Pretty sure this was confirmed way up thread. That OnCue owns the land the Porthole is on and it's only a matter of time. Porthole even announced a closing, had a big bash, but then said never mind, I guess they got a short reprieve.

I've seen no confirmation on NW 39th & Portland. The only discussion has been hearsay. There was confusion in this thread regarding the location when a "coming soon" sign was supposedly located there, it turned out not to be 39th & Portland) and nothing else points in that direction. Route 66 Laundry/ postal service center claims to know nothing about it except hearing rumors on social media that he didn't know how to refute. "Hasn't hurt business that's for sure." He said Porthole has been trying to sell for quite awhile and thought they had a buyer but it fell through.

I'm going to take from all of this that NW 39th and Portland is not the future home of an OnCue.

If me having a brain fart and confusing 39th & Portland with 39th & the turnpike is the 'confirmation' mentioned, then I can only deeply apologize, beg forgiveness, and politely suggest we don't take brain farts as confirmation of anything.

Again, to be clear, the SE corner of 39th & the turnpike had a sign for the longest time, and I understand is now starting to see action. To my (and everyone else's) knowledge, the SE corner of 39th and Portland did not, and is not.

OnCue frequently places options on properties, often for extended periods of time.

Usually, they reserve the right to back out before closing with or without penalty, depending on the deal they strike with the land owners.

I believe this is the case with the Porthole and surrounding properties at 39th & Portland but also know that they have a bunch of other locations tied up in a similar manner.

If me having a brain fart and confusing 39th & Portland with 39th & the turnpike is the 'confirmation' mentioned, then I can only deeply apologize, beg forgiveness, and politely suggest we don't take brain farts as confirmation of anything.

Again, to be clear, the SE corner of 39th & the turnpike had a sign for the longest time, and I understand is now starting to see action. To my (and everyone else's) knowledge, the SE corner of 39th and Portland did not, and is not.

Hey Stile99, You made me laugh and that's always a good thing in the morning! Yes, you made it clear way back in the thread that you made a simple mix-up in intersections. I loved your "we shouldn't take brain farts as confirmation of anything." Your post truly made me laugh and I owe you a THANKS for that!

I think Pete may very well be right about options on the land at one time. I think that makes complete sense to me.

Now, WHEN are they going to actually start on Northwest Expressway and Blackwelder?!?!

Bulldozer in the field next to the I35/15th street location. What might be built there?

https://s8.postimg.cc/g4779dw7l/BD91_E6_E7-8403-4466-9861-_DE0320_DAA0_CF.jpg (https://postimg.cc/image/g4779dw7l/)

Bulldozer in the field next to the I35/15th street location. What might be built there?

https://s8.postimg.cc/g4779dw7l/BD91_E6_E7-8403-4466-9861-_DE0320_DAA0_CF.jpg (https://postimg.cc/image/g4779dw7l/)

“Now a new car wash on the west side of OnCue has taken down more trees.“

https://newsok.com/article/5605085/edmond-development-flourishes-along-interstate-35?earlyAccess=true

OnCue planning new location for Midtown (http://www.okctalk.com/content.php?r=548-OnCue-planning-new-location-for-Midtown)

OnCue Express, the booming Stillwater-based convenience store chain, is looking to continue its aggressive push into the Oklahoma City market with its first location in the urban core.


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/oncuewestern3a.jpg


OKCTalk has learned the company has purchased or placed under contract 1.72 acres on the southwest corner of NW 13th Street and Western Avenue. OnCue has closed on the sale on one of the properties with the others pending.

Preliminary plans indicate a smaller store measuring approximately 8,451 square feet and its customary array of covered fuel pumps.

OnCue has been adding kitchens to a handful of its locations as it seeks to be to Oklahoma City what QuikTrip has been in Tulsa and other markets. The OnCue kitchens offer freshly made pizza, burgers, fries, breakfast sandwiches and tacos.


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


QuikTrip has had a long-held gentleman's agreement with the Brown family that owns the local 7-Eleven stores, whereby the Tulsa convenience store giant has voluntarily not entered the central Oklahoma market that 7-Eleven currently dominates with 111 locations.

However, as 7-Eleven has been slow to implement bigger, newer, more elaborate stores that have become the primary area of growth in the convenience store industry, OnCue has largely stepped into that void. 7-Eleven has now started building larger stores of its own and is upgrading some of its more profitable locations with remodeled facilities or in some cases completely replacing them with a new prototype that also includes hot food.

