http://www.news9.com/global/category.asp?C=116601&topVideoCatNo=188830&autostart=true&clipid=6828713

So, according to that vid Native Roots will open in late May or early June and will be 2,400 square feet.

So, according to that vid Native Roots will open in late May or early June and will be 2,400 square feet.

Any word on the new restaurant or other amenities?

So, according to that vid Native Roots will open in late May or early June and will be 2,400 square feet.

How does that compare to the other store?

The Native Roots in Norman is 3,700 square feet.


As for the proposed restaurant, the Level site still shows that space as available. It's the only other for-rent retail/commercial space.

They need a coffee shop, not another restaurant.

There will be a coffee shop directly across the street in the Aloft:

http://www.levelokc.com/sites/default/files/retail-space-restaurant2.png

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

They need a coffee shop, not another restaurant.

Deep Deuce only has two restaurants. I'm not sure if Sage is open anymore. If they are, they sure don't keep consistent hours.

Don't forget The Wedge.

And in addition to the Aloft coffee shop, they will have their own dining hall plus a separate restaurant.

Plus, Native Roots will serve coffee and have a small deli inside.


This area is going to be a really cool little local enclave.

Pete, I didn't; The Wedge and Deep Deuce Grill were the only two current ones I'm talking about.

Should have also mentioned that Aloft will have a two-level WXYZ bar at it's east end.

There's Urban Roots too, although I'm not precisely sure what it is. I see people going in, it's got an OPEN sign lit up once in a while, I once saw a menu posted, but it is not a regular restaurant.

Native Roots, Urban Roots. .... can we be more creative or unique?

Happy to see retail in DD, however. ..

So here's a what a tentative Deep Deuce neighborhood roster might look like:

Deep Deuce Bar and Grill
Urban Roots (I think their hours are event-based)
The Wedge
Sage (still open I think, just as an upscale eatery though)
Native Roots, + coffee bar and deli
Aloft Coffee Shop
XYZ Bar inside Aloft
Aloft restaurant
LEVEL restaurant

I maintain my original position that it is a little restaurant-heavy. It does certainly seem very residential-influenced though, which is good. I think the mix could still better serve that, however. I'd also like to see how the ground-floor spaces in the Lofts could be utilized.

what about salon, dry cleaners, pharmacy, sandwich shops, mom/pop convenience stores, travel agency, internet cafe, video rental, bookstore. .......

these are the retail options (besides clothiers, dourable goods) that we need to promote for downtown!!!

No doubt. Maybe the restaurant space in LEVEL could be better-suited for a CVS or Walgreens, or hell, even one of these "downtown" 7-Elevens.

Don't forget that once people move into LEVEL you might see those retail/business spaces in the lofts to the west fill in. There's already a salon and a law firm (I think) and a lot of other available spaces.

No doubt. I tend to think that the large LEVEL demographic (hundreds, average incomes) and people staying at the Aloft will have a lot more sway in attracting those kinds of neighborhood-level services than the 50 high-income residents of the Lofts at Maywood and the 20 high-income residents of the Brownstones.

Since we pretty much know how LEVEL and aLoft are going to turn out, what's next for the area? Does it need more retail? If so, why? Where might new developments go? I'm just curious how others envision this area continuing to grow (which I think it will)...

So here's a what a tentative Deep Deuce neighborhood roster might look like:

Deep Deuce Bar and Grill
Urban Roots (I think their hours are event-based)
The Wedge
Sage (still open I think, just as an upscale eatery though)
Native Roots, + coffee bar and deli
Aloft Coffee Shop
XYZ Bar inside Aloft
Aloft restaurant
LEVEL restaurant

I maintain my original position that it is a little restaurant-heavy. It does certainly seem very residential-influenced though, which is good. I think the mix could still better serve that, however. I'd also like to see how the ground-floor spaces in the Lofts could be utilized.

There will be two restaurants at Aloft: their own internal dining hall and a separate restaurant for lease on the west end with a patio. Also, there will be a small sundries shop.


As far as services, there is a nice Salon right next door at Maywood Lofts, plus they still have several small storefronts that would be good for all the things Hot Rod mentioned.

There is a salon in the Maywood Lofts. And Fashion Cleaners is at 6th and Broadway, which might mean we don't need another so close. I'd like to see a pharmacy, but as soon as one was successful, CVS and Walgreens would likely move in, with their ugly faux-italianate amalgam buildings

The only problem with the Loft's storefronts is the vertical separation and the railing (granted, I recognize the difficulty of the street's slope and maintaining ADA access). And then the city's impediments...

The only problem with the Loft's storefronts is the vertical separation and the railing (granted, I recognize the difficulty of the street's slope and maintaining ADA access). And then the city's impediments...

Agreed, but there are businesses that can succeed way up there... like the Salon.

