In that both Taft and Jerry World are football stadiums, I guess I can concede that the open film exchange building would be like across the street from the Louvre and gardens. LOL. Whatever you choose to defend and double down on is your deal.

I'm not defending what he said, I'm merely telling you what he said, since you demonstrated a clear misunderstanding of what is relatively easy to understand English. And seeing as this is is my first post in this thread in 2015, the only one doubling down on anything is you on your propensity to be an incorrigible and petulant poster which, by the way, several reasonable posters have publicly noted recently.

JTF was only making an example of what other places have done & how they can be implemented here. He wasn't making an exact comparison of our park & the louve. I think it was a really great idea in general.

I will also pile on, I've basically completely ignored Rover's postings for the last few months ever since he's gone on his JTF tirade. Not that my opinion matters much, as I'm a below par poster myself .

Don't sell yourself short, Judge. You're a tremendous slouch. ;)

Okay, I'm confused now. The new park will be modeled after the Louvre and will include rovers with jumbotrons that give us just the facts?

Come on, now...we can like or dislike anybody all we want, but do we really have to announce it as if it'll make a difference?

For all of those who are offended by my counterpoints, to JFT or to anyone, I apologize. I think I take all this too seriously. I am slow to realize that this is merely an open discussion board and there are apparently no wrong statements or ideas....mine, or anyone else's. People are free to believe whatever they want and interpret things however they want...I get it. There are those on here that I think bring great insight, perspective, context and solid information and I appreciate reading those posts. I hope everyone on here realizes who those people are and the value of what they bring. It is not my place to tell you who they are, so everyone is smart enough to figure it out, or not.

But this thread isn't about me. It is just about dreaming about a new park. So, I will excuse myself and not make comments unless they are positive...unless I just can't help myself. ;)

I think the building would be a great police station to monitor the park from. It is positioned to oversee much of the open area. Could make the park safer.

Or, it could be a great first aid building.
Or, it could be a place to rent skateboards or sell kites, or other things to be enjoyed in the park.

I think the building would be a great police station to monitor the park from. It is positioned to oversee much of the open area. Could make the park safer.

Now this is a good idea.

Or use it on weekends as a kids market. I was just in Canada in a small town where on the weekend in the market in the park a part of the market was set aside for kids to bring things they make, etc., to sell. It was fun to see all the kids trying to sell things like homemade post cards, wrist bands, puppets, etc.

Or as an off track betting parlor for the fathers to hang out in while the kids play in the park.

Or as an uber/taxi station. There is no parking at the park.

There is parking at the park... But not a lot of it. There will be on-street parking, as shown in the presentation to City Council linked from post #1049.

The feel here among posters is to save every building in OKC that has historical value. It's not as simple as it appear. Let's face it, some of these building would be a risk. You don't want to tie up all of the funds into a building that is functionally deficient; which may have plumbing & electrical concerns; then figure out how you want to use it.

Central Park is strategically planned. Let's proceed with Central Park's vision.

The feel here among posters is to save every building in OKC that has historical value. It's not as simple as it appear. Let's face it, some of these building would be a risk. You don't want to tie up all of the funds into a building that is functionally deficient; which may have plumbing & electrical concerns; then figure out how you want to use it.

Central Park is strategically planned. Let's proceed with Central Park's vision.

No trust me, OKC is not in risk of becoming too preservationist. That is nowhere even close to happening.

Eek, could you imagine something so awful?

Interesting observation from yesterday's MAPS 3 Park Meeting. Nearly all of the dilapidated buildings in "Hubcap Alley" on the west side of Robinson between the river and Skydance Bridge are proposed by Hargreaves for demolition as part of the south Central Park plan. Only one was proposed as being worthy of being saved as part of their evaluation.

Other notes, a urban farm is proposed, community gardens, a huge artificial turn lawn for soccer and wide area sports.

Hubcap Alley isn't pretty but it has character. Can't believe they are talking about demolishing it. Most of the buildings are dilapidated but they could be restored.

They don't want the ass end of the dilapidated buildings facing into the park.

Hubcap Alley isn't pretty but it has character. Can't believe they are talking about demolishing it. Most of the buildings are dilapidated but they could be restored.

