Between the upper & lower park what type of security presence is expected to be in place?

Are there buildings planned for the lower park like the ones in the upper park?

This shows the lower park from the OK River:

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/lowerpark040118.jpg

It looks weird.

It looks weird.
It does. I really hate the lower section.

I mean, when you look at it with the outline it looks weird. When it actually is built it won't. The plot that is missing from the meat packing plant will just look like a bare part of the park. A lot of people I'm sure will play in that spot. Good luck to the owners trying to keep kids off of it.

I mean, when you look at it with the outline it looks weird. When it actually is built it won't. The plot that is missing from the meat packing plant will just look like a bare part of the park. A lot of people I'm sure will play in that spot. Good luck to the owners trying to keep kids off of it.

If they don't ultimately sell it to the city, I'm sure they'll put up a fence to keep people off and protect them from liability issues. That won't look great on that section of the park, but I think it will ultimately be resolved in a favorable manner.

What will the park's interaction with the river be? Will it be a seamless transition from the park to the river?

That seems likely. The river is more or less already parkland with the river trails, hopefully it all gets integrated together nicely.

Perhaps they can put in some kind of visitors' center there next to Lack of Commitment Square. Make it look like it is two separate parks. Have some large building/public art design tunnel thing where people pass through it to the next section. That way it'll look like the big parking lot that divides the park isn't just a missing piece.

Cusack dispute could be resolved this month

Meating of the minds?

By: Brian Brus The Journal Record April 10, 2018

OKLAHOMA CITY – City Hall’s conflict with Cusack Wholesale Meats Co. over the value of potential MAPS 3 land is heading to a resolution at the end of the month.

Al Cusack, who owns the 85-year-old meat processing company, said the municipal counselor’s office recently asked his lawyer to provide records that showed how his company came to the $100,000 Cusack is seeking from the city. At the end of March, City Council members met in executive session to discuss the claim; Cusack said he had been told to expect negotiations then.

Cusack submitted his claim in December after years of disagreements about the value of the company’s property at S. Harvey Avenue and SW 11th Street. The Urban Renewal Authority started condemnation proceedings to acquire the 3 acres in 2013 but dropped the plan due to a pricing conflict: The city’s appraisals came in at about $170,000, and the company expected $7.6 million because of U.S. Department of Agriculture standards and costly upgrades the company has made over the years. The complaint alleges that Cusack incurred significant expenses in order to engage in discussions with the city and OCURA.

City attorney Amanda Carpenter said her office needed additional information before a recommendation could be made to council members. That material will be presented to them in two weeks and a determination made then, she said. Carpenter said further details could not be divulged.

Cusack said he will be glad to put the problem behind him.

The part of Cusack’s property targeted by OCURA involved empty parking lot space used for turning semi-trucks around for dock loading. The site just barely overlapped a new park planned under the Metropolitan Area Projects temporary tax.

Instead, the City Council shifted to an alternative target and approved $14 million to purchase property held by Oklahoma Gas & Electric Co. at SW Fourth Street and S. Robinson Avenue. That development also required OG&E to relocate a control center for power transmission and distribution systems.

Nice shot of Wiley Post Park to the south of the OK River and how Scissortail Park will ultimately take you all the way to the riverfront.

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/lowerpark041618a.jpg

This is pretty cool... You can see the landscaping start to take form, or at least where many of the trees and small berms will go.


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/scissortail050618e.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/scissortail050618f.jpg

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/scissortail050618b.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/scissortail050618c.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/scissortail050618d.jpg

It looks like they are building a slide into the lake.

Balzac Lake is filling in nicely.

This is pretty cool... You can see the landscaping start to take form, or at least where many of the trees and small berms will go.
http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/scissortail050618e.jpg


Any idea what the black (dark green?) grid is that's pictured here? Electrical or irrigation runs?

Any idea what the black (dark green?) grid is that's pictured here? Electrical or irrigation runs?

underground storm water detention

Any idea what the black (dark green?) grid is that's pictured here? Electrical or irrigation runs?

Looks like flood barriers to keep grass seed from washing away. I see grass starting to grow on the main lawn, unless those are weeds.

They've started installing the liner in the lake.

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/scissortail052018a.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/scissortail052018b.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/scissortail052018c.jpg

Anyone have an idea of the lifespan of this type of liner?

Rode bike all around the new park last weekend. The view from Union Station will be spectacular when the lake is complete and park is green.

I've tried to find the completion date for the park, but I'm getting multiple answers from different sources. Does anyone know what the official date the upper park is supposed to be completed and open? The one I see most consistently is around May 9, 2019.

I've tried to find the completion date for the park, but I'm getting multiple answers from different sources. Does anyone know what the official date the upper park is supposed to be completed and open? The one I see most consistently is around May 9, 2019.

My understanding is that it will be spring / summer of next year.

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/scissortail052718a.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/scissortail052718b.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/scissortail052718c.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/scissortail052718d.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/scissortail052718e.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/scissortail052718f.jpg

i am ready for that pedestrian bridge to be operational again.

my eyes can't unsee what i'm seeing in these aerial photos.

my eyes can't unsee what i'm seeing in these aerial photos.

I think I see what you mean. The lake looks just like a tooth with its root.

Tooth. Riiiight.

I think I see what you mean. The lake looks just like a tooth with its root.

;) Or, a human male root with its roots.

;) Or, a human male root with its roots.
lulz #ballsaclake

It’s like a Rorschach test.

