The Homeland at Classen and 18th, and Native Roots in Deep Deuce are the closest.

I'm surprised a grocer hasn't come in between those two places...that Homeland isn't that nice and native roots isn't the closest walk in the world from midtown

NM, already answered.

nm

I'm surprised a grocer hasn't come in between those two places...that Homeland isn't that nice and native roots isn't the closest walk in the world from midtown

Buy for less should do an Uptown Grocery in Midtown. That would be a huge hit in my opinion and would also attract people from neighborhoods as far north as Uptown.

Yeah, if they insist on having low density high income rooftops and a growing market area that is till a great location.

Buy for less should do an Uptown Grocery in Midtown. That would be a huge hit in my opinion and would also attract people from neighborhoods as far north as Uptown.

What a concept, Uptown Grocery drawing business from Uptown OKC!

Sorry for the snark, I've always rolled my eyes at the name of that grocery considering it straddles the lines between suburbia and farmland.

Uptown Grocery would be a good addition to the area, but I would rather see a Sunflower Market (are they all called Sprouts now?). In my mind they are the pinnacle of neighborhood groceries, incredible produce at reasonable prices, as long as you don't accidentally grab the organic stuff.

Yes, Sprouts and Dunflower merged and all became Sprouts stores. I miss some of the products that Sunflower had that Sprouts dropped, we rarely go to Sprouts now.

Yes, Sprouts and Dunflower merged and all became Sprouts stores. I miss some of the products that Sunflower had that Sprouts dropped, we rarely go to Sprouts now.

Right there with ya. The folks in Norman are pretty pleased with Sprouts, however.

New dog park coming to Midtown according to Steve.

MidTown Mutts Dog Park | News OK (http://newsok.com/midtown-mutts-dog-park/article/3870838)

New dog park coming to Midtown according to Steve.

MidTown Mutts Dog Park | News OK (http://newsok.com/midtown-mutts-dog-park/article/3870838)

Post #1598: http://www.okctalk.com/other-urban-development/9320-general-midtown-thread-32.html#post670913

I really need to break out all the different projects in this thread...

I'm working on it but it's very time-consuming.

Lots of good info. becomes buried here fast.

After purchasing the early Sunday edition of The Oklahoman and reading Steve's article Midtown Momentum, I would have to say:

Midtown > Deep Deuce
Midtown > Film Row
Midtown > Uptown
Midtown > Automobile Alley

#MidtownOKC

After purchasing the early Sunday edition of The Oklahoman and reading Steve's article Midtown Momentum, I would have to say:

Care to elaborate?

I think pitting downtown/inner city districts against one another is unfortunate and unnecessary. They should not be competing/pitted against one another, but instead working together to attract people and investment to the core of OKC. We're not carving up smaller and smaller pieces of the same pie; together we're baking a bigger pie.

They're all very different, and are close enough to be complimentary rather than competitive. We are walking from Deep Deuce to Film Row and back for dinner tonight, for example, but we could just as easily go to 9th St. On a nice night, when my husband's foot doesnt hurt, Midtown is a reasonable walk. I bumped into my son walking back from Red Prime to his apartment at the Guardian one night, as I was going into Packards. In our mind they all meld into what we consider our little part of the city.

Yes, and as there are additons/improvements across all the districts, they will start mesh into one another.

That is already starting to happen and the trend will definitely continue.

After purchasing the early Sunday edition of The Oklahoman and reading Steve's article Midtown Momentum, I would have to say:

Midtown > Deep Deuce
Midtown > Film Row
Midtown > Uptown
Midtown > Automobile Alley

#MidtownOKC

Potentially yes. As it stands today, I think Midtown is a bit underwhelming, but of all the districts it has the most potential and the most momentum. With that in mind, I think Midtown will reach its potential within the next five years while there is a more of a question mark for most of the other districts. Dust Bowl/Fassler Hall will really help make it a destination.

I agree with the other posters in that putting these districts against each other isn't a good thing.

Post #1598: http://www.okctalk.com/other-urban-development/9320-general-midtown-thread-32.html#post670913

The link in that post no longer works.

Steve's Midtown update.

http://www.oklahoman.com/article/3870963?embargo=1


Todd Woodruff and Emily Frosaker are a happy young couple starting out their shops — side by side — in a downtown neighborhood that is being recast to accommodate just such dreams.Woodruff's Waffle Champion and Frosaker's Dry/Shop, both opened this past week, join a mix of restaurants, apartments, shops and offices developed by MidTown Renaissance, a partnership between Bob Howard, Mickey Clagg and Chris Fleming.
Both Woodruff and Frosaker credit architect Brian Fitzsimmons with creating the perfect home for their new ventures. Fitzsimmons, who also oversaw design of the nearby Guardian Garage apartments, the 430 NW 12 apartments and the Park Place Alley for MidTown Renaissance, worked closely with both entrepreneurs to create their new vibe.
Fleming, whose task is to balance the mix of new development while subtly introducing new design to the century-old neighborhood, sees Fitzsimmons as key to drawing young entrepreneurs like Woodruff and Frosaker.

“This city has a lot of young talent that are looking for ways to harness their creativity into business ventures and make ideas turn into money,” Fleming said. “We're trying to take a balanced approach with things and not go overboard with restaurants, office or residential, but have a good blend of everything.”

But Fleming also adds that the addition of housing is what drives the neighborhood's evolution from an area that the city declared blighted in 1998.

I had no idea they were in a relationship. How cool.

It takes a lot of variety to make a complete urban core, so that is the biggest reason saying Midtown>Everywhere Else is probably unnecessary. Deep Deuce is a predominantly residential neighborhood, CBD a CBD, Automobile Alley a retail/shopping/restaurant district, etc.

That being said, Midtown will be the most complete and diverse district in OKC for the foreseeable future. With a massive anchor in St. Anthony's, increasing diversity in dining and residential (especially if you consider SOSA part of Midtown), a Hotel, a variety of businesses. And it has both the space and the extant infrastructure to be turned into a truly remarkable place of both new and not so new (I can't say old, because I've been in Europe for the past month, and we have exactly zero in our city that's old :-P ). Obviously we love DD and the CBD and AA, but MT has the chance to be something on another level, I dare say, the heart of OKC.

Steve's update on Fassler Hall and Dust Bowl.

Oklahoma City's MidTown to get new entertainment venues | News OK (http://newsok.com/oklahoma-citys-midtown-to-get-new-entertainment-venues/article/3873061)

4318

Gorgeous. The only thing missing is rooftop access, but that's more like the 7th layer of icing on the cake.

3 more bars in addition to what we already know about along t e 10th and Walker corridor and Midtown will take the throne for nightlife district, and probably never let go.

...Put a Tram/Bus line from 23rd to 10th/Walker to Brictown via Auto Alley that runs until 3....

I don't like the design of the facility at all, but I'm beyond excited for the addition of these two bars! Maybe (I hope) the design will grow on me.

It looks like a generic Whole Foods market.

It looks like a generic Whole Foods market.

Well, that's an awesome yet generic Whole Foods then.

Gorgeous. The only thing missing is rooftop access, but that's more like the 7th layer of icing on the cake.

3 more bars in addition to what we already know about along t e 10th and Walker corridor and Midtown will take the throne for nightlife district, and probably never let go.

...Put a Tram/Bus line from 23rd to 10th/Walker to Brictown via Auto Alley that runs until 3....

I am excited about this. Previously my bets were on Uptown 23rd but I think this will be a game changer for Midtown. These kinds of things work like snowballs. I expect once this takes off, things will explode in Midtown. Without the Tower Theater, I don't see 23rd getting to critical mass, but I think it will be second to Midtown after the new Pump Bar and 80s retro bar open.

I am excited about this. Previously my bets were on Uptown 23rd but I think this will be a game changer for Midtown. These kinds of things work like snowballs. I expect once this takes off, things will explode in Midtown. Without the Tower Theater, I don't see 23rd getting to critical mass, but I think it will be second to Midtown after the new Pump Bar and 80s retro bar open.

Analyze them however you want both they both continue to progress and develop very well in the near future...all at the same time. One isn't stealing progress from the other.

Analyze them however you want both they both continue to progress and develop very well in the near future...all at the same time. One isn't stealing progress from the other.

Unfortunately I think Uptown will be handicapped as long as the Tower Theatre remains in its current state. The impact of that theatre is HUGE though so in the event it gets gentrified and re-opened things will completely change for both uptown and the city.

Unfortunately I think Uptown will be handicapped as long as the Tower Theatre remains in its current state. The impact of that theatre is HUGE though so in the event it gets gentrified and re-opened things will completely change for both uptown and the city.

I really don't think so. If everything around it develops, as is currently happening, the tower theater will follow. All of the other blocks are currently being redeveloped, so the lack of activity on the tower doesn't seem to be hurting development that much.

