This really is dumbfounding. The city is constantly willing to delay services (e.g., lighting, fountain) weeks for a later date as if NOW (which coincides with the most publicity the city will ever receive) doesn't matter. This city is run like a corrupt 3rd world country.

I'm told that all the big water features have been problematic since the outset: the kid's fountain, the wave fountain, the big rock feature on the NE corner have all had significant down time and they are barely a year old. People have already forgotten the kid's fountain was months late in being finished.

I'm beginning to worry that corners were cut as part of the value engineering that occurred about halfway through. Remember, lots of things were completely deleted, including a second cafe, the green roof on the one cafe that did get built and a bunch of other things. And they STILL went way over budget.

I'd ask how they could have been so far off but this is all par for the Project 180 course. The gardens are beautiful and everyone loves the design, but I fear this might be yet another result of poor project budgeting and management.

Another couple of points of frustration with the fountain: 1. The cloud-creating device has not worked since the grand opening. Hopefully they fix that too. 2. It only operates until 8 pm. Since it also only operates during the summer, nobody will ever get to experience it after dark when it looks the best.

This is exactly what you get when you put civil engineers in charge of running a city of 600,000.

City wanting to be Tier 1 must learn to crawl before it can walk.

Or at least exchange the civil engineers' best practices manual: cities 300,000-500,000 for the newer, updated civil engineers' best practices manual: cities 500,000-800,000, which on page 32 section 3a it says explicitly to slap anyone upside the face who doesn't make sure the city is looking its best when it is on TV before the entire nation.

Actually this is not that uncommon. As for keeping spare parts on hand, would you really want the City to spend hundreds, if not thousands, on parts they may never need.

Well, it already broke and it only operated from June to September last year so the odds of not using the parts is slim to none.

Future does not look bright for the fountain if it is already breaking down.

What is the deal with our P180 suppliers? Pelco and others..

To continue the hand wringing, the lack of the kids' spray facility in Myriad Gardens is a MAJOR FAIL. After work today I saw camera crews roaming around the Myriad Gardens taking shots. There are media here from every corner of the globe to show our city off and we can't keep a *&#@ spray park running. It's embarrassing and bush league. This city is still not major league -- not by a long shot. There are minor league cities running circles around us.

It's scary to think of all the incompetence associated with P180, particularly considering we're in the midst of a major boom in OKC. If this is how we handle prosperity I greatly fear what will happen here when our natty gas bubble bursts.

From what little I know of OKC politics, it seems like it's time to give Jim Couch the gold watch and wish him well. His crony style of governance doesn't mesh well with OKC taking the next step.

I'm thinking of all that we've discussed in the last week, including the twin unfolding debacles of the boulevard, the inability to complete the Main Street segment of P180, the failure (or willful decision) to keep lights on in a major downtown residential district, the hubbub and shutdown of Thunder Alley, etc. and I'm dismayed with the leadership happening in OKC. Time to step up our game.

Soooo...someones got to know what happened there tonight. Police on every corner, and tape was all around the perimeter. One cop says there was a suspicious package...anyone know anything else about this?

They said on the news that the package was nothing. At least they're looking into it.

Soooo...someones got to know what happened there tonight. Police on every corner, and tape was all around the perimeter. One cop says there was a suspicious package...anyone know anything else about this?

Could be anything, one of my favorites was police in Boston found and blew up a 'suspicious device' on the side of the road a couple years ago, turned out it was a traffic counter. Lead to some people to place stickers on practically any object on the street saying this is not a bomb.

http://farm1.staticflickr.com/166/406988637_ce495a1647_z.jpg

http://farm1.staticflickr.com/170/406988024_15054aaed1_z.jpg

http://farm1.staticflickr.com/177/406989819_367e89c30c_z.jpg

To continue the hand wringing, the lack of the kids' spray facility in Myriad Gardens is a MAJOR FAIL. After work today I saw camera crews roaming around the Myriad Gardens taking shots. There are media here from every corner of the globe to show our city off and we can't keep a *&#@ spray park running. It's embarrassing and bush league. This city is still not major league -- not by a long shot. There are minor league cities running circles around us.

