http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/nhpwiki1.jpg

Information & Latest News
8/22/13: Chesapeake marketing NH Plaza & Classen Curve (http://newsok.com/chesapeake-marketing-nichols-hills-plaza-classen-curve/article/3874341)
3/11/13: McCledon's departure leaves unfinished business (http://newsok.com/unfinished-business-chesapeake-mcclendon-real-estate-developments-incomplete-as-company-leadership-changes/article/3764188)
1/17/13: Drugstore leaving (http://newsok.com/chesapeake-marketing-nichols-hills-plaza-classen-curve/article/3874341)
1/20/13: Lunch counter closes (http://newsok.com/chesapeake-energy-loss-of-nichols-drugstore-lunch-counter-crescent-market-not-part-of-master-plan/article/3641804)
11/4/11: Crescent Market to close (http://newsok.com/oklahomas-oldest-grocery-crescent-market-set-to-close/article/3610081)
2008: Chesapeake floats complete redevelopment plan
1/6/06: Chesapeake buys for $27.4 million
Links
Official Site (http://www.nicholshillsplaza.com/)
County Assessor Record 1 (http://www.oklahomacounty.org/assessor/Searches/AN-R.asp?ACCOUNTNO=R169570220)
County Assessor Record 2 (http://www.oklahomacounty.org/assessor/Searches/AN-R.asp?ACCOUNTNO=R169797050)

Gallery

Chesapeake-owned properties shaded as follows: yellow = wholly owned; green = partially owned; pink = recently sold
http://www.okctalk.com/attachments/development-buildings/6297d1390419419-nichols-hills-plaza-nh-plaza-6-21-12.jpg

Interesting article from OKC.biz. Hopefully this isn't just C of C hyperbole:


Despite interest from national high-end retailers, until a suitable lifestyle center is built, they won’t come

Anyone listening carefully in May likely could have heard a collective “Hurrah!” from women around the metro when Anthropologie sent word that it was coming to town. But with the news of the 10,000-square-foot store was something a little unexpected: When it opens in February, it won’t be coming to a mall near you.

In years past, most every national upscale clothing and accessory retailer has set up shop in a traditional mall, with Penn Square topping the list.

Those have included Banana Republic, J. Crew, Eddie Bauer, Apple and Coach. For Anthropologie, experts say Penn Square seemed the most likely choice, but the company, owned by Philadelphia-based Urban Outfitters, plans to open next to Whole Foods Market in a space that has yet to be built: a development dubbed Triangle at Classen Curve.

“I was somewhat surprised,” says Mark Inman, a retail broker with CB Richard Ellis|Oklahoma. “It’s a bit unusual, but I think they’re on to something.”

This departure from the traditional mall is a trend toward some upscale retailers locating in lifestyle centers, according to local retail experts, but don’t write off malls just yet.

“People don’t need to worry about malls going away,” says Jim Parrack, senior vice president at Price Edwards & Co. “They are a unique part of our shopping culture.”

One thing that helps malls such as Penn Square is that the metro area does not have a large lifestyle center that could lure its tenants away. Inman says a true lifestyle center has at least 200,000- 250,000 square feet.

“That’s kind of the magic number of cotenancy square footage, where you can attract other high-end stores,” he says. “Since we don’t have that, our option is Penn Square.”

While the metro area has a smattering of upscale centers, including Spring Creek Village and Spring Creek Plaza in Edmond, each with about 60,000 square feet, there is nothing comparable to Tulsa’s more-than- 400,000-square-foot Utica Square.

Chesapeake Energy Corp., owner and developer of the Whole Foods and Triangle sites, has been tight-lipped about additional development on that block. Until such a time that a lifestyle center comes along, Penn Square likely will be where many upscale brands land.

“Penn Square is still ground zero,” Inman says. “There is a co-tenancy of higher-end stores, and it’s a very strong mall.”

With many malls around the country and around the metro area struggling, one website, Deadmalls.com, is dedicated to tracking those, but no one is writing an obituary for Penn Square. With almost consistent 100% occupancy, it continues to be one of the healthiest malls in the region, and is hardly gathering cobwebs, says Alison Oshel, director of community redevelopment for the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber.

