OCURA plans to issue an RFP for these parcels that were never developed as originally planned.

9 times out of 10 when they do this, there is already someone with plans that have approached them but regulations require taking proposals before selecting a conditional developer.

Wouldn't be surprised if that turns out to be Beffort and/or Tannebaum, as they are the ones with the big Convergence project ready to start in the Innovation District.

HTTP://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/triangle021422a.jpg


HTTP://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/triangle021422c.jpg

Maybe the city will finally repair those abysmal roads!

this is great news ....

Awesome. I had no idea that the parcel closest to the interstate was even developable. I had always assumed that was ODOT land.

How funny, my wife and I drove past the Flatiron Building yesterday and she mentioned it being a cute building but the area around it felt empty despite being in close proximity to so much activity in Deep Deuce, Automobile Alley, and OUHSC. (The BNSF tracks and I-235 don’t help that sense on a larger scale but even just the immediate area around it doesn’t feel very active) We talked a little bit about how cool it would be to see the area around it built up better, then I get on a few hours later and see this update from Pete. I’m eager to see what actually comes of it because I love the Flatiron Building and think it deserves more care than what is currently around it.

I almost burned the Flatiron building down once upon a time. To keep it short I worked part time for a wedding planner/caterer that I had connections to and needed a guy to haul stuff and serve wine/champagne. There was (is?) a ballroom and commercial grade kitchen underneath the building. We stacked boxes on the stove knowing we weren't going to he cooking.

I know, bad idea!

I bumped a burner control knob and set the boxes on fire. We used 4 fire extinguishers and the sprayer from the dish sink to put the fire out. That was the last time she asked me to work. I wonder why?

https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news/2022/02/19/developer-sought-gateway-downtown-okc-innovation-district/6834730001/

It is just such an awkwardly shaped plot of land. I wonder what can conceivably be done on these plots. If they were also building a pedestrian bridge, it could link up with Convergence. But without that, it is bordered by an interstate and has minimal access, in my opinion.

Development along the I-235 downtown gateway. NewsOk articled.

https://www.oklahoman.com/picture-gallery/news/2022/08/19/downtown-okc-apartment-retail-space-proposed-interstate-235-gateway/7847432001/

Yes, 4 responses to the RFP mentioned just upthread.

I should be able to post all the images soon.

Looking at the renderings, none of them are really impressive. The Cohen Esrery looks promising, but the parking garage takes up most of the development.

Looking at the renderings, none of them are really impressive. The Cohen Esrery looks promising, but the parking garage takes up most of the development.

You can only polish that turd of a lot so much.

I will be the first to admit that I'm terrible at divining anything of value from renderings like this, but these are incredibly bland.

Yep, those are definitely proposals.

These are the responses to the OCURA RFP:



BARSANA


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/barsana082322a.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/barsana082322b.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/barsana082322c.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/barsana082322d.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/barsana082322e.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/barsana082322f.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/barsana082322g.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/barsana082322h.jpg







BERRY ROCK


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/berryrock082322a.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/berryrock082322b.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/berryrock082322c.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/berryrock082322d.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/berryrock082322e.jpg






COHEN-ESREY


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/cohen082322a.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/cohen082322b.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/cohen082322c.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/cohen082322d.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/cohen082322e.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/cohen082322f.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/cohen082322g.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/cohen082322h.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/cohen082322i.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/cohen082322j.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/cohen082322k.jpg






SRLT


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/srlt082322a.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/srlt082322b.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/srlt082322c.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/srlt082322d.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/srlt082322e.jpg

Anything but the SRLT proposal.

Anything but the SRLT proposal.

Why? That's 400 units. The rest combine for less than that. I thought we wanted density downtown? I guess not.

Why? That's 400 units. The rest combine for less than that. I thought we wanted density downtown? I guess not.

I'd like density that doesn't look like something from Broken Arrow.

Edit: I do appreciate they didn't actually give any renderings but just drew an outline of where the condos would go.