It's scary to think of all the incompetence associated with P180, particularly considering we're in the midst of a major boom in OKC. If this is how we handle prosperity I greatly fear what will happen here when our natty gas bubble bursts.

From what little I know of OKC politics, it seems like it's time to give Jim Couch the gold watch and wish him well. His crony style of governance doesn't mesh well with OKC taking the next step.

I'm thinking of all that we've discussed in the last week, including the twin unfolding debacles of the boulevard, the inability to complete the Main Street segment of P180, the failure (or willful decision) to keep lights on in a major downtown residential district, the hubbub and shutdown of Thunder Alley, etc. and I'm dismayed with the leadership happening in OKC. Time to step up our game.

I've been saying Jim Couch needs to go for a long time, but you'd be amazed at how many people will continue to make excuses for inept city leadership and I just don't see many others calling for him to go. Unfortunately I get the sense that he has many more ruined projects to go until he retires.

I hope it wasn't a box of replacement parts for the fountain and the police blew it up.

self deleted

Well it was serious, either it really was a bomb, or they were very worried. There was a couple fire trucks and ambulances. And roughly 20 cop cars

Well it was serious, either it really was a bomb, or they were very worried. There was a couple fire trucks and ambulances. And roughly 20 cop cars

It was a false alarm but they have to take approriate precautions.

http://www.news9.com/story/18761529/police-suspicious-package-found-in-downtown-okc-deemed-harmless

Photo of the band shell lit up for the Finals!
http://i1122.photobucket.com/albums/l527/mrktguy29/Devon%20Tower%202%2027%2011/IMG_3506.jpg

Or at least exchange the civil engineers' best practices manual: cities 300,000-500,000 for the newer, updated civil engineers' best practices manual: cities 500,000-800,000, which on page 32 section 3a it says explicitly to slap anyone upside the face who doesn't make sure the city is looking its best when it is on TV before the entire nation.
He shoots...he SCORES

Or at least exchange the civil engineers' best practices manual: cities 300,000-500,000 for the newer, updated civil engineers' best practices manual: cities 500,000-800,000, which on page 32 section 3a it says explicitly to slap anyone upside the face who doesn't make sure the city is looking its best when it is on TV before the entire world

Fixed*

Yes.

They have an annual operating budget of $4 million and this fountain is probably the key draw for kids and has already proven to be wildly unreliable.

After the massive investment made in this park -- with public funds -- this is not an acceptable way to operate it.

And lets hear the uproar when 20 years from now they remodel and find boxes and boxes of new (but now worthless) fountain parts. I guess I expect more financial responsibility.

Seems to me the overall solution is to find people that actually care about the darned thing. Seems to be a constant issue with several new items and projects downtown. Such a shame...

I took my wife and son to see Space Jam tonight on the Amphitheater Lawn.... It was AMAZING! Perfect night for it! There was a VERY good turnout! They should really consider doing this once a week on a certain night. I posted it on Facebook and got LOTS of comments on it! ALOT of people wanting to know how often they do this and when's the next showing. How can OKCtalk get this to be a weekly thing?? I personally think it would be a HUGE success.

A couple of years ago I took my daughter to see Casablanca at the Myriad Gardens. Of course this was before all of the revovations. It was well attended even then with a much less desirable site. I have a feeling there will be more movies. I subsribe to the weekly downtown e-newsletter http://www.downtownokc.com/DowntownNews/DowntownENewsletter.aspx which usually posts such goings on.

I took my wife and son to see Space Jam tonight on the Amphitheater Lawn.... It was AMAZING! Perfect night for it! There was a VERY good turnout! They should really consider doing this once a week on a certain night. I posted it on Facebook and got LOTS of comments on it! ALOT of people wanting to know how often they do this and when's the next showing. How can OKCtalk get this to be a weekly thing?? I personally think it would be a HUGE success.

Great idea.