On the heels of the Anthropologie announcement, Penn Square picked up two additional national tenants: women’s retailer

Apricot Lane is set to open in August, and Fossil, known for its watches, handbags and apparel, is set to open in September.

With Penn Square staying full, it provides a stumbling block for the chamber’s efforts to lure additional upscale retailers. Oshel says there is plenty of interest, but few options for retailers looking to open shop here. She says if the Triangle is developed with additional retail, there would be no problem filling that future space. It is located just west of the Chesapeake campus at N.W. 63rd Street and Western Avenue.

“If Chesapeake would develop all the land it has for retail, we could fill it up,” she says. “We’ve got that much interest.”

Parrack says, at some point in the near future, developers may need to begin looking at building a large lifestyle center here. For now, he says nothing is in the works. With financing hard to acquire and retail just rebounding from the recession, a lifestyle center will be needed, but where it would be, and who would pay for it are questions that remain.

“If we’re going to attract more highend retailers, we’re going to need a project built that is of the quality and in a location to satisfy the needs of those kinds of retailers,” he says.

If CHK can get the city of NH on board, I could see a fantastic lifestyle center on the site of NH Plaza, with underground parking, tons of plazas and water features and an updated take on tudor architecture, as a call-back to what is currently in the south section.

There is plenty of room, about the same size as Utica Square if you bulldoze the surrounding condos (mostly owned by CHK already).

There are tons of national retailers that have not yet come to town, so plenty of opportunity to make this a real shopping destination. I could see a smaller Nordstrom or Bloomingdales, Barneys Co-op, Crate & Barrel, Restoration Hardware, plus some of the better restaurant chains. You just know that sort of lineup and setting would be wildly successful at that location.

If CHK can get the city of NH on board, I could see a fantastic lifestyle center on the site of NH Plaza, with underground parking, tons of plazas and water features and an updated take on tudor architecture, as a call-back to what is currently in the south section.

There is plenty of room, about the same size as Utica Square if you bulldoze the surrounding condos (mostly owned by CHK already).

There are tons of national retailers that have not yet come to town, so plenty of opportunity to make this a real shopping destination. I could see a smaller Nordstrom or Bloomingdales, Barneys Co-op, Crate & Barrel, Restoration Hardware, plus some of the better restaurant chains. You just know that sort of lineup and setting would be wildly successful at that location.

Agree, I've thought the same thing for several years as I watched CHK redevelop that area. A mini-CHK campus with retail instead of offices on the site of NH Plaza would be very cool. Hopefully it would be more urban than Classen Curve.

I think CHK is still planning to make this happen and may end up moving many of the existing NH Plaza tenants to CC or the Triangle, then make that site for the big boys.

I'm sure they are still working behind the scenes to relocate NH City Hall to the church property and to get residents on board. Even if those hurdles are cleared, the timing isn't quite right due to the national economy and the state of most high-end retailers.

Another year and maybe we'll see a big announcement. They have close to $100 million already invested in NH Plaza and the adjoining condo complexes and didn't spend all that money to leave things as is.

I think CHK is still planning to make this happen and may end up moving many of the existing NH Plaza tenants to CC or the Triangle, then make that site for the big boys.

I'm sure they are still working behind the scenes to relocate NH City Hall to the church property and to get residents on board. Even if those hurdles are cleared, the timing isn't quite right due to the national economy and the state of most high-end retailers.

Another year and maybe we'll see a big announcement. They have close to $100 million already invested in NH Plaza and the adjoining condo complexes and didn't spend all that money to leave things as is.

I have heard this possibility phrased as "bringing NH to their knees," because they can be very wealthy, but they are still reliant on sales tax just as anyone else. CC is in OKC proper.

I think I mentioned in another thread that CHK could really cripple the city of NH by driving out the NH Plaza tenants.

I believe that is their sole source of sales tax, with the possible exception of OKC Golf & CC.

I think I mentioned in another thread that CHK could really cripple the city of NH by driving out the NH Plaza tenants.

I believe that is their sole source of sales tax, with the possible exception of OKC Golf & CC.

Not to pick on NH, but that would be mildly amusing.

The converse to this, of course, is that a completely redeveloped and expanded NH Plaza would bring in infinitely more sales tax revenue.

No matter how you look at it, CHK has plenty of leverage here. I'm sure this is going to happen and probably sooner rather than later.