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/873/42443275292_e9bc45001c_o.png (https://flic.kr/p/27EyT3u)
20180601 park (https://flic.kr/p/27EyT3u) by lazio85 (https://www.flickr.com/photos/77483833@N04/), on Flickr

https://i.imgur.com/dsa6mmp.jpg




https://i.imgur.com/BgER2Q8.jpg

Is anything official on the boards for the old Ford lots directly to the north of the park and South of Myriad Gardens?


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Nope. I wish there was. That lot is a huge stain on Downtown, and it'll be far worse when the park and CC are finished

Is anything official on the boards for the old Ford lots directly to the north of the park and South of Myriad Gardens?


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That's owned by Bob Howard and the Midtown Renaissance group and they've said they'll ultimately do some sort of mixed-use project there but there are no definite plans.

Is really going to stick out like a sore thumb once Scissortail Park is finished.

^^^^^^^
I profess no knowledge of the current state of plans for this piece of property but would guess there would be some plans announced for it prior to the opening of the Omni and the CC and maybe even before the opening of the park.

A new promo video with an overview of the park:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=asyXVggOW88

On Tuesday, the City Council will be asked to provide $2,892,800 to the Myriad Gardens for the 2018-2019 fiscal year.

States that there will be little income during this period due to the park not being open until next summer.

The memo for this item states: " In anticipation of the grand opening, the 2018-2019 fiscal year subsidy will allow the Foundation to have adequate funding to initiate the hiring process and provide for other necessary operational needs for this inaugural year."


Would be interested to know how will they be spending almost $3 million before the park is even open.

The MAPS 3 funds provided for all the construction and landsacping.

I'm on the Skydance Bridge and it's taken a beating from general wear as well as likely vandalism. :(

I'm on the Skydance Bridge and it's taken a beating from general wear as well as likely vandalism. :(

This is why we can't have nice things... they can easily put HD surveillance cams on that to stop the vandalism.

Lots and lots going on this photo: Streetcar in the barn, park of course, convention center starting, work on relocating Broadway east of the park, Fairfield Inn construction, OKC Boulevard work, etc.

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/scissortail063018.jpg

Crane for FNB east building demo...

And crane for HSC new patient tower...

that west side of the park is primed for a 10-15 story mix-used building...

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/scissortail070818a.jpg

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/scissortail070818a.jpg

These pictures really validate the long-term vision of the Core to Shore Study. My late boss, ZDT, would've been proud to serve on that committee. I'm glad that I got to see its fruition during my lifetime. Really neat to see something go from renderings to reality.

What is being built where the crane is near the start of the Skydance bridge?

^

It will be a shade structure:

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

These pictures really validate the long-term vision of the Core to Shore Study. My late boss, ZDT, would've been proud to serve on that committee. I'm glad that I got to see its fruition during my lifetime. Really neat to see something go from renderings to reality.

Yeah you can really see here how important the Cox and Bob Howard sites are to creating a more dense and vibrant downtown. Those will be the two areas that define OKC for the next couple decades.

^

It will be a shade structure:

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/scissortailshade.jpg
Thanks, Pete!

That BH site needs to have someone with vision construct mid to high rise condos with underground parking. It would be the very few sites in all of the core that would have pretty solid views from ALL sides.

That BH site needs to have someone with vision construct mid to high rise condos with underground parking. It would be the very few sites in all of the core that would have pretty solid views from ALL sides.

There has to be a reason why very few OKC developments have underground parking. I agree, and given the crappy OKC weather, it would be highly valued.

I thought underground parking was so rare here because of its expense. Land isn't valued enough to warrant the price

I thought underground parking was so rare here because of its expense. Land isn't valued enough to warrant the price

That's pretty much true.

Even outside the core there are some exceptions like Chesapeake (entire garage below a playfield) and nearby MidFirst which has some executive parking down below it's main HQ Building.

And downtown, there are more buildings with this feature than you might think. Devon Tower, Leadership Square, old Fidelity building, SandRidge, Cox Center, Century Center, Maywood Apartments Phase II... I'm sure there are others.

^^^^^^^
Also depending on elevation the water table can be close to the surface. Maywood Apartments Phase II and Sandridge are higher in elevation than the others mentioned, so they could go pretty deep before hitting the water table. The other ones mentioned are mostly only one story deep, because any further they would be wet. Devon Tower has a multilevel basement but has very expensive pumps that are continuously on call to keep them dry.

For reference, the lake at the Myriad Botanical Gardens is naturally-occuring at that elevation. That is, dig a hole there and it fills up with water. They never have to top off that lake from another water source. Once you go south of MBG you are moving to progressively lower and lower elevation, as it all slopes gradually toward the river. Almost all of downtown lies in the historic river bottom of the North Canadian (Oklahoma) River. The soil gets wet pretty fast, unless you are up a hillside, like in Midtown or Deep Deuce.

^^^ there are pumps in the Underground tunnels that constantly run to pump out water from a natural spring inside one of the closets. There was an indecent a while back where oil was seeping through the carpet as well.

I know the water table is an issue in areas of downtown but Leadership Square does have 2 parking levels below.

I suspect they also must employ some type of pump system.

Lots and lots going on this photo: Streetcar in the barn, park of course, convention center starting, work on relocating Broadway east of the park, Fairfield Inn construction, OKC Boulevard work, etc.

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/scissortail063018.jpg

I came across this on the OK Historical Society Gateway. It's a similar perspective to Pete's image, with Union Station at the bottom. Really illustrates how much things have changed in a relatively short time.

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