A local developer is set to present plans for a 18-hole miniature golf course on a key property along the Bricktown canal.


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

Chris Johnson owns the largest piece of undeveloped land on the canal and on January 14th will present to the Bricktown Design Review Committee.

Johnson is currently under construction on Brickopolis directly to the east of this site, which will feature a restaurant, laser tag and other games. That project required several revisions before finally receiving the approval of the same committee.

Almost certainly this would be a temporary use of the property, as Johnson had been working towards a hotel development on that parcel.


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/minigolfnew1.jpg

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/mingolfnew2.jpg

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/mingolfnew3.jpg

It's a good temporary use of the site until he secures permanent development. Nice space activation and ties in well with Brickopolis. He has been working on this for quite some time.

I like it. I really wish that starflyer development would have made it through, would've really given this part of Bricktown an identity.

I kind of hope they do some kind of "western" theme for the mini golf. Shoot, I kind of hope the laser tag is western themed too. That would make it really unique.

Yeah, I like it too. Family oriented and will be a good use of the space until something permanent develops.

Ehh, at least it will fill the empty sloping field.

The bad news is they are clearly not very close to a permanent development on this site, and it also allows them to generate revenue which is a further incentive to not develop.

I don't like this at all.

It seems so flimsy for arguably the most prime corner in Bricktown. It seems so...small town.

I guess they are having trouble developing it but I would almost rather see it stay vacant or - if we must - throw some benches or something on there in the meantime. This just looks bad for what should be a prime urban area. It looks like "this is the best we can do here."

I like the idea, but not really the location. I'd hoped for better on this lot as well. However, I think it would be a great addition to span the canal in lower bricktown. It would certainly create a buffer between the canal and the parking lots.

I love mini golf! Ever since the place in Edmond (now the Garage) closed, the only option is Celebration Station

I don't like this at all.

It seems so flimsy for arguably the most prime corner in Bricktown. It seems so...small town.

I guess they are having trouble developing it but I would almost rather see it stay vacant or - if we must - throw some benches or something on there in the meantime. This just looks bad for what should be a prime urban area. It looks like "this is the best we can do here."

This is exactly what I thought. I really think mini-golf would be a good fit for Bricktown but not there. I guess it's better than a grass lot but this is very underwhelming. I am guess the hotel deal fell apart or is on hold indefinitely? It seems like a "this is the best we can do here" move and that's a real shame.

I was really hoping for a hotel there. Given the fact that the canal is supposed to be the focal point of Bricktown, It's a shame there is not a single hotel that interacts with it.

That 'prime' corner has been empty for 20 years. I like the idea. It takes up some land and will bring more pedestrians to the area. You dome that thing in and make it a year around attraction and who knows what could be possible.

Adventuredome Theme Park (http://www.adventuredome.com/)

That's what perplexes me about this spot. If this is such a prime corner and development is moving at a healthy pace in OKC, why is this lot STILL empty?

That's what perplexes me about this spot. If this is such a prime corner and development is moving at a healthy pace in OKC, why is this lot STILL empty?

I've heard it said that the canal isn't as prime as one would think because pedestrians aren't required to traverse it. For a business owner it's much more preferable to be fronting Main, Reno, or Sheridan than it is the canal. There was a very high-quality, ambitious development that was proposed for there prior to 2008 but like so much it got canned due to the recession.

If it were a 2 storied indoor mini golf course...now that would be BOSS!

It's a good temporary use of the site until he secures permanent development. Nice space activation and ties in well with Brickopolis. He has been working on this for quite some time.

He should work on an actual development some.

Bring back the painted Bisons!


I keed ... sorta

He should work on an actual development some.
He's actually been trying. That said, he is not a professional developer, and my personal feeling is that various hotels have used this space as an alternate to force other properties to sharpen their pencils. Sortof the way the NHL used OKC's hockey bid to force Columbus and Nashville to up their bids. In that same vein, OKC waited a bit longer but ended up in a better league in the end. My hope is that this is what happens here.

In the meantime, if activates this corner that has been empty for 15 years. It puts people on the canal, and it can easily be ripped out when the right deal comes along (which WILL happen). It's the canal's equivalent of Bleu Garten, the Holiday Pop-Ups, or OKSea.

That's what perplexes me about this spot. If this is such a prime corner and development is moving at a healthy pace in OKC, why is this lot STILL empty?
Two reasons:


The lot was bought by a series of flippers and dreamers, all of whom paid too much at the time (though the market has now caught up to the price)

and


Access to the corner has been poor owing to different ownership of the easternmost 15' (fronting the canal) and the lot on which Brickopolis is now being built. it was landlocked, with one-way alley access only, making it very tricky. Now however, it is owned by the same person, and Brickopolis has been configured to allow vehicular access to this corner directly through Brickopolis, from Mickey Mantle. THIS will be what unlocks development opportunity.

