Several years ago Oklahoma City Community College (OCCC) bought two buildings in the middle of downtown Capitol Hill. The buildings have been empty dating back before their purchase.

Now, the school has just revealed plans to completely remodel the structures and offer a wide array of classes.

The east building was built in the 1940's and was first home to Allen 5-10-15 Store, and then Langston's. Later, the building for Kat's Drug Store was constructed to the west.

The ambitious renovation plans call for the remake of both buildings, a space of 27,919 square feet. There will be a large rooftop patio atop the entire western building.

To the immediate east is the former John A. Brown department store which is now home to the Community Action Partnership (http://caaofokc.org/).



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This should be a huge catalyst for Capitol Hill.

This district has sooo much potential and maybe this and the Wheeler District will really get the ball rolling.

Glad to hear that OCCC extends its branch. The education options beyond high school by schools like Langston University, OSU, OU and UCO brings some classes of high interest to the inner city.

I love the idea, the location & the design. A+

I agree, very nice repurposing for that building.

Hell yes!!

I agree with everything Pete said. Capital Hill is by far the biggest hidden gem in our city just begging to blow up. Get the street car down there & Capital Hill has more potential than the Plaza District.

Savannah School of Art and Design jump started Savannah, GA. If this is just fractionally as successful...

YES. I always hoped this building would become a theater, but this works as well, and realistically probably requires less public participation (ironically). I always thought this building was the most important piece of the puzzle for Capitol Hill.

I wonder if that Katz sign has survived. Wouldn't it be cool to see it resurrected!

Seems like this could really be a great catalyst for development in the area. Love it.

One problem: Do their renderings say NW 25th st? Obviously just a mistake, but considering how the SW area is ignored in comparison with the NW area it's kind of symbolic... Obviously not a big deal.

Is this the same complex where John A. Brown's in Capitol Hill use to be?

I believe that Community Action Program resides in what was John A. Browns...

Is this the same complex where John A. Brown's in Capitol Hill use to be?

I believe that Community Action Program resides in what was John A. Browns...

Yes, that what it says in the first post. :)

I love the idea, the location & the design. A+You like the design? I'm not sure what to say here ;)

This is awesome! This area should prioritized for pedestrians and nothing else. The street car extension will be incredible. Can't wait for this!!!!!!!! Love the whole thing. OCCC is really a great community college. I'm finishing my last semester at the main campus until December, then I'm either enlisting, moving to Cali, or finding a major university somewhere. This will be great and I love the way it looks. Capitol Hill is going to be an awesome district. I only explored it last year and realized how cool it was.

Not sure how other community colleges around the nation rank up, but O trip is a great school.

I think safety would be a concern of mine. Last time I drove down there I thought I was going to get shot.

Granted I'm all for bettering the area. I just wonder if it's going to end up graffitied like the new playground was.

I think safety would be a concern of mine. Last time I drove down there I thought I was going to get shot.

Granted I'm all for bettering the area. I just wonder if it's going to end up graffitied like the new playground was.

Why? Because its predominantly Hispanic?

I think safety would be a concern of mine. Last time I drove down there I thought I was going to get shot.

Granted I'm all for bettering the area. I just wonder if it's going to end up graffitied like the new playground was.

A decade ago people probably would have said the same thing about the Plaza district. Revitalization has to start somewhere.

Why? Because its predominantly Hispanic?

Where I drove was lots of abandoned or run down buildings, very dirty, derelict cars, etc.

I have no idea what the primary racial makeup of this area is, what I do know is the gang task force spends lots of time in the area, and it has been featured on one of those gang shows on Discovery or TLC.

A decade ago people probably would have said the same thing about the Plaza district. Revitalization has to start somewhere.

Agreed, that's why I think safety should be an important factory here.

A decade ago people probably would have said the same thing about the Plaza district. Revitalization has to start somewhere.

I went to OCU, graduated in 2002, the Lyric office opened in 2007 and I was told everyone's cars were broken into at least once every couple of months. I think there can be change in CH, but people have to have visions (much like the Struble's, Steve Mason, etc) on what it could become.

Go Southside!

