Bricktown losing momentum

[Patrick]

I hate to make a pessimistic post, but I've been to the canal several times this spring, and I'm extremely disappointed. It's been 10 years now since the canal opened, and it still looks the same as it did when it opened, in fact maybe worse. There are still buildings that are boarded up and have mounds of dirt sitting out in front of them. The area under Zios looks absolutely horrible. The basement of the Oklahoma Hardware building looks like a bomb shell hit it. Chelinos has broken down furniture located on their canal level. The big dragon out in front of the dungeon ride looks cheesy and circus-like, and the whole concept doesn't really fit in with what I picture as a nice upscale outdoor retail and restaurant district.

I had initially hoped that the canal would've become an open air retail and restaurant center similar to The Grove in LA, Branson Landing, The Legends in Kansas City, or other similar outdoor lifestyle centers. Instead, greedy building owners have sat on their properties at our expense (we paid for the canal). I'm extremely disappointed by the way the canal has turned out, and I'm afraid that many others in this city may be starting to feel the same way. I haven't hear of any new announcements of anything exciting coming to Bricktown lately. It seems like the momentum in Bricktown is coming to a screaching hault. If there's one thing I wish the city would've done, it's that they would've bought up all of the buildings along the canal before the canal was built, and leased out the space themselves, or sold all of the space to a major developer to develop a lifestyle center within them.

Also, the parks dept. isn't doing the greatest job taking care of the landscaping on the canal. There are several trees that have been cut down and the stumps left, there are very few flowers, etc.

Lower Bricktown is a little better (did I say that?????), but I'm still annoyed by the sea of parking along the canal, and the empty lot next to Toby Keiths.

I think if we don't do something to alter the course of Bricktown, it will end up the same way as the West End in Dallas.

[Stinger]

I can't argue with anything you said.

Although, we have fewer alternatives to Bricktown than Dallas does to the West End.

[Caboose]

Yeah. I wish I could disagree.
Bricktown still has a lot of potential but something would have to be done about the owners that are just sitting on their property. High density residential development is sorely needed.

[Jesseda]

i agree, bricktown could have been great.. greed is the downfall, i still have hopes for it though, but it does need some new life...

[Mr. T in OKC]

I do agree that greedy propery owners have stunted the growth of Bricktown. I'm not ready to throw in the towl on Bricktown yet, though. I think it was unfortunate that the arrival of the Thunder coincided with the downturn in the economy. I think that when the economy rebounds we will see a growth in Bricktown due to the increase in visitors during the winter months.

[Steve]

I've been pretty harsh in my coverage on Bricktown in recent weeks, so I think I can sustain my credibility as an objective reporter if I answer this.
Is Bricktown going at a pace many would like? Probably not. But to say it's losing momentum, well, in this economy, it's difficult to back that up.
Consider:
- Two sophisticated entertainment venues are opening up along the canal - Coyote Ugly and Michael Murphey's Dueling Pianos (Murphey's is open and is getting very good reviews).
- The Hampton Inn just opened and is staying close to full on a regular basis.
- The Banjo Museum is set to open this fall, and construction is almost done on the Candy Factory.
- Renovations underway on the Zio's building and the one immediately west.
- Two more deals coming I can't tell you about.

Your other criticisms (landscaping, maintenance) are being discussed and may soon have new developments....

[sroberts24]

I've been pretty harsh in my coverage on Bricktown in recent weeks, so I think I can sustain my credibility as an objective reporter if I answer this.
Is Bricktown going at a pace many would like? Probably not. But to say it's losing momentum, well, in this economy, it's difficult to back that up.
Consider:
- Two sophisticated entertainment venues are opening up along the canal - Coyote Ugly and Michael Murphey's Dueling Pianos (Murphey's is open and is getting very good reviews).
- The Hampton Inn just opened and is staying close to full on a regular basis.
- The Banjo Museum is set to open this fall, and construction is almost done on the Candy Factory.
- Renovations underway on the Zio's building and the one immediately west.
- Two more deals coming I can't tell you about.

Your other criticisms (landscaping, maintenance) are being discussed and may soon have new developments....

how long do we have to wait before u can talk?

[Shake2005]

- Two sophisticated entertainment venues are opening up along the canal - Coyote Ugly....

Coyote Ugly, sophisticated?

Really?

[Steve]

Coyote Ugly, sophisticated?

Really?

Ok wiseguy, "sophisticated" in terms of investment, promotion and name. Obviously, a bunch of drunk guys drooling at dancing female bartenders and getting sprayed with a hose everytime they ask for water is probably not your's or my definition of fine dining or a night at the art museum.

[Stinger]

Coyote Ugly, sophisticated?

Really?

Sophisticated business people.....

[Patrick]

I've been pretty harsh in my coverage on Bricktown in recent weeks, so I think I can sustain my credibility as an objective reporter if I answer this.
Is Bricktown going at a pace many would like? Probably not. But to say it's losing momentum, well, in this economy, it's difficult to back that up.
Consider:
- Two sophisticated entertainment venues are opening up along the canal - Coyote Ugly and Michael Murphey's Dueling Pianos (Murphey's is open and is getting very good reviews).
- The Hampton Inn just opened and is staying close to full on a regular basis.
- The Banjo Museum is set to open this fall, and construction is almost done on the Candy Factory.
- Renovations underway on the Zio's building and the one immediately west.
- Two more deals coming I can't tell you about.

Your other criticisms (landscaping, maintenance) are being discussed and may soon have new developments....

A lot of people I think are just getting a little impatient, myself included. I mean, 10 years is a long time. And, we haven't been in a recession for the majority of that time.

I'm just really getting disappointed with the disappointments. I mean, how many proposals have we had for the empty lot on the North canal now? We had grand plans for a grand hotel. Then we had Cotton Gin. Both times the owner have decided to "sell out" instead. Then there's other failed promises in Bricktown, like The Factory, The Steelyard, Laughing Fish Gift Shop, Dick Clark's Bandstand Grill, Sega Gameworks, I could go on and on.

I really hope Bricktown succeeds, but I'm getting a little impatient now after 10 years.

[warreng88]

Patrick, the area that you speak of below Zio’s and the building next door are going to be renovated by Charles Harding and John Shelton. The renovations will transform that area and will include an underground parking garage holding close to 400 spaces and transforming the huge building on the SE corner into housing. The rest will retail. That basically leaves the area across the canal under Murphy’s piano lounge to be renovated to make the whole are nicer and more complete.

I think that Chelinos need to take a little more pride and have a little nicer furniture that would be easy to store at night when closed so it won't get stolen.

[Patrick]

Patrick, the area that you speak of below Zio’s and the building next door are going to be renovated by Charles Harding and John Shelton. The renovations will transform that area and will include an underground parking garage holding close to 400 spaces and transforming the huge building on the SE corner into housing. The rest will retail. That basically leaves the area across the canal under Murphy’s piano lounge to be renovated to make the whole are nicer and more complete.

Yes, I remember the announcement that was made about that development, but that announcement was made almost 2 years ago and still nothing has been done. I'm starting to see a pattern now of people buying up Bricktown properties and announcing grand plans, but later the plans being swept under the carpet and nothing being done.

And, unfortunately, most of the space on the canal is still empty.

And no offense to the owner of the Bricktown Dungeon Ride, but I just think it's a laughing eyesore on the canal. A nice restaurant with outdoor seating on the patio would fit better, