retail crap like Old Navy they tossed around...screwing up for "pedestrian friendly" roads and all that. BOOO.

What Steve Mason is about to do is going to be amazing!

What Steve Mason is about to do is going to be amazing!

You've got to give us more than this, Riddle, Clue, Hint, something more? Retail, Residential, Both???

Where along AA is the "amazing" going to happen? Seems like Mason is running out of space along 9th street?

Mason still has Mel's garage. There were some great plans for it originally, but the last time I talked to him he was going to wait on it for awhile. I'd love to hear about something new he's going to do.

What would you guys like to see happen in the 9th street area?

office space huh...that's actually what should be around there...none of that large retail crap like Old Navy they tossed around...screwing up for "pedestrian friendly" roads and all that. BOOO.

Please tell me you're being sarcastic; why would you not want true retail on Automobile Alley?

I think Mel's garage is kinda cool, actually.

Sorry, but I'm kind of confused as to the long term status of 1100 N. Broadway. I know that the Lego cityscape will be there again this year, but is the goal to have a permanent tenant there eventually or just to rent it out for short terms for events, receptions, etc...?

Mason also has the large vacant lots on the south side of 9th...FYI

What would you guys like to see happen in the 9th street area?

Besides Mel's garage, which has a lot of potential, as has been mentioned, there is the south side of 9th. I'd like to see a great bar go in there....something smallish, either very hip or with a neighborhood type of feel. More retail would be great too.

You know, I'm with Pete on something very important. He's pointed out several times about the stretching ourselves thin with "districts." We're going to have a hard time developing true "districts" unless we develop them and keep on developing them until there's some density. Right now, we've got so many "districts" that they are really only mini-districts because if there's one or two bars there is worry of saturation and competition. A true "district" will build success one business on top of another. I'm not sure how this relates to AA except that it's just another example of everything being so spread out and retail/bar/restaurant development moving at such a snail's pace that it's hard to see real energy. Just a smattering of "oh, that's nice." Make any sense?

Well, A-Alley has never really had a collecting place yet. I think that's a big factor. Indeed, Iguana has given it that. Hideaway will be another strong collecting place. It's always been there. It's just now coming together. Every district needs to be built around massively popular restaurants, at least in the fledgling stage. That's why Joey's moving to Film Row is so exciting. That's what McNellie's does for Mid-town. And on and on.

And I'm so extremely optimistic about keeping these districts moving forward. It's great that OKC doesn't just have Bricktown. The streetcar, going through Automobile Alley, will be just an incredible impetus for density. This is going to be "THE" corridor in all of OKC, "Oklahoma City Boulevard" be-damned.

Mike, at least Deep Deuce (besides Bricktown) now seems to be nearing critical mass. With the Aloft and Level and new Bradshaw apartments, a good majority of that area will be filled in and then I think the rest will quickly follow.

Sure would like to see that happen in these other areas as well. Midtown is getting close and the old Mercy site project (whichever in chosen) will go a long ways towards making this happen.

If I had my choice, I'd like to keep all these places (AA, Film Row, Plaza, Paseo, NW 23rd, Lincoln, etc.) on slow boil while we knock off a somewhat actualized area once every year or so. Even at that aggressive rate, we have a long way to go to absorb and fully develop all these districts.

My previous comments were really more about the Core to Shore stuff but it seems that is now being viewed as much longer term, as in 10 to 25 years. Which is probably about right.

What would you guys like to see happen in the 9th street area?

Without a doubt this street needs a little bar where people can go after all the businesses close. A smaller venue with live music would probably fit with the synergy on this street...

Regularly schedules live music would be huge on A-Alley directly, or NW 9th.

If this has been mentioned here previously, I never saw it. I came across this today when surfing for interesting things to do when my brother comes here for a visit in May. Maybe everyone else knows about this but I was totally unfamiliar with this theater and something like this is a tremendous asset to the Broadway area.

http://www.reduxiontheatre.com/index.html

I had heard of a theater going in there but didn't know they were already open. Sounds like a good part of the inner city to take a family member to.

I actually wasn't really being that sarcastic. What I don't want to see is the area turned into some stupid box retail area. Remember the discussions of trying to attract places like Old Navy. That's exactlly what i DO NOT want there. That's trying to change the identity area into something it isn't, and shouldn't be. This area needs to stay local. That's part of its charm....that it's not chain crap. If it means it stays office space, i'll take that any day over chain boxes whether they are inside these buildings or not.