Looks great.

Sweet.

Yes, CH needs a guardian angel who is willing to jump start the redevelopment.

My family has lived on the southside, since the '40s . We actually live in the house next door to where my mother grew up. She knows both Pete and Mike White and they both babysat her.

Ranting empirical history aside, I am beyond stoked to see this. Great plans and I love that it's educational. Which equals college students walking around the district and infusing a whole new demographic to the area.

Echoing others, Capitol Hill is one of our larger, more intact urban districts and has far more potential than say Western, Plaza, or the Paseo. This will be interesting to watch.

Is this the same complex where John A. Brown's in Capitol Hill use to be?

I believe that Community Action Program resides in what was John A. Browns...

It is also where Pennys was, just east of John A. Brown's. Most of my back to school clothes were bought in that shopping area, especially in the bargain basements.

+1 for the positives. I always wondered why Oklahoma City only has one community college location; there should be many more to reach the populous (at least more inner city locations such as this). HUGE!

I think safety would be a concern of mine. Last time I drove down there I thought I was going to get shot.

Granted I'm all for bettering the area. I just wonder if it's going to end up graffitied like the new playground was.

Embarrassing post

I also agree that OCCC is a great Community College. Honestly, the facilities and teachers are probably on par with UCO, some parts even better. Great addition to the area!

I think safety would be a concern of mine. Last time I drove down there I thought I was going to get shot..

Odd... I drive through there daily on my way home from work, and frequently dine at the restaurants in the area, and I've never felt the least bit threatened.

In fairness to Zuplar, isn't/wasn't that a fairly high crime area?

People also have differing comfort levels regarding their personal safety. I'm pretty much the kind of person who will go just about anywhere and not be fearful. But I have people near and dear to me who wouldn't be caught dead even driving in an area they perceive to pose a threat to their well-being.

Not trying to start anything here, just offering a suggestion that maybe we ought to respect each other's viewpoints if it's a legitimate concern reflecting a personal opinion on safety (perceived or real).

Odd... I drive through there daily on my way home from work, and frequently dine at the restaurants in the area, and I've never felt the least bit threatened.

Some people are threatened by people that aren't like them. Other than the occasional communication barrier, you should have no problem at all down in that area.

Don't be so paranoid. "Gang Bangers" aren't concerned with you anyway, they are concerned with rival gang members or people trying to sell drugs on their territory. They aren't going to attack a random white guy & bring unnecessary attention to themselves.

Also, the "rough" nature of the buildings is a huge part of the charm of the district. Its really a huge part of the charm of our entire city. Whether it be Bricktown, AA, plaza, Capitol Hill, Stockyards City, hubcap alley. It is what makes our city what it is. It would be sad to be stuck in a tiny corner in NW OKC or Edmond because you are afraid of rustic.

I'm very excited for this new location. I'd certainly check out the class schedule. The wife and I have often talked about taking some night classes just to learn some new stuff.

As for the safety of the area - lets not get so caught up on the cheerleading that we ignore the reality. This is and has been for a long time an area where someone could find themselves a crime victim. For the most part, for the average citizen passing through or patronizing anything other than a local bar in the area, the worst you'd probably ever encounter is opportunistic petty crime - car broken into, something taken out of the back of an unsecured truck, vandalism or a possible snatch and run. If you're in a bar or walking around late at night, looking for drugs or hookers - then yes, you stand a much better chance of being the victim of a violent crime.

What is far more likely is that you'll get into a vehicle accident (not your fault) with someone with no insurance.

I also wouldn't practice my latest road rage techniques or bird flipping when in the area.

Other than that its simply an ignored, depressed area with a high impoverished community of renters.

I'm less than your casual patron to the area and I've yet to ever be the victim of anything other than criminal annoyance in the last 18 years.

I also know MANY people in the area. The one's that are respectable residents have never suffered anything more than a home burglary or vehicle theft.

Embarrassing post

Sorry my opinion isn't to your liking. It is definitely NOT EMBARRASSING and I wouldn't hesitate to tell that to anyone. Like someone else said this IS a high crime area, and my comfort level in those areas is, I don't want to be in those areas.

