Somebody asked about the status of the ParcFirst garage on the land purchased by BancFirst and Continental as part of their deal to also buy the Santa Fe Garage.

Those companies now own that entire very large surface lot, not just the area where the garage has been proposed.

And now the land just to the south which Don Karchmer owns and where a warehouse structure was recently demolished will become a surface lot.

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/parcfirst6a.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/parcfirst3.jpg


HTTP://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/1emain081922a.jpg

Oh thank god. I've always said if you're going to build a parking garage you NEED to build a parking lot. A one- for-one of you will.

Throwback to Urban Renewal I suppose

Somebody asked about the status of the ParcFirst garage on the land purchased by BancFirst and Continental as part of their deal to also buy the Santa Fe Garage.

Those companies now own that entire very large surface lot, not just the area where the garage has been proposed.


I believe this is solely bancfirst on this surface lot.

Grader and front loader on site clearing this lot today.

Grader and front loader on site clearing this lot today.

This is just for the surface lot shown a few posts above.

There doesn't seem to be any forward movement on the garage.

Back on track:

Plans for construction of a new Bricktown parking garage are once again moving forward in response to increased demand from workers returning to offices.

Don Karchmer was set to start construction on the garage at 21 E Main in 2020 in conjunction with BancFirst redeveloping the former Liberty Bank tower at 100 N Broadway.

The six-story garage will be built atop 148 existing surface parking spaces, resulting in a net increase of 651 spots once the garage is built. Karchmer said the garage will include public parking.

https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news/2023/09/18/bricktown-okc-new-parking-garage-planned-bancfirst-parcfirst/70849033007/

That tunnel connecting to the Underground option feels expensive but then again the skybridge option seems hard to make happen too.

Here is the parking lot that was just finished next to this proposed garage site.


https://i.imgur.io/0f3Us20_d.webp?maxwidth=1500&shape=thumb&fidelity=medium



https://i.imgur.io/gErn9rB_d.webp?maxwidth=1500&shape=thumb&fidelity=medium

That tunnel connecting to the Underground option feels expensive but then again the skybridge option seems hard to make happen too.

They need something. Today most of the people who utilize these surface lots cut thru the Santa Fe garage and then cross Gaylord mid block to go under the railroad bridge between main and Kerr
Very dangerous. Between people leaving Santa Fe garage and then Gaylord traffic, someone is going to get run over there

Just to inquire, will it still be using the same rendering as before or is there an updated visual? I know it's tedious to ask at this point but a LOT has happened in three years since they announced it, like the rapid inflation and surging price of materials.
https://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/parcfirst2.jpg
https://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/parcfirst1a.jpg

^

According to the rendering in the Oklahoman, the new design is slightly tweaked but looks substantially the same.

At the end of the day, it's still a 6-level parking garage in the middle of a surface lot.

This is what was in the article that was posted. Pete probably has more.

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Here are images from the ParcFirst design application:

HTTP://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/parcfirst100323a.jpg


HTTP://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/parcfirst100323b.jpg


HTTP://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/parcfirst100323c.jpg


HTTP://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/parcfirst100323d.jpg


HTTP://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/parcfirst100323e.jpg


HTTP://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/parcfirst100323f.jpg

What happened with the issue of the passenger rail connector?

What happened with the issue of the passenger rail connector?

That was with a much larger garage that was proposed about 10 years ago.

This new garage won't be in the rail right-of-way.

That was with a much larger garage that was proposed about 10 years ago.

This new garage won't be in the rail right-of-way.
Good to know! Thanks.

Nice. Decent looking garage located exactly where a big garage should be located - and it won't even mess up the rail ROW so that can eventually come back in later.

I feel bad for Dr Truong and what this garage will be doing to the Clark Building. Which just started utilizing the event space. The back of the garage is basically replacing this view:

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/p/AF1QipPJjrNUBICd-NqYBdRD3TFh-tqU-m1DeEN7TK_i=s680-w680-h510

I feel bad for Dr Truong and what this garage will be doing to the Clark Building. Which just started utilizing the event space. The back of the garage is basically replacing this view:

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/p/AF1QipPJjrNUBICd-NqYBdRD3TFh-tqU-m1DeEN7TK_i=s680-w680-h510
I don’t think it will block that much of the view. But it is unrealistic to expect views from a low rise in an underdeveloped urban area to stay the same or be protected. Shouldn’t be a surprise.