I really don't think so. If everything around it develops, as is currently happening, the tower theater will follow. All of the other blocks are currently being redeveloped, so the lack of activity on the tower doesn't seem to be hurting development that much.

I agree the Tower is a huge and critical puzzle piece and that as the area improves radically around it, that will make it easier to get the right interest, financing or merely make it so valuable the current owners can flip it.

It's exciting to envision that strip with everything planned (include the housing behind The Rise) with the Tower apart of that.

Unfortunately I think Uptown will be handicapped as long as the Tower Theatre remains in its current state. The impact of that theatre is HUGE though so in the event it gets gentrified and re-opened things will completely change for both uptown and the city.

Grandads recently opened and has good crowds. Back Door BBQ just opened as well. Tuckers, Pizza 23, Orange Leaf, Guernsey Park, the new Mediterranean place...all those have opened fairly recently. Land Run is about to redevelop a whole block with an announced retro pub and a rumored sea food restaurant. Not to mention Big Truck and Cuppies and Joe already being 23rd streeters for a while. The Tower Theater not being finished is holding nothing back. 23rd St will continue to develop with or without Tower Theater.

Grandads recently opened and has good crowds. Back Door BBQ just opened as well. Tuckers, Pizza 23, Orange Leaf, Guernsey Park, the new Mediterranean place...all those have opened fairly recently. Land Run is about to redevelop a whole block with an announced retro pub and a rumored sea food restaurant. Not to mention Big Truck and Cuppies and Joe already being 23rd streeters for a while. The Tower Theater not being finished is holding nothing back. 23rd St will continue to develop with or without Tower Theater.

I agree - when will the Tower owners realize what they are losing by sitting on an empty theater. With all the other progress in the area, the probablity of success has increased immensely. The reasons for waiting the redevelop the Tower are rapidly becoming fewer and less reasonable as the other places transform the area.

Grandads recently opened and has good crowds. Back Door BBQ just opened as well. Tuckers, Pizza 23, Orange Leaf, Guernsey Park, the new Mediterranean place...all those have opened fairly recently. Land Run is about to redevelop a whole block with an announced retro pub and a rumored sea food restaurant. Not to mention Big Truck and Cuppies and Joe already being 23rd streeters for a while. The Tower Theater not being finished is holding nothing back. 23rd St will continue to develop with or without Tower Theater.

Also, Pump Bar and A Good Egg's new HQ.

Absolutely tons that have happened here just in the last year and plenty more on the way.

Pete - with all that is happening on 23rd, may I suggest we start an Uptown thread? I think it warrants one now and the new developments will only make it more deserving.

Pete - with all that is happening on 23rd, may I suggest we start an Uptown thread? I think it warrants one now and the new developments will only make it more deserving.

http://www.okctalk.com/other-urban-development/24994-uptown-23rd-development.html

:)

Derp - how on earth did I miss that?! :doh:

I agree - when will the Tower owners realize what they are losing by sitting on an empty theater. With all the other progress in the area, the probablity of success has increased immensely. The reasons for waiting the redevelop the Tower are rapidly becoming fewer and less reasonable as the other places transform the area.
What they want to do with the theater requires an investment far beyond what the other, much smaller projects require. They could do something quick and worthless but that isn't what they really want to do with that property. Funding is always an issue and doing it right always costs more than just doing the bare minimum to get it open like the majority of what Bricktown property owners did. The renovation of JDM Place to shell condition (no tenant improvement) was 4-5 times more per/sf than what the majority of the others did.

I get that - but I still wonder when they will reach the point where leaving it idle becomes more expensive than taking the plunge to redvelop the place.

I get that - but I still wonder when they will reach the point where leaving it idle becomes more expensive than taking the plunge to redvelop the place.
Don't take the plunge if you don't have access to all the funding you need if you want to do the job right. Otherwise you end up with something half-assed and needing to be replaced in a few years. I have had both of those type of projects, I would rather work on something the owners want done right instead of someone trying to do something on a shoestring in the hopes of creating enough cash flow to do future work. Those projects are a pain and never seem to ever end up performing well, a big project requires a big commitment. I have known the owner for 40+ years, he wants to do it right.

That is good - better to be patient and "do it right" rather than 1/2 arsed like so many other things we have discussed here. I am not meaning to be overly critical of the guy - mainly curious about what would prompt him to find some other way to implement this plan he has. But the owner has got to know the area is rapidly evolving and the theater will represent a loss in the opportunity cost category eventually.