I don't see anyone disagreeing that it's a crime area and that it's traditionally had a gang problem. So this goes back again to my point, I hope safety is a priority concern here.

it's a high crime area, but when I go have lunch at Grill on the Hill i've never feared of being shot

Embarrassing post

Not an embarrassing post at all. I frequent many parts of downtown and in the surrounding area and of the urban districts, this one is by far the most sketchy. During the day it's fine, but I have been down there at night and it is definitely not the most comfortable place to be. The dilapidated, empty buildings and the gang like looking crowd that sometimes frequent the area at night are plenty to make it less than comfortable. That has nothing to do with race and it annoys me that someone tried to pull that card. It is freaking ridiculous and just as embarrassing for that to be the first thought as to why someone may be uncomfortable down there.

Having said that, I can't wait to see what this does for the area.

Not an embarrassing post at all. I frequent many parts of downtown and in the surrounding area and of the urban districts, this one is by far the most sketchy. During the day it's fine, but I have been down there at night and it is definitely not the most comfortable place to be. The dilapidated, empty buildings and the gang like looking crowd that sometimes frequent the area at night are plenty to make it less than comfortable. That has nothing to do with race and it annoys me that someone tried to pull that card. It is freaking ridiculous and just as embarrassing for that to be the first thought as to why someone may be uncomfortable down there.

Having said that, I can't wait to see what this does for the area.


100% agree.

Congrats for contributing toward the stigmatization of a thriving minority community.

In fairness to Zuplar, isn't/wasn't that a fairly high crime area?

People also have differing comfort levels regarding their personal safety. I'm pretty much the kind of person who will go just about anywhere and not be fearful. But I have people near and dear to me who wouldn't be caught dead even driving in an area they perceive to pose a threat to their well-being.

Not trying to start anything here, just offering a suggestion that maybe we ought to respect each other's viewpoints if it's a legitimate concern reflecting a personal opinion on safety (perceived or real).

Non-real concerns (ie perceived) are not legitimate (by definition of the word legitimate)

Not an embarrassing post at all. I frequent many parts of downtown and in the surrounding area and of the urban districts, this one is by far the most sketchy. During the day it's fine, but I have been down there at night and it is definitely not the most comfortable place to be. The dilapidated, empty buildings and the gang like looking crowd that sometimes frequent the area at night are plenty to make it less than comfortable. That has nothing to do with race and it annoys me that someone tried to pull that card. It is freaking ridiculous and just as embarrassing for that to be the first thought as to why someone may be uncomfortable down there.

Having said that, I can't wait to see what this does for the area.

So can all three of you name a predominantly Hispanic neighborhood that you feel safer in?

So can all three of you name a predominantly Hispanic neighborhood that you feel safer in?

I honestly don't even know where Hispanic neighborhoods are. But then again I don't go around drawing boundary lines on where people live based on their color.

Crime stats aren't perceived, they are real and tangible. I don't feel safe in any area with an above normal crime rate.

What exactly does "gang like" looking crowd mean? Was Trayvon Martin rightfully murdered because he was wearing a hoodie & was in a rough part of town? I guess Zimmerman "perceived" him to be a threat & therefore it was justified. Right.

Oklahoma City crime rates and statistics - NeighborhoodScout (http://www.neighborhoodscout.com/ok/oklahoma-city/crime/)

If you look at this map, you will see the Capital Hill district is one of the safest districts in its vicinity. So you are gonna tell me you don't feel safe in OKC, unless its the very outskirts? This whole "perceiving" an area not being safe is based on racial stereotypes & sensationalized media by shows like Gang lands in order to garner viewership. You have nothing to base this area being any less safe than many other parts of OKC, except what cars people drive & what clothes they are wearing or how the area makes you feel.

I honestly don't even know where Hispanic neighborhoods are. But then again I don't go around drawing boundary lines on where people live based on their color.

Crime stats aren't perceived, they are real and tangible. I don't feel safe in any area with an above normal crime rate.

So... Moore? Midwest/Del City? Bethany/Warrant Acres? A lot of Norman?