I also thought that the empty corner lot had fire truck access limitation issues do to the one lane alley ?

Not the case. The alley bridge was originally designed to be a decorative suspension bridge, but value engineered to its current state. The pillar in the middle of the canal was added to allow fire trucks, garbage trucks, etc., since the suspension elements were removed. They can freely traverse the alley.

Funny, we were just talking about this location in another thread.
Well, at least it'll be used finally, right?

Some thoughts: great exposure. Some visitors riding on the canal will see it and perhaps want to go try it out for fun. Miniature golf is always great if you're ever trying to kill time or just looking for something fun for a minute, no argument there. However, I think this could succeed elsewhere around Bricktown as well, perhaps just South of Toby Keith's/KD's, or even East by where all of the hotels are going in at. Would be perfect for visiting people to take up when they get into town.
I think this location could be served in a much higher form, trying not to sound too condescending to the golf course.

I guess it's a good thing that the developer has already acknowledged that it's probably temporary.
BT, in my opinion from a visitors perspective, needs to keep it's entertainment value. You don't want it turning into Hotel Town overnight. I know when I go down, I frequent the bars, restaurants, etc. So, I see this as a good development overall with keeping BT an entertainment destination. That's what people from out of town like to see.

Again, it is a temporary installation/activation pending future development. Bleu Garten and Holiday Pop-Ups also not highest and best use of prime Midtown 10th Street frontage, yet both make for fantastic temporary use (both slated for at least three years). This one is similarly appropriate considering Bricktown location.

Now if we can get some go-karts downtown.

Now if we can get some go-karts downtown.

And batting cages. :)

It's a good addition to an entertainment district and adds just another reason to go to bricktown on a lazy afternoon. I can imagine the golfers interacting with the people going down the canal and adding to the atmosphere of fun. Just hope the course is creative and not cheap looking.

I really like this guy Chris Johnson and what he is bringing to Bricktown. Local guy that is putting his money on the line with new buildings and new attractions for Bricktown.

What's interesting about this to me is that it hasn't been done in one of the upper floors in Bricktown before. Is never thought of it before, but indoor mini golf, batting cages, and things like that probably would have been a good use for all that empty space at one point in time.

The issue with most the empty upper floors in Bricktown have to do with bringing them up to modern codes and removing hazardous materials, which would be required no matter the use.

As we are seeing with 2 E. Bricktown, they are having to spend a bunch of money to build stairwells, install ADA bathrooms, and upgrade elevators to ADA compliance. And there is almost always hazardous materials, especially since most the buildings were used as light manufacturing or warehouses.

Slowly but surely, the vacant upper floors in Bricktown are disappearing. The Spaghetti Warehouse Building is one of the few big chunks of space, and developers are actively trying to purchase it.

Just saw a small update on this (https://twitter.com/Bricktown411/status/555385772216311808) go by from the Bricktown411 twitter account. Not anything particularly detailed, but as far as I am aware the first picture of the proposal.


Brickopolis Entertainment is presenting information on a proposed 18-hole miniature golf course to the BUD Committee.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/B7UgaRgCMAAgrpl.jpg

I like that this is a good temporary use of the space until they can get financing/planning for a larger scale development. Pete, any idea what the cost of this will be?

Here are the latest images:



http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/minigolfnew1.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/mingolfnew2.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/mingolfnew3.jpg

I think the part that makes me uncomfortable with this proposal is that it doesn't feel very "temporary".

I think the part that makes me uncomfortable with this proposal is that it doesn't feel very "temporary".

It is much more temporary than something like this:

http://img1.10bestmedia.com/Images/Photos/235857/10best-maydaygolf_54_990x660_201406010120.jpg

I think the part that makes me uncomfortable with this proposal is that it doesn't feel very "temporary".

Depends on the definition of temporary. Obviously with how destruction happy OKC is everything is temporary. I'd imagine this course will be permanently temporary for the next decade.

I think the part that makes me uncomfortable with this proposal is that it doesn't feel very "temporary".

+1

For the love of God, can someone put a mural on the building to the west.

I think the part that makes me uncomfortable with this proposal is that it doesn't feel very "temporary".

Especially since there are pretty elaborate water features. That stuff isn't cheap.

I would hope the committee would only allow this for a max of 2 years; then review.



But as I said from the outset, this is a way of generating revenue that actually works against the owner developing the parcel.

Especially since there are pretty elaborate water features. That stuff isn't cheap.

I would hope the committee would only allow this for a max of 2 years; then review.