Regarding the fountains, I walked through the gardens yesterday and everything seemed to be running smoothly except for the children's fountain.

First time I had been through since the renovation and it's all very, very impressive.

I took some pics I plan on getting posted here eventually of the Space Jam screening the other night, but NewsOK just put up this awesome photo of deadCENTER that shows pretty much same thing. Honestly this pic is a little better, this stage of twilight occurred while the plot was too riveting for me get up and take pics, or something like that.

This is beautiful:
http://cdn2.newsok.biz/cache/r620-a3f5c0a3ca530f4860ba64c4e56cefe3.jpg

What city was that shot taken?

Seriously, amazing!

It's even more impressive being there in person... That's why I suggested earlier they need to have a weekly movie night. It would be a huge success!

Stunning shot! I would definitely support a weekly downtown movie night!

1842184318441845

Wow...

+1

then +1 all over again!

Wow ^ This photo is not in the same league as the above, but this was from Space Jam the other night.. you'll notice, again, a pretty decent turnout.

http://distilleryimage6.instagram.com/363a18c0b9ab11e1abd612313810100a_7.jpg

Here's a couple pictures I took at the Space Jam movie.
18461847

Which reminds me of this article I saw today.

http://local.msn.com/cinema-al-fresco

It would be nice to be included in this group of cities.

We should be, and so should Houston, which does a weekly film screening in the Discovery Green, which our new Myriad Gardens is based on.

Thought the MAPS 3 Park was based on Discovery Green???

No. The Myriad Botanical Gardens were patterned after Discovery Green. Same landscape architect.

No. The Myriad Botanical Gardens were patterned after Discovery Green. Same landscape architect.

So I guess that is why the CC is going to be abutting it, just like in Houston.

Anyone know when the Children's Fountain will be fixed? My Dallas grandchildren are visiting early in July and they were really looking forward to playing in it.

When I was driving around downtown this past Saturday I noticed the water features where the ice skating rink was were functional so you should have an option either way.

So I guess that is why the CC is going to be abutting it, just like in Houston.

Makes perfect sense now. In Houston, the CC was located where it is because it's up against a freeway that demarcates the obvious end of downtown (really, the edge of the earth). Ours will be up against I-40 Business Route.

It still may not make sense but is eerily similar.

Let's see....river walk like San Antonio, park and cc like Houston, big multi part epic bronze sculpture like Dallas.... Wonder what we will copy from Austin..oh yea...Bricktown? Why go to Texas when we have it all right here in one place. (is it okay to say LOL?)

No. The Myriad Botanical Gardens were patterned after Discovery Green. Same landscape architect.

Maybe both of them were/are?

Read more: http://newsok.com/maps-3-park-could-be-first-for-oklahoma-city/article/3417514#ixzz1yGnz8daB


But the concept of a "highly programmed” urban park is a new one for Oklahoma City, and the best way to understand it is to look at similar parks in other cities, Mayor Mick Cornett said.
The Oklahoman recently visited Discovery Green Park in Houston. The Greater Oklahoma City Chamber planned the trip, but The Oklahoman paid its own way. The planned MAPS 3 park would be bigger than the 12-acre Houston park, but would have many similar features and was designed by the same company, Hargreaves and Associates.

It still may not make sense but is eerily similar.

Let's see....river walk like San Antonio, park and cc like Houston, big multi part epic bronze sculpture like Dallas.... Wonder what we will copy from Austin..oh yea...Bricktown? Why go to Texas when we have it all right here in one place. (is it okay to say LOL?)

But we haven't any of those things. Our canal has already become blighted again, our park will never attract the kind of development around it that Discovery Green or Millennium Park did, and idk about this epic bronze sculpture? But it's also safe to say that Bricktown is not quite the destination that 6th Street in Austin is, nor does it have any mixed-use development like the other successful parts of DT Austin.

One of the most elegant urban settings in all of Texas is the Main Street LRT corridor in Houston - I guess you can say we'll have modern rail transit soon as well, and that's at least one project I can still get excited for.