I can tell you from working in urban development in Ohio, that developers in "more urban" states don't limit themselves by only working in white/"safe" areas. We have been able to make amazing stuff happen in the 3 C's, Akron, Dayton, etc by breaking down the barriers of latent racism.

http://www.columbusunderground.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/wp-food-district-01.jpg
This is a project I helped fund, the Weinland Park "Food District" (a spin on the idea food desert), near Ohio State's urban campus in Columbus. Weinland Park is historically very "high crime," and has a lot of foreclosure lots which are now a huge network of urban farms and farmers markets. While this project first began to just find gardening plots for Somalian immigrants (of the Bantu tribe) who only knew how to farm (Cbus is tied w Mpls for Somalian immigrants), it now grown into a civic attraction with a public market.

OKC could do really cool things if we embraced more diverse communities. I know Capitol Hill is becoming revitalized, but I just hope it isn't gentrification and that it remains a unique place.

I honestly don't even know where Hispanic neighborhoods are. But then again I don't go around drawing boundary lines on where people live based on their color.

Crime stats aren't perceived, they are real and tangible. I don't feel safe in any area with an above normal crime rate.Agreed

What exactly does "gang like" looking crowd mean? Was Trayvon Martin rightfully murdered because he was wearing a hoodie & was in a rough part of town? I guess Zimmerman "perceived" him to be a threat & therefore it was justified. Right.

Oklahoma City crime rates and statistics - NeighborhoodScout (http://www.neighborhoodscout.com/ok/oklahoma-city/crime/)

If you look at this map, you will see the Capital Hill district is one of the safest districts in its vicinity. So you are gonna tell me you don't feel safe in OKC, unless its the very outskirts? This whole "perceiving" an area not being safe is based on racial stereotypes & sensationalized media by shows like Gang lands in order to garner viewership. You have nothing to base this area being any less safe than many other parts of OKC, except what cars people drive & what clothes they are wearing or how the area makes you feel.

You racist bro? You forgot to mention half of the buildings being dilapidated or abandoned. You only focused on one part of my post.

It's no different than when drug deals were being made across the street from cheevers by people of all races (a former off duty police officer that worked nights at cheevers back then, not mine) and prior cheevers and big truck pioneering the area. It didn't feel safe at night just like Capitol hill doesn't now. The plaza probably didn't feel that safe initially when people were constantly getting their cars broken into either. Un-was your panties a little and grow up, just because you like the area and think it feels like the nicest district in the entire city doesn't mean everyone else feels that way and It certainly doesn't mean we are all racists. I also never said occc setting up shop there was a bad idea I just agreed that it doesn't feel that safe at times right now and that saying so shouldn't be labeled embarrasing or racist.

So can all three of you name a predominantly Hispanic neighborhood that you feel safer in?

I can name a few predominately white neighborhoods I don't feel safe in... Does race affect your ability to keep up your property (and by keep up, I mean avoiding the urge to throw trash and cars all over your front yard, and doing the minimum to keep your home or building from being near collapse)? If so, then I guess I don't like Hispanic areas because the blight is a major contributor to why I think the area doesn't feel safe.

And again, your elitist response was the only reason I even chimed in on this. I'm glad development is finally occurring there.

What exactly does "gang like" looking crowd mean? Was Trayvon Martin rightfully murdered because he was wearing a hoodie & was in a rough part of town? I guess Zimmerman "perceived" him to be a threat & therefore it was justified. Right.

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Congrats for contributing toward the stigmatization of a thriving minority community.

If the community is "thriving" why are there still so many dilapidated houses and empty/dilapidated store fronts?

So... Moore? Midwest/Del City? Bethany/Warrant Acres? A lot of Norman?

I can tell you from working in urban development in Ohio, that developers in "more urban" states don't limit themselves by only working in white/"safe" areas. We have been able to make amazing stuff happen in the 3 C's, Akron, Dayton, etc by breaking down the barriers of latent racism.

http://www.columbusunderground.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/wp-food-district-01.jpg
This is a project I helped fund, the Weinland Park "Food District" (a spin on the idea food desert), near Ohio State's urban campus in Columbus. Weinland Park is historically very "high crime," and has a lot of foreclosure lots which are now a huge network of urban farms and farmers markets. While this project first began to just find gardening plots for Somalian immigrants (of the Bantu tribe) who only knew how to farm (Cbus is tied w Mpls for Somalian immigrants), it now grown into a civic attraction with a public market.

