Key Midtown corner to be redeveloped (https://www.okctalk.com/content.php?r=593-Key-Midtown-corner-to-be-redeveloped)

One of the most highly visible corners in the Midtown District is set to get a complete renovation and welcome 2 new tenants.


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/10thhudson5.jpg


Developer Shyon Keoppel has signed a long-term lease to take over the property on the northwest corner of NW 10th and Hudson, directly east of the complex that is home to Fassler Hall and Dust Bowl. There is a stop for the new streetcar directly across from the project.


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/10thhudson2.jpg


With partner James Vu, Keoppel plans to operate a large patio bar named Fan Club, which will feature outdoor seating on both the Hudson and 10th street frontages, a sports theater, karaoke rooms, an arcade and a large bar and dining area.

Vu and Keoppel are the proprietors of ultra-popular Kong's Tavern which is just a block to the southwest.

Previously home to Prototek OKC, the renovated property at 401 NW 10th will also feature the medical marijuana dispensary Okie Kush, of which Keoppel is also a partner.

The 10,295 square foot building was built in 1935. RBA Architects is handling the design work.


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/10thhudson3.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/10thhudson4.jpg

Do we know what happens to Prototek?

Do we know what happens to Prototek?

Are they still operating?

They haven't updated their FB page in over a year.

this will be a great active use for this corner

add this to the new Ludivine , and the collective and this area is just popping

This space is massive; over 10,000SF and almost all this will be the bar/restaurant/patio.

There's a lot going on in this place based on the floorplan...Karaoke, Arcade, "sports theatre." Will all depend on the execution to ensure it's not too kitschy. Hopefully they will do it right, Kong's isn't really my scene but this could have some potential.

^

It's a really, really big space.

Like Fassler Hall big.

Are they still operating?

They haven't updated their FB page in over a year.

I was under the impression they were, but not positive.

The sports theater, can you eat and drink in there? Is this similar to the theater bars in Vegas?

^

I'm sure that's the plan. Banquet Cinema Pub does the same thing for Thunder games and I'm sure it will continue in football season.

This place will definitely have a lot. It’s a great business ide as well to bring his Okie Kush dispensary. Shyon and James have a lot on their plate. I believe there was the projects on classen that Shyon was gonna do but it got canceled. I’m optimistic still. Both him and James have definitely helped okc nightlife (grey stone, la brasa, Kong’s) i also have a feeling that what they bring to okc is based on what they find on their travels to la, lv, etc. this corner definitely has potential so glad it’s happening

There's a lot going on in this place based on the floorplan...Karaoke, Arcade, "sports theatre." Will all depend on the execution to ensure it's not too kitschy. Hopefully they will do it right, Kong's isn't really my scene but this could have some potential.

It does look fun and interesting, but like you mention about Kongs, these guys seem to go cheap sometimes and the crowds arent really my type. Hope they finish it out in a first class manner.

It does look fun and interesting, but like you mention about Kongs, these guys seem to go cheap sometimes and the crowds arent really my type. Hope they finish it out in a first class manner.
This mirrors my concerns.

Does anyone know if the original brick is under the steel?

Looks like they are trying to bring their own version of Kung Fu Saloon to OKC. Very popular bar in Dallas and other locations.

I feel like a development such as this without rooftop activation is a miss. All of 10th street's future development should be making use of rooftops. We have existing Fassler, Packards, and soon Collective.

^

Put that on the owner.

He won't sell and therefore this entire project is just a long-term lease.

Nobody is going to invest that type of money in a building they don't own.

Isn't this two brick buildings with a levitating roof and siding making up a unified space? I recall the brick areas shown in the artist renderings represent the original structures. Which makes me wonder if the roof could handle an increased load required by rooftop meeting space.

They should have generated some investment funds yesterday! Kongs was WILD! Nice day for St. Paddy’s to hit. :)

I feel like a development such as this without rooftop activation is a miss. All of 10th street's future development should be making use of rooftops. We have existing Fassler, Packards, and soon Collective.

fassler doesnt use their roof

fassler doesnt use their roof

What?

What?

fassler is on the second floor of a 2 story building that was built as a 2 story building

I assume Anon is talking about their second floor patio space.

Any update on this? Or is this another one of Shyon's extremely ambitious projects that he releases then takes months, if not years, to complete?

Any update on this? Or is this another one of Shyon's extremely ambitious projects that he releases then takes months, if not years, to complete?

No movement that I have seen.

It's still being worked on behind the scenes but I bet it moves at a snails pace.

I wonder if Kong's and this group are in trouble financially and that's why it's moving slowly.

Kong's Norman location got their liquor license suspended by the County and are closed until the situation is resolved.

I wonder if Kong's and this group are in trouble financially and that's why it's moving slowly.

Kong's Norman location got their liquor license suspended by the County and are closed until the situation is resolved.

I interviewed the Norman City Clerk about this, as it was her office that suspended their liquor license last Friday.

Kong's in Norman is registered as a restaurant and they are required to document at least 35% of all sales coming from food. I was told they have not provided that documentation to the city and therefore they revoked their license pending a full audit.

They did not know how long that would take. Kong's closed by their own choice once the license was suspended.

