Tackling the subject of urban renewal in and of itself in totality is just cause for headaches. Imagine writing a whole book about it (Steve)..

Steve better sell a lot of those books because he would never work in Oklahoma again.

Kerry, that book has already been written - "OKC Second Time Around." I'm still working.

I'm still working.

This is questionable if you ask some folks around here. LOL

How do they go about targeting properties to acquire?
- Until the recent launch of Core to Shore, they've gone years without doing any acquisitions

What about the old Mercy Hospital site, The Hill, Lower Bricktown, etc., etc.?

The Hill pretty much was in Urban Renewal possession since the 1970s. They traded a handful of parcels with Craig Brown to create a complete block for redevelopment. Most of Lower Bricktown was acquired by the city in preparation for MAPS, and then the city turned over control to Urban Renewal to seek a developer. The site of the Bass Pro Shops was in possession of Urban Renewal since the 1970s as part of a failed industrial redevelopment effort. The Mercy hospital site was acquired by the county in lieu of unpaid property taxes and turned over to Urban Renewal for redevelopment.

I know almost nothing of OCURA today--but they once had an impressive Public Relations Dept...do they not today?

Thanks, Steve.

Your response made me feel even worse about OCURA. Seems like they just have properties fall into their lap and sit on them for very long periods of time.

This is clearly different than more proactive, progressive cities.


With the incredible amount of tax dollars being spent to improve the inner core, it's time to ask much more from this agency. To continue to operate as it has for decades will only yield the same results, which have been far from stellar.

Your response made me feel even worse about OCURA. Seems like they just have properties fall into their lap and sit on them for very long periods of time.

This is why I called them the ultimate speculators and they have been costing the city a lot of money. They can sit on this land for decades and it doesn't cost them a penny.

Still waiting on that OCURA website to be developed!

With so much renewed interest in downtown developments, specifically Deep Deuce and Midtown. It would be very beneficial for developers if OCURA had a detail website with information such as areas and properties for re-development. Am I asking to much or what?!?

Come on OCURA let's get a "BIG League City" urban renewal website!!


Here are a few to browse and model the OCURA website after;

Denver Urban Renewal = http://renewdenver.org/index.html
Portland Urban Renewal = http://www.pdc.us/default.asp
Tulsa, YES Tulsa, Urban Renewal = http://www.tulsadevelopmentauthority.org/index.html

Still waiting on that OCURA website to be developed!

With so much renewed interest in downtown developments, specifically Deep Deuce and Midtown. It would be very beneficial for developers if OCURA had a detail website with information such as areas and properties for re-development. Am I asking to much or what?!?

Come on OCURA let's get a "BIG League City" urban renewal website!!


Here are a few to browse and model the OCURA website after;

Denver Urban Renewal = http://renewdenver.org/index.html
Portland Urban Renewal = http://www.pdc.us/default.asp
Tulsa, YES Tulsa, Urban Renewal = http://www.tulsadevelopmentauthority.org/index.html

Considering this board serves at the pleasure of the mayor, it seems a simple phone call from Mick should kick this into gear. This should be done without delay. Basic.

You guys crack me up. After you call the Mayor check for flower delivery vans in front of your house. Also, pay a neighborhood kid to start your car.