Cohen-Ersey has to be the choice. Downtown needs more low income housing and this is a step in that direction. I appreciate the Deep Deuce placemaking and artwork. The addition of garaged townhomes and community retail is nice. Brasana is a decent proposal. Berry Rock is boring. SRLT is The Hill 2.0 for rich folks

Cohen-Ersey has to be the choice. Downtown needs more low income housing and this is a step in that direction. I appreciate the Deep Deuce placemaking and artwork. The addition of garaged townhomes and community retail is nice. Brasana is a decent proposal. Berry Rock is boring. SRLT is The Hill 2.0 for rich folks

:yeahthat::iagree:

Cohen-Ersey has to be the choice. Downtown needs more low income housing and this is a step in that direction. I appreciate the Deep Deuce placemaking and artwork. The addition of garaged townhomes and community retail is nice. Brasana is a decent proposal. Berry Rock is boring. SRLT is The Hill 2.0 for rich folks

Thirding.

Wow, I noticed one of the names on the Cohen-Ersey proposal document. A former (inactive) OKCTalker and Oklahoma City native.

Well... good to see some creative proposals anyway. New surface lots should be non-starters in this part of town, though.

I made this comment on the other thread, but I like that there are creative proposals, but new surface lots should a no-no in this part of town.

I think office space is the highest best use for this location. Just not a fitting location for housing. Therefore if the BerryRock proposal is done right, would go for that one.

I think office space is the highest best use for this location. Just not a fitting location for housing. Therefore if the BerryRock proposal is done right, would go for that one.

Why office and not housing?

Not housing because it situated in a weird location, not close to any amenities, no room for expansion, bounded by a major freeway. Hardly high best use for a 5 story apartment complex with only 164 units.

Not housing because it situated in a weird location, not close to any amenities, no room for expansion, bounded by a major freeway. Hardly high best use for a 5 story apartment complex with only 164 units.

Do housing developments expand often? I know a few here that have, it's not usually the norm (unless it's planned on and land bought at the beginning of the project) but that would seem to be pretty low on the list for reasons to not do it. As far as amenities, they're only a few blocks away from Automobile Alley and Deep Deuce (whether or not people would walk there in this super-car-centric city is another matter, but I think the population is getting better at that). Bounded by a major freeway is the location of tons of housing across the city, it's just the way it is with this location, personally I wouldn't classify that as a show-stopper for housing.

of the choices, must be CohenEsrery proposal. Wish they could build the apartments atop the garage.

Definitely NOT the SLT suburbia (maybe at Penn/Oak or memorial rd) proposal, and, some of the others could be purposed elsewhere in the OHC district.

Not housing because it situated in a weird location, not close to any amenities, no room for expansion, bounded by a major freeway. Hardly high best use for a 5 story apartment complex with only 164 units.

Kinda disagree. Housing is exactly what's needed here.

17626

The Metropolitan (apartments) due north has been full since the day it opened.

And that was before Parlor and lots of other things opened in the area.

I imagine living in apartments will feel like an island unless that do some major improvements to the intersections nearby.

The Rhythm proposal is the best of these. Affordable housing is desperately needed in DD.

The hotel would be nice if it didn't use 60% of the land for surface parking. The smaller parcel's use for the hotel concept is actually fantastic. And the pool on the main structure would have better skyline views than the Omni.

I like the COHEN-ESREY plan.

I agree with most that the Cohen-Ersey Rhythm proposal is the best for the area. Including affordable housing is so important to prioritize as the core continues to develop.

Cohen-esrey ++

Wow, I noticed one of the names on the Cohen-Ersey proposal document. A former (inactive) OKCTalker and Oklahoma City native.
Blast from the past!

Didn’t the username start with an S?

Blast from the past!

Didn’t the username start with an S?

If we’re all talking about the same person, then I’m 99% sure it was Spartan.

The way the Cohen-Esrey RFP is worded, sounds like they were the ones who approached the city and got the RFP up and running.

Sounds like they'll be asking for TIF already lol.

BerryRock and the Barsana proposals both appear to completely ignore what looks to be a pretty big overhead utility right of way on the western half of the easternmost property. (Parcel B?).

SRLT seems to acknowledge this in their Microsoft Paint site plan, and Cohen-Ersey appears to recognize this head-on in the fact that their renderings even feature the overhead utilities. It seems clear to me that proposal is the most realistic and is likely the one that triggered the RFP. It will be good to have more affordable housing downtown. Looking at those renderings you can already tell which units will be below market rate. That interior courtyard between the garage and the inside corner of the building looks like it won't get much light...

Definitely prefer Cohen proposal.

Definitely prefer Cohen proposal.