OKC could do really cool things if we embraced more diverse communities. I know Capitol Hill is becoming revitalized, but I just hope it isn't gentrification and that it remains a unique place.

I don't know what you are asking. Do I feel safe in the cities mentioned there? If so I'd say for the most part yes. I grew up working in Del City, never had a single issue. Actually in another thread I'm looking for rental's over there. Midwest City, I've only ever been near Tinker really, and when I was in High School, I went to Midwest City football stadium for a game. I grew up dragging down 39th, and never had any issues with this part of OKC, Warr Acres, Bethany. Moore and Norman I've just recently started recently going to and seem fine.

So I guess I'm missing something. I don't understand your reasoning for being racist. People of all colors commit crime.

What exactly does "gang like" looking crowd mean? Was Trayvon Martin rightfully murdered because he was wearing a hoodie & was in a rough part of town? I guess Zimmerman "perceived" him to be a threat & therefore it was justified. Right.

Oklahoma City crime rates and statistics - NeighborhoodScout (http://www.neighborhoodscout.com/ok/oklahoma-city/crime/)

If you look at this map, you will see the Capital Hill district is one of the safest districts in its vicinity. So you are gonna tell me you don't feel safe in OKC, unless its the very outskirts? This whole "perceiving" an area not being safe is based on racial stereotypes & sensationalized media by shows like Gang lands in order to garner viewership. You have nothing to base this area being any less safe than many other parts of OKC, except what cars people drive & what clothes they are wearing or how the area makes you feel.

Yeah you lost me. I'm still trying to figure out where race came into any of this. Again crime does not equal black, brown, yellow, green, red, it equals bad guys doing bad things.

Yeah you lost me. I'm still trying to figure out where race came into any of this. Again crime does not equal black, brown, yellow, green, red, it equals bad guys doing bad things.

This doesn't have anything to do with race. Why do you say that the last time you were there in that area at night you were afraid of being shot? Did someone threaten you or did you just see someone that you thought looked scary? I see people who look scary at night in all areas of OKC. (I might look scary at night to some people. LOL)

To ignore that there are threatening parts of most cities is just as ignorant as racial, age or other profiling. There are lots of threatening signals. And sometimes behavior that is foreign to us and our norms is threatening because we don't know what to make of it ...loud and erratic behavior that may be normal rambunctious activity among a small group of inner city kids can be totally misunderstood and threatening if it isn't normal behavior for you. Some people on here think drivers and cars are threatening and dangerous. There are all sorts of signals. You can't just scold people out of being cautious or fearful.

There are plenty of places I've been where I would challenge certain self proclaimed unaffected people on here to go and not feel fearful or cautious....and yet they could go and most likely be safe enough ...at least if they knew how to behave.

I also think lighting affects people greatly. The more they can actually see what is going on, the better they can sense what is happening.

let the market place determine. . .if it scares you, don't go. . . leaves plenty of room for the rest of us who aren't fearful :Smiley122!!

So can all three of you name a predominantly Hispanic neighborhood that you feel safer in?

Yup, walker/western...think U.S. Grant/Santa Fe South area. That area is also a largely Hispanic area with an ever increasing Hispanic population. Lets try not to discount opinions just because they differ, and lets also try to not create a racial issue where there isn't one.

CH is a rough area, there is no doubting that. It has nothing to do with a particular racial mix. It's a simple socio-economical thing. It could be all white people and it wouldn't make it any more/less safe...the race card simply has nothing to do with it. CH is economically depressed and is pretty much the lowest income in the city....been that way for decades. There are people working to help this community survive and there have been some small successes over the years. It's often ignored by commercial development because of those tough economics. That's why things like this are so important to the area because a more "public" development (opposed to totally private) can help anchor more things to come. Look at what 23rd was able to do and what the city has planned for the east corridor of 23rd. It's a far cry from what it was when I started at OCU in '00.