Not to pick on NH, but that would be mildly amusing.

Oh it would totally serve them right. A lot of informed observers around town wouldn't even be able to help but to laugh. A lot.

Just researched this and since CHK bought NH Plaza in 2006, sales tax revenues have gone down for the city of NH.

That has to be at least partially due to closing the gas station on the corner of 63rd & Western. But more recently, several tenants have moved from the plaza to CC.

That's not even a fraction of how much hurt Chesapeake could cause them.

It's so strange, because if I lived in Nichols Hills, I would be extremely excited about this possibility. I would even be working with the city and CHK, volunteering as much time and organizing as many neighbors as possible, to be involved in the process and improve the livability of the project. Nichols Hills could use a new downtown, and that could be a very exciting opportunity for the region.

But I guess I can't even comprehend the NIMBY extremists to begin with. Just oppose everything, anything, for the sake of it? Gee, hope that's not how people see me..

I think I mentioned in another thread that CHK could really cripple the city of NH by driving out the NH Plaza tenants.

I believe that is their sole source of sales tax, with the possible exception of OKC Golf & CC.

That is true. They make money on water as well, but it has always seemed kind of shocking that the massive property taxes people pay there go to the county and NH doesn't get a penny of it.

But I guess I can't even comprehend the NIMBY extremists to begin with. Just oppose everything, anything, for the sake of it? Gee, hope that's not how people see me..
Here's a blog piece about NIMBY's
NIMBY Nation: Mad as hell and I don’t blame ‘em. For now. (http://placeshakers.wordpress.com/2011/07/29/nimby-nation/)

We have had them make inroads into the Austin City Council again, now they are trying to kill the new water treatment plant already under construction out near Lake Travis. Killing it now would end up costing the City of Austin something like $350 Million. Some say these are the same people who blocked any kind of highway construction in the Austin area years ago in the line of thinking that if traffic got so bad here no one would want to move here....now they think they can do that with water.

This may be heresy to some, but the current state of NH Plaza is nothing worth protecting. The north section is down-right ugly and the south section has some charm but there isn't much to it and it isn't that special IMO. I think the only place in the plaza I've ever been more than once is the Coach House.

I realize the people that live there want to preserve the status quo but really they don't have a lot to lose and so much to gain. It's not like CHK doesn't have the money to do things right.

Or the will.

This may be heresy to some, but the current state of NH Plaza is nothing worth protecting. The north section is down-right ugly and the south section has some charm but there isn't much to it and it isn't that special IMO. I think the only place in the plaza I've ever been more than once is the Coach House.

I realize the people that live there want to preserve the status quo but really they don't have a lot to lose and so much to gain. It's not like CHK doesn't have the money to do things right.

Like many small "towns" there are people who are opposed to change of any sort. They're the ones who turn out en masse any time there's something new being discussed and they can make a lot of noise. There are older people who have lived in Nichols Hills all their lives and they worry about traffic and everything else you could imagine. They don't think far enough into the future to see how losing all that sales tax revenue will hurt Nichols Hills, although they're the first ones to call the NH police if they see someone "odd" in the neighborhood. The police blotter in the Friday paper that covers NH is hysterical. "Notified of strange person walking into neighbor's back yard. Police checked and it was the yard man."

I agree that the north side could go away and the architectural world might breathe a sigh of relief. However, there are some great stores on that side: Bebe's, Gretta Sloane, Luxe, Curtain Exchange and of course Chica's, Saturn Grill and Starbucks. CK and Co is about the only store now on the south side, along with the drugstore and Crescent Market. If Crescent Market moves (which it's hard to believe will not happen when WF opens or soon thereafter, I wouldn't be shocked to see CK and Co either move to CC or the north side and some renovation begin on the south. The plans I saw were for a three story Tudor design (which pays homage to GA Nichols' original designs) that reminded me of Liberty of London. He might have better luck with a three story building on the south side, since it doesn't back up to people's back yards. It will be interesting to see if he does a piecemeal renovation, because he is allowing stores to move to the north side. Curtain Exchange is in the process of doing so right now. I also know that leases for offices on the south side are not being renewed, as I have a friend who has one with about two years to go and he's been told it won't be renewed.

Thanks for that great insight, betts.

