SoSA District

[Pete]

Yes, Mode is doing Lisbon Lofts and this is Northline Development.

Northline has already done houses in the SoSA area.

[OkieRedRaider]

Does anyone know what the construction trailer next to Valir on the SE corner of 7th and Shartel is going to be used for?

[Pete]

Valir is doing some renovation.

[LakeEffect]

Steve has a couple recent blog entries about stuff in/near this area: "We?re legislating taste and being arbitrary doing it." | News OK

and Blighted Midtown Property Set to Become Showcase Home? | News OK

[okatty]

House #25 above is featured today in the NY Times "What You Get" feature in the Business Section. It shows 3 homes listed at about $800k (One in Wash State, one in Albuq. and the one in Sosa with a pic and description of each). Pretty cool I thought.

[Pete]

This is a new project just submitted for design approval (UDC) at 615 NW 7th. It's another Northline (Dwellings at SoSA) development and is already sold:



Northline also just sold the house at 828 NW 8th for $548K:

[lasomeday]

WOW ^ I love that design. Can't wait to see that one built.

[okatty]

Agree - that is a great looking plan and see they paid $125k for the lot. Looks very cool.

[kdubinmo]

I am so happy that the house 615 NW 7th St has been demolished - I own the property to the west. The design of the proposed house looks great and I fully support it.

[okatty]

I'd say that is great for your property value!

[BigLeagueCity]

Love the design of both. Are you sure 828 NW 8th is a Northline project? Beacuse the county assessor website shows a Tai Nguyen as the seller not Northline.

[okatty]

Love the design of both. Are you sure 828 NW 8th is a Northline project? Beacuse the county assessor website shows a Tai Nguyen as the seller not Northline.

Yes - think he is involved in Northline. Own that small house behind as well.

[George]

Steve has a couple recent blog entries about stuff in/near this area: "We?re legislating taste and being arbitrary doing it." | News OK

I wanted to correct a potential misunderstanding about a UDC Commissioner residing or working in an area and also reviewing cases from that area. For example, in the article referenced above there is the sentence:

"Brian Fitzsimmons has voted not once, but twice, on controversial cases where he clearly had a conflict as an immediate neighbor and yet did not recuse himself."

However, living or working in an area subject to UDC review is not sufficient reason alone to recuse from hearing a case in that area. Actually, the Zoning Code specifically *requires* that a number of commissioners do, in fact, have ownership ties to the areas they review. This is from the OKC Zoning Code:

§ 59-3350.3(A)(1) - Urban Design Commission Membership: "Four citizen members shall be property or business owners in locations subject to Urban Design Commission review."

This general approach to membership based on ownership also holds for some of the City's other design review committees and commissions (e.g., Stockyards, HP).

[Teo9969]

I wanted to correct a potential misunderstanding about a UDC Commissioner residing or working in an area and also reviewing cases from that area. For example, in the article referenced above there is the sentence:

"Brian Fitzsimmons has voted not once, but twice, on controversial cases where he clearly had a conflict as an immediate neighbor and yet did not recuse himself."

However, living or working in an area subject to UDC review is not sufficient reason alone to recuse from hearing a case in that area. In fact, the Zoning Code actually *requires* that a number of commissioners do, in fact, have ownership ties to the areas they review. This is from the OKC Zoning Code:

§ 59-3350.3(A)(1) - Urban Design Commission Membership: "Four citizen members shall be property or business owners in locations subject to Urban Design Commission review."

This general approach to membership based on ownership also holds for some of the City's other design review committees and commissions (e.g., Stockyards, HP).

Hmmmm…

Thanks for this information George!

[Steve]

I wanted to correct a potential misunderstanding about a UDC Commissioner residing or working in an area and also reviewing cases from that area. For example, in the article referenced above there is the sentence:

"Brian Fitzsimmons has voted not once, but twice, on controversial cases where he clearly had a conflict as an immediate neighbor and yet did not recuse himself."

However, living or working in an area subject to UDC review is not sufficient reason alone to recuse from hearing a case in that area. Actually, the Zoning Code specifically *requires* that a number of commissioners do, in fact, have ownership ties to the areas they review. This is from the OKC Zoning Code:

§ 59-3350.3(A)(1) - Urban Design Commission Membership: "Four citizen members shall be property or business owners in locations subject to Urban Design Commission review."

This general approach to membership based on ownership also holds for some of the City's other design review committees and commissions (e.g., Stockyards, HP).

The packet that George and other members of the Urban Design Commission received prior to the discussion and vote for the NW 6 project (across the street from Brian's home) included a protest letter from Brian Fitzsimmons' wife. Watch the video at www.okc.gov and you will see Titi protesting the project (1:23) while her husband Brian sits on the horseshoe and listens. Both George and Brian are men I greatly respect and like. But I still don't get how this isn't a conflict of interest. Never in my 25 years have I seen a person not recuse himself or herself in this sort of situation (I do have a fuzzy recollection of former Councilwoman Ann Simank recusing herself from votes involving the fire department due to a relative becoming a firefighter).

[baralheia]

Steve! Welcome back - hopefully not temporarily, but I understand if so - and thanks for the input! I fully agree with that... There's no way that isn't a conflict of interest, honestly - except in maybe like one situation: if he disagreed with his wife. But I get the feeling that this was not the case.

[OkieRedRaider]

I saw that someone called Group 3 LLC bought the Central Baptist Church properties for $975,000 at 8th and Francis. Anyone know what they have planned?

[Pete]

I saw that someone called Group 3 LLC bought the Central Baptist Church properties for $975,000 at 8th and Francis. Anyone know what they have planned?

That's Corsair Cattle Company. They are flippers about 98% of the time.

In fact, they are already marketing the property.

[Pete]

Plans submitted to demo this eyesore at 524 NW 8th and build a modern structure with rear guest house:

[PhiAlpha]

Plans submitted to demo this eyesore at 524 NW 8th and build a modern structure with rear guest house:

Hey! That's the drug house! We can't tear that landmark down!!!!!! I kid, obviously.

[AP]

Finally

[AP]

Totally off topic question, but what are the rules regarding guest houses or MIL suites being rented out on your property?

[Pete]

Totally off topic question, but what are the rules regarding guest houses or MIL suites being rented out on your property?

I believe you have to be zoned for it... R-2 instead of R-1.

[LakeEffect]

I believe you have to be zoned for it... R-2 instead of R-1.

Yeah, unless you're in the downtown zones perhaps; it might be permitted there as well.

MIL in OKC is not an easy thing - if you show a kitchen in your design plans, you have to have meet every code requirement you'd have to meet in the main house. If it's an existing MIL space, you might have more leniency. Not sure...

[ljbab728]

Evidently the plans changed since July for that property.

Blighted Midtown Property Set to Become Showcase Home? | News OK

In just a few weeks of gutting and tearing out a front addition, the original façade of the 1920 home is emerging. Keoppel, who received quite a bit of attention for a modern home he built at 4711 N Blackwelder, has big plans for the property that include turning the home and guest house in the rear into a top notch, 5,000-foot-home with a pool in the yard.

Perhaps they ran into issues that made renovation unfeasible.