The physical park will be west of Robinson all the way to Harvey. Of course those buildings are going to be demoed

Hubcap Alley isn't pretty but it has character. Can't believe they are talking about demolishing it. Most of the buildings are dilapidated but they could be restored.

Why can't you believe it? Hargreaves doesn't care one bit about our city. They only care about building a park that looks great from Google Earth.

The buildings on the west side of Robinson are garbage anyway. The ones on the east side (that's not part of the park anyhow) are the ones worth saving, IMO.

I also saw some younger guys and I assume an agent looking at the old Uniroyal shop on the corner of Robinson and SW 15th the other day. If I had a bunch of money I would love to buy that, I think it would make a pretty sweet sports bar.

Interesting observation from yesterday's MAPS 3 Park Meeting. Nearly all of the dilapidated buildings in "Hubcap Alley" on the west side of Robinson between the river and Skydance Bridge are proposed by Hargreaves for demolition as part of the south Central Park plan. Only one was proposed as being worthy of being saved as part of their evaluation.

Other notes, a urban farm is proposed, community gardens, a huge artificial turn lawn for soccer and wide area sports.

An urban farm shouldn't cost $35 million...

I cut microgrants for that all the time.

I figured the west side would be cleared.. would love to see the east side ones develop into some cool places.. great character

I am not really a metal fan, but personally I always thought Hubcap Alley has the kind of character that would make a great metal district.

Interesting observation from yesterday's MAPS 3 Park Meeting. Nearly all of the dilapidated buildings in "Hubcap Alley" on the west side of Robinson between the river and Skydance Bridge are proposed by Hargreaves for demolition as part of the south Central Park plan. Only one was proposed as being worthy of being saved as part of their evaluation.

Other notes, a urban farm is proposed, community gardens, a huge artificial turn lawn for soccer and wide area sports.

Here is William Crum's article and there are some very good ideas.

Soccer fields in MAPS 3 park could fill void, agency chief says | Oklahoman.com (http://www.oklahoman.com/article/5455346&headline=Soccer%20fields%20in%20MAPS%203%20park%20 could%20fill%20void%2C%20agency%20chief%20says)


A partnership with the Latino Community Development Agency could bring sports, outdoors and cultural activities into the 34-acre lower park starting the day it opens.

And the park could answer a persistent question for families in inner-south Oklahoma City, where youngsters often are home alone, said Raul Font, the agency's executive director.

"What do these kids do after school, what do they do on Saturday, what do they do in the summer?" he asked. The prospect of soccer fields and community gardens "revitalizes an area that needs some type of stimulation," Font said.
A corner of the lower park, across SW 10 from the Latino Community Development Agency, east of Walker Avenue, would be anchored by youth soccer fields.

Synthetic playing surfaces and lights for nighttime matches would keep leagues humming.

Font said the fields would fill a void for elementary-age soccer players who lack the facilities available to kids once they hit junior high and high school.

Font is looking to develop a health and wellness campus at the Latino Community Development Agency along the lines of the Health Department's regional center in northeast Oklahoma City.


All of this is vital in allowing the Latino community to assist in making this a vibrant urban park.

Those sound like excellent ideas.

I can't remember at the moment, is the lower park MAPS 3 funded?

It is not funded in MAPS 3.

It is not funded in MAPS 3.

This is not correct. The lower park is maps 3 funded

It is not funded in MAPS 3.

I shows in the plan. Are you saying the $132 million is for the upper section only?

Quick facts

Project budget: $132 million
Construction: North section projected completion in 2018; South section projected completion in 2021.
Size: 40-acre north section, 30-acre south section.
Location: The north section of the park extends from the new Oklahoma City Boulevard south to Interstate 40, and from S Hudson Avenue east to S Robinson Avenue. The south section is bordered on the north by I-40, extending south to SW 10 between S Walker Avenue and Robinson, and to SW 15 between S Harvey Avenue and Robinson.

To sidestep here a bit - there was a blurb in todays DOK that states that through September 30, 2015, the MAPS3 collections were 6.1 percent above projections, seems like it was somewhere around 480 million, IIRC.

To sidestep here a bit - there was a blurb in todays DOK that states that through September 30, 2015, the MAPS3 collections were 6.1 percent above projections, seems like it was somewhere around 480 million, IIRC.
Wow, that's great.