FWIW, my family owned a rental house in that area in the early 80's, before the Hispanic community started to move in.

And back then, things were still plenty rough.

The area has actually improved since the Hispanic community has largely taken over but it still has a long way to go.

I cut down SW 23rd from Walker to Shields every day on my way home and I've always wondered about the history of this building (https://www.google.com/maps/@35.4415275,-97.5184778,3a,75y,6.29h,86.48t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1snqARHguuNGbldSg1tyE2Bg!2e0?hl= en).

It has been for sale for a long time. Does anyone know anything about it? Is it just a house or was it a restaurant or club at one time..... Every day that I drive by it I think it would be a cool building to put an old Speakeasy type restaurant in.

I cut down SW 23rd from Walker to Shields every day on my way home and I've always wondered about the history of this building (https://www.google.com/maps/@35.4415275,-97.5184778,3a,75y,6.29h,86.48t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1snqARHguuNGbldSg1tyE2Bg!2e0?hl= en).

It has been for sale for a long time. Does anyone know anything about it? Is it just a house or was it a restaurant or club at one time..... Every day that I drive by it I think it would be a cool building to put an old Speakeasy type restaurant in.

What a coincidence! My husband and I were down there just a couple of months ago. We had parked the car and were admiring the AMAZING view of downtown from that spot. We, too, were wondering about that building. Maybe it was a restaurant? A beauty shop? But yes, it does have an interesting appeal to it. If you do the restaurant, make sure you do your bbq concept that you always talk about. Yum!

I love how some people here try and bully people into ignoring reality.

C.H. is a rough area. You do your, 'I'm not a scaredy cat and you are' dance all you want and you'll look like a fool doing it. The rough, poor, transient and criminal aspect is one reason it hasn't ever been successfully developed since its decline.

Do areas like the Plaza District, Midtown and Film Row give it hope? Sure. But obviously developers know the reality and that's why it continues to be ignored beyond wishful thinking.

Do I feel 'safe' in that area (I'm there daily)? I feel safe enough to know that if I keep aware of my surroundings and actions I'll probably be fine. Would I move there or recommend someone else with a wife and kids move there? No way on either account.

Would I invest money there (property) with the full knowledge the investment will not make a decent return for quite awhile? Sure, along the main corridors and to the furthest north towards the river.

Part of the problem too is what one person calls Capitol Hill is not what another considers C.H. - Are you people going off the original (much smaller boundaries) or the later much larger boundaries which apparently extended East all the way to I-35.

To me C.H. is as described online elsewhere; Walker to Santa Fe and 22nd to 29th with the prime area being Commerce and Robinson.

Lastly, to ignore race in this apparently PC discussion is absurd IMO. To develop C.H. and not spotlight the Hispanic culture which has been dominate there for some time now (post C.H. heyday) would be insulting. Race is iconic with C.H. in my opinion and I hope race plays a huge part in its resurgence.

But, you can't apply race in one aspect and then ignore it in another. IMO the Hispanic community needs to take ownership for the good and the bad in that area. Identify the bad and discourage it. Identify the good and expand upon it. Ownership goes both ways and when done right the Hispanic Community will have a shining example of what they can do and do it every bit as good as the other areas that have experienced resurgence.

IMO the redevelopment of Deep Deuce was insulting to its heritage. Watch the PBS special on Deep Deuce and then ask yourself if any of its rich history within the black community was maintained or spotlighted. I say, no and its a terrible shame.

I cut down SW 23rd from Walker to Shields every day on my way home and I've always wondered about the history of this building (https://www.google.com/maps/@35.4415275,-97.5184778,3a,75y,6.29h,86.48t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1snqARHguuNGbldSg1tyE2Bg!2e0?hl= en).

It has been for sale for a long time. Does anyone know anything about it? Is it just a house or was it a restaurant or club at one time..... Every day that I drive by it I think it would be a cool building to put an old Speakeasy type restaurant in.

It was built in 1946 as an office building but I'm not sure of the original occupants.