OnCue Express currently operates approximately 75 locations in Oklahoma, with 40 locations planned or open in the Oklahoma City area.


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/oncuewestern2.jpg

Previously, the property at NW 13th and Western had been slated for a mixed-use project by local developer Shyon Keoppel who now hopes to move elements of that concept to a new location in Midtown.

So I'm guess the two houses within the red square will be demolished?

So I'm guess the two houses within the red square will be demolished?

Yes, that is the plan.

I predict that this location will make bank! Not a bad location for it, as it is not in the core, but is close enough to attract customers from the core.

They have been looking in this area for a while and now have settled on this location.

Classen and in and out of the core to the north is highly underserved... Just one of those woeful 7-Elevens.

Ugh. That's a disheartening use of that space. Can they at least design it in such a way that the building is up against Western and the pumps and parking area is behind it?

^^^ agree. That's a terrible spot from an urban design perspective and counter to what is happening along western and classen. I hope that at the very least the pumps can be placed behind the building like stlokc said. For once I hope there is stroong NIMBY opposition to this.

Ugh. That's a disheartening use of that space. Can they at least design it in such a way that the building is up against Western and the pumps and parking area is behind it?

It will be a traditional design similar to their new stores.

Yeah this kinda sucks. What they had proposed here originally was really cool. Too bad it didn’t happen. But this is awful and I hope it doesn’t get built. We don’t need large gas stations in the core. Maybe if they significantly reduced the size to 4-5 pumps, but this as proposed just isn’t a good fit, imo.

This is something that is desperately needed in the core but like others have said, I hope they at least attempt to do something more urban with the design and get a little creative.

Is this completley out of all design review districts?

They just remodeled the house on 13th a year or two ago.

They just remodeled the house on 13th a year or two ago.

Wonder how hard it would be to relocate it.

Yeah, this is a disappointing use. I had high hopes for that corner as I thought it would figure prominently once development edged out/up there.

Yeah this kinda sucks. What they had proposed here originally was really cool. Too bad it didn’t happen. But this is awful and I hope it doesn’t get built. We don’t need large gas stations in the core. Maybe if they significantly reduced the size to 4-5 pumps, but this as proposed just isn’t a good fit, imo.

Disagree about needing a large gas station in the core. This will be really nice to have nearby...especially with the drive through wine pickup, just wish they would do something more creative than a basic suburban design.

Ooooof that intersection is going to be a mess. Oncue's are busy 24/7 and that's a weird corner.

Yes, that is the plan.

Oh... Oh no. The house in the lower right corner of your photo - 1116 NW 13th St - is a very recently redone Craftsman style house built in 1909, according to recent assessor data, and it sold to OnCue in July for $331,000. The house is stunningly gorgeous! Photos are listed on Zillow: https://www.zillow.com/homes/1116-NW-13th-St,-Oklahoma-City,-OK-73106_rb/

I assume, if they're wanting a square plot of land, that they also want the house immediately to the south (1121 NW 12th St); That house is another gorgeous Craftsman style house, built in 2014 by Jeff Struble Construction to match the character of the neighborhood (again, according to assessor data).

The house that fronts Western - 1303 N Western Ave - was also built in 1909, according to assessor data. It was most recently used as the home of Christopher A. Wood & Associates / Affoardable Legal Service.

I don't want to lose any of these houses, but it'd be an easier pill to swallow if we only lost the one on Western. Can they not fit their store on the already vacant land immediately to the east?

And it's already the best grocery store "downtown". Unless you count the updated Homeland just up the street. So 2nd best. We all wanted a decent grocery store/convenient store, but not like this. NOT LIKE THIS.

What a joke.

BIG OnCue fan here. This is a huge misfire. A suburban style convenience store at this location is just a bad idea. Give us an urban design that serves the inner core with class. I'm also not excited about the recently remodeled classic home from 1909 being destroyed for this. I like the idea of a store here, but not as designed. Please, OnCue, rethink this.

Disagree about needing a large gas station in the core. This will be really nice to have nearby...especially with the drive through wine pickup, just wish they would do something more creative than a basic suburban design.I personally don’t like large gas stations but that’s just my preference. I think this would make more sense closer to the new boulevard.

Whatever happens, I am interested to see their proposed site plan. Maybe they’ll surprise us. Not sure if these exists(I haven’t seen in LA or other big cities I’ve been to), but I wonder if they could have two level station. I don’t know if safety requirements would prohibit that.

