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

It works fine in Chrome for me.

Chris, is there a Charlotte forum that is anything comparable to OKCTalk in terms of information, pictures, maps, diagrams? It would be cool if we could reference more of the things you bring up in discussion. I probably never would have pegged it as a place I wanted to visit until you got here and started comparing it to OKC.

It works fine in Chrome for me.

I was in Chrome when I tried it.

Chris, is there a Charlotte forum that is anything comparable to OKCTalk in terms of information, pictures, maps, diagrams? It would be cool if we could reference more of the things you bring up in discussion. I probably never would have pegged it as a place I wanted to visit until you got here and started comparing it to OKC.

I would be interested in checking out ANY other forums of this caliber on other cities. I was talking to my buddy about this site the other day and I made a joke that I almost feel like I know as much about OKC as I do about KC (where I'm from) because of the information I see on this site. It makes me so much more aware of new developments and areas in OKC that even my friends who are FROM OKC don't know about.

City-Data is about the best it gets for Charlotte. They don't have a forum on the caliber of this one for OKC. Urbanplanet.org also has quite a bit on the developments there and a lot less on newcomers relocating.

City-Data is about the best it gets for Charlotte. They don't have a forum on the caliber of this one for OKC. Urbanplanet.org also has quite a bit on the developments there and a lot less on newcomers relocating.

Although I've only been on there a few times specifically to look at Charlotte developments, urbanplanet.org is the best option IMO as far as up-to-date development talk forums go for Charlotte.

Not that I was asked, and not that this has anything to do with Midtown (other than being about infill potential), but you should all try DenverInfill.com and it's companion blog DenverUrbanism.com

DenverInfill highlights block by block, and even lot by lot, infill proposals, developments, and opportunities in the core, with tons of information and accompanying pictures. The pace Denver is moving to urbanize is breathtaking. I could only dream of the same for Midtown. Maybe the problem is too much of Midtown is owned by relatively few interests. As much as we all love what we've seen from MidtownR, it might be better if a few more developers were involved in the mix.

Denver still had a lot of residences adjacent to downtown 20+ years ago, they weren't the greatest of areas back then but the "bones" for urban neighborhoods were in place, all around downtown. Many of my co-workers live in these areas, especially Capitol Hill and Park Hill. The Highlands area is the newest one they are moving into. My wife works in the Capitol Hill area.

All of the cars at the southwest corner "car lot" at 10th and Harvey have been moved this week. I remember Steve wrote an article earlier this year about this property and how long those cars have been sitting there. Anyone know what is going on here? I thing the building has great potential and it looks a thousand times better already without those junky cars sitting in front of it.

Also, dirt work has started on the Fassler Hall/Dust Bowl project. Sorry I did not take any pictures because I was driving by this afternoon when I noticed and did not get a chance to take any pictures.

That property at the SW corner of 10th & Harvey has not sold, so not sure what is happening there. The City threatened to crack down, so maybe they finally did.

http://www.oklahomacounty.org/assessor/Searches/sketches/picfile/2729/R011123900001uA.jpg

Maybe this is a pie-in-the-sky aspiration but I noticed something in this picture that was posted in the Osler building thread. The Midtown plaza circle seems to have a lot of untapped potential. With the amount of traffic in the roundabout, shouldn't there be a public display of some sort? Something like the Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument in Indianapolis? Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument (Indianapolis) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soldiers'_and_Sailors'_Monument_(Indianapolis)). I am glad that there is something there (although a little more organization in the landscaping would be nice) but I think we could do better.

http://i.imgur.com/EhjZdLr.jpg

Maybe this is a pie-in-the-sky aspiration but I noticed something in this picture that was posted in the Osler building thread. The Midtown plaza circle seems to have a lot of untapped potential. With the amount of traffic in the roundabout, shouldn't there be a public display of some sort? Something like the Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument in Indianapolis? Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument (Indianapolis) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soldiers'_and_Sailors'_Monument_(Indianapolis)). I am glad that there is something there (although a little more organization in the landscaping would be nice) but I think we could do better.

http://i.imgur.com/EhjZdLr.jpg

I think the Compass Rose would have looked pretty sweet here.

