Losing the proposed downtown grocery store for yet more pickleball courts is a real disappointment.

They could build 1,000 courts, and they would all still be full.

While I get that losing a pseudo grocery store sucks, there is a massive need for pickleball courts, as well. I wish they could have done both. But I think rising rents are pricing a lot of possible grocery tenants out, so they had to adjust their plans.

They could build 1,000 courts, and they would all still be full.

While I get that losing a pseudo grocery store sucks, there is a massive need for pickleball courts, as well. I wish they could have done both. But I think rising rents are pricing a lot of possible grocery tenants out, so they had to adjust their plans.

Pickleball gets people going. I grew up playing a ton of ping pong, pickleball has that same energy. I am trash at tennis, but ping pong/pickleball I can play the old man game and **** up some youngsters. It's like golf, I understand why people like it and have played a lot myself. Country Clubs are just not my scene though, so I got into frisbee golf recently and the atmosphere is a breath of fresh air by comparison. Pickleball is to tennis, what frisbee golf is to golf, and I love it.

This project is now out for construction bids and it's changed quite a bit since the Pivot Project took it over.

Gone is the grocery, brewery, and greenhouse.

Now, the south (Stow) building will be offices on the ground level and two levels of apartments above. The north building will be covered parking with 6 pickleball courts on top. There will be a plaza between the two buildings.Has the Oklahoma City Council approved the deletion of the grocery store from this project, Pete? I can't find any mention of it since they approved the transition from the previous development group to Pivot Project.

With all the conversation regarding the need for a grocery store in the urban core, I tend to think it would have made the news in a big way if the council had allowed Pivot to make that alteration after already approving (and reapproving) a TIF allocation of $765,000. I think the proposed grocery may have been the primary reason the TIF was approved in the first place.

The last mention I could find where the Council addressed this project was back in January:

19051

Just wondering. Count me as disappointed if the grocery store doesn't come to fruition.

^

Virtually every project that is approved for TIF undergoes major changes before construction and I'm not aware of the TIF ever being adjusted.

^ Is that true? Isn't the TIF award/loan repaid via taxes generated from the project? I feel like taxes generated from a grocery store versus a pickleball venue are different enough to warrant a revision in TIF.

^

TIF is almost always property tax, not sales tax.

And yes, it's true. I could cite a hundred examples, such as Alley's End, Convergence, Boulevard Place, etc.

^

Virtually every project that is approved for TIF undergoes major changes before construction and I'm not aware of the TIF ever being adjusted.

Yes, create eye-catching initial presentations to captivate your audience, then seamlessly transition into executing your actual objectives.

Yes, create eye-catching initial presentations to captivate your audience, then seamlessly transition into executing your actual objectives.I agree. I like the fact that they plan to invest ~$25 million or so in this project, but it is a definite "bait and switch." And the fact it was done seemingly without discussion at either a city council meeting or at a meeting of the Oklahoma City Economic Development Trust is fishy.

The Trust is meeting at 3 p.m. today. Maybe we will get more info after that meeting concludes.

^ Is that true? Isn't the TIF award/loan repaid via taxes generated from the project? I feel like taxes generated from a grocery store versus a pickleball venue are different enough to warrant a revision in TIF.

While roughly $750,000 isnt a ton of money in TIF, its kind of laughable we are subsidizing a small amount of office, small number of apartments and pickleball. None of these things are we currently in short supply of in OKC.

If TIF is so necessary, why not make all of OKC city limits a TIF district?

Yeah, this is such a bummer. I thought the idea of a grocery store and a rooftop greenhouse and the overall renderings were much cooler than what is being proposed now. This is one of those projects. I was really looking forward to like the Coop Ale Armory project Which per another poster said while it may be moving forward, the hotel part of it may be axed Which was my favorite part of that project.

Is it safe to assume AHMM is still the architect? I looked at their website and the renderings they have are of the old plans.

Second look at the old and new proposals: I think the new design can serve as a placeholder and be easily converted into the old design later. It's not easy to find good operators for the food hall and grocery store. Let's build something first and find those operators later. I believe this approach can be a more sustainable way to pursue this project. The old proposal is just too "new" to OKC.

Yeah, this is such a bummer. I thought the idea of a grocery store and a rooftop greenhouse and the overall renderings were much cooler than what is being proposed now. This is one of those projects. I was really looking forward to like the Coop Ale Armory project Which per another poster said while it may be moving forward, the hotel part of it may be axed Which was my favorite part of that project.I thought the greenhouse idea, while pretty cool, did not seem economically feasible. They will make much more money from pickleball than they would growing...pickles, for example! lol

It just seems to me that TIF funds ought to be reserved for projects we OKC taxpayers desire and need most. To me, that includes a grocery store downtown, not more office space. Don't we have enough of that post-COVID?

Is it safe to assume AHMM is still the architect? I looked at their website and the renderings they have are of the old plans.

Yes, it's AHMM.

I thought the greenhouse idea, while pretty cool, did not seem economically feasible. They will make much more money from pickleball than they would growing...pickles, for example! lol

It just seems to me that TIF funds ought to be reserved for projects we OKC taxpayers desire and need most. To me, that includes a grocery store downtown, not more office space. Don't we have enough of that post-COVID?
Good point. This will still be a good infield project and will activate the space. Downtown, will get a grocery store just a matter of time.

Good point. This will still be a good infield project and will activate the space. Downtown, will get a grocery store just a matter of time.

Long time, no read. Good to see you back @Plutonic Panda

Long time, no read. Good to see you back @Plutonic Panda
Thank you so much Dob,

I hope you’ve been good, sir. I hope life has been treating you well! I’ve still been browsing. it’s very exciting to see all the developments in OKC the city is on fire right now now.

They have submitted plans for design review.

Of note, there is now a restaurant/market shown on the west end of the large south building (the 1-story section). Also, I believe this project is now called The Medley.

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Any new updates on this project?