Choctaw officials broke ground on Choctaw Town Square retail development on NE 23rd and Henney Rd. and will represent approximately $80 million in new development, and is expected to bring 300-500 jobs.

Choctaw is actually developing something? Wow, that's a nice change.

With all the housing booms over there, yes, there will be retail booms to follow.

Booms, plural? How many people live in Choctaw? 10-15,000 max? Interesting: Ron Bradshaw is vice-mayor?

http://choctawtownsquarellc.com/images/14579093.png

Looks like a quality project.

Im new to Choctaw, moved here from a long ways away. Very interested in this Town Square project. Why is it interesting who the vice mayor is? Choctaw doesnt seem to have lots of stuff other than houses and schools, is this something that anyone really sees working. Also seemed to be amazed that there is really no mainstreet atmosphere though this is supposed to be a small tomn. All in all, I truly like it here and am happy living here, but would be happy to have more stores and choices.

Im new to Choctaw, moved here from a long ways away. Very interested in this Town Square project. Why is it interesting who the vice mayor is? Choctaw doesnt seem to have lots of stuff other than houses and schools, is this something that anyone really sees working. Also seemed to be amazed that there is really no mainstreet atmosphere though this is supposed to be a small tomn. All in all, I truly like it here and am happy living here, but would be happy to have more stores and choices.

So are you saying it's a dumb project or a good project? Your post is kind of meandering, but I agree that Choctaw is sort of middle of nowhere compared to other burbs. The reason the vice-mayor is interesting is because Ron Bradshaw is an important developer in downtown OKC.

I guess Banta is/was still mayor of Piedmont, this seems fairly similar. I know a few other city leaders who lived out in Harrah, interestingly.

Im saying, tell me what your opinions are. I dont have a clue if its good or bad. I havent been around here long enough to know if this would work or not. Its weird that there are very few businesses out this way based on how many homes seem to be here. Just wondering what types of places are planning to open here and also if you that know about this area see this as being a success or another empty area like the Choctaw shopping area that sits beside it already. Granted that one seems very old and run down and probably wont compare to a new one.

When I was going to Choctaw H.S. in The late 90's There was no McDonalds,Choctaw trails just started,and Harper still only had The park,now there are housing additions and strip malls everywhere!Give it 20 years and Choctaw will look like East MWC!

Folks tend to forget it's got large enough of a population to be a 6A school. So there are people out there, and they're not all old farts either. Take a look back 30 years ago and it was way out in the boonies. That's not true anymore. There are a LOT of really nice neighborhoods out there. It's not a huge population center, but it's not going to be either. Part of the charm to the Choctaw residents is that you get a lot of land when you build out there. It's nicely wooded and quiet. That's part of what makes Choctaw, Choctaw. It's quiet secret that is slowly building...retail has to catch up at some point.

MWC has pushed so hard for so long, they have really kept a lot of development out of Choctaw. Especially since it's smack dab between Shawnee and MWC....and Shawnee is far more developed economically, if not by population.

choctaw would have exploded in growth .. if the ne loop had been build ... meeting I35 around 63rd and meeting I40 just west of choctaw road

I live in Harrah and am very interested in this project have we heard what's going in to this area? Is it going to be big block business's or smaller shops? I'm thinking something like MWC's new plaza by 29th street and tinker?

Im saying, tell me what your opinions are. I dont have a clue if its good or bad. I havent been around here long enough to know if this would work or not. Its weird that there are very few businesses out this way based on how many homes seem to be here. Just wondering what types of places are planning to open here and also if you that know about this area see this as being a success or another empty area like the Choctaw shopping area that sits beside it already. Granted that one seems very old and run down and probably wont compare to a new one.

Well this is not going to be a convention shopping area. They've eliminated the strip mall element from the shopping area. They're rebuilding a vintage town square, like many small towns in Oklahoma and Texas have. I think it's great that Choctaw is being proactive and is really trying to lure commercial development in a sustainable, well-planned way. Something that won't turn into the abandoned strip center you mentioned.

Bradshaw is a really good developer who is usually involved in interesting things, and he believes in urban development (particularly downtown OKC), so he's probably involved in this. I think Moore and Yukon, both strip mall central, should look at what Choctaw is doing with this.

While this type of growth would be a great boom for the area, the opening statement for the topic is pretty misleading. The land has been cleared of trees for more than a year and just sat empty. Then a couple of months ago they plopped a nice sign with pretty developer pictures on a board showing what may be built there someday. No dirt has been turned on this project and the last time I spoke with the Lowe's people in MWC, the plans of a Lowe's Hardware in the Choctaw Town Square as the anchor store have been put on indefinite hold.

I truly hope this project gets off the ground soon and they start doing some actual work on the place. It would be a welcome sight in Choctaw.

I just stumbled on this information on the Choctaw web site... http://www.ok.gov/choctaw/documents/000_Project%20Plan%20(FINAL%2003-02-09).pdf

The front page is here... http://www.ok.gov/choctaw/Living_In_Choctaw/Town_Square_Development/index.html

It looks like Choctaw is trying to do what Midwest City did with the Town Center. I really hope they succeed.

How close is this area to Douglas? If they hurry get all of this done, it will bring in more customers flow and I can benefit that.

Henney Road is five miles East of Douglas. I am excited to see that Choctaw is finally looking forward. With all of the new homes being built out there, maybe this will be a start to having those people spend their dollars there and maybe the city can grow faster. One thing that I have noticed about many people I know that live in Choctaw is that they have water wells and septic tanks. I am thinking if the city can build infrastructure that maybe it will grow. Choctaw's population is only 11,146 but it has grown 20% since 2000.

It's also a pretty young crowd. For a town of only 11K to support a 6A school says something folks.

/deleted

It's also a pretty young crowd. For a town of only 11K to support a 6A school says something folks.

They are 6A, but they also pulled in students from surrounding towns. I lived in MWC (only 1.5 miles from CAHS) but went to Choctaw.

That makes 2 of us. Graduated CHS in '88. Lived between post and westminster off 10th.

^^Funny how kids in The neighborhood behind The new Buy4Less all goes to NP/Choctaw schools when those kids live less than a mile from CA!

I drove by that lot today. They had building materials on the ground and looked to be working on something. Anyone know what is going on with that right now?

I liek it

I've read where this is supposed to be a "walkable" development. The main problem with Choctaw currently is that everything is so spread out, so if they can get a good variety of retail, entertainment, specialty shops, and maybe a decent department store in that development that'd be great. At this point though even going west from McDonald's, there's not much to offer, the Braum's building has been vacant for what 2 years or more?

There is certainly need to develop something along 23rd, but I hope that the city doesn't get carried away and try to be "Edmond South".

I've read where this is supposed to be a "walkable" development. The main problem with Choctaw currently is that everything is so spread out, so if they can get a good variety of retail, entertainment, specialty shops, and maybe a decent department store in that development that'd be great. At this point though even going west from McDonald's, there's not much to offer, the Braum's building has been vacant for what 2 years or more?

There is certainly need to develop something along 23rd, but I hope that the city doesn't get carried away and try to be "Edmond South".

So are you saying that walkable developments or more than one development make a suburb "Edmond South"?

I don't see how you could be against either thing.

What is the deal with some people disliking Edmond so much?

Not 100% certain but he stuff strewn about the field looks like the beginnings of a new water tower.

That was kinda what I thought today as I looked again. I dont remember a tower being a part of that complex, but maybe it is. Funny, MWC wants a tower out of their new town square, but it looks like Choctaw is building one to be in theres.

Have always felt that water is a reason that businesses arent in Choctaw. Most everything out here is a water well, hard to talk Lowes into opening a store with a water well to run it.

Yeah I never understood why Choctaw won't get on the utility front. It seems like water/sewer would be ground zero for a city. Maybe 11K people can't support the cost to start the infrastructure? But to me, i don't see why they wouldn't start somewhere though. Plan it out, use bond issues to start aquiring land for a treatment/water plan and then continue bonds to pay for the creation of the actual system. No sense in having it before you can use it.

