From today's City of Midwest City email:


March 23, 2010

Midwest City Receives Grant for Original Mile Enhancement Study


The City of Midwest City was recently awarded a grant totaling $40K from the Midwest City Hospital Authority for the purpose of hiring a consulting firm to conduct an original mile enhancement study.

According to Terri Craft, Grants Manager, the study will focus on evaluating existing conditions and providing a sequential plan for enhancement of the area. The study will encompass infrastructure needs, lighting, traffic patterns, parks and common areas, housing and neighborhood identity. The original mile area is bordered by S.E. 15th Street, on the north; Midwest Blvd., on the east; Air Depot Blvd., on the west; and S.E. 29th Street, on the south.

Craft stated that the original mile was developed between 1942 and the early 1950's by Midwest City developer and founder, W.P. Atkinson. "The Town Center retail development has improved Midwest City's front door on the south side of the area, however, the city's oldest residential neighborhood could benefit from additional attention. This study will give the city direction and recommendations to consider as we look to revitalize and improve the area," she continued.

Craft said that the RFP should be ready to go out within the next few months and that it may take a year to complete the study.

A year and $40K? Hope they don't hire outgoing mayor Russell Smith - he may want to tear down the rest of neighborhood!

OK - cheap shot, maybe - particularly since Town Center has been so successful. The last time they studied that neighborhood, though, old folks were displaced and some didn't receive enough money to get housing elsewhere.

Maybe we could speculate in this thread - what improvements could be made?

I know one - ban out-of-state slumlords!

I still say that they are going turn W. Rickenbacker into a very wide boulevard between the new hotel and McDonalds. That's progress, you see.

Edit: I wanted a little sofa emoticon with the smily face peering out over the top but that didn't work.http://www.okctalk.com/images/smilies/Smilie1/sofa.gif

I still say that they are going turn W. Rickenbacker into a very wide boulevard between the new hotel and McDonalds. That's progress, you see.

Edit: I wanted a little sofa emoticon with the smily face peering out over the top but that didn't work.http://www.okctalk.com/images/smilies/Smilie1/sofa.gif

As long as they pay me a large sum of money for my home, I'm good with it. $150K to start, plus moving expenses. :kicking:

I don't really see much of what they can do. The streets, for the most part, are nice (relatively new pavement). The lights are standard to the rest of the city. There are a few parks around as well as school yards. The area is economiclly depressed compared to the rest of MWC because it's the oldest. That doesn't mean that it's necessarily full of "ghetto" though. That's a huge difference and I'm afraid too many people assume that the area is full of crap. Let me reimd you that you can still walk around TOM at night and not have to worry about getting jumped. Parts of Edmond can't say the same.

What I would like to see is a way to encourage reinvestment in the homes to spruce them up. How you do that, I have no idea. It would be a monumental effort, but would do wonders for values as well. But as far as what can be done on the civic side, I just can't picture anything they can do to really make a difference in the area.

One thing...sidewalks would be great!

I can’t imagine what they have up their sleeve either. Whatever it is, it has been my experience that it will involve “neighborhood services” and “code enforcement” cracking down on the poor feeble homeowners because of a loose shutter or a sag in their guttering on an otherwise well maintained home while inexplicably ignoring those properties that are chronically so overgrown and dilapidated that farm animals would refuse to live there.

I have noticed that it appears as if the houses that remained after the clearing for Town Center have increased in value. As a result of the decrease in inventory for these types of houses, many have been bought and turned into nice smaller homes. I live just west of the OM and the same things have happened here.

I do live in a state of constant apprehension that one day before too many more years pass, a bulldozer with “Rose State College” emblazoned on it will be idling outside my front door.

I live in the original mile, too, and I love it. Although, I agree the Lauri that out of state slum lords should be banned. We have one of those next door and the house just looks shabby. I hope they don't do anything very radical in this area.

I've put over $30K into my home, on top of original $25K purchase price, by completely rewiring, replumbing, adding Central HVAC and 500 SF room addition with second bathroom. I investd that much money because I love the neighborhood and intend to live there until I ether go out in a box or can no longer take care of myself.
Bombermwc - you are exactly right. I can walk around my neighborhood and feel safe, most of the time. The only problem we've had has been with a neighboring renter's teenage sons and their friends - but MWC's finest have been on the spot to take care of business. I can walk to Lowe's, Target, et al without a lot of effort.
Sidewalks and repair of streets and street lights woold just about do it.

Require the non-resident landlords to keep their properties in shape, because for the most part, those of us who own and live in our homes have enough pride to keep our property well-tended.

Maybe one of these days you'll get an email saying they are going to demolish all of the nasty, trash infested apartments in MWC. In the mean time, I guess they'll waste time and money trying to figure out what to do with the older neighborhoods, when, like mentioned earlier, sidewalks and street lights would do the trick.