What happened with the issue of the passenger rail connector?

the rail ROW is why this building has the "slant" on the end . post 181 shows this

This project essentially passed this morning. Due to variance requirement, the review technically is getting pushed to November meeting. However, the BUDC is in agreement to allow that variance to pass.

The regulation is that any parking garage in Bricktown must have screening element covering vehicles for any street view.

The argument by applicant is that the lack of screening on the north side of the building is a better design element because it gives the appearance of a more breathable structure and becomes less monolithic.

To my surprise, the BUDC agreed that leaving the north with no screening was a better design. Therefore, this project passed as presented. The north side of the garage will be without screen and only have cable barriers as shown below.

https://i.imgur.com/EZxVWc8.png

...The north side of the garage will be without screen and only have cable barriers as shown below.

https://i.imgur.com/EZxVWc8.png

It doesn't sound like it will now. The owner of the building at 16 NE 2nd (across the railroad ROW) filed an opposition that went up before the zoning adjustment board the same day I went to argue against an AirBnB next door, and it sounds like they're going to shift the structure south by a few feet and add screening to a part of the north face of the garage nearest the opposition property.

Construction should begin on the garage by summer, with an expected construction timeline of 12 months. Supposedly the connector between this garage and Santa Fe Garage is still on, though I do not know the way this will be accomplished.

Fingers crossed for it to be underground, but I expect some sort of a street level/skywalk to be done for people to be taken up and over Gaylord

I have OCD, and the street layout in these areas drives me crazy, lol.

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I have OCD, and the street layout in these areas drives me crazy, lol.

You should probably avoid Europe then.

I have OCD, and the street layout in these areas drives me crazy, lol.
…

It’s easier to understand the weird parts if you just picture them chock full of train tracks.

They should begin some demo work on this site starting next week (first week of June).

They should begin some demo work on this site starting next week (first week of June).

I have a strong feeling that parking in this lot next week (and throughout construction) will be a squeeze considering how much will be blocked, and with the softball world series in town. The Hotel Valets must be moving to other garages, or I am seriously misjudging the size of the lot. But it looks nearly 75-80 full at this moment, if not more

Noticed today that trees are cut down and they were unloading concrete barriers just now. Construction site work definitely has begun

Yes, they are well underway with demo already.
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^

Thanks!

I wonder if any of the BancFirst or Continental employees are still parking at the Cox Center?

I know those two companies co-own the Santa Fe Garage but they wouldn't be building this new structure unless they needed the spaces.

If they still have parkers at Cox, they will have to hustle and get them into this new garage before they start demolition for the new arena after the first of the year. Garages tend to go up pretty quickly.

I am curious if the connection to Santa Fe is still on, it was said in May they were still working with the city, but I assume with demo starting they would need to be getting close to a solution. I assume its dead and the city will land on a crosswalk where the folks used to cross, if anything at all

crosswalk is better anyway.

I wonder if any of the BancFirst or Continental employees are still parking at the Cox Center?


Don’t believe so. Is it even open for anyone except prairie surf at this point. I don’t think I see anyone ever parking there

Don’t believe so. Is it even open for anyone except prairie surf at this point. I don’t think I see anyone ever parking there

The last COTPA report showed 200+ monthly parkers.

Santa Fe (now managed by Robinson Park) has a waitlist for their reserved parking, I believe the first 4 or 5 floors are reserved spots. There have been a few days I've noticed a lot full sign out while leaving. Granted half of the top floor is closed for concrete work, but there are a substantial amount of parkers there now as well. I could imagine there may still be a few overflow parkers in PSM

The last COTPA report showed 200+ monthly parkers.

I was under understanding it was closed. The entrance from the underground tunnel has been chained off for well over a year now. I was thinking it’s only PSM employees contractors using it now.

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/karchmer061624a.jpg

I was under understanding it was closed. The entrance from the underground tunnel has been chained off for well over a year now. I was thinking it’s only PSM employees contractors using it now.

Season ticket holders parked there for Thunder games and the last COTPA report shows 264 monthly parkers.

It has been reiterated again today that the city will be building a connection between this garage and Santa Fe and that this is still currently in the design phase. It does appear it will likely be an above grade connection

My best guess is to utilize the existing cut through under the tracks at the midway point of Santa Fe to get past them; then some sort of a ramped bridge to go up and over gaylord into the 2nd or 3rd floor of Santa Fe. I could imagine the city may have to redo this section of Gaylord dropping it to two lanes to accommodate for whatever pedestrian bridge is constructed; unless the plan is to flyover both the tracks and Gaylord together in a direct connection from the top of this garage to wherever it meets the other. Just due to existing underground connections and the location of the new garage, I think underground is far outside the realm of expectations

Wouldn't it be dramatically cheaper just to have a good crosswalk? There are two nearby, but a mid-block one could be put in that includes lights and such and is aligned with pedestrian crossings at the light.