I personally don’t like large gas stations but that’s just my preference. I think this would make more sense closer to the new boulevard.

Whatever happens, I am interested to see their proposed site plan. Maybe they’ll surprise us. Not sure if these exists(I haven’t seen in LA or other big cities I’ve been to), but I wonder if they could have two level station. I don’t know if safety requirements would prohibit that.

This reminds me of the area just as you are entering the Holland Tunnel to Manhattan. There are some sizable gas stations right before the tolls to the tunnel that line one of the main thorough fares into and out of Manhattan.

This reminds me of the area just as you are entering the Holland Tunnel to Manhattan. There are some sizable gas stations right before the tolls to the tunnel that line one of the main thorough fares into and out of Manhattan.

I hear 'ya. The difference being you could drop absolutely anything in Manhattan and it still be urban. NYC is NYC.

Some additional images:


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/oncuewestern4.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/oncuewestern5.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/oncuewestern6.jpg

Absolutely massive misfire. And as suspected, they do plan to take the new house on 12th St too. Do they already have that property under contract?

Absolutely massive misfire. And as suspected, they do plan to take the new house on 12th St too. Do they already have that property under contract?

Yes, all the properties are under contract.

Reminder they do not need design approval but will need to get re-zoning from the planning commission.

An atrocity...

Honestly, this is just terrible. This intersection deserves something of a much higher and better use, or at least with an urban site plan. To know that this gas station will serve as an entrance to Midtown/Downtown from Classen headed south, for decades to come, just makes my blood boil.

At the end of the day, OnCue may be nicer than our other gas stations and we might not have minded them elsewhere throughout the city, but this is just f**ked. Especially considering the previous proposal was incredibly urban. This blows. It also upsets me that there isn't even an attempt in the site plan to build something with a more urban form.

And it would be simple to do as OnCue's already have entrances from the front and back! Just flip the building to the east side, fronting the street, with the pumps in the back! I just don't get it.

I don't have anything original to add here, but do feel the need to chime in and agree with everyone else who thinks this is a horrible idea. Not quite as bad as what Braum's had planned for Classen Circle, but definitely in the same ballpark, at least.

Has anybody contacted OnCue yet about this horrible design? Do they listen to people? If we all email/call them, will they care? If the neighborhood association tells them nobody wants that design, will they care? Or are they just going to do whatever they want no matter what?

Does OnCue listen to people? If we all email/call them, will they care? If the neighborhood association tells them nobody wants that design, will they care? Or are they just going to do whatever they want no matter what?

They have to go through a re-zoning process with the planning department.

You can be sure concerned citizens and neighbors will be heard.

As much as I hate this, OnCue will make BANK with this location. Money talks. They have the money. Whatcha gonna do? I'll come camp there and chain my body to the Earth if someone will come with me. Unfortunately I do not have millions of dollars to invest into this corner. Neither did previous developers, apparently. But OnCue sure does.

This property is outside design review. It pretty much stops on the east side of Classen.

So that additional layer of protection is not in play here.

I think a campaign to email or write letters to their corporate office is at least worth a shot!

I hadn't noticed the elevation change from Classen going west, those houses will be looking down into the OnCue. Very interesting.

On another note, doesn't Tulsa have rather large QuikTrips throughout the city? I remember thinking they seemed kind of large for the urban area, but they are nice to have over dingy, cramped gas stations with two or flour pumps.

This property is outside design review. It pretty much stops on the east side of Classen.

So that additional layer of protection is not in play here.
Which is ironic because a few years ago an Office Depot was proposed almost directly across the street and died on the vine because it was only a two story Office Depot (!!), whereas design guidelines called for three stories and zero setback on that side of the street (if I recall...LakeEffect might be able to help here if my facts aren't straight).

I'm in no way opposed to an OnCue in this general vicinity, but I also have trouble imagining how you could do it with any type of urban plan at all and still have it be executed at the scale at which they are building them. But for my money I think the Office Depot would have been far more important to the ecosystem here.

At 1.72 acres, this would be small by OnCue standards but still way bigger than anything like it in the core.

Will be interesting to see how this plays out with the Planning Commission.

On Cue should go into the Gold Dome. They could put the pumps on the east side along Western, & they would have vehicular access from all four sides of the block. They could be historic preservation heros and make a ton of money at this location.

On Cue should go into the Gold Dome. They could put the pumps on the east side along Western, & they would have vehicular access from all four sides of the block. They could be historic preservation heros and make a ton of money at this location.