While I'm sure the water/sewer is limited due to population vs land mass, a great deal of Choctaw has the option of being on city water. Sewer- not so much. The towers are for reserve and emergency to limit the dependency on the end provider which I assume is Okc or MWC.

I only moved here a few years ago and I love what I know about Choctaw, hope it keeps growing yet maintains its charm. I have just always been amazed that I grew up in rural southeastern oklahoma on a farm and we had city water (actually a member of a rural water district, but its still city water) and we moved here (what i call the city) and now have a water well. I had chickens, cows, caught our own fish for the fish fry every weekend, never swam in a pool but did in lots of horse tanks, and never had a water well till i moved to the city. I actually have a great job, live in a very nice home in a very upscale neighborhood in Choctaw (my family cant believe that my shop out back is bricked), but i will always be from the country. I enjoy Choctaw every day and hope to live here for a long time, but would like to see some shops and dinning options open up around here in time.

We are looking into building a home in choctaw, coming from a small town, I am a little worried that this town square IS going to turn Choctaw into a new mwc, which we dont want to live in. We want to stay with the small town atmosphere, low traffic, low crime, and a little bit of a drive away from a highway. Should we look into other small towns instead?

I may be a bit biased but living on the outskirts of Harrah I find it to be a good balance between city and town. You get all the town perks like sewage, trash and water, plus a police dept and fire dept along with a nice rural feel since it is a very small town. But the nice thing is it's barely ten minutes from Choctaw, fifteen-twenty minutes to Midwest City and also twenty minutes from Shawnee.

Just kind of a heads up.

We are looking into building a home in choctaw, coming from a small town, I am a little worried that this town square IS going to turn Choctaw into a new mwc, which we dont want to live in. We want to stay with the small town atmosphere, low traffic, low crime, and a little bit of a drive away from a highway. Should we look into other small towns instead?

no town center will not turn choctaw into anything like MWC ... it will make choctaw a better place to live

I lived in The Choctaw Area for years.
For the sake of Balanced Development,
hopefully this one is on the SOUTH side of NE 23 . . .?

I lived in The Choctaw Area for years.
For the sake of Balanced Development,
hopefully this one is on the SOUTH side of NE 23 . . .?

the train tracks run just south of NE23rd so there is no room to develop along 23rd in choctaw

the train tracks run just south of NE23rd so there is no room to develop along 23rd in choctaw

How often do trains even come along out there? If I'm not mistaken, isn't that the line that the Arkansas-Oklahoma RR operates on?

"the train tracks run just south of NE23rd so there is no room to develop along 23rd in choctaw"

Point well taken.
At least in regard to The South Side of NE 23 between Henny on the west--possibly even unto Hiawassee--and The 62 East Viaduct (a.k.a. The Choctaw Bridge/Overpass/Skateboard Ramp).
I sit corrected.

(not to mention that the specific wilderness area in question is a watershed/flood control/maybe even endangered species habitat.)

Good call. =)

Maybe this project was taking so long because they knew this news was about to be confirmed.



http://newsok.com/walmart-planning-to-build-supercenter-in-choctaw-developer-says/article/3622507?custom_click=headlines_widget

Oy veigh.

Doesn't Walmart already have a Stuporcenter over at 23rd and Douglas?
(That's, like, only a few miles west of Choctaw.)

Oh. Wait. I forgot that Golden Goose Flea Market is draining off most of their business . . .

Sorry,but this is STUPID!Choctaw doesnt have the population base for a WM and there is allready one just West on 23rd and Douglas.Are they hoping to draw from Jones,Harrah,Nicoma Park?

Sorry,but this is STUPID!Choctaw doesnt have the population base for a WM and there is allready one just West on 23rd and Douglas.Are they hoping to draw from Jones,Harrah,Nicoma Park?