So here's a what a tentative Deep Deuce neighborhood roster might look like:

Deep Deuce Bar and Grill
Urban Roots (I think their hours are event-based)
The Wedge
Sage (still open I think, just as an upscale eatery though)
Native Roots, + coffee bar and deli
Aloft Coffee Shop
XYZ Bar inside Aloft
Aloft restaurant
LEVEL restaurant

I maintain my original position that it is a little restaurant-heavy. It does certainly seem very residential-influenced though, which is good. I think the mix could still better serve that, however. I'd also like to see how the ground-floor spaces in the Lofts could be utilized.

Again, I don't think Sage is a restaurant anymore, and they never were "upscale". As far as Urban Roots/Native Roots I don't think there are both, and I've never seen them open. So again, my point is that DDG and Wedge are the only ones open NOW.

Isn't that building just west of Aloft going to have some retail in it too?

Sage's website says they are closed for a remodel and will reopen soon.

Again, I don't think Sage is a restaurant anymore, and they never were "upscale". As far as Urban Roots/Native Roots I don't think there are both, and I've never seen them open. So again, my point is that DDG and Wedge are the only ones open NOW.

Where to begin, metro... first of all, most people would consider $18 dishes "upscale" for OKC, especially when they also get you to get a gourmet salt as a side. Urban Roots and Native Roots are separate ventures; Urban Roots is a business with limited hours located in the former leasing office on 2nd Street. I went to an arts banquet there a while ago, so I know it exists and is open. Native Roots is the Norman-based grocer that has signed a lease with LEVEL. Sage being under renovation also means that they are still in business, at least for now.

So that's the news happening beyond metro-land..

Glad to see others excited about, or at least interested in these apartments. I've been on their mailing list for a while, been following the developments and can't wait to move in. I'm meeting the property manager tomorrow to get a "Hard-hat construction tour", check out some of the units, and I'll most likely end up putting down a deposit to reserve my own for a May 1 move-in. I'll try to take as many pictures as she'll let me, and I'll post them on here if you guys want. They'll be crappy iPhone pics but, whatever.

Also pretty cool to see that Aloft will have restaurant options and a bar right across the street... Not an alcoholic, just young, single and dying to meet some young fun people in OKC (I'm Air Force).

You're exactly who LEVEL is targeting. I bet they could immediately fill up LEVEL three times over. I've met a ton of young people that want to live there. I wonder how long it will take for similar projects to materialize once developers see it's success. Maybe the proposed apartments on Sheridan would qualify... We'll see what the design looks like.

Where to begin, metro... first of all, most people would consider $18 dishes "upscale" for OKC, especially when they also get you to get a gourmet salt as a side. Urban Roots and Native Roots are separate ventures; Urban Roots is a business with limited hours located in the former leasing office on 2nd Street. I went to an arts banquet there a while ago, so I know it exists and is open. Native Roots is the Norman-based grocer that has signed a lease with LEVEL. Sage being under renovation also means that they are still in business, at least for now.

So that's the news happening beyond metro-land..

You're still not processing what I said.DDG and Wedge are the only two real restaurants in Deep Deuce as we speak. Sage has been closed for some time, and previously was operating as a night club. When it was open as a restaurant, they had plenty of dishes under $10. That's not upscale.

Urban Roots, I've rarely seen open. And again the others aren't going to open for sometime. That's what's happening here in Deep Deuce and not Canada.

urban roots is open 3 days a week ..

You're still not processing what I said.DDG and Wedge are the only two real restaurants in Deep Deuce as we speak. Sage has been closed for some time, and previously was operating as a night club. When it was open as a restaurant, they had plenty of dishes under $10. That's not upscale.

Urban Roots, I've rarely seen open. And again the others aren't going to open for sometime. That's what's happening here in Deep Deuce and not Canada.

Sage had small salads under $10, and I don't know about you, but that's not a meal to me. Don't defend yourself on the point, you said that there wasn't both Urban Roots or Native Roots. And yes, Deep Deuce is south of Canada, there's my fun fact contribution. I'm not processing what you said because I can't get past the fact that you don't know what you're talking about.

The level corner sign went up on the SE corner this morning

Yes, they also posted very sharp pics on their Facebook page of the event. I think it looks good!

The renderings showed this sign as gray, so perhaps they still plan to paint it.

http://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/417024_290701594336033_114527048620156_749882_5340 17748_n.jpg

http://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/426822_290702747669251_114527048620156_749898_2106 232032_n.jpg

http://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/426207_290703434335849_114527048620156_749908_1019 585281_n.jpg

http://a3.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/423376_290703514335841_114527048620156_749910_9419 91497_n.jpg

That is going to look really cool lit up at night.

They've got very good looking railings up at the ends of the hallways, that have the word LEVEL running vertically, cut out of the iron.

LEVEL is really looking good now.

Now they just need to narrow Walnut to two lanes and put in some on-street parking, which will really create a nice urban feel to the street.

Now they just need to narrow Walnut to two lanes and put in some on-street parking, which will really create a nice urban feel to the street.
Out of curiosity, is there a reason Walnut was not streetscaped like most of the others in Deep Deuce?

I have no idea, but it should be urbanized now.

