I am surprised that they simply didn't ask for contingency funds to cover the shortfall. How much was it?

I am surprised that we so easily decided to skip that property, thereby impacting the architect's vision, yet we were so unwilling to do that for Film Exchange.

We should do a land swap for Manuel Perez Park, maybe once redevelopment gets going down here. That shouldn't be difficult to arrange.

Have I mentioned that giving a damn seems to be in low supply lately?

Dissolving Manuel Perez Park is apparently not politically viable with the Hispanic Community. Lot's of history there with families.

Just wondering if staff forced this on the consultants or otherwise. Seems a bit strange. If I were on the committee I would have asked for contingency monies to be expended to retain a contiguous park. That is, if the amount of underage can be reasonably absorbed.

If staff forced it, why not do so for Film Exchange as well?

It is owned by Cusack Meat but is vacant now.

it's physically vacant but cusack uses at least a portion of it as parking for their store on the west side of harvey. -M

I thought they already had all the land they needed.

I thought they already had all the land they needed.

Not for the lower park.

Also, the City went in about 3 years ago and did assessments on the properties but have obviously delayed in acquiring at least some of them until now.

During that time, prices have increased dramatically which is exactly why they now have to cut this property out of the middle of that section of the park.

How fitting that a parking lot survives in light of everything recently lost.

A parking lot and an iconic city park, Manuel Perez Park. Those are preservation targets that make sense. Buildings with architecture - come on.


Dissolving Manuel Perez Park is apparently not politically viable with the Hispanic Community. Lot's of history there with families.

Just wondering if staff forced this on the consultants or otherwise. Seems a bit strange. If I were on the committee I would have asked for contingency monies to be expended to retain a contiguous park. That is, if the amount of underage can be reasonably absorbed.

What is at Manuel Perez Park? Why can't the Hispanic community become involved with the lower C2S park? That would be such a no-brainer. The new park needs a community around it. Community doesn't want anything to do with this new park?

This park is honestly a blight. We can't even have this around such a public investment, whether or not we use it for a land swap.

https://localtvkfor.files.wordpress.com/2012/08/manuel-perez-jr-park-cleaned-county-commissioner.jpg

Manuel Perez AND other Hispanic leaders should be honored in the new park.

Yeah, I personally get that. Just saying it is 'sacred ground'. Politically, nobody is going to make those arguments at the City.

Maybe if they actually did things for the Hispanic community, or at least gave them representation on the council (Capitol Hill being split up 4+ ways, to minimize its influence), they wouldn't be afraid of them.

(Not directed at you..)

There is a pedestrian bridge between Robinson Avenue Bridge (Oklahoma River) & Mark Hoffman Skate Park that has been closed since it completion; does any know if that area will be reopened for foot traffic?

https://www.google.com/maps/@35.4470948,-97.5161512,3a,75y,90h,90t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1smfuCTqZQi_4k4u8YBh1XQQ!2e0!6s% 2F%2Fgeo3.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3DmfuCTqZQi_4k4 u8YBh1XQQ%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_client%3Dmaps_ sv.tactile.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26y aw%3D90.616447%26pitch%3D0!7i13312!8i6656

^

It's open in those images.

The pedestrian path is the what is between the guard rail and green iron fence.

The bridge crossing itself has a chain length fence with the gate pad locked. Never seen anyone use it except during its construction.

https://www.google.com/maps/search/robinson+street+bridge+%26+skate+park+oklahoma+cit y/@35.4470948,-97.5161512,3a,75y,89h,90t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1smfuCTqZQi_4k4u8YBh1XQQ!2e0!6s% 2F%2Fgeo3.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3DmfuCTqZQi_4k4 u8YBh1XQQ%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_client%3Dsearc h.TACTILE.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D392%26h%3D106%26ya w%3D89.677895%26pitch%3D0!7i13312!8i6656

That separate structure with the chain link fence and padlocked gate shows up in satellite pictures dating back to 1990 (the oldest available in Google Earth). I'm almost positive that is not a pedestrian bridge, but a bridge for utilities crossing the river - based mainly on the Google Earth view from February 1995. It appears to be a pipeline of some sort, maybe freshwater but I'm honestly not sure. It simply got spruced up when the Oklahoma River improvements were made and the Robinson bridge was redone. The pedestrian path is on the actual Robinson St bridge.