I agree this is ridiculous, MWC WM is ten miles if that away from Choctaw and while Choctaw could use a state of the art grocery store, Harrah has a perfectly fine Country Boy Market that is a very large supermarket.

I feel for Jeff Williams of Williams grocery and Danny Boyle at Country Boy, they've both been so kind to the communities around us that I pray the business they've built will be maintained.

A movie theater? Really?
http://eastword.net/oklahoma/article-2455-wal-mart-supercenter-coming-to-choctaw.html

OK,A Movie theatre in Choctaw but not ONE in MWC?

This is all great for Choctaw and generating revenue. If the theater is decent, it'll keep people from going to the standard theaters in the area (obviously won't compete with the Warren for experience).

this theater and supercenter will be closer to those living on the east side of MWC than even the MWC shopping areas .. east MWC/west choctaw is an area that is growing crazy fast ..

and this new Wallmart supercenter will be almost 6 miles aways from the one at 23rd and douglas

this is speculative at best, but I heard some time ago that Tinker actually gave incentives to employees who built homes farther away from the base... and coupled with the East is in initiative, i'm not surprised of the increase in that area.

I doubt that's the case....why would tinker care where you live? Plus why would they give incentives while they are making staffing cuts and are at a hiring freeze?

this was 3 years ago directly from the mouth of an ATC at Tinker.. thats my source.

As someone who works at Tinker, I can confirm that many people here don't have any basis in reality. Not confirming or denying the incentive, but I haven't heard of it.

as someone who works at tinker, i can confirm that many people here don't have any basis in reality.

hahahaha!

Yeah i'm still going to call a line of bull on that one. Someone might be putting out a rumor that they heard from someone else, but it's not happening.

Plus it's also counterproductive for them to want employees living far away...that means it takes them longer to get there if they are needed quickly and gives more of an excuse to not come in if there's bad weather...takes more effort to come in.

speculative

Yeah i'm still going to call a line of bull on that one. Someone might be putting out a rumor that they heard from someone else, but it's not happening.

Plus it's also counterproductive for them to want employees living far away...that means it takes them longer to get there if they are needed quickly and gives more of an excuse to not come in if there's bad weather...takes more effort to come in.

I know for a fact that Base relocation services tell the officers when they come in they should consider Edmond or Norman

all the support mwc gives to the base and that's how base relocation gives back... now that is some bull of different kind.

That's not the same as giving them an incentive. They might say "oh you don't want to live in MWC", but that's not like they are giving them money to live further away.

I'd agree, that's some crap though and if someone in relocation is saying that, then they should be disciplined or fired.

Many of the higher officers and civilians live in Edmond for the status symbol. They play the politics game with every part of their lives, private is no different than public.

this is speculative at best, but I heard some time ago that Tinker actually gave incentives to employees who built homes farther away from the base... and coupled with the East is in initiative, i'm not surprised of the increase in that area.

Correct!

This is a known fact for quite some time. TAFB has been doing as much as they can to keep homes and businesses far away from the area as possible. There is a deaf couple who were given incentives by TAFB to build a new home further east and part of the compensation was for longer drive distance.

I can understand why TAFB want to keep homes and businesses far away (recent example of witnessing a plane brushing the treetops at MWC's Festival of Lights). A lot of planes are flying dangerously close to the buildings and trees. I remember one plane flew dangerously low to Crest Market (Home of Rock Bottom Prices) and I could hear/feel the powerful engines along with the amazing view of the underside and the spinning engines.

However, it is ultimately up to the people and businesses for locating within such close distance. I personally think an agreement should be signed that TAFB can not be sued (the same as Sprint customers sign a contract stating they can not sue the company). Everyone choose their own risk.

Incentives can be declined/rejected, but the risk goes up. One example, MWC feels safety is below glamor when the enhanced shopping strip was built on 29th Street. The same for Del City's OnCue filled with thousands of gallons of gasoline with extreme potential to become a huge fireball inferno.

mmonroe, I just want to say once again, you are correct!