Bomber, have you seen some of the nicer instances where a national retailer has gone into a setting like this and not done a "stupid box retail area" but really conformed to what the area is like already? You should look into the downtowns of cities like Lawrence and Boulder.

I respect that point of view a lot actually, but I think we're at a point where we need a big catalyst. Somebody with an existing reputation doing something big needs to move downtown and create some momentum. It could be Full Circle. Or it could be a national chain. But it's impossible for these local charm shops to survive all on their own, scattered around downtown. We're missing that retail lynchpin.

just a note the store front of the future hideaway pizza location has been ripped out and it looks like they are ramping up demo/renovations ..

Holy "Hideaway" Batman!!

I had to take a double take while driving by, half of this building is gone. It is just a shell now and you can see nearly all the way through.

Major progress happening with this store this morning. Countless contractors on site this morning, plumbing, demo, electrical, and more. Does anyone know if they have an estimated opening date?

But it's impossible for these local charm shops to survive all on their own, scattered around downtown.

Scattered being the keyword. You put them all in one place and I think it's a different story.

I agree with bomber though. An Old Navy would be a failure. I'd like it to stay local, but if it does go national in some way, I think it has to be something that the city does not currently have and I think it needs to be something that isn't as much of a mass value merchandiser with volume oriented price points. It has to be destination oriented and I can't see anyone passing 1 or even two other Old Navies on the way to the one downtown. And a destination CAN be created without a traditional "anchor". If you reach a critical mass of unique smaller locally oriented shops, the collection of stores would create the destination while also creating something Oklahoma City does not have, instead of just more redundancy in the retail market.

You still have to have an anchor. That's a general rule of real estate.

You know, I'm with Pete on something very important. He's pointed out several times about the stretching ourselves thin with "districts." We're going to have a hard time developing true "districts" unless we develop them and keep on developing them until there's some density. Right now, we've got so many "districts" that they are really only mini-districts because if there's one or two bars there is worry of saturation and competition. A true "district" will build success one business on top of another. I'm not sure how this relates to AA except that it's just another example of everything being so spread out and retail/bar/restaurant development moving at such a snail's pace that it's hard to see real energy. Just a smattering of "oh, that's nice." Make any sense?

You're right. The wife and I were in Tulsa a couple of weeks ago on a Weds. night for a show at Cains. Between dinner and the concert we wanted to catch a quarter of the Thunder game. So we headed to Peoria street. It was full of restaurants, retail and bars. People were out and about, on a Weds. night. She was shocked, she's from Chicago. All she could say was "why don't we have anything like this in OKC?"

I think the closest thing we have right now is midtown, if Bricktown isn't in the conversation.

I think that you're correct, J.Pitman, about Tulsa. What you said about Peoria is certainly true, but, actually, before I read your post, a different particular area in Tulsa came to mind, E. 15th between Peoria and Utica. I was rolling around in my head what is at least generally being asked in this thread, "what would you like to see Automobile Alley (Broadway and its proximate crossings, e.g., NW 9th - NW 13th) be like, and as I was pondering the question that mile-long stretch on E. 15th in Tulsa popped in my mind, and I looked at Google maps to test my memory -- it's been a few years now since I was actually driving along this strip.

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a49/DougLoudenback/misc/tulsa_e15th.jpg

As I said, it's been a few years since I've been there, but I remember this mile-long strip as a delightful urban stretch laden with lots of small shops of one kind or another ... good restaurants, to be sure, but also many other types of commerce mixed in ... places to buy quality items of home decor, art, others that I don't recall. In the above contemporary Google aerial, it looks like there's a barber shop, a shoe shop, a doughnut shop, a flower shop, and doubtless other shops that didn't make the Google rendering.

What that mile-long stretch remarkable is ... it is eclectic, a hodgepodge, a blend of this's and that's ... some nice antique shops might fit in nicely ... any kind of commerce that is fun for shoppers who are interested in charm and local fare, compactly located within a fairly small and defined space. In such a mix, no need would exist for any kind of an "anchor," Nick ... in fact, an anchor would detract from the charm, in my opinion. "Small" is the first keyword; "local" is the second; and "utilizing old buildings" is the third.