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/kongs071919a.jpg

I interviewed the Norman City Clerk about this, as it was her office that suspended their liquor license last Friday.

Kong's in Norman is registered as a restaurant and they are required to document at least 35% of all sales coming from food. I was told they have not provided that documentation to the city and therefore they revoked their license pending a full audit.

They did not know how long that would take. Kong's closed by their own choice once the license was suspended.

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/kongs071919a.jpg

Is this a Norman requirement or a campus corner requirement (or both)? I thought I had previously heard campus corner has some regulation on food/alcohol mix.

Is this a Norman requirement or a campus corner requirement (or both)? I thought I had previously heard campus corner has some regulation on food/alcohol mix.

I'm not sure but the suspension was from the City of Norman, not ABLE.

I was told that if this can't be corrected, they would then have to apply for a bar license, which is a separate process. And given that Kong's has been cited multiple times for overcapacity and under-age drinking, that would seem to be a high hill for them to climb. The also started work on that space without a building permit and were shut down and the space was dormant for months until they could get the proper permits.


The same group is working on Nompton Social right next door which they are calling an 'ultra-chic lounge' but I believe it is also licensed as a restaurant.

Well, considering he's obtained financing for some of his past projects through Farmers bank...Hmm

The plot thickens...

The same group is working on Nompton Social right next door which they are calling an 'ultra-chic lounge' but I believe it is also licensed as a restaurant.

Side note: This is the "Nompton" nickname equivalent in a movie scene:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XASNM1XEQPs

I'm surprised any bank would touch him with his long rap sheet.

I'm surprised any bank would touch him with his long rap sheet.

You might want to read the Farmer's Bank thread on this site. That might answer your question. Shyon also had a fraud suit recently filed against him on a real estate scam with LRG properties who was recently featured on KFOR in a different real estate scam.

How do they make sure 35 percent of all sales comes from food? Will they just stop serving liquor if they can’t meet that requirement?

How do they make sure 35 percent of all sales comes from food? Will they just stop serving liquor if they can’t meet that requirement?

Towards the end of the month you can start offering specials to move certain products faster or move certain percentages around. Half off wings or appetizers is a good way to do it.

I'm not sure but the suspension was from the City of Norman, not ABLE.

I was told that if this can't be corrected, they would then have to apply for a bar license, which is a separate process. And given that Kong's has been cited multiple times for overcapacity and under-age drinking, that would seem to be a high hill for them to climb. The also started work on that space without a building permit and were shut down and the space was dormant for months until they could get the proper permits.


The same group is working on Nompton Social right next door which they are calling an 'ultra-chic lounge' but I believe it is also licensed as a restaurant.

Well that's a pretty big deal. Back in the 90's the Campus Corner merchants and the city got together and created a grandfather clause, which basically stated going forward anything had to be a restaurant. I think the only places still around that would be protected under that clause would be The Deli and Suger's. I would imagine the other merchants like 747, Voltare, etc. probably ratted these guys out to the city.

Back to the subject of this thread, demo work has started.

From https://www.instagram.com/skventuregroup/:

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/fanclub072819a.jpg

From this morning:

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/fanclub080319a.jpg

Being such a prominent corner, lets hope they put a little more effort into the build out than the rest of their concepts.

Related to the topic of this thread, but concerning the previous tenant: Any word on whether or not Prototek OKC landed on it's feet anywhere else? Their social media seems to be dead, so it looks unlikely... It's a shame. I think (but I'm not certain) that leaves OKC without a makerspace. Prototek didn't really take full advantage of the space, so I'm excited to see a higher and better use for this corner... but I hope it didn't completely kill them off.

Some former prototek guys have started a makerspace called Co-laboratory for any orphaned makers out there...

http://colab-ok.com/

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/fanclub081719a.jpg

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/fanclub111019a.jpg

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/fanclub120819a.jpg

I rode by this the other day and was impressed, it's turning out much better than I imagined it could, having been inside it.

Okie Kush (dispensary) is now open and the rest of the building is moving along.


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/fanclub011220a.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/fanclub011220b.jpg

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/fanclub030620a.jpg

Is the original bar plan still happening? A friend of mine said that whole building was going to be a dispensary and I was like I am 99% sure you are misinformed haha.

Is the original bar plan still happening? A friend of mine said that whole building was going to be a dispensary and I was like I am 99% sure you are misinformed haha.

There is a dispensary (Okie Kush) already open in a small section of the space but that still leaves a very big space for the sports bar. This was always the plan.

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/10thhudson4.jpg

Thanks, that's what I told him was happening but I was not sure if the concerns about the Kong's operators in this thread had impacted this project in some way.

This is still going forward and will be called Sunset Patio Bar:

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/sunset1.jpg

I like Sunset a lot better than Fan Club.

Of course it's gonna be kind of difficult to actually see the sunset from that patio.

Starting to take shape (interior photo from their Insta page):

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/sunset052320a.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/sunset052520a.jpg

Wow...what a transformation of this corner!

^ Indeed, I didn't recognize it.

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/sunset061120a.jpg

Perhaps it's the metal siding but I keep thinking this is a plant nursery and seed store lol