No. The Myriad Botanical Gardens were patterned after Discovery Green. Same landscape architect.

My bad. I thought the Office of James Burnett, who designed the MBG, had designed Discovery Green. They designed another project adjacent to discovery green. Discovery Green was actually designed by Hargreaves and Associates, who produced the original rendering for the MAPS3 park design concept. I do know the Devon Implementation Committee, including committee leadership, as well as representatives from OJB, Devon, the MBG Foundation, took site visits to Discovery Green for progamming ideas.

I've been to Discovery Green and can see the resemblance. I definitely prefer the Myriad. They were very limited in the vegetation they could plant at Discovery because half of the park has a parking garage underneath it.

I have hear the restaurant there is really good, however.

But we haven't any of those things. Our canal has already become blighted again, our park will never attract the kind of development around it that Discovery Green or Millennium Park did, and idk about this epic bronze sculpture? But it's also safe to say that Bricktown is not quite the destination that 6th Street in Austin is, nor does it have any mixed-use development like the other successful parts of DT Austin.

One of the most elegant urban settings in all of Texas is the Main Street LRT corridor in Houston - I guess you can say we'll have modern rail transit soon as well, and that's at least one project I can still get excited for.

Spartan my friend, if its really that bad here, and your that sick of this Great City, call Mayflower or United Van lines, they will provide the boxes and pack for you if you need the help.

I've been to Discovery Green and can see the resemblance. I definitely prefer the Myriad. They were very limited in the vegetation they could plant at Discovery because half of the park has a parking garage underneath it.

I have hear the restaurant there is really good, however.

Oh wow, that's extremely true, and I never thought of that. We're talking about putting parking underneath the MAPS3 park. Wow..

Oh wow, that's extremely true, and I never thought of that. We're talking about putting parking underneath the MAPS3 park. Wow..

That was very early in the talking stage, there is not going to be parking under the park.

That was very early in the talking stage, there is not going to be parking under the park.

I didn't realize it was taken off the table. Can you provide proof?

I didn't realize it was taken off the table. Can you provide proof?

I'll find the article and post it. It may be in a weekly paper I get covering downtown, but I'll find it.

Thanks. My recollection is becoming clearer on that issue, and I think the underground parking was for the CC, which we have no idea where parking for the new CC site is going to go.. oh brother..

Thanks. My recollection is becoming clearer on that issue, and I think the underground parking was for the CC, which we have no idea where parking for the new CC site is going to go.. oh brother..

Maps 3 Parking Lot?

*snicker*

Spartan my friend, if its really that bad here, and your that sick of this Great City, call Mayflower or United Van lines, they will provide the boxes and pack for you if you need the help.

I'll volunteer to help.

But it's also safe to say that Bricktown is not quite the destination that 6th Street in Austin is, nor does it have any mixed-use development like the other successful parts of DT Austin.

It's also safe to say that if Bricktown and the rest of downtown OKC had 50,000 college students within walking distance the development would be much different.

Bricktown has college students that it is not taking advantage of, beyond the Candy Co adding a lunch counter. I truly can't think of any other Bricktown businesses that seized on that opportunity, and certainly none of the housing need is being met, etc. I also doubt much of the ACM crowd is interested in the mix of restaurants and clubs in Bricktown, which has slowly devolved to cater to... I'll let you guys guess

Bricktown has college students that it is not taking advantage of, beyond the Candy Co adding a lunch counter. I truly can't think of any other Bricktown businesses that seized on that opportunity, and certainly none of the housing need is being met, etc. I also doubt much of the ACM crowd is interested in the mix of restaurants and clubs in Bricktown, which has slowly devolved to cater to... I'll let you guys guess

That could very well be true but ACM hardly equates to the impact of UT.

One of the early projects identified for MAPS III was to create a downtown university campus. It didn't make the cut but would have probably had the 2nd biggest economic impact (behind the streetcar) on downtown. Of course, with the looming collapse of the education bubble it is possible that it would have been a waste of money.