:yeahthat: That makes fairly good sense, not quite sure of the logistics of the layout pump-wise since I'm not completely familiar with the lot size, etc., and too lazy to google it right now. The Gold Dome is a super-problematic building for someone to take over and do right (not quite sure what "right" is in this case since it's so unusual, but not tearing the entire inside out and keeping it as historical as possible while still staying economically viable and profitable seems about "right" :)), but something like that might seem to work. No idea how much more it would cost to retrofit the bldg and keep its historical facets in play, yet still be functional as a gas station/convenience store, but OnCue probably has the money.

As you said, they'd come off heroes and makes tons of $$$$$$, think about how popular it would become on social media - coolest fill-up in the state...

:yeahthat: That makes fairly good sense, not quite sure of the logistics of the layout pump-wise since I'm not completely familiar with the lot size, etc., and too lazy to google it right now. The Gold Dome is a super-problematic building for someone to take over and do right (not quite sure what "right" is in this case since it's so unusual, but not tearing the entire inside out and keeping it as historical as possible while still staying economically viable and profitable seems about "right" :)), but something like that might seem to work. No idea how much more it would cost to retrofit the bldg and keep its historical facets in play, yet still be functional as a gas station/convenience store, but OnCue probably has the money.

As you said, they'd come off heroes and makes tons of $$$$$$, think about how popular it would become on social media - coolest fill-up in the state...

And it is on the historic Rt 66!

I like this suggestion: https://twitter.com/shanehamp/status/1047555516153679872


The proposal for a Midtown OnCue is a terrible idea, but if they must have a store here, they could combine this QuikTrip design from Atlanta and the "Gas Backwards" site plan with a building at the corner and pumps behind.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DomprPrU0AEbJq9.jpg

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DompsY_VsAAjJW1.jpg

I like this suggestion: https://twitter.com/shanehamp/status/1047555516153679872

Shane Hampton for City Manager!

Shane Hampton for City Manager!

I like this. How do we make this happen?

I like this suggestion: https://twitter.com/shanehamp/status/1047555516153679872

That would be a great idea! I also like the idea of using the Gold Dome, though I'm not sure OnCue would be that interested since they have another store on 23rd a mile to the east.

I hadn't noticed the elevation change from Classen going west, those houses will be looking down into the OnCue. Very interesting.

On another note, doesn't Tulsa have rather large QuikTrips throughout the city? I remember thinking they seemed kind of large for the urban area, but they are nice to have over dingy, cramped gas stations with two or flour pumps.

Yes and some people in Tulsa are just as peeved as those that don’t like this site plan for an urban location. Mainly the 15th & Denver, 11th & Utica, 36th & Peoria and now the 15th & Lewis locations which are outsized for their respective neighborhoods. QT has done urban format stores in Atlanta and Fort Worth so it’s not unprecedented.

On Cue Corporate Office: (405) 372-3579

I bet they’ve rarely, if ever, dealt with a lot of calls challenging a new build. Call away. Worked with Braums and look how that worked out.

I think a campaign to email or write letters to their corporate office is at least worth a shot!

Or a Braum's /Classen Circle style revolt. … I like OnCue as well. But this is all wrong.

[I deleted your previous post in this vein. Please move on. ~ Pete]

If the neighborhood association tells them nobody wants that design, will they care?

Unfortunately that isn't going to happen...

Classen Ten Penn won't protest?

Has anybody contacted OnCue yet about this horrible design? Do they listen to people? If we all email/call them, will they care? If the neighborhood association tells them nobody wants that design, will they care? Or are they just going to do whatever they want no matter what?

I don't know if they listen to people, or not. The owner of OnCue is 65 years old. I wonder if he's looking forward to retiring soon by selling the company or wants to continue for a good while longer overseeing the company grow and expand.

^Phillips 66 has a 50% interest in OnCue per their 10-K, so that is the source of all this recent capital expansion. That happened in about 2014. (This may have been discussed above somewhere).

Yes, and they have about 10 more OKC projects in various stages.

They are spending a ton of cash to get these prime properties.

I have messaged them through their website and again on Facebook. On Facebook I provided the examples that David posted on this thread. Maybe they’ll change it if enough pushback is given.

Here is the link to their and their Facebook can easily be accessed by searching “OnCue Express”

https://www.oncueexpress.com/contact-us

I just emailed them telling them I live nearby and asking them to build a store like the Atlanta QT.