What happened to all those wonderful statues that were ripped out of Bicentennial Park?

What happened to all those wonderful statues that were ripped out of Bicentennial Park?

They came up with a plan to relocate them to various other city parks.

.... With the amount of traffic in the roundabout, shouldn't there be a public display of some sort?....

Yeah, I see what you're saying. A nice statue or art piece would look great there. Make it fairly tall -- about 25-30 feet -- so that it can be seen from quite a distance. And have it lit up at night.

A giant statue of Toby Keith.

... just kidding!

FYI: There is a good chance the streetcar will bisect the circle.

FYI: There is a good chance the streetcar will bisect the circle.

Oh, so this will go away? Bummer.

It's nice having a fairly open view to see other traffic entering and leaving the circle. This is a fairly small circle and would seemingly be hampered with seriously obstructed views. Okies are already hesitant to enter the flow smoothly.

It's nice having a fairly open view to see other traffic entering and leaving the circle. This is a fairly small circle and would seemingly be hampered with seriously obstructed views. Okies are already hesitant to enter the flow smoothly.

I lived a block from here and went through this stop every day and entering and leaving the circle was incredibly easy. Never saw any problems with it as is, but maybe others have had trouble.

I actually like the landscaping that's present now. I wouldn't be opposed to another roundabout with a statue in the middle of it. But I really do like this one the way it is. It's nice to have some nature thrown in amongst the concrete.

I think the biggest obstacle to putting anything through the middle of the circle is there are too many idiots drivers who run up on the concrete. You should look how many tire tracks are on curb on your next visit. If I am not mistaken, some of the smaller trees have been replanted on several occasions throughout the years because of car collisions.

Heck, just his past weekend, somebody jumped the curb and laid out one of the larger trees (yes an entire tree) near the shopping center where GOGO sushi is. I really just wonder what people are thinking when they go through this.

I think the biggest obstacle to putting anything through the middle of the circle is there are too many idiots drivers who run up on the concrete. You should look how many tire tracks are on curb on your next visit. If I am not mistaken, some of the smaller trees have been replanted on several occasions throughout the years because of car collisions.

Heck, just his past weekend, somebody jumped the curb and laid out one of the larger trees (yes an entire tree) near the shopping center where GOGO sushi is. I really just wonder what people are thinking when they go through this.

Perhaps drunk driving?

FYI: There is a good chance the streetcar will bisect the circle.

If the preferred midtown route is chosen. Then it will not affect the circle

If the preferred midtown route is chosen. Then it will not affect the circle
Is this not the preferred route that was approved by council?

http://www.okc.gov/resources/Recommended%20Route%20Framework%20Zeta%20with%20De sign%20Options%20Interactive.pdf

I actually like the landscaping that's present now.

I agree. I think it compliments the surrounding area just fine without any changes.

Is this not the preferred route that was approved by council?

http://www.okc.gov/resources/Recommended%20Route%20Framework%20Zeta%20with%20De sign%20Options%20Interactive.pdf

It is the preferred route. With several options overlaid. The direction of the street car at the traffix circle is east bound in the preferred route.

Call me crazy, but it appears regardless of the direction of travel, the preferred route affects the circle.

Last H & 8th for the season coming.

http://www.oklahoman.com/article/3897247?embargo=1


No more than 700 people attended the event, which began in August of 2011, before this year. The smallest crowd it has produced in 2013 was 2,500 in March, topping out at an estimated 8,500 last month.

And Friday, to get a jump on the Halloween celebration, H&8th will start an hour earlier at 6 p.m. to offer “truck-or-treating” for the kids and “Kindie” rock.

10th and Harvey car lot.

Midtown Oklahoma City garage may be leased after changes | News OK (http://newsok.com/midtown-oklahoma-city-garage-may-be-leased-after-changes/article/3898564)

From Steve's article about the "car dealership":


“People have been calling me — I've had about 10 to 15 calls on this,” Bahreini said. “People are calling me about a restaurant, a cheese factory and garage hamburger place.”

Please, god, not another hamburger place.

I love Irmas, I love S&B and Tuckers and Kaisers. McNellies $3 burger night is awesome and I'm sure The Garage is going to be great as well, but we are saturating the market with saturated burgers!

No.
More.
Burgers.

From Steve's article about the "car dealership":



Please, god, not another hamburger place.

I love Irmas, I love S&B and Tuckers and Kaisers. McNellies $3 burger night is awesome and I'm sure The Garage is going to be great as well, but we are saturating the market with saturated burgers!

No.
More.
Burgers.

Mexican food with a cool patio. NAILED IT!

10th and Harvey car lot.

Midtown Oklahoma City garage may be leased after changes | News OK (http://newsok.com/midtown-oklahoma-city-garage-may-be-leased-after-changes/article/3898564)

Between cleaning all of the junk cars on that property and MidtownR finally grating the massive mud puddle at 10th and Hudson, this corner already looks 1000% percent better.

Don't know if anyone has posted a link to this Gazette article from last month:

Oklahoma Gazette: News: MIDTOWN: The hot place to be (http://okgazette.com/oklahoma/article-19151-the-hot-place-to-be.html)

Lots of great quotes from developers.

I suspect the "garage hamburger place" he mentions was The Garage, sniffing around for locations before landing on their ultimate selection. The description is too specific. Otherwise he would have just called it "a hamburger place."

I suspect that in about 3 years a Bookstore would be an unbelievable success somewhere in downtown, and Midtown seems like the perfect place for such an operation. Law school, Residential, Businesses.

From Steve's article about the "car dealership":



Please, god, not another hamburger place.

I love Irmas, I love S&B and Tuckers and Kaisers. McNellies $3 burger night is awesome and I'm sure The Garage is going to be great as well, but we are saturating the market with saturated burgers!

No.
More.
Burgers.

The Garage is a pretty good restaurant, but you are right, that area is getting pretty saturated with burgers.

I think something like Coolgreens would do well being that people living downtown, by my guess, are more likely to be health conscious.

The Garage is a pretty good restaurant, but you are right, that area is getting pretty saturated with burgers.

I think something like Coolgreens would do well being that people living downtown, by my guess, are more likely to be health conscious.

Coolgreens is already in downtown - they'd just need to open for dinner service.

Coolgreens is already in downtown - they'd just need to open for dinner service.

I don't know if there's a market for them to stay open. I stopped by once right before they closed on my way to a weekday Thunder game and there was no one there.

I don't know if there's a market for them to stay open. I stopped by once right before they closed on my way to a weekday Thunder game and there was no one there.

CBD is not a good after hours market for them. Midtown will be, though

I suspect that in about 3 years a Bookstore would be an unbelievable success somewhere in downtown, and Midtown seems like the perfect place for such an operation. Law school, Residential, Businesses.

I mentioned in some thread within the last year that I too thought a bookstore would be good in this part of the city. Nothing like a Barnes & Noble but a local small shop like Full Circle Books.

A very interesting commentary by the Heritage Hills resident in the video with this article about the upcoming home tour.


Heritage Hills homeowner comes full circle with home tour in Oklahoma City | News OK (http://newsok.com/heritage-hills-homeowner-comes-full-circle-with-home-tour-in-oklahoma-city/article/3899521)

Some type if construction going on behind the garage on 10th and Harvey. Looks like a parking lot or something.

Panoramic by Josh DeLozier

http://static.wixstatic.com/media/da441b_2d139db348a93ebf671cad52b3d9b473.jpg

Source: Oklahoma City Panoramics by Josh DeLozier | PANORAMICS (http://www.joshdelozier.com/?_escaped_fragment_=panoramics/c21rz)

I can almost see my desk through the window, lol.

Looks like a similar day I did this Set.

