Also, the staging area used for Mosaic has a new fence and modular office unit. Looks like it's about to get serious.

Fantastic idea Sid

No kidding, that is an excellent suggestion.

Fantastic idea Sid

+1

I think it's a HORRIBLE idea. And you all should too…that's the only way this horrible idea has a chance of occurring is everyone here thinks it's a grave mistake.

That's waaaaaaaay worse than putting a walkway beneath scaffolding. I mean, who would walk through shipping containers? pffff...

Lol. You guys are goobers. ;)

BTW, I think it's totally awesome. Shipping containers are the boxcar of the 21st century.

BTW, I think it's totally awesome. Shipping containers are the boxcar of the 21st century.

Shipping Container Willie just doesn't have the same ring to it.

11/24/2014

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7516/15843529256_6742d1b9f6_b.jpg

Sweet

Here in Seattle a project used this approach which I really love.

Covered Pedestrian Walkways, Hoarding & Site Offices (http://www.bigsteelbox.com/modular-buildings-workforce-housing/products/covered-pedestrian-walkways/)

http://www.bigsteelbox.com/files/3214/0190/4262/Pedestrian-Walkway-Interior1_890.jpg

http://www.bigsteelbox.com/files/5814/0190/3775/Pedestrian-Walkway-Exterior1_890.jpg

I think that these are something that perhaps even the City would like to just have on hand. The containers themselves are cheap to buy (can pick them up for just a couple thousand dollars) and could be converted to be used this way with very little work. Mostly just removing the doors and adding some openings for natural light. More advanced setups could include industrial lighting that's already added and can be plugged in at the site.

Developers who don't build in an urban environment wouldn't need them often so they'd be kind of a waste. And the demand for them might not be enough for a company to survive just renting them out to contractors. So it looks like a classic example of how the local government could buy and store these and contractors can use them to protect the pedestrian without having to use scaffolding, construct their own, or divert pedestrians through a fenced detour. With all the urban growth happening and planned, I think it'd be not only a good investment but send a strong signal to pedestrians that they do in fact matter. I know I'd appreciate seeing these put up with a giant City of Oklahoma City logo on the side knowing that they cared enough to ensure there was a protected, convenient walkway.

I could totally see this and definitely want to see this covered walkways at the Stage Center/Clayco developments (at least along Hudson and Sheridan/Reno streets) as well as the Preftakes block. Those will be MAJOR construction sites in pedestrianized area (particularly with the school right there.......).

11/24/2014

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7516/15843529256_6742d1b9f6_b.jpg

That's a great pic of the OKC skyline

sure is, you can see all of the big 6 skyscrapers without any being totally blocked or dwarfed.

The absolute best views were right across the street from Maywood Apts. I. Those views were unbelievable.

She's a pretty tall skyline now, so I am growing to prefer skyline shots from further out with more urban density included (like Bricktown, Deep Deuce, Midtown especially adds a lot of character to the skyline)

Because the plans have changed to four levels of apartments above ground and three levels of underground parking, the two small buildings along Walnut will have to be dismantled and reassembled as part of the process.

Credit to the developers for going to this extra step.

They are seeking approval to take this approach at the next Downtown Design Review Committee meeting on 12/18.

Walnut was just full on closed (at least southbound) along this block when I was heading to Johnnies last night.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/B5AlVw9IQAA7C-q.jpg:large

Because the plans have changed to four levels of apartments above ground and three levels of underground parking, the two small buildings along Walnut will have to be dismantled and reassembled as part of the process.

Credit to the developers for going to this extra step.

They are seeking approval to take this approach at the next Downtown Design Review Committee meeting on 12/18.

Why will they have to be removed from the site?

December 16 2014

https://www.flickr.com/photos/williamhider/sets/72157649382543767/

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7528/16037945821_69a17518b9_b.jpg

Haha... The traffic light in the middle of that mess is pretty humorous.

December 22 2014

https://www.flickr.com/photos/williamhider/sets/72157649479810518/

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7496/16082305112_2abe913a64_b.jpg

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7554/15897253547_0874ffb36e_b.jpg

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7503/15895723700_70d336504a_b.jpg

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https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7470/16081076211_c64e5ace1c_b.jpg

Why are they keeping the two little houses?

Why are they keeping the two little houses?

Work set to start on $20 million second phase for Maywood Apartments in Oklahoma City | News OK (http://newsok.com/work-set-to-start-on-20-million-second-phase-for-maywood-apartments-in-oklahoma-city/article/3843840)

Why are they keeping the two little houses?"Ron Bradshaw and Charlie Nicholas, who are building the 139-unit Maywood Apartments at NE 4 and Oklahoma, are set to start construction this summer on a 160-unit, $20 million second phase that will provide a new space for Jones' Bricktown Auto Bath & Shine. At the same time, the developers plan to restore the 80-year-old former Conoco station that has been home to Jones' detail shop and convert it into retail." from that article

Ok, I thought it was a house. I've never seen a conoco station with a fireplace. The whole thing had me confused.

They will actually be moving both those small buildings off the site, then bring them back when they are further along in construction.

very nice to honor the history of OKC.

I guess I just don't get why we are saving these two small structures in a neighborhood setting but then destroying multiple larger historis structures across town. But anyways...glad to see this project moving forward.

I guess I just don't get why we are saving these two small structures in a neighborhood setting but then destroying multiple larger historis structures across town. But anyways...glad to see this project moving forward.

Simply because the developer of this project wanted to save them. He could have had them demolished if that was the desire.

Buildings coming down this morning.
9888988998909891

Careful removal...with an excavator bucket. So when the buildings are replaced they will be reproductions I guess? Why bother?

Huh. That looks an awful lot like demolishing.

Huh. That looks an awful lot like demolishing.

You're absolutely right. Evidently there was a change of plans.

That is disappointing. I thought they were integrating them into the project.

Evidently Pete thought that also.

i thought they were being integrated also. Huge loss.

From the article...


Ron Bradshaw and Charlie Nicholas, who are building the 139-unit Maywood Apartments at NE 4 and Oklahoma, are set to start construction this summer on a 160-unit, $20 million second phase that will provide a new space for Jones' Bricktown Auto Bath & Shine. At the same time, the developers plan to restore the 80-year-old former Conoco station that has been home to Jones' detail shop and convert it into retail.

Most or all of us read that, I'd assume, and just didn't expect "restore" to mean "rebuild from the ground up".

I wonder if they planned on doing it but as they unearthed the area around, they figured it just needed to be town down and rebuilt.

It's entirely possible they found out their original plans just weren't workable once they started in on them. I'm mostly just amused at the disconnect between the announced plan and what we're apparently seeing.

You can't rebuild from the ground up using original brick that has been bashed to Smithereens by heavy equipment. If they put small buildings back in those locations anything they do will be an imitation rather than a restoration or reconstruction. I've gotta say, the Christmas Day tear down also strikes me as curious. Might be the cynic in me, but were the "relocation/restoration" talk and holiday tear down a way to circumvent demolition permitting and review by DDRC? If called on it, will the response be "oops...sorry"?

It's entirely possible they found out their original plans just weren't workable once they started in on them. I'm mostly just amused at the disconnect between the announced plan and what we're apparently seeing.

Entirely possible, but a change in plans to the point of permanent removal should have been approved by DDRC.

Oops, double post. Also oops, more demolition.

This is what was requested and approved by the DDRC on 12/18:


Revise the original approval that required the existing buildings on-site to
be incorporated into the east elevation of the project to allow these
buildings to be disassembled, to store those building materials, and then
reassembled in place using the original materials.

Looks like they forgot to tell the equipment operators...who are bashing the old brick into red dust.

I've gotta say, the Christmas Day tear down also strikes me as curious. Might be the cynic in me, but were the "relocation/restoration" talk and holiday tear down a way to circumvent demolition permitting and review by DDRC? If called on it, will the response be "oops...sorry"?

Yep. It's interesting because Bradshaw was such a big part of setting up guidelines for the area, but has been the most active in trying to dismantle them or ignore them. I guess it's still possible they will do what they say, but if they don't, it won't be much of a departure from what's become typical from his projects.

But if he wanted to demolish those structures out-right, it wouldn't have been hard to get approval to do so.

He could have done it at the outset or more recently, when their application stated the received no bids from companies willing to move them offsite.

But if he wanted to demolish those structures out-right, it wouldn't have been hard to get approval to do so.

He could have done it at the outset or more recently, when their application stated the received no bids from companies willing to move them offsite.

Very true. Then again, Christmas day? Kind of fishy. But who knows. Bradshaw has done a lot of head scratchers lately.

Call it whatever you want, but "disassemble" and "store" to me doesn't bring to mind smashing the buildings into splinters and brick dust and then unceremoniously scooping the combined pile into roll-off dumpsters. Call me crazy.

9896

Wow. I can't wait to hear his excuse.

Was TIF funding granted? Can we revoke building permit?

Yes, they were granted $1 million in TIF dollars.

I don't even have words.

All I can really say is McKown and Bradshaw have proven to be the kind of developers you can't hate because of the amount they are investing but you can't love because they just can't seem to do things without doing something that makes you shake your head in disbelief.

Reminder that McKown is restoring The Plow building at great expense and risk.

What exactly has Richard done to merit "shaking your head in disbelief"? As far as I know he had some unexpected complications with the exterior finish of LEVEL, which he quickly rectified. Does that about cover it? Otherwise he has had an incredibly positive influence on both Deep Deuce and Bricktown.

Just received these videos showing them laying waste to the two buildings:



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R6e9KSSVAoA&feature=youtu.be

I could very well be mixing-up who has done what where. The LEVEL thing was one of the things I was thinking about, but if that's the only thing, then it's not a good reason to include him with a shaking head. Maybe some of the sidewalk issues/store front issues with Maywood Flats and the landscaping at LEVEL as well, but definitely nothing quite on the scale of proposing and preparing site work for the Flats, the lack of any sort of street presence for Maywood I [on edit…originally said Maywood II], and now the renege on the preservation of the 2 small buildings w/ Maywood II.

^

Not to mention the pretty ugly final product of the Maywood Apartments by Bradshaw.

Worst looking residential project in all of downtown, taking the spot held for years by Avana.

McKown had nothing to do with Maywood Lofts. Regarding landscaping issues at LEVEL - much like the exterior finish problem - he rectified it as soon as problems became apparent. In the case of the landscaping he replaced it all, and changed it where necessary to accommodate the previously-unanticipated trampling by people traipsing through flower beds.