It has been reiterated again today that the city will be building a connection between this garage and Santa Fe and that this is still currently in the design phase. It does appear it will likely be an above grade connection

My best guess is to utilize the existing cut through under the tracks at the midway point of Santa Fe to get past them; then some sort of a ramped bridge to go up and over gaylord into the 2nd or 3rd floor of Santa Fe. I could imagine the city may have to redo this section of Gaylord dropping it to two lanes to accommodate for whatever pedestrian bridge is constructed; unless the plan is to flyover both the tracks and Gaylord together in a direct connection from the top of this garage to wherever it meets the other. Just due to existing underground connections and the location of the new garage, I think underground is far outside the realm of expectations
I don’t see how this could be above grade. It would have to be pretty tall to go over the train crossing that is already elevated. You’d be connecting to min 4th or maybe even 5th floor of the Santa Fe garage as there would have to be around 25 feet of clearance for trains on top of elevated rail in place My guess is at grade thru the old street cut thru around entrance to Santa fe garage adding signals there.

^

AND you have to get approval from the railroad which is almost impossible and the reason why the Bricktown tunnel under the tracks was abandoned, even though we had federal money.

far too many overheads in OKC already if you ask me. Could be why OKC appears to be relatively dead when compared to other major cities' downtowns.

completely do not understand the need of an overhead from one garage to another???? That money could be better spent, elsewhere, or to put in retail on ground floor (and have a fund to assure its success)

There is a little known sorta tunnel under the Santa Fe garage that enters mid-block where the car exit is and exits behind the elevator tower in the plaza in front of the BancFirst building. A mid-block light protected crossing connecting to that would make for an easy walk to BF Tower offices.

I do believe an at grade crossing would work really well here, but I think this may be planned to be a full enclosure to double as weather protection as well. If I understand correctly, the issue isn't so much the crossing itself as the existing crosswalk at Robert S Kerr and Gaylord is just as close as this crossing would be to the garage itself (with the exception of not ending as close to BF tower as the central crossing). I think the bigger plan/desire is to have uninterrupted travel between garages while remaining out of the elements.

Is there a way to review the past sale agreements on Santa Fe or this surface lot? The info I had received mentioned this is occurring based on an agreement made during the sale, not sure if those will truly include this or even mention the type of connection to expect

There is a little known sorta tunnel under the Santa Fe garage that enters mid-block where the car exit is and exits behind the elevator tower in the plaza in front of the BancFirst building. A mid-block light protected crossing connecting to that would make for an easy walk to BF Tower offices.

That’s the one I was referring to a few posts back. Only real downside with this is that you practically have to walk thru the exit lanes of the Santa Fe garage to get thru there. Not really best path or accommodating.

Wouldn't it be dramatically cheaper just to have a good crosswalk? There are two nearby, but a mid-block one could be put in that includes lights and such and is aligned with pedestrian crossings at the light.

Any elevated crosswalk would be in the millions. A cross walk with some Pedestrian hybrid beacons would do much better. If we want a vibrant downtown than the people need to be on the street!

^

AND you have to get approval from the railroad which is almost impossible and the reason why the Bricktown tunnel under the tracks was abandoned, even though we had federal money.
is the Bricktown and Santa Fe tunnel completely dead? I thought it was just put on the back burner.

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/karch1wiki1.jpg


Let's just reflect, shall we?

Let's just reflect, shall we?

Damn. Let’s not. ��

Crane is being setup today.

Looks to be complete this morning, nice seeing a crane close to the core skyline coming in today

pics :)

Saw that big crane yesterday.

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/karchmer090824a.jpg

It just occurred to me how much this garage is going to screw up the view from the roof deck/former pool of the building to the North. We had an event there last December and it was really amazing. Shame that it will be degraded at all.

It just occurred to me how much this garage is going to screw up the view from the roof deck/former pool of the building to the North. We had an event there last December and it was really amazing. Shame that it will be degraded at all.

Yeah, but the new view on the top of the parking garage will be top notch. ;)

Yeah, but the new view on the top of the parking garage will be top notch. ;)

Seriously though, it'll be an elite spot to watch fireworks from