That separate structure with the chain link fence and padlocked gate shows up in satellite pictures dating back to 1990 (the oldest available in Google Earth). I'm almost positive that is not a pedestrian bridge, but a bridge for utilities crossing the river - based mainly on the Google Earth view from February 1995. It appears to be a pipeline of some sort, maybe freshwater but I'm honestly not sure. It simply got spruced up when the Oklahoma River improvements were made and the Robinson bridge was redone. The pedestrian path is on the actual Robinson St bridge.

Correct. The bridge in question is not a pedestrian bridge, although I have witnessed kids crossing it.

Maybe if they actually did things for the Hispanic community, or at least gave them representation on the council (Capitol Hill being split up 4+ ways, to minimize its influence), they wouldn't be afraid of them.

(Not directed at you..)

No problem. I am just being honest about what has been said regarding that Park. From what I have been told, there are many memories associated there. Now, to your point, perhaps a more defined vision about how it incorporate it in is missing.

Correct. The bridge in question is not a pedestrian bridge, although I have witnessed kids crossing it.

I don't know for sure but it appears to be a way to keep people from just walking up on that area to try to cross the river. There is an identical chain link fence on the other side of the river.

I don't know for sure but it appears to be a way to keep people from just walking up on that area to try to cross the river. There is an identical chain link fence on the other side of the river.

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Regatta+Park/@35.448834,-97.5161512,3a,75y,181h,90t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sgI_N1uRGWsYImp7Of6sgtA!2e0!6s% 2F%2Fgeo3.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3DgI_N1uRGWsYIm p7Of6sgtA%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_client%3Dsearc h.TACTILE.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D392%26h%3D106%26ya w%3D181.24188%26pitch%3D0!7i13312!8i6656!4m2!3m1!1 s0x87b216de7bd50167:0xf084dea8cf6890d5!6m1!1e1
Google Maps: (Robinson Avenue Bridge crossing Oklahoma River south toward Skate Park left); there are many possibilities to expand the street car south to Commerce Street & Historic Stockyards City.

Could interconnect from the Intermodal Transit Hub to possibly expand the street car south using Robinson Street Bridge via the lower Central Park. Now the new Robinson Street bridge does have an area for protected bike & pedestrian crossing. You could also consider expanding the street car route to use Robinson to Commerce & 25th street circling west toward Exchange Avenue into Cattlemens cafe to serve the historic Stockyards City District.

...


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



I lack the appropriate program to do it, but this image just screams out for an additional label.

Right between sports fields and promenade, with a line pointing to the land that will be excluded from the park, the label should read
Lack of Commitment Square.

I lack the appropriate program to do it, but this image just screams out for an additional label.

Right between sports fields and promenade, with a line pointing to the land that will be excluded from the park, the label should read
Lack of Commitment Square.
Would be nice to buy this piece of property and do that.

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Regatta+Park/@35.448834,-97.5161512,3a,75y,181h,90t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sgI_N1uRGWsYImp7Of6sgtA!2e0!6s% 2F%2Fgeo3.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3DgI_N1uRGWsYIm p7Of6sgtA%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_client%3Dsearc h.TACTILE.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D392%26h%3D106%26ya w%3D181.24188%26pitch%3D0!7i13312!8i6656!4m2!3m1!1 s0x87b216de7bd50167:0xf084dea8cf6890d5!6m1!1e1
Google Maps: (Robinson Avenue Bridge crossing Oklahoma River south toward Skate Park left); there are many possibilities to expand the street car south to Commerce Street & Historic Stockyards City.

Could interconnect from the Intermodal Transit Hub to possibly expand the street car south using Robinson Street Bridge via the lower Central Park. Now the new Robinson Street bridge does have an area for protected bike & pedestrian crossing. You could also consider expanding the street car route to use Robinson to Commerce & 25th street circling west toward Exchange Avenue into Cattlemens cafe to serve the historic Stockyards City District.

Does that have any relevance to what I said? I don't understand it if it does.

OKCTalk - Detailed look at final plans for huge downtown MAPS 3 park (http://www.okctalk.com/content/272-detailed-look-final-plans-huge-downtown-maps-3-park.html)

I remember some people arguing that this park lacked any real details like the Tulsa one, but personally I prefer a park that has more options for citizen idea use, whether it be just to stroll through it, organize your own activities, or let the city use it for events. What's important to remember is that this park will be a huge gain of improvement in the area that is currently just a big block of concrete with broken down buildings. I believe this will also increase the likability of the Skybridge as people will feel more comfortable walking to it and seeing it, rather than just driving underneath it.

