Yes, we are fast approaching the point where something is going to have to be done about safe crosswalks for this stretch of 23rd.

I bet we'll see something from the Updtown merchant's group in the near future.

There's a signalized intersection with crosswalks at Walker, which will be good for accessing this development.

I agree this development is shaping up to be amazing. Definitely a first of its kind for OKC. I would like to see more low-rise residential built surrounding it on 23rd. Maybe step it up and go mixed use with 3-4 floors of residential and retail on the ground floor. If this comes together right, I think 23rd has the most potential of any of the developing districts and I think it will take the least amount of work to get it to full gentrification.

I don't know why everyone is so worried about the oyster bar. It will have other seafood options. Every Good Egg endeavor has already been done, but in my opinion they always do it better (or at least different).

Nothing wrong with a good oyster bar with a twist, but it isn't the same as a seafood focused restaurant. If it IS a seafood restaurant, than it is poor positioning to call it an oyster bar. They aren't the same.

Edit -

OOPS - just saw Tuck's remark. But, I still say that to position it as an oyster bar is a mistake if it is indeed 90% fresh seafood OTHER THAN oysters. Or misleading to call it a seafood restaurant if the 90% seafood is really oysters from the sea seafood.

Nothing wrong with a good oyster bar with a twist, but it isn't the same as a seafood focused restaurant. If it IS a seafood restaurant, than it is poor positioning to call it an oyster bar. They aren't the same.

Edit -

OOPS - just saw Tuck's remark. But, I still say that to position it as an oyster bar is a mistake if it is indeed 90% fresh seafood OTHER THAN oysters. Or misleading to call it a seafood restaurant if the 90% seafood is really oysters from the sea seafood.

Oyster bars are seafood restaurants. In Okc we don't have any true oyster bars.


Tuck will this be a east coast style place or more of a Florida gulf coast style place. Or a mix

OOPS - just saw Tuck's remark. But, I still say that to position it as an oyster bar is a mistake if it is indeed 90% fresh seafood OTHER THAN oysters. Or misleading to call it a seafood restaurant if the 90% seafood is really oysters from the sea seafood.

Yeah, maybe market it as something like "Fresh Seafood and Oyster Bar" as to include both if he wants to incorporate both concepts into one restaurant.

Oyster bars are seafood restaurants. In Okc we don't have any true oyster bars.


Tuck will this be a east coast style place or more of a Florida gulf coast style place. Or a mix

Actually, oyster bars are oyster bars. Seafood restaurants are seafood restaurants. Steakhouses may sell oysters but that doesn't make them oyster bars either. It is what it is.

Nothing wrong with a good oyster bar with a twist, but it isn't the same as a seafood focused restaurant. If it IS a seafood restaurant, than it is poor positioning to call it an oyster bar. They aren't the same.

Edit -

OOPS - just saw Tuck's remark. But, I still say that to position it as an oyster bar is a mistake if it is indeed 90% fresh seafood OTHER THAN oysters. Or misleading to call it a seafood restaurant if the 90% seafood is really oysters from the sea seafood.

I have never called it an Oyster Bar. This will be a seafood restaurant that will serve oysters. We still have a work to do on the branding side of the project.

[QUOTE= Tuck will this be a east coast style place or more of a Florida gulf coast style place. Or a mix[/QUOTE]

Our seafood restaurant will be an American restaurant celebrating seafood from all coasts and regions around the country.

I have never called it an Oyster Bar. This will be a seafood restaurant that will serve oysters. We still have a work to do on the branding side of the project.

Your landlord called it an oyster bar

Our seafood restaurant will be an American restaurant celebrating seafood from all coasts and regions around the country.

Considering that there are only about 2 places I've found in the city that serve serviceable seafood AND oysters, I'll forgo arguing and just anticipate trying it out.

Considering that there are only about 2 places I've found in the city that serve serviceable seafood AND oysters, I'll forgo arguing and just anticipate trying it out.

Kitchen No. 324 starts dinner service on November 19th serving a few seafood dishes and fresh oysters. There are cities all over the country where these restaurants exist in large numbers.