I assume the plans you saw included taking out most of the surrounding condos and opening up the south section to 63rd?


This shouldn't be that hard to make work for everyone involved. As mentioned, merely consolidate the remaining south tenants to the north or CC, then lay waste to pretty much everything but the north section and rebuild from the ground up. Then, the north section could get it's turn.

The good news is that the plaza is already two levels pretty much all the way around, so that would make it easier for them to build something with at least some height. As for residences, those could be built across 63rd or Western within easy walking distance; they don't necessarily need to be part of the plaza, especially since that seems to be a sticking point with NH.

...it has always seemed kind of shocking that the massive property taxes people pay there go to the county and NH doesn't get a penny of it.

Actually, they get 26.54 mills, compared with Oklahoma City's 15.91.

Then again, by law, any property tax dollars that go to the cities have to go to debt service, so what they can do with it is decidedly limited.

Hmmm. The police chief of NH told me that all the property taxes go to the county. Maybe he means the spendable dollars.

betts, can you give a full description of the CHK plans for NH Plaza?

It was several years ago, and I don't know how much has changed. Also, my memory has never been great. I remember that they were planning to acquire the south side of the street just north of the Plaza and use it for angled parking. I cannot remember the name of that street now, Fenwick maybe? There was going to be underground parking in the center of the Plaza as well. I'm quite sure there was still a "square" feel to the area and I specifically remember three stories on the north side, with the top floor planned as residential. The building was distinctly Tudor, with cross-timbering and variation in brick design. It reminded me of picture of pre-Victorian London townhouses, a little higgledy-piggledy. I thought it looked great, given all the original Tudor houses GA Nichols built.

The street due north of the plaza is Cumberland and I hadn't realized until you mentioned this that they have acquired all the houses on that street except one. Or at least, a group called Cumberland DR LLC has purchased all of them. Fenwick is the next street north but perhaps they wanted that, too. Haven't acquired anything there that I can see.

Did the plans show NH Tower staying put? Were all the surrounding condos to be demolished?

Hey Pete, can you separate the parts of this thread that have to do with NH Plaza into a separate thread FOR the Plaza? We will want this info in tact at a later date, and we will never find it in a pointless thread about H&M, who is not coming to OKC for at least 20 years anyway.

Here's a quick graphic; CHK owns the properties in yellow and is working on acquiring the ones in green:

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/nhplaza1.jpg

Awesome! I really think Avondale could become a really awesome street, whereas now it just cuts through all of the parking. Betts, do you remember noticing anything happening with Avondale in what you saw?

How do you think Whole Foods will affect Crescent Market? Will Crescent Market move to another part of the City?

Crescent has been looking around for another site. Most assume they will move due to Whole Foods.


If you combine all the yellow and green properties on that graphic, it represents about a $90 million investment. That's a ton of money for a bunch of tear-down condos and sub-par retail and office.

It also represents about 26 acres. As a point of reference, all of Utica Square is about 32 acres.

The Crescent Market situation is complicated by the fact that Forward Foods is also up there, and Whole Foods isn't the only organic grocer that is joining the neighborhood either. Either CM or FF will move, for certain. FF might just close up shop on Western, although I hope that doesn't happen.

This certainly has a lot of potential. It will be interesting to see what happens. I agree that Avondale should be the major focus for a "Main Street" through the plaza with small stores lining a tree-lined street through there. Larger format retail could be on the north or south sides with parking areas in between (similar to Utica Square). Some kind of flagship store could come right up the corner of NW 63/Western/Avondale creating a grand entrance. The western edge along Grand would be a great place for redevelopment into medium density townhouses or apartments.

Does Chesapeake own the property south of NW 63 north of the creek? If so, I'd be curious about their plans in that area as it would lie between NH Plaza and Classen Market/Classen Curve.

I'm just nit at all sure how I feel about all this. On the one hand, I'm excited about the growth of Chesapeake, and they've done so much for that area. I even like Classen Curve, and I do hope the area can grow into a Utica Square/Highland Park Village equivalent. There's so much that can be done with NH Plaza. But I spent time there in my childhood, and as ratty as it might have become, I do think there's some character to the denseness and varied architecture of the condos, buildings and plaza. I'm somewhat worried at all of the apparent impending destruction north of 63rd. I mean, does everything really have to go? Is everything within a mile of that intersection really going to become a sprawling corporate creation, however nice it turns out? I'm likewise worried about Flips, where I feel like I spent about a million hours and maybe a million dollars. I hope everything turns out great, but I can't help feeling uneasy. That said, there's a ton you can do with that Plaza in it's current footprint without bulldozing residential in Nichols Hills. Will the land acquisition ever be done?