Probably need to wait a bit until we figure out the final streetcar route, and determine where potential extensions might be. Walnut is on the table at this point in time.

I think Walnut would be a great route for the streetcar (in fact, it is on the route map I made 2 years ago), but making it 2 lanes and putting in on-street parking wouldn't prevent the streetcar from using it. Streetcars all over the world run on two-lane streets and there are many design options that will still allow cars to pass while the streetcar is stopped.

I think Walnut would be a great route for the streetcar (in fact, it is on the route map I made 2 years ago), but making it 2 lanes and putting in on-street parking wouldn't prevent the streetcar from using it. Streetcars all over the world run on two-lane streets and there are many design options that will still allow cars to pass while the streetcar is stopped.

I agree. But, it also wouldn't hurt to wait and see how, if the streetcar does run there, it affects traffic, as the Walnut Bridge is a major artery into Bricktown. I think there are a lot of streets we could address before worrying about Walnut, Broadway and EK Gaylord especially.

I think Walnut would be a great route for the streetcar (in fact, it is on the route map I made 2 years ago), but making it 2 lanes and putting in on-street parking wouldn't prevent the streetcar from using it. Streetcars all over the world run on two-lane streets and there are many design options that will still allow cars to pass while the streetcar is stopped.

You gotta remember, though, that us po-dunk Okie's will get confused...

You gotta remember, though, that us po-dunk Okie's will get confused...

That seems to be the standard excuse in Okahoma. Self-loathing sucks.

That seems to be the standard excuse in Okahoma. Self-loathing sucks.

So does sarcasm. It's always misunderstood, lol.

That seems to be the standard excuse in Okahoma. Self-loathing sucks.

Yeah! Us Okies just love some good ol' self-loathing!

Well at some point, Oklahoma drivers ed classes are going to have to do some urban driving education. If one more person stops in front of me for a whole minute while they don't know what to do at the Walker circle...

Are we at the point where we can just lay into those folks with our horns? I think that there are yield signs prominently displayed at every point of ingress.

...Are we at the point where we can just lay into those folks with our horns? ...
The answer: yes. Of course here "laying into those folks with our horns" really means a couple of semi-polite taps. That usually gets them moving.

Well at some point, Oklahoma drivers ed classes are going to have to do some urban driving education. If one more person stops in front of me for a whole minute while they don't know what to do at the Walker circle...

Are we at the point where we can just lay into those folks with our horns? I think that there are yield signs prominently displayed at every point of ingress.

I am not sure what "urban driving" really is. If that means stopping in the middle of a narrow street for long periods of time to load people, talk, give the finger to those behind who are honking, etc., much as I endure in NYC, then I think we can pass on "urban driving" lessons. LOL

Face it, rude and inattentive drivers are everywhere. As are rude pedestrians...standing in doorways, at the top or bottom of the escalator, blocking the exit in an elevator, etc., etc. etc. Rude is rude and some people won't change.

I am not sure what "urban driving" really is. If that means stopping in the middle of a narrow street for long periods of time to load people, talk, give the finger to those behind who are honking, etc., much as I endure in NYC, then I think we can pass on "urban driving" lessons. LOL

Face it, rude and inattentive drivers are everywhere. As are rude pedestrians...standing in doorways, at the top or bottom of the escalator, blocking the exit in an elevator, etc., etc. etc. Rude is rude and some people won't change.

That's why I think a friendly shove is always helpful.

The people described by Spartan are not rude. They are confused about to use a roundabout.

*honk* *honk*

It's amazing that while nobody knows how to navigate the traffic circles (which I swear is not as hard as people make it out to be), that the incidence of accidents has still plummeted as much as it has. Usually mass confusion and high traffic counts are a recipe for disaster, but in this case, I think on the bright side at least we've been successful at getting people to slow down and study their surroundings.

I think I will start doing the polite taps as well, and I know I've seen others doing it--I'd just hate to be the only asshole lol.

Im holding my breath but I hope the end result is better looking than right now. Even though the aloft and level will complement each other, they still dont mix well with the entire neighborhood, but we'll see.

Same reason why in some places the removal of signs have caused accident counts to drop.

And they are installing traffic light lens which you can't see which light is on until you are right at the intersection so people have to slow down or risk running through a red light. It works.

Im holding my breath but I hope the end result is better looking than right now. Even though the aloft and level will complement each other, they still dont mix well with the entire neighborhood, but we'll see.

That is one things I wondered about when the architect said they wanted to bring London design to OKC. Which London - Victorian or modern? All over London are modern strucutres built right next to Victorian strucutures. I guess maybe that is what they meant.

I live in that neighborhood, i think it looks great, and am excited about the project and some architectural diversity in the neighborhood.

I hate those! I like knowing where I am at in the sequence of the signal as I am approaching. For example, if I see the left arrows are going and I am coming up, I might not need to slow down as much as by the time I get to the intersection the forward green lights may be on. Or if I see the forward green lights are on, I know I probably won't make the light and can plan accordingly... might make a right turn on red or get in the left turn lane. Turning traffic always goes first in the sequence.