That is good - better to be patient and "do it right" rather than 1/2 arsed like so many other things we have discussed here. I am not meaning to be overly critical of the guy - mainly curious about what would prompt him to find some other way to implement this plan he has. But the owner has got to know the area is rapidly evolving and the theater will represent a loss in the opportunity cost category eventually.

Couldn't agree more. Developments like Lower Bricktown and Belle Isle have shown that quick and easy development for development's sake causes more harm than good in the long run and once something is built its very difficult to "fix" it. Uptown and Midtown are OKC's opportunity to finally get it right.

Group Fly is opening a store called "The Hanger" in Midtown on September 7th. Looks cool. GRP FLY Clothing - We Are Building (http://grpfly.com/news/view/we-are-building)

Awesome!

Pop-Up shops coming in Midtown for the holidays. This should be fun.

Holiday Pop-Up Shops to return in Oklahoma City's Midtown | News OK (http://newsok.com/holiday-pop-up-shops-to-return-in-oklahoma-citys-midtown/article/3876615)

Now I know where I'm getting my Christmas tree. I'm still missing Horns, because they delivered, Christmas tree stand and all. This sounds like fun!

very cool ..and a great location

I like lining this location with temporary structures. Very nice indeed.

Now I know where I'm getting my Christmas tree. I'm still missing Horns, because they delivered, Christmas tree stand and all. This sounds like fun!
I did that during the 1984 Christmas season, almost always brought a smile to everyone's face when we rang the doorbell.

The old Wesley Hospital building has been added to the National Register of Historic Places.

http://www.cardcow.com/images/set235/card00333_fr.jpg

4538

October 3 2013

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5541/10074011744_b5c30bea6f_b.jpg

October 3 2013

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5541/10074011744_b5c30bea6f_b.jpg

You don't realize how much empty space Midtown has until you see a pic like this. Thanks Unfrsakn.

You don't realize how much empty space Midtown has until you see a pic like this. Thanks Unfrsakn.

This certainly does a great job of showing...but Google Maps does a really good job as well. Every time I look at Google Maps of midtown I just think to myself "how in the world is this thing ever going to come together"

This certainly does a great job of showing...but Google Maps does a really good job as well. Every time I look at Google Maps of midtown I just think to myself "how in the world is this thing ever going to come together"

I agree. I mean no offense against Midtown when I say this, but coming from a more gentrified city Midtown is currently the most underwhelming of the supposed up and coming districts of OKC. I say that from a Charlotte perspective, not a perspective of what Midtown used to be before the gentrification began. That doesn't mean I don't see the potential there though. Like Uptown 23rd, Midtown screams with untapped potential. However, it is not yet anything close to comparable to the Blue Dome district in Tulsa. Now, there is a lot in the works and in five years it could be, but today, if I was showing somebody OKC for the first time I probably would not take them to Midtown. My hope is that things really start to pop after Dust Bowl/Fassler Hall opens. Not only housing, but more bars and restaurants to really bring the district to critical mass. With St Anthony's being a 24-hour operation, Midtown would be the perfect location for some 24-hour businesses.

In my opinion, I think this is an example of what Midtown could be 10-15 years from now considering the economy doesn't fall apart and growth remains steady.

South End Charlotte (http://www.historicsouthend.com/)

I agree. I mean no offense against Midtown when I say this, but coming from a more gentrified city Midtown is currently the most underwhelming of the supposed up and coming districts of OKC. I say that from a Charlotte perspective, not a perspective of what Midtown used to be before the gentrification began. That doesn't mean I don't see the potential there though. Like Uptown 23rd, Midtown screams with untapped potential. However, it is not yet anything close to comparable to the Blue Dome district in Tulsa. Now, there is a lot in the works and in five years it could be, but today, if I was showing somebody OKC for the first time I probably would not take them to Midtown. My hope is that things really start to pop after Dust Bowl/Fassler Hall opens. Not only housing, but more bars and restaurants to really bring the district to critical mass. With St Anthony's being a 24-hour operation, Midtown would be the perfect location for some 24-hour businesses.

In my opinion, I think this is an example of what Midtown could be 10-15 years from now considering the economy doesn't fall apart and growth remains steady.

South End Charlotte (http://www.historicsouthend.com/)

Was just in the Blue Dome last week and honestly...I just don't see it. There's plenty of surface parking, and nothing more than 2 stories in the area, as well as a lack of street-scape and people. To be sure, I was there on, I believe, a Wed. night, so I didn't expect it to be hoppin', but I also expected to see some sort of life. It's certainly nothing close to Bricktown.