Also: my first OKC_Talk post, woo!

^

:welcome55

Also: my first OKC_Talk post, woo!

Yay! Welcome!

Thank you! Long time lurker. Thought I would chrip in on this since I moved from OKC to a city with more parks than they know what to do with.

This would be cool to see in the park.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M6DzqQzXL1g

This is exciting. The park may be the sleeper of the projects: it's appeal will be far greater than people project right now.

I'm excited, I think the plans as detailed above look great. There are multiple different ways to experience outdoors and being downtown, this is a huge win.

Has there been any discussion officially by the committee regarding a name? Hopefully not "Oklahoma City Park".

Has there been any discussion officially by the committee regarding a name? Hopefully not "Oklahoma City Park".

Cornett Park...

Cornett Park...

I would actually vote for this over anything with "OKC" or "Oklahoma City" in the name.

"Union Commons" was the winner of the informal poll on this website, I think. Not that anybody is going to follow that.

Can it be stipulated that absolutely no bradford pears will be planted in this park?

I would actually vote for this over anything with "OKC" or "Oklahoma City" in the name.

Amen.

Double amen.

I only wish they had better east-west connectivity across the park. Allowing for a slow, narrow 2 lane road across at least SW 7th (requiring rethinking the Robinson-7th intersection that doesn't really exist now) would help alleviate pressure on the boulevard and would help promote activity on the east side of the park, which will struggle with the presence of the convention center IMO. A better, more direct walk/bike path across SW 5th would be nice as well. I do think it will be a very nice addition for the city as a whole though.

"Union Commons" was the winner of the informal poll on this website, I think. Not that anybody is going to follow that.

I actually like that! Union Commons.

This would be cool to see in the park.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M6DzqQzXL1g

Great idea for a variety of apparatus to be added to the park.

yes all. Looks GREAT!

wow - OKC in a few years!!! Even OKC now is very nice, but in a few years once these projects come online. OMG.

DESTINATION!

I marked up this photo taken today.

A great deal of utility work is underway and they've demolished everything within the park boundaries.

The first of the structures on the north end of the park should start going up soon, as building permit applications have been filed.

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/centralpark033016.jpg

When can we expect the lot between Myriad Gardens and the park to be sold/developed?

I lack the appropriate program to do it, but this image just screams out for an additional label.

Right between sports fields and promenade, with a line pointing to the land that will be excluded from the park, the label should read
Lack of Commitment Square.

12492

^

Haha

http://www.okctalk.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=12492&stc=1


I owe ya a drink.

Someone help me out here, what exactly is a rain garden?

Someone help me out here, what exactly is a rain garden?

Pretty sure it's a drainage area that only takes on water temporarily when it rains. They are usually filled with flowers and plants that do well in wet areas. People often put them in low lying areas in yards as an alternative to draining runoff/drainage or in situations where it is difficult to reroute the water.

Someone help me out here, what exactly is a rain garden?

A landscape designed to collect, filter, and treat rain water - typically using native plants with deep roots to allow rainwater to filter in. Often with engineered soils to allow for better infiltration.

Ah, yes. I've seen these before. Didn't know they were called rain gardens.

Recent photo of the Central Park site with overlays of everything planned around it... This area is going to change massively in the next few years.

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/centralpark050316b.jpg

You can almost see how Nichols didn't want the convention center East parkside because he knows there will be some height blocking his view of what is going to be a very nice park. ;)

Seriously OKC in 2025 is going to be rockin.

All of the future private development around the park will be make or break, IMO. Will be interesting to see the old Ford spot in particular.

If I'm remembering correctly, isn't the Ford site owned by the 21c and surroundings developers?

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/centralpark050716a.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/centralpark050716b.jpg

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/centralpark051616.jpg

^
Great Pic! Going to be an pretty extensive park once complete.

You can also see the old Ford lot that's about to be redeveloped (for four years) into parking.

Sorry if I missed it previously in the thread, will the buildings along Hubcap Alley on the west side of Robinson be torn down for phase II of the park?

Sorry if I missed it previously in the thread, will the buildings along Hubcap Alley on the west side of Robinson be torn down for phase II of the park?

Yes