But as I said from the outset, this is a way of generating revenue that actually works against the owner developing the parcel.

I agree. This doesn't seem very temporary and if built could be a huge undercut of that lot's potential. My hopes is this gets rejected. If the Bricktown Flyer got rejected, what are the chances of them allowing this?

The other thing about this use (which hopefully would be addressed with a hotel or other permanent development) is that there is such a mass of nothingness along the canal; a huge setback to the property.

Any idea of adding activity to the canal is thus pretty well lost:

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/minigolf2a.jpg

I guess I am missing it - where is the elaborate water feature? Also, don't underestimate the power of a wrought iron fence to define space (whose absence will be one of the many failures with Central Park).

I guess I am missing it - where is the elaborate water feature?

There are two large ponds with fountains and bridges.

The canal is such an awesome, unique resource. I don't understand why developers on both ends have such a difficult time incorporating it into their developments.

I guess I am missing it - where is the elaborate water feature?There are two large ponds with fountains and bridges.

Yes, but those aren't elaborate. A bobcat, some plastic pond lining, and $2,000 at Lowes can build that in 6 hours. This is elaborate:

http://www.todaysorlando.com/sites/default/files/DSC_2163.jpg

Yes, but those aren't elaborate. A bobcat, some plastic pond lining, and $2,000 at Lowes can build that in 6 hours.

The plans say concrete.

It is much more temporary than something like this:

http://img1.10bestmedia.com/Images/Photos/235857/10best-maydaygolf_54_990x660_201406010120.jpg

Ha, I know that place. I took my daughter there when visiting my dad in Conway.

Depends on the definition of temporary. Obviously with how destruction happy OKC is everything is temporary. I'd imagine this course will be permanently temporary for the next decade.

I was thinking the same thing. If old buildings don't get in the way of developers I don't know what will. What was on this site before the canal was built? A parking lot?

The plans say concrete.

I just don't know how more temporary they can make it short of being like that crappy mini-golf in Norman that was just some 2x4's laid over some outdoor carpet - and no one could seriously want that. They are still going to have to attract customers.

Glad to see the Cotton Exchange finally come to fruition! Can probably fit at least two people in that putter booth!

Glad to see the Cotton Exchange finally come to fruition! Can probably fit at least two people in that putter booth!

hahahaha

Painful, but funny.

I just don't know how more temporary they can make it short of being like that crappy mini-golf in Norman that was just some 2x4's laid over some outdoor carpet - and no one could seriously want that. They are still going to have to attract customers.

I'm almost hoping for crappy.

My fear is they are going to make a sizable investment and be even more de-motivated to ever develop the site.

It's much less elaborate than Bleu Garten.

^

But Bleu Garten was designed to be portable and moved when the developers are ready to build on that land.

Also, they only have a 2 year lease but could also be moved to another property owned by MidtownR.


The comparison is somewhat valid, but there are some pretty key differences.

Understand. Yet if you spend any time looking closely at BG you will see elements that will be difficult if not impossible to relocate; the porticos, the restrooms... ...really the only TRULY portable part is the bar pod. And I understand the intention is to relocate it eventually, whereas this would not be relocated.

But trust me, if the right deal comes along for this property Chris will dismantle the mini-golf in a weekend.

Understood and certainly not disagreeing.

Just trying to think through what I would do if put in the position of having to approve this, and what terms I might want to outline.

How many years has that lot sat vacant ? 25 ?

Understand. Yet if you spend any time looking closely at BG you will see elements that will be difficult if not impossible to relocate; the porticos, the restrooms... ...really the only TRULY portable part is the bar pod.

Don't know if you aware the restroom building was constructed off-site and transported in sections. It was purposely designed to be moved at a later date.

The fencing and shade covers could probably be moved as well, even though they were built in place.


The only thing they would definitely have to leave behind would be the concrete foundations and utility work.

Oh, I agree that all of BG is transportable. I'm just saying it is much more permanent in nature than you would think, considering this. I'm just using BG and the Pop-Ups as examples of temporary infill and activation pending development. OKSea is another.

How many years has that lot sat vacant ? 25 ?

There were a couple of buildings there into the early nineties, but one was a shell with no roof and the other was a low structure with fencing around the property. The former was the original home of the Bricktown detail shop that most recently vacated the little Conoco buildings at Maywood II, and the latter had some outdoor concerts in the nineties. The former was demoed pretty early on and the latter was demoed just before canal construction began in '98.

Here is a slightly revised rendering; they moved the little building and added a sign to the corner.

City staff are recommending the Bricktown Urban Design Committee approve the application with only very minor modifications. They will consider the plan in their meeting next week.

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/minigolf4.jpg

I like the cherry-flavored Popsicles around the perimeter.