https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0S1siNzh-Hc

And I’m telling you, unless you lived in this town in the 1980s you have no idea what you’re talking about when you discuss that era.

Yep.

I had a unique perspective because I was a commercial real estate broker from '82-'89. I knew every square inch of OKC, and the huge percentage of the core was just no man's land.

We wouldn't even take listings in Midtown, Bricktown, Paseo, Plaza, Uptown, Auto Alley and most of downtown. Forget Film Row, Farmer's Market, Deep Deuce, the northeast side and most other districts. Most places were completely vacant and/or abandoned and there was simply no market for any property in those areas.

There was the Sheraton and the Skirvin, but things were so bad the latter closed and stayed that way for two decades.

My firm moved to Leadership Square in 1984, but all that new development accomplished was bleeding the existing buildings to the point First National Center and others were teetering on the edge of oblivion.

This was before the Memorial corridor really took off and the whole far north / Edmond boom had yet to happen. The only place there was any real movement -- and it was very minor -- was the NW Expressway corridor.


People can talk all day about memories but having my complete livelihood based on commercial real estate which is the biggest economic indicator, I dealt with the most stark of realities.

I have always loved OKC as much (maybe more) as anyone, yet even I left in 1989, something I never, ever thought I would do. THAT's how bad things were heading into the 90s.

…Dismissing the testimony of those who have lived through is is the arrogance of youth and absence of perspective.
100%. This.

I can say as a PC North grad in 2006 (easily the top public school within OKC proper at the time) all I could hear was how many people were ready to get out of OKC after high school. Growing up in the 90s and then starting to come of age in the early 2000s nothing was exciting enough to that group of people to start planning a future within the city and these were bright kids who could help innovate...I imagine some of that worldview was shaped by their parents who may not have always spoken fondly of the city. If it was that bad as the MAPs-1 era was coming to a close, I really don't know what my parents were thinking coming (back in one case) to OKC from Denver and Iowa in the mid-80s.

I can say as a PC North grad in 2006 (easily the top public school within OKC proper at the time) all I could hear was how many people were ready to get out of OKC after high school. Growing up in the 90s and then starting to come of age in the early 2000s nothing was exciting enough to that group of people to start planning a future within the city and these were bright kids who could help innovate...I imagine some of that worldview was shaped by their parents who may not have always spoken fondly of the city. If it was that bad as the MAPs-1 era was coming to a close, I really don't know what my parents were thinking coming (back in one case) to OKC from Denver and Iowa in the mid-80s.

Ha. I graduated in 2006 (from Edmond). My parents also returned from Denver in the mid-80s.

1. Elect the Right Leaders ( Detroit fell due to the leaders not helping the community)
2. Elect sheriffs that are tough on crime.
3.be involved in city hall meeting's allow your leaders to hear your feedback

Man, some of you guys are young. Or, maybe I'm old?

And one thing I have learned through my oldness is that young adults naturally want to make their own life. A lot more young people want to leave town than actually do. And some come back.

I wouldn't begrudge anyone who left between 1985-95. Wasn't much to look forward to then. And I have tremendous respect for those who did come back.

1. Elect the Right Leaders ( Detroit fell due to the leaders not helping the community)
2. Elect sheriffs that are tough on crime.
3.be involved in city hall meeting's allow your leaders to hear your feedback
Add….
Make sure your primary industry doesn't get lazy and lose sight of market changes, putting thousands and thousands out of work and crippling the tax base.

Add….
Make sure your primary industry doesn't get lazy and lose sight of market changes, putting thousands and thousands out of work and crippling the tax base.

I’m trying to figure out if you are referring to the domestic auto industry in the 1980s, or the domestic oil & gas industry in the 1980s? Because, when I think about it, it appears both suffered mightily in the face of market changes and innovation.

I’m trying to figure out if you are referring to the domestic auto industry in the 1980s, or the domestic oil & gas industry in the 1980s? Because, when I think about it, it appears both suffered mightily in the face of market changes and innovation.

The post was in context of the post i was responding to. The auto industry failures devastated Detroit and would have done so no matter how smart the mayor or other politicians were or how many people the police would have arrested.

The failure in the oil business affected OKC but the loose banking regulations and abuse almost brought down the whole banking system. A hyper financed oil business based on ever escalating prices couldn't stand lower prices and failed loans.