Does Chesapeake own the property south of NW 63 north of the creek? If so, I'd be curious about their plans in that area as it would lie between NH Plaza and Classen Market/Classen Curve.

Yes, they own all of that.

It's long been rumored they will develop a hotel on at least part of that property.

Wow, I didn't even know that. Where did you hear that, Pete?

That would actually be a great site for a hotel. I hope that they don't tear down that old school building on the intersection just to get the hotel "even closer" to Building 1.

I wonder if Charlie Givens is in the mood to develop another Hotel ZaZa.

I hope that they don't tear down that old school building on the intersection just to get the hotel "even closer" to Building 1.

Pete is right, Chesapeake does own all that land. Right now they're in the process of making the creek an underground river! I assume that's so they can use the land on top of it. They're remodeling the old school building right now, so I doubt they'll tear it down anytime soon.


I wonder if Charlie Givens is in the mood to develop another Hotel ZaZa.

I've wondered that for a long time. I believe Jeff Records is one of his partners in ZaZa, but I've also wondered if there isn't a little rivalry between him and Aubrey. I don't know for sure, but I'd heard Records owns the ugly office building on Western in NH Plaza and refused to sell for quite a while. I've since heard that he did sell it to Aubrey, but that's just a rumor. I've got a pretty reliable source I'll check with.

There is probably no rivalry between Aubrey and Jeff because Jeff doesn't want to lose money or use company dollars to blow on unnecessary properties

Do we know that Aubrey is using Chesapeake dollars for his retail projects? Or is he using personal money?

Do we know that Aubrey is using Chesapeake dollars for his retail projects? Or is he using personal money?
Aren't these projects owned by Chesapeake Land Development Company with Chesapeake Energy Corp as the parent company?

Redrunner is correct.

McClendon has his own separate corporation for all the land he owns in East Edmond and beyond.

I desparately want to see an Angelika Film Center or Landmark Theater somewhere in the NH Plaza / Classen Curve area.

Forgot to post this earlier... From OKCTalker.

This is the former Crescent Market space. CHK had said they had a grocer to take this space immediately after Crescent left but as you can see, there has only been demolition and no improvements:

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/crescent31212.jpg

I'm trying to determine what "niche" grocer would fit in this tight radius of grocers. I supped a Trader Joes might last, As it'd be a cheaper Whole Foods, I'm just not seeing a grocer being the highest and best use of space at this point in the game.

When they ran out Crescent and the pharmacy, CHK promised to have a new grocer in that space by the second half of 2012.

In the meantime, I'm sure the City of NH is being strangled by the lack of sales tax. Not only from the loss of Crescent who was probably the biggest sales tax payer in town, but also from several other tenants CHK has moved to Classen Curve.

True, but again what niche would the grocer fill? Surely an upscale, new to the state retailer could be a higher and better use now that Sunflower, WF and Forward Foods are within a 2 mile radius.

I have no idea, Metro.

If we are to believe what CHK has already said publicly, the new grocer will have a lunch counter so no way is that Trader Joe's or probably any other chain.

I have serious concerns about another grocer going in NHP, I just don't see the need. I guess we will find out soon enough. I guess it would be in Nichols Hills and I believe WF is technically OKC, so maybe it's an agreement with NH for sales tax purposes, but geography/market demand wise, it doesn't add up to me.

Actually, Nichols Hills Drug appears to have reopened west of their old location, still in the Plaza.

betts, what do you hear about NH Plaza in general?

And have you heard anything about the tenants for the building next to Anthropologie??

Everything I hear about NH Plaza is pretty much hearsay and rumor. I do know that someone who offices there did not have his lease renewed. There's a new wallpaper shop that has opened up that I haven't visited yet that looks pretty nice, and I noticed the Drug Store opened up in a space they'd been remodeling for six months or so. I'd also heard they were going to demolish that SW corner, and that didn't happen, so who knows? Maybe I'll see my most reliable source this morning, as when I'm not working I go up to the Starbucks there to have coffee with a bunch of old friends, and that's usually when I hear the most information.