Your landlord called it an oyster bar

I know he did. Just from the responses here, you can tell that people have a hard time with the oyster/seafood concept. I blame the person creator of the first Oyster Bar.:) Not a big deal; I hope the people of OKC enjoy themselves come this spring when we get open.

Kitchen No. 324 starts dinner service on November 19th serving a few seafood dishes and fresh oysters. There are cities all over the country where these restaurants exist in large numbers.

For sure. Make sure there's a happy hour too, because, well, beer and oysters. Just saying.

Our seafood restaurant will be an American restaurant celebrating seafood from all coasts and regions around the country.

Thanks tuck can't wait to try it out. And I am excited about 324 for dinner next week

I know he did. Just from the responses here, you can tell that people have a hard time with the oyster/seafood concept. I blame the person creator of the first Oyster Bar.:) Not a big deal; I hope the people of OKC enjoy themselves come this spring when we get open.

This spring! Can't wait! I'll be there!

I am excited to see that The Okay See will have a retail location. They design great t-shirts.

I am excited to see that The Okay See will have a retail location. They design great t-shirts.

+1

I know he did. Just from the responses here, you can tell that people have a hard time with the oyster/seafood concept. I blame the person creator of the first Oyster Bar.:) Not a big deal; I hope the people of OKC enjoy themselves come this spring when we get open.

Looking forward to enjoying another one of your establishments!

I hope that the developer has taken ample time to understand the dynamics of a smoking establishment in a strip center such as this one. As much as I love seeing a cigar lounge concept, I would hate for them to ruin the experience for others in the retail section by not properly sealing ALL firewalls, ceilings, floors, and providing stand alone direct draw ventilation as well as completely separate HVAC return and ductwork. I've seen this be an issue in many lounges nationwide where other tenants can smell smoke.

The Rise now has a construction fence around the entire back perimeter (photo courtesy of Metro):

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/rise111913.jpg

Has anybody heard about whats in store for the 4 cottages and the old apartment building on 24th? Commercial, residential?

I know he did. Just from the responses here, you can tell that people have a hard time with the oyster/seafood concept. I blame the person creator of the first Oyster Bar.:) Not a big deal; I hope the people of OKC enjoy themselves come this spring when we get open.

I love oysters and all kinds of seafood. This is the most exciting restaurant in my opinion, as we really need a quality seafood restaurant in OKC.

Has anybody heard about whats in store for the 4 cottages and the old apartment building on 24th? Commercial, residential?

Hears that Marva Ellard is set to renovate those cottages and then build new apartments on the vacant lot directly east of there.

this project may be going slower than aLoft....2015 opening?

this project may be going slower than aLoft....2015 opening?

I'm wondering the same thing. There doesn't appear to be anything at all going on with this project. Is work still continuing?

The project is moving forward, just a little slower than most would like. The impact this project will have on Uptown 23rd will be worth the wait!

The project is moving forward, just a little slower than most would like. The impact this project will have on Uptown 23rd will be worth the wait!

Approximate opening date for The Drake?

The project is moving forward, just a little slower than most would like. The impact this project will have on Uptown 23rd will be worth the wait!

Awesome news, thanks Tuck. Hopefully the pace picks up a bit as things roll on.

Approximate opening date for The Drake?

May 2014

^^^^^^

I will be SHOCKED if that happens. Either that or the final product will look nothing like the rendering.

http://www.okctalk.com/attachments/development-buildings/6179d1389878244-rise-rise11314a.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/attachments/development-buildings/6180d1389878244-rise-rise11314b.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/attachments/development-buildings/6181d1389878245-rise-rise11314c.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/attachments/development-buildings/6182d1389878246-rise-rise11314d.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/attachments/development-buildings/6183d1389878248-rise-rise11314e.jpg

Wow... look at all that progress.

They were getting busy inside yesterday...

I think they are starting to finally pick up the pace.

I feel like the outside of the building will fly, it's the inside that is going to take a lot of time. By the time they start working on the outside (not talking about the parking lot in the back), I could see it only being a few months from opening.

