I would like to see the area have new buildings and nicer looking quality of businesses than the old beaten up warehouses that it seems to go by. What are you guys hearing and what are your thoughts on this?
I would like to see the area have new buildings and nicer looking quality of businesses than the old beaten up warehouses that it seems to go by. What are you guys hearing and what are your thoughts on this?
It likely won't be quality development. BUT I think we can negotiate just tearing it all down, that work? :-D
I doubt much at all will happen until the old 40 comes down and the blvd. put in place and new traffic patterns are established and documented.
Are you familiar with Core 2 Shore?
Most are familiar with the project, but unfortunately, that project will never come. However, a similar project may give rise, the 'Core to 40', which is the most accurate statement it can be. Or it may be modified to 'Core over 40 to Shore' depending on the city and/or citizens' preference.
The Skydance bridge will connect the Core to the future Central Grand Park currently in the planning stages. No one know when the groundwork will begin. As for other areas nearby, most of us are hoping it will give way to much higher mix-use business/residential buildings in the form of skyscrapers much higher than what OKC mostly have. This ranges from skyscraper apartments with retails the first few floors, hotels, skyscrapers of future company headquarters, large attractions, the famous Ferris Wheel from California, a new convention center, and possibly state-of-the-art NFL football arena if OKC decides to take a huge investment risk in order to attract a new team or start one from scratch. So many potentials out there, but knowing OKC, we may see more thrift stores, shelters for the bums, pawn shops, and auto dealerships. It depends on the people the citizens decide to elect into office positions.
As the great Oklahoman Will Rogers once said...."If you don't like a building in Oklahoma wait a minute and they'll tear it down".
j/k
This. Even through downtown (currently) there is nothing but warehouses, except for the stretch that goes through lower Bricktown and that's just on the north side, the south side still has the Co-op mill although they're trying to get out of that area; not to complain about that too much because they are building up that area pretty nicely.
Cheesy outlet malls!!!!
I hope they do some good urban development along the river. I can't wait to see Wal-Mart Supercenter, JC Penny, Ross, Whataburger and IHOP, and nice surface parking lots!
Honestly, I don't see anything like that moving in down there. If anything it will probably be what already exists up and down Reno leading into downtown. Sure you will see a few new fast food and casual dining restaurants maybe a few new hotels but, I don't expect very much retail outside of commercial supply houses and service providers. You might also see a commercial truck dealership or car rental lots.
Let me outline the process of how this development will go:
1) Investors buy up all of the available buildings and land, if they haven't already.
2) Investors board up all existing buildings and tear down a few in the process.
3) Investors start paving open areas for "cash only" parking lots.
4) Investors put for sale signs on boarded buildings at ridiculously high prices.
5) City steps in to build a canal extension, sports stadium, streetcar route, and all new landscaping throughout the area.
6) City negotiates deal for a mega-type-store, giving away millions of tax payers dollars as an incentive.
7) Investors laugh all the way to the bank, as they build strip mall shopping and more cash-cow-parking lots.
There are more steps in the process but I think you get the idea. haha.
j/k
..
Sure, but it will start in a specific section then spread, but it will take some time. I would suspect housing development to start around the new park sooner then we think, and then it will spread south closer to the new crosstown. North of the new crosstown near new park and south of crosstown near Boathouse Row is probably our best bet is seeing substantial development. South and West of the crosstown will take some time.
This board is full of negative Nancy's.
The biggest obstacle to the area is the new I-40 itself. Even depressed it is wide and probably too wide. Freeways (along with railroad tracks) make a physical and psychological barrier that is hard to overcome. This is true even the densest of city which is why Boston had to bury their downtown freeways while New York City and San Francisco removed entire downtown freeways. Oddly enough, Cities have found that after freeways were removed traffic in the area actually improved.
Knowing what I know now, I would have preferred that I-40 between I-44 and I-35 be removed completely and I-40 realigned to replace I-240 through South OKC.
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