This is not correct. The lower park is maps 3 funded

That's my understanding that MAPS III funded a 70 acre park. Add those soccer fields to the park, use whatever grant money the Latino Development Agency can secure.

Now, upon completion of Central Park will we need Wheeler Park, 1120 S Western Ave where they have added some non regulation soccer fields to replace several softball surfaces. Eggeling Stadium (softball) is located on the southwest end of the park near Western Avenue at S. W. 11th Street.

IMO yes Wheeler still serves a valued function.

I'm pretty sure that the $132 Million was always for the park, not just one corner versus another. I even once saw figures broken up between the north an south halves. That said, I don't mind concentrating more if not all of the funding to the north of I-40 and pursuing other options for the south half. That could be a great way to forge partnerships that bring in the community, create immediate stakeholders for the park, and leverage more creative financing.

IMO Wheeler does not contribute. It's mostly sports fields today - that will be the South Park.

Now that the East Park site has been chosen for the convention center, that project will take almost all the property east of the park, west of Shields and from the boulevard to I-40.

For the last 3-5 years, there have been a few groups of investors assembling property on the west side of the park and my understanding is now that the convention center is settled and the park is about to begin construction, there are multiple projects planned for the West Park area, including some mid-rise.

There are also be a couple of for-sale residential projects queued up.


We should start to see plans coming forward for the entire West Park area in the near future and I don't think that area is going to take as long to develop as many had assumed.

That is great news and I look forward to seeing what starts popping up!

As long as it's good urban development, I'm all for it.

We do have a design district extended at least to the new I-40, yes? Ideally all the way to the River.

Yes, there is an existing design district all the way to the river:

Design District Boundaries - OKCTalk (http://www.okctalk.com/showwiki.php?title=Design+District+Boundaries)

I know one of the developers really wants Westpark to have a European feel, so I imagine development will meet JTF's urban design standards.

Residential overlooking the park is something I remember talking with Kerry about, too.

Wasn't there a law firm building with a somewhat disappointing site design announced for somewhere in the C2S area? Maybe a year or three back? If I'm remembering the details correctly, is that still in the cards?

Wasn't there a law firm building with a somewhat disappointing site design announced for somewhere in the C2S area? Maybe a year or three back? If I'm remembering the details correctly, is that still in the cards?

I remember that but can't find the article.

I remember the design being very suburban with a large setback and surface parking, and a variance was granted for it. I remember remarking that it set a bad precedent for Core to Shore. Those defending the variance said that it was necessary to get the ball rolling on Core to Shore development.

I remember that but can't find the article.

I remember the design being very suburban with a large setback and surface parking, and a variance was granted for it. I remember remarking that it set a bad precedent for Core to Shore. Those defending the variance said that it was necessary to get the ball rolling on Core to Shore development.

This is what you're referring to.

GPHG Law Offices - OKCTalk (http://www.okctalk.com/showwiki.php?title=GPHG+Law+Offices&highlight=goolsby&page=3)

Thanks, turns out it was even further south than I was thinking.

Oklahoma City Council is expected to award MAPS 3 park contract Tuesday | News OK (http://newsok.com/oklahoma-city-council-is-expected-to-award-maps-3-park-contract-tuesday/article/5461622)

The City just purchased tons of trees and they have started to convert the one-way streets to the west of the park to two way, so they will likely start tearing up the roads that criss-cross the park soon.

As a reminder, the first phase will be to completely clear the land, lay sod, and plant trees, then the rest of the work on the upper park will follow.



http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/parktimeline2015a.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/parktimeline2015b.jpg

It's probably wishful thinking that Film Exchange demo not being featured prevalently here means it's not going to happen. Probably fits under "site prep", but I can dream, right?

They have started to relocate utilities in advance of clearing out all the streets within the park boundary.

This is immediately north of Union Station.

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/centralpark121815.jpg

It's probably wishful thinking that Film Exchange demo not being featured prevalently here means it's not going to happen. Probably fits under "site prep", but I can dream, right?

Sorry, but it will be happening.

You can see them really gearing up all around the park now:



http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/central122015a.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/central122015b.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/central122015c.jpg

I can not wait to see those power lines disappear!