I think that Automobile Alley & its crossings at and above NW 9th would be ideal for such a development, where it has already begun. It could become a premier city destination, I'm thinking.

I give you Western Ave.

http://www.visitwesternavenue.com/assets/images/map.png

Yes, quite right. Western Ave. & Paseo are fine Oklahoma City examples, as well.

That's a general rule of real estate.

And one that has been used here over and over again. Of course, it doesn't hurt to have one, but the wrong anchor can hurt even more. I'd much rather see several stores with no anchor like campus corner than a big anchor and no other retail like lower bricktown (which actually kind of has TWO anchors and little to no retail.) Now, if we didn't already have several well anchored strip centers full of mass merchandisers, then I'd say we need it. But, we have plenty of that for those who want it. The city does not need another 25k square foot plus retailer selling $20 cargo shorts.

And there are many examples of full and successful retail districts with no large mega store mass merchandise anchors. The key is that they offer a wide selection of unique and usually locally owned stores that, together, create the destination themselves. Granted, these are usually in denser locations that are on a main transit route. Hopefully, if that happens here,we'll have some space developed with that kind of shopping experience in mind.

Yes, quite right. Western Ave. & Paseo are fine Oklahoma City examples, as well.

Id like to think that too but in reality they dont touch Tulsa's Cherry St or Brookside.

I think that you're correct, J.Pitman, about Tulsa. What you said about Peoria is certainly true, but, actually, before I read your post, a different particular area in Tulsa came to mind, E. 15th between Peoria and Utica. I was rolling around in my head what is at least generally being asked in this thread, "what would you like to see Automobile Alley (Broadway and its proximate crossings, e.g., NW 9th - NW 13th) be like, and as I was pondering the question that mile-long stretch on E. 15th in Tulsa popped in my mind, and I looked at Google maps to test my memory -- it's been a few years now since I was actually driving along this strip.

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a49/DougLoudenback/misc/tulsa_e15th.jpg

As I said, it's been a few years since I've been there, but I remember this mile-long strip as a delightful urban stretch laden with lots of small shops of one kind or another ... good restaurants, to be sure, but also many other types of commerce mixed in ... places to buy quality items of home decor, art, others that I don't recall. In the above contemporary Google aerial, it looks like there's a barber shop, a shoe shop, a doughnut shop, a flower shop, and doubtless other shops that didn't make the Google rendering.

What that mile-long stretch remarkable is ... it is eclectic, a hodgepodge, a blend of this's and that's ... some nice antique shops might fit in nicely ... any kind of commerce that is fun for shoppers who are interested in charm and local fare, compactly located within a fairly small and defined space. In such a mix, no need would exist for any kind of an "anchor," Nick ... in fact, an anchor would detract from the charm, in my opinion. "Small" is the first keyword; "local" is the second; and "utilizing old buildings" is the third.

I think that Automobile Alley & its crossings at and above NW 9th would be ideal for such a development, where it has already begun. It could become a premier city destination, I'm thinking.

Doug, you got me at the Cherry Street example. I love that corridor, as well as Brookside. But perhaps a difference is that Cherry is not really in downtown. It's quite separated from downtown by the BA Expwy and the IDL-loop system around downtown Tulsa. Cherry is surrounded by the most eclectic neighbohoods of Midtown Tulsa, where many artists and other interesting types reside. Midtown Tulsa, as a city-region, is an institution. There is no OKC equivalent. Perhaps their never will be.

Maybe we should just accept that we can not recreate Tulsa? We don't have the topography, the arts scene, or the required amount of snobs to do so. We should look to the more "laid-back" cities like Austin, who I think are more socially similar to us. We can learn from Austin more than we can learn from Tulsa, I think.

I give you Western Ave.

http://www.visitwesternavenue.com/assets/images/map.png

Sorry but if you want to go from one end of Western To the other you have to drive. If you want to go from Sushi Neko to the Cock of the walk you pretty much have to drive.

Big difference from Peoria.

The paseao is great but in reality there are 3 restaurants there and a bar with a lot of art galleries.

My point is we don't really have a single street or district with high enough density where you can walk shop eat and drink without getting in and out of the car.

I meant to add, maybe Automobile Alley can become that dense. I believe it has the potential.