Midtown Plaza (July 8 2013) - a set on Flickr (http://www.flickr.com/photos/williamhider/sets/72157634593570181/)

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7318/9261793327_e53c9948c8_b.jpg

(Mobile)
From blighted to booming: Midtown becoming 'downtown neighborhood' | NewsOK.com (http://m.newsok.com/from-blighted-to-booming-midtown-becoming-downtown-neighborhood/article/3904074)

http://newsok.com/from-blighted-to-booming-midtown-becoming-downtown-neighborhood/article/3904074

Long-time Investment Paying Off for St. Anthony Hospital | News OK (http://newsok.com/long-time-investment-paying-off-for-st.-anthony-hospital/article/3904221)

Damn that building was uggggggggggly! Maybe it's the photo, lol.

Steve tweeted this and I thought this area would be the appropriate place to put it:

Steve's OKC Central‏@stevelackmeyer
In a prior OKC Central Live Chat, I mentioned that Nov/Dec will be seen as an amazing time for downtown OKC. We're seeing the start of that

Steve's OKC Central‏@stevelackmeyer
But get ready.... this next month is going to be incredible....

Steve's OKC Central‏@stevelackmeyer
We are seeing the previews of 2014-2016, which will see a huge wave of investment, construction & growth downtown.

Steve's OKC Central‏@stevelackmeyer
30 years ago Neal Horton predicted downtown would go from Lincoln to Western, NW 13 to the river. Horton was absolutely right.

I said this in another thread, but with the complexes going in on Shartel and Francis, doesn't that make the EMSA site the most important site in Midtown?

What is the highest and best use for that sight, and does it involve the current structure or should it be razed and turned into something else?

I said this in another thread, but with the complexes going in on Shartel and Francis, doesn't that make the EMSA site the most important site in Midtown?

What is the highest and best use for that sight, and does it involve the current structure or should it be razed and turned into something else?

Which one is the EMSA site?

Which one is the EMSA site?

The mirror plot (triangular) to Midtown Plaza Court.

The mirror plot (triangular) to Midtown Plaza Court.

Gotcha. I assume St Anthony's owns that? Will they vacate that property once the new addition is finished? I think the most important site in Midtown would be the NE/C or SE/C of 10th and Hudson. That much contiguous space being as close as it is to everything going on right now? That is nuts. As great as everything is that is happening in the area you mentioned, that is western side of Midtown and it seems like things are going to gravitate further east and south.

Steve tweeted this and I thought this area would be the appropriate place to put it:

Steve's OKC Central‏@stevelackmeyer
In a prior OKC Central Live Chat, I mentioned that Nov/Dec will be seen as an amazing time for downtown OKC. We're seeing the start of that

Steve's OKC Central‏@stevelackmeyer
But get ready.... this next month is going to be incredible....

Steve's OKC Central‏@stevelackmeyer
We are seeing the previews of 2014-2016, which will see a huge wave of investment, construction & growth downtown.

Steve's OKC Central‏@stevelackmeyer
30 years ago Neal Horton predicted downtown would go from Lincoln to Western, NW 13 to the river. Horton was absolutely right.

I wonder what he could be referring to.

...
Steve's OKC Central‏@stevelackmeyer
30 years ago Neal Horton predicted downtown would go from Lincoln to Western, NW 13 to the river. Horton was absolutely right.

Neat. That sounds like a slogan. A call to arms. Our version of "Fifty-four forty or fight!" :)

I feel a poem coming on...

From Lincoln to Western
And Thirteenth to the River
Let downtown grow and receive
What OKC rebirth delivers

I wonder what he could be referring to.

I would guess we are going to hear plans for the Stage Center Tower (height, square footage, layout, major tenants, etc), GE will announce they are building a campus south of the Embassy Suites near OUHSC, MidtownR will announce plans for housing on the NE/C of 10th and Hudson and somene big will be one of the first to buy a large amount of land adjacent to the Central Park for housing development. Those are my four guesses that could span most of the area he talked about.

Forgot 21c

This is far from a sure thing, is it not?

Forgot 21c

Sure did.


This is far from a sure thing, is it not?

It is, but so is everything else I listed except for the Stage Center Tower.

Sure did.



It is, but so is everything else I listed except for the Stage Center Tower.

Fair enough... ha