This lot originally proposed for an ambitious Uptown Grocery and Senior Wellness center went into limbo. Now the buildings have been torn down and the city approved $5 million in Maps 4 money to buy the property for the Urban Renewal Authority.


OKLAHOMA CITY (KOKH) — The City approved $5 million in MAPS 4 funding for the Oklahoma City Urban Renewal Authority to obtain a vacant property on NE 23rd and MLK on Tuesday.

Binkowski said they then contacted the Oklahoma City Urban Renewal Authority to request the designation for eminent domain to be released from the property so they could move forward with their own development, but the request was denied.

"With the eminent domain designation on the land, any plans for future development are held hostage. It is unable to plan, propose, sell, develop, DREAM, or otherwise with this looming designation," Binkowski said. "Esperanza continues to pay monthly mortgage payments and interest on the property even though it no longer has any control as a private business/enterprise. No lending institution would approve funds for development plans with this ongoing threat in place."

Read more here: https://okcfox.com/news/local/city-approves-5-million-in-funding-to-obtain-vacant-property-on-ne-23rd-mlk

Oklahoman Article: https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news/2022/05/09/maps-4-okc-projects-plans-buy-redevelop-eastside-property/9610795002/

I’m excited to see something cool here like an a Steelyard or 21c Hotel/Residential urban development couple with the Clara Luper Monument and Museum.

The city should also look into redoing the library and converting the intersection at 23rd and MLK into a scramble crosswalk.

I agree Panda, but I don't have my hopes up for anything beyond the same ole grab for this area due to interested parties involved. They always pull the race card when there's no civic interest yet when the city is here they bicker and argue about gentrification and payouts. ...

Same ole same old, hope I'm wrong this time and the Eastside joins the rest of the city. But the interested parties of the neighborhood itself need to stop getting in the way.