Good choice Rover, that's my favorite as well.

I'm a bit late to the party, but that Cohen-Ersey proposal for sure.

The glass box from the Berry Rock proposal feels very out of place for this location and I don't like that it has no housing, Barsana has way too much surface parking, and the SRLT choice should have come with an actual rendering and is probably too high dollar than is needed for the area.

The Berry Rock proposal doesn't seem to include any plans for the lot on the other side of Walnut. Why bother submitting a proposal at all if you're going to exclude that lot from your plans?

There's nothing wrong with housing at this location. It wouldn't feel any more isolated than the Metropolitan or than Block 42, both of which are bounded by the highway and back onto 4-lane roads. (Metropolitan does have an advantage in that N Oklahoma Ave. is two lanes.) The truth that the automobile infrastructure is so overbuilt in this area that the only times the roads are difficult to cross are during brief rush hours - about 45 minutes every weekday morning and about 30 minutes every weekday evening. The rest of the time the traffic on Harrison/Walnut/NW 6/Oklahoma/NW 4 is pretty minimal. Pretty good argument for putting all of these roads on a diet, actually.

Also, we keep hearing that we've overbuilt office space in the CBD and adjacent areas, while apartment and condo demand continues to be extremely healthy. Rooftops drive retail, restaurants, and other amenities while office space really doesn't.

...Pretty good argument for putting all of these roads on a diet, actually. ...

Which the Cohen-Esry RFP actually addresses in those exact words.

What stands out to me about the Cohen-Ersrey proposal is that it actually seems to know where it would be built in regards to cultural and historical significance. A lot of times these proposals seem to take a concept that was developed out of context and "make it fit" the parcel(s). Their proposal is consciously trying to add to and participate in the area's importance. Or, at the very least, recognize and acknowledge it, as opposed to just ignoring it.

Personally, I think this should always be considered when public incentives are involved.

Though I realize that the alignment of the streets including I-235 has changed a bit over the years is this the same west of the highway lot where the somewhat famous "This Block For Sale" structure once was ?

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/harrison082822b.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/harrison082822a.jpg

^^ Thank you for the visualization.

These are the responses to the OCURA RFP:



BARSANA


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/barsana082322a.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/barsana082322b.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/barsana082322c.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/barsana082322d.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/barsana082322e.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/barsana082322f.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/barsana082322g.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/barsana082322h.jpg







BERRY ROCK


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/berryrock082322a.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/berryrock082322b.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/berryrock082322c.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/berryrock082322d.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/berryrock082322e.jpg






COHEN-ESREY


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/cohen082322a.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/cohen082322b.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/cohen082322c.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/cohen082322d.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/cohen082322e.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/cohen082322f.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/cohen082322g.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/cohen082322h.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/cohen082322i.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/cohen082322j.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/cohen082322k.jpg






SRLT


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/srlt082322a.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/srlt082322b.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/srlt082322c.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/srlt082322d.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/srlt082322e.jpg


OCURA has chosen the Berry Rock proposal.

No idea why.

Super weird, and definitely disappointing. Maybe they think there's going to be a need for that much extra class A office space in easy reach of the innovation district?

How ****ty.

Living on that little plot of land would suck bigly. They might have taken that into account. Still think Berry Rock isn't bad.

Are we going to get more detailed renderings and site plans of the Berry Rock proposal? The restaurant will be nice and it’ll be good for car users but it won’t do much to activate the area from what I can see. The building looks pretty but would be better suited for NWE or Memorial.

I wish the COHEN-ESREY developers would have added class an office space on top of the parking garage. If that was the primary concern why didn’t OCURA make that known.

Also, does OCURA give out reasons why they do and don’t chose certain proposals?

Well, first thing I would like to see is that the building not be built literally in the right of way. I think that would go a long way to make their site plan more legitimate.

Nm

So a non-residential building on an island with a 'public park' that faces the busy highway and has no view of the downtown skyline.

I would love to eat crow, but no one other than employees will use that park. And it will be a dead building after 5pm. This and the law office building in Midtown is baffling with their lack of residential.

Uh.. what?

Super weird, and definitely disappointing. Maybe they think there's going to be a need for that much extra class A office space in easy reach of the innovation district?

being that it is owner and financer occupied .. it seems like it was/is the most likely to actually get built ..