I went during a lunch period, so the atmosphere was much different. We could enjoy our drinks and our food in relative peace. We thought the sausages were more than just OK...

Yeah during weekend daytimes the place is remarkably family-friendly and not rowdy, douchey or bro-y.

The last time I went in the middle of a lazy Sunday it felt like a real community atmosphere with all kinds of people there for different reasons...

The only time the atmosphere gets rowdy is around 11 pm to 2 am, Friday and Saturday (possibly during the day on Saturday, but I haven't been there during that time). The other times I've been the age range and demographics were varied, and very laid back. I've tried all the sausages now, habanero chicken and jalapeno cheddar are my favorite.. but all are great. The duck fries are also very good.

Yeah, I think mostly it's still a great place to go during daytime business, weekend daytimes and early evenings. The crowd becomes bigger, louder, younger and more boisterous late nights on Friday and Saturday, and if I'm out I agree that I leave it out of my rotation during those times.

Why yes, I did. Thanks for the edit. I view Fassler Hall as a particularly loud but not especially interesting place to get hammered. The German sausages are OK. Just not my scene. For the legions of younger folk on a quest to get hammered in a rowdy hall, Prost. Just not my barrel of lager.

Give it time. When it's no longer the "cool new spot" it should gain the feel of an actual beer garden over time.

You know young people: Not capable of truly enjoying anything but the coolest, most recent trend.

^^^^^^^^^^
Also true.

Give it time. When it's no longer the "cool new spot" it should gain the feel of an actual beer garden over time.

You know young people: Not capable of truly enjoying anything but the coolest, most recent trend.

Someone give a shout once it is merely the 6th or 8th real cool spot in town. That's a universal sign that self-exiled hermits can quietly slip in and check it out. :)

Kevin in Norman, America
Hermits R Moi
Founder, Chairman, CEO, CFO, COO

It's OK. Clearly my lack of interest is not hurting their business. There will be other places to go.

OKCTalk - Large office furniture store to open in Midtown (http://www.okctalk.com/content/152-large-office-furniture.html)

Not really sure if that gonna be a good fit there but, okay, I guess that's cool.

Not really sure if that gonna be a good fit there but, okay, I guess that's cool.

Why not? Lots of offices going up all over downtown, and LOTS more to come.

Plus, it will provide a good store front without needing tons of parking, which is a pretty big issue.

Why not? Lots of offices going up all over downtown, and LOTS more to come.

True, and its also good in a mixed-use neighborhood to have retail that will create activity during the day. I think this will be great for that location.

I think this is pretty cool. With all of the housing/apartments in the area being built/renovated/completed, there is definitely a residential use for this place. Now, add in all of the nicer, upscale offices all around downtown and this place could thrive. With all of the window frontage to this store, it could look very cool. Midtown has all kinds of food and bar options, it'll be nice to have a nicer furniture shopping location. As it is, you either go to Edmond, I-44 and I-40 or Norman to buy furniture, so to me, this is a welcome addition to the area. With a good store front(similar to their website), it could look beautiful.

I think given the nature of downtown from 2005 to 2015 (essentially a destination for those living outside of downtown/the urban core), everyone in the community has sort of thought of the success of a development being how much it draws people in from the outside. In reality, the success of a development is how well does it serve the neighborhood. And development is going to start transitioning in that direction.

Anyone who has lived in an urban setting for even a few weeks knows that any given day you will pass by literally hundreds of store fronts and never even really look inside. And then one day, you'll look to your right or left and see something you've walked by 50 times and never noticed. Or you'll need something specific, look it up online and realize it's 2 blocks away from your door.

Took some pictures last week.

10791

10792

^^^ Interesting. Orthodontic Arts is Dr. Birdwell's new company... formerly with Orthodontic Associates.

Plus, it will provide a good store front without needing tons of parking, which is a pretty big issue.

This is a break from my usual stances on issues, but having parking in tight supply near a bar is a good thing. I can think of several times I just took an uber to avoid the hassle of parking down there, instead of driving drinking and then leaving my car.

Looks like they are starting construction on the new road by Fassler.

10801

10802

Orthodontic Arts is taking about half of the upstairs space -- the south end.

The remainder is being split and they already have one of those spaces leased and a lot of interest in the other.

Looks like this building will be completely full very soon.

Can anyone who has been to Fassler Hall since the weather warmed up tell us if they are having the promised live entertainment in the patio area?

Yes, there was a band there last Saturday.

I thought there was "house band"?

Precast Concrete Institutes 2015 Design Award Winner: Best Mixed Use Building

PCI | Fassler Hall Dust Bowl (http://www.pci.org/Project_Resources/Project_Profiles/Profile_Pages/Fassler_Hall_Dust_Bowl/?terms=fassler%20hall)

interesting... didn't think it was winning any awards... but cool

(then again the BOK drive through at 4th/Robinson has an architecture award plaque on it)

So I was here last night and there was suddenly a $5 parking fee to park on the street behind Fassler/DB. I walked around once I got there and took a look, there was a some random guy walking around writing tickets to everyone who had parked there with no pass.

There was one large sandwich board at the west end of the street that said $5 street parking after 3pm. Then there was miniature parking signs scattered around the angle parking spaces that said <--pay to park---> or something of that nature. It was super weird and non-official looking.

I walked around and found the guy writing tickets and told him that he needs to let people know they need to pay, because no one knows. He said "there are plenty of signs" and kept writing tickets.