I'm sure they have asbestos and other issues with the demolition -- have to be very careful with these old structures.

Once they get rolling they should be able to move pretty quickly.

They have plenty of motivation, with the project fully leases and all the tenants dying to get in and start paying rent.

Pete, why did the one partner leave the Rise development group? Was that the cause of the delays in this project?

^

Don't know why he left but I don't think that had anything to do with the slow progress.

Old buildings are tricky. New development is much more straight-forward.

The awning is finally coming down on the soon-to-be Rise! (courteous of @Uptown23rd twitter page)
6242

http://www.okctalk.com/attachments/development-buildings/6421d1390769913-rise-thennow.jpg

So they just flipped the roof upside down?

Haha, sure looks like it.

I'm sure there were plenty of "renovations" between then and now.

Latest progress on the NW corner of 23rd and Walker.

6454

From Metro. This is where The Drake will be located:

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/rise020114.jpg

Couple of more courtesy of Metro:

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/rise020114b.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/rise020114c.jpg

From https://twitter.com/Uptown23rd:


https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Bg2vly4CUAAkUkM.jpg:large

Hopefully with the weather clearing up this can pick up some steam!

Hopefully with the weather clearing up this can pick up some steam!

Please take some photos if you get the chance.

I know it's still a disaster area but would like to see an update.

They've cleaned up a bunch of the debris that was on the sidewalk. It looks like they're working on the parking lot behind the building, but they haven't removed any more of the mansard roof than that where the Good Egg restaurant will be.

Very curious why they are moving so slowly, as the last revised finish date was May but they still have tons to do and haven't even started any of the tenant finish-out.

Mid to late summer seems more realistic.

Very curious why they are moving so slowly, as the last revised finish date was May but they still have tons to do and haven't even started any of the tenant finish-out.

Mid to late summer seems more realistic.

If they have tenants open for business before thanksgiving I will be absolutely shocked. This has the same feel as aloft. I expect 2015 to be realistic target at this point.

I've never seen more than a couple of people working there.

What's strange is they are fully pre-leased so they have tremendous incentives to get the space ready and start raking in the rent.

Plus, they are likely to lose some tenants if they don't get with it. Not many businesses can merely put things on hold for 6 to 12 months.

Perhaps tuck could chime in on the delays... It just doesn't make any sense.

The space is pretty unique and a little quirky. Several changes have been made over the past few months which all require city approval. I think this is just how things go when you try to save a building that could have possibly been razed. The Land Run guys are doing a good job communicating issues that effect the timeline. I think The Pump Bar will be first to show great progress, followed by Pizzeria Gusto, then the rest of the main structure on 23rd.

Yes, I did see an application to the board of appeals asking for exception to a couple of codes.

Tuck, have they given you a new opening date?

After the work began and you see the old stripped off, it doesn't seem like it was anything historic or significant beneath. Looking at the "bones", it makes you wonder why a complet demo wasn't cheaper and a better structure resulting. Any architechturally significant elements could have been salvaged and reused, one would think.

Here are some recent photos from the FlashBack RetroPub Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001982072034). They still have a looooong way to go:

https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/t1/1902780_601159723293425_1271801363_n.jpg



https://scontent-a-lax.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/t1/1958302_601159576626773_1398192823_n.jpg



https://scontent-b-lax.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn2/l/t1/988396_601159503293447_900913203_n.jpg



https://scontent-b-lax.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/t1/1907572_601163549959709_659643909_n.jpg



https://scontent-b-lax.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/t1/10006621_601163573293040_559341020_n.jpg

I met with the guys at Land run recently and they are definitely on the ball, They are planning to open this year. Sooner than rather than later. They definitely have the resources and "know how" to get this off high center and completed on schedule.

I met with the guys at Land run recently and they are definitely on the ball, They are planning to open this year. Sooner than rather than later. They definitely have the resources and "know how" to get this off high center and completed on schedule.

How are they going to "complete this on schedule?" Their sign says they were supposed to open "Fall 2013." They're already way behind schedule and things look to be moving slowly.

In the end, it's more important that they do it right. This is an exciting project.