It's really only barely ahead of Midtown right now, and if The Edge puts in any restaurant/bar in their retail space, it's really not going to be close. If the Blue Dome is ahead, it has about 15 months left of that. By the end of next year the following projects will be completed:

The Osler - which will include another restaurant plus a Rooftop Bar which will be top notch (to go with a top notch hotel)
The Edge - which will likely bring over 500 residents to the area in addition to the Osler's continual flux of hotel guests.
FH/DB - which will also incorporate retail, but will bring better versions of the Blue Dome concepts to OKC.
St. Anthony's 6 story addition - Though it won't bring the same sort of interactive element to the area as the above, it will help the general feel of the area as a vibrant district.

Those 3 very major entertainment developments will be in addition to:

- Louie's
- 1492
- Stella
- Waffle Champion
- Cafe Do Brasil
- Bosa Nova: Which with a rooftop view of downtown OKC, is arguably a nicer setting than anything in the Blue Dome
- Irma's
- McNellie's
- Kaiser's
- GoGo Sushi
- Saturn Grill

I wouldn't be surprised if some of these restaurants extended their hours with the influx of residents that will come from the Edge, an increased presence of St. Anthony's, a Hotel present in the area, the continued popularity of Downtown and the Core, increased interest in Mesta/HH. It would be great if several of them extended their hours on the weekends to 12:00 serving food the whole time.

I have to respectfully disagree with you that the Blue Dome district is more happening than midtown. I was in tulsa last weekend for a concert and stayed at the Aloft in downtown Tulsa. We ventured into the blue dome district to check it out. We stopped by dwelling spaces and walked around and kept saying how empty it felt. It was a really cool area but it lacked density. I could be wrong, but there seemed to be no residential and there was a lot of empty space. It looked like construction was going on so maybe there will be more in the future. We thought the brady district (you need to go to chimera's here - amazing restaurant) and Cherry St were much better places with more life than the blue dome district. Midtown has much more residential and feels more dense to me. With the addition of Fassler Hall and Dust Bowl, Midtown will blow past the blue dome district. The one thing I like about all of these areas were the patios on the front/to the side of the restaurants. The districts in OKC need to get in the patio game!

I have to respectfully disagree with you that the Blue Dome district is more happening than midtown. I was in tulsa last weekend for a concert and stayed at the Aloft in downtown Tulsa. We ventured into the blue dome district to check it out. We stopped by dwelling spaces and walked around and kept saying how empty it felt. It was a really cool area but it lacked density. I could be wrong, but there seemed to be no residential and there was a lot of empty space. It looked like construction was going on so maybe there will be more in the future. We thought the brady district (you need to go to chimera's here - amazing restaurant) and Cherry St were much better places with more life than the blue dome district. Midtown has much more residential and feels more dense to me. With the addition of Fassler Hall and Dust Bowl, Midtown will blow past the blue dome district. The one thing I like about all of these areas were the patios on the front/to the side of the restaurants. The districts in OKC need to get in the patio game!

That can make a HUGE difference when it comes to making an area feel vibrant. I think that's part of the reason for the perception that Tulsa's urban districts are more vibrant than OKC's.

As for Midtown, I like where the district is going. Once gentrification overtakes the blight south of 10th St it will make a huge difference. For an out of town resident though, I would be more likely to take them to Bricktown and Auto Alley at this time. That could change in a few years.

Blue Dome is a good district, but definitely needs residential and density to take the next step itself. The Brady District, Cherry Street, and Brookside are all far more dense and better urban districts in general.

I agree. I mean no offense against Midtown when I say this, but coming from a more gentrified city Midtown is currently the most underwhelming of the supposed up and coming districts of OKC. I say that from a Charlotte perspective, not a perspective of what Midtown used to be before the gentrification began. That doesn't mean I don't see the potential there though. Like Uptown 23rd, Midtown screams with untapped potential. However, it is not yet anything close to comparable to the Blue Dome district in Tulsa. Now, there is a lot in the works and in five years it could be, but today, if I was showing somebody OKC for the first time I probably would not take them to Midtown. My hope is that things really start to pop after Dust Bowl/Fassler Hall opens. Not only housing, but more bars and restaurants to really bring the district to critical mass. With St Anthony's being a 24-hour operation, Midtown would be the perfect location for some 24-hour businesses.

In my opinion, I think this is an example of what Midtown could be 10-15 years from now considering the economy doesn't fall apart and growth remains steady.

South End Charlotte (http://www.historicsouthend.com/)


I tried to click on your link and my computer blocked it as a "malicious website".