Mee too

Cleaning up: Company finds minor environmental problems at site of MAPS 3 park | The Journal Record (http://journalrecord.com/2016/01/12/cleaning-up-company-finds-minor-environmental-problems-at-site-of-maps-3-park-real-estate/)

Cleaning up: Company finds minor environmental problems at site of MAPS 3 park | The Journal Record (http://journalrecord.com/2016/01/12/cleaning-up-company-finds-minor-environmental-problems-at-site-of-maps-3-park-real-estate/)

Here you go. Sorry for the delay:

Cleaning up: Company finds minor environmental problems at site of MAPS 3 park

By: Brian Brus The Journal Record January 12, 2016

OKLAHOMA CITY – Soil and groundwater contamination across the planned MAPS 3 downtown park isn’t as bad as originally feared and is unlikely to significantly affect development on the site or its planned pond, according to Enercon, the company overseeing the remediation.

The Oklahoma City Council approved a memorandum of agreement with the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality on Tuesday to enable the city to comply with site-specific cleanup grants received from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency last year. The city’s brownfields program applied to the EPA for three grants worth $200,000 each. A 20-percent cost share is required as well, funded through the MAPS 3 budget, bringing the total available to $720,000.

That’s where Enercon and its principal, Joe Foster, enter the plan. The company has been studying the northern section of the 70-acre park, an area that stretches from SW Third Street near the Myriad Botanical Gardens to Interstate 40, between Hudson and Robinson avenues. Assessments have included groundwater and soil sampling to gauge the nature and extent of contamination.

David Todd, program manager for the city’s MAPS 3 sales tax issue projects, said the properties acquired to create the park have been used for light industrial purposes such as fuel stations, lumber yards, oil storage facilities and garage repair shops over the last 100 years. He said the area was not expected to require heavy remediation.

Foster said his company found various compounds and metals such as lead throughout the park, primarily in eight small areas that are now slated for excavation. The materials will be hauled to a regulated landfill. He described them as minor environmental impacts. Clean soil will be brought in as needed; Foster said it’s difficult to estimate volumes needed because City Hall plans to put a pond in the park.

As for concerns of contaminated groundwater interacting with water features, Foster said the problem layer is about 25 feet down, well out of range of the shallow, lined pond. Foster’s
company will handle all the excavation work, separate from the contractors tasked with building the park back up, further reducing the risk of cross-contamination.

“The city of Oklahoma City is a highly conscientious client when it comes to looking at the environmental conditions of their projects,” Foster said. His company has also handled several city contracts at the state fairgrounds and during the first MAPS package.

Designs for the MAPS 3 downtown park – yet to be formally named – call for a cafe, leisure sports facilities, a lake-like pond and trails. The SkyDance Bridge over I-40 will connect the north section of the park to the south section. In November, City Hall announced the property acquisition process was underway for the southern portion of the park, which will run to the north shore of the Oklahoma River.

Property acquisition is already underway on the 40-acre upper portion of the park. The north section is slated to be finished in 2018; the south section will be done in 2021. The park’s targeted total cost is $132 million.

I can not wait to see those power lines disappear!

They have been dismantling that substation since the start of the 2015 PCL baseball season. Passed there a number of times in route to the Downtown YMCA & OKC Dodgers' home games.

Did OG&E get their $30 million :D to remove that sub station; haven't kept up with the details?

#OKC Boxscore for Monday, Feb. 1, 2016. | News OK (http://newsok.com/okc-boxscore-for-monday-feb.-1-2016./article/5475994)


Park: Lower park designs will go ahead without a half-block parcel between SW 11 and SW 12 streets that was to be included; acquisition costs exceed the budget.

So we'll have a gap in the park?

^

That would be in the lower park, south of I-40.

Sounds like a half a block cutout.

NOT THE OFF LEASH DOG RUN!?!? What ever will we do with our dogs??

Looking at a map, if it's Cusack Meats that's right in the middle. Hopefully it's something on the edge, right?

Wow.

Pete will probably know best but I don't think Cudacks is even in the park area but fronting it on the west side. It's probably the car lot/slash automotive shop that they had already announced they would be tearing it down. Chances are it's just a tactic. I can't seem them letting their perfect park have a little piece out of it.

These new images show the one property between SW 11th & 12th as being excluded from the park.

It is owned by Cusack Meat but is vacant now.


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/park020316a.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/park020316b.jpg