I too am baffled by a grocery store in NHP. Hard for me to come up with any simulations considering the options that are nearby.

There was a coming soon sign that said "Nichols Hills Market", as in that would be the store name.

So, that sounds like a unique, locally-run business. Not only does that make little sense, it's very hard to believe that no one around town has any idea as to ownership.

Maybe it will be similar to Pops in that McClendon is financing it himself and has contracted with a local group to run it? That seems unlikely since CHK is heavily invested with Whole Foods just a couple of blocks away.


I have some other theories that I will keep to myself for now.

Wednesday, March 14,2012
Iguana Mexican Grill opening second location at Nichols Hills Plaza.
by Gazette staff

Mexican food lovers barely will have time to miss the closing of Chicas Mexican Cafe in Nichols Hills Plaza, now that the Iguana Mexican Grill has announced plans to open a second location in Chicas’ old site at 6482 Avondale Drive.

Scheduled to open in the spring, the new Iguana location will offer a limited menu of what is offered at its restaurant at 9 N.W. Ninth in Automobile Alley. Five dinner specials will be available each week, along with its renowned array of tacos, burritos and mouth-watering salsas.

“The original Iguana, located on Western Avenue in Nichols Hills, was a family staple for this area of Oklahoma City,” said Robert Painter, who co-owns the restaurant along with Steve Mason. “Steve and I are thrilled to come back to the neighborhood where it all started.”

The Iguana Lounge closed its Western Avenue location several years ago before the brand was revived in 2009 as the Iguana Mexican Grill.

http://okgazette.com/oklahoma/m/#_Article

Found out a bit more about the proposed Nichols Hills Market.

Chesapeake is committed to making this happen but does not have an operator as of yet. But I'm told it WILL happen, along with the lunch counter.

Too far north for me to shop there, but it seems a bit of a pity they couldn't work things out with the long standing operators who were already in place.

Yes, this is all very strange.

But obviously, CHK did not want Crescent there otherwise they could have easily helped them renovate their space. They said they made that offer but Crescent couldn't afford the adjusted rent.

But if they are trying to lure a new operator to that space, there will have to be all types of incentives otherwise why would anyone choose to go in there? You've got WF two blocks away and Sunflower within two miles and there doesn't seem to be any real demand for another grocer in that area.

And you force the much-loved drug store to shut down just so you can have someone else operate a lunch counter?

And you recruit Whole Foods with big subsidies then orchestrate a competitor almost right next door?


One of these days there will be a book written about Chesapeake and all their bizarre, secretive and expensive real estate and business moves. For now, everyone involved is making money off of them so nobody is going to say anything.

Yes, this is all very strange.

But obviously, CHK did not want Crescent there otherwise they could have easily helped them renovate their space. They said they made that offer but Crescent couldn't afford the adjusted rent.

But if they are trying to lure a new operator to that space, there will have to be all types of incentives otherwise why would anyone choose to go in there? You've got WF two blocks away and Sunflower within two miles and there doesn't seem to be any real demand for another grocer in that area.

And you force the much-loved drug store to shut down just so you can have someone else operate a lunch counter?

And you recruit Whole Foods with big subsidies then orchestrate a competitor almost right next door?


One of these days there will be a book written about Chesapeake and all their bizarre, secretive and expensive real estate and business moves. For now, everyone involved is making money off of them so nobody is going to say anything.

Its all apart of Aubreys personal Sim City. I would love to get my hands on some of these leases like Whole Foods, Anthro, Balliets etc

Robert Moses.

I had heard a rumor through the grapevine that the lunch counter will feature food from Pops. If so that's a shame because Pops' food is very mediocre, at best.

Well, we know that McClendon is behind Pops and also behind trying to pull this grocery/lunch counter thing together. Pops is basically a highly stylized counter/diner theme.

We also know that Pops recently expanded by opening locations in the airport.


But the grocery part is the hardest to understand. That's a tough industry dominated by major players -- very different than the restaurant game.

I was under the impression it was going to be a store to sell all stuff Whole Foods does not sell. Mainly paper products household supplies and that sort of thing.