I walked up and down the street and counted over 20 parking tickets on cars that were there. I looked at the ticket and it says $25 fee if paid within 10 days, then it becomes $75 after the 10th day.


I couldn't believe it. Just to clarify where this was happening, it was the lot directly along 'W Park Pl' and all of the spaces along the street.

Paid parking = the sign of a thriving urban district.

That said, if it is not official, it should be looked into.

Paid parking = the sign of a thriving urban district.

That said, if it is not official, it should be looked into.

:calvin: QUIT LOOKING ON THE BRIGHT SIDE!!! :calvin:

No but really, it's a great point, but it absolutely sounds shady. They should hand out warnings instead of tickets for the first 30-60 days.

Paid parking = the sign of a thriving urban district.

That said, if it is not official, it should be looked into.

Sounds like it's not an actual ticket, but it's obvious parking is an issue there... Which as mentioned above is a good thing! Parking garages planned like Broadway Place are a big step in the right direction.

Charging people to park on the street?

I know Midtown Renaissance worked with the city to get that street changed to diagonal parking and to have it repaved but I don't think it's private property.

^^^^^^^^
It is. The spaces are inside the property line. They sacrificed real estate to create them.

That said, the thing that is irritating about it is all of the accolades they willingly accepted in the media and on social media a mere six months ago for somehow being "innovative" and smarter than property owners in Bricktown by putting in these spaces and ostensibly not charging for them.

I can tell you that last night in Midtown there were absolutely hordes of people out.

Between Fassler Hall and Bleu Garten alone -- particularly on nice evenings -- there are thousands of people.

Then, you add in the 20 or so other bars and restaurants in the area, and it's become a huge scene.

I went to Sidecar last night around 11PM and it was absolutely slammed to the point a lot of people were standing. And and tons were coursing through there the entire time. At first I couldn't figure out where everyone was coming from, then I realized it was mainly people cruising over from Bleu Garten and/or Fassler. Complete party crowd like I had never seen in there before and lots of people who came in had clearly been drinking elsewhere.

In a way, it's kind of cool. It was just very loud and boisterous like I had never seen that place before as I had never in there late on a weekend night.

Yeah, Saturday nights can be hard to take in Midtown. Loud, young, crowded, drunk. I prefer the week nights. But then again I'm old... :D

Any spring Saturday with nice weather is going to be slammed in midtown. Pretty cool

Yeah, Saturday nights can be hard to take in Midtown. Loud, young, crowded, drunk. I prefer the week nights. But then again I'm old... :D

Old too so I hit Midtown between 6-10 on weekends and get out before it gets too insane

Funny thing is, I'm certain that I frequent Midtown more often and probably spend more there over the course of time than 95% of the people who are there on a saturday night. There are just a lot more of them than there are of me!

I think they have been charging for parking for 6 months now. It is only for certain times. I'm assuming it has something to do with redoing the street. Maybe the group paid for the improvements, therefore, they can recoup some of their costs?

If it's not a municipal ticket, how exactly are the enforcing the charges?

If it's not a municipal ticket, how exactly are the enforcing the charges?

That is a good question.

They could legally tow, but that's a different thing entirely.

^^^^^^^^
Yeah, I would never consider paying that ticket. It is unenforceable. But if ticketed I would never again park in that location, because I'm sure they keep a record and would tow. Towing a vehicle parked without permission on private property is completely within their rights.

It's time for everyone to start riding scooters!

At least it's an electronic meter similar to what's at the lot north of Broadway 10. I've paid to park there on nights I've been coming from somewhere and didn't want to go home and walk back.

It's time for everyone to start riding scooters!

I guess I'm ahead of the curve. Started doing that well over a decade ago.

I'm all for it. We love our little plasticky Taiwanese scoots. $2500 out the door and they've been running 6 years now with no breakdowns, and...crap I don't think I've had the oil changed since 2012. Note to self.

Plus the drunk drivers cause far less damage! ;)

I know someone that got one of these (2016 Forza Overview - Honda Powersports (http://powersports.honda.com/2016/forza.aspx)) nearly new for $3K. It's the most motorcycle looking scooter I've seen, yet no motorcycle license needed.

They painted over the lettering on this sign with, uh, interesting results:

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/dustbowl122317.jpg

They painted over the lettering on this sign with, uh, interesting results:

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/dustbowl122317.jpg

Uh, interesting, uh, indeed.

At least you can read it now? lol

I actually think it looks pretty good

I actually think it looks pretty good

That B looks horrendous.

That B looks horrendous.

That was the one letter that got me. Yikes!

The S is also tilted and every letter has a different weight. Looks pretty bad.

That B is awful. Don't be surprised if you start hearing people say "Let's head down to Dust Owl for a drink and a game."

Isn’t it illegal to have a certain percentage of the building covered in signage? Like waaaay less than this %40?

I rescind that. The sign is bigger than the business it advertises.

Lol

They should just mount some (attractive) metal lettering that's backlit... that move would help both during the daytime and at night. The previous signage never felt "finished" and this doesn't feel much better.

That turned out...poorly.

You had one job Helvetica..

The 'B' sucks. Other than that, I think it looks alright.

Looks like they are making changes to the signage again.

Drove by this afternoon at lunch and a guy was on a ladder removing the black outlined lettering....

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(*I don't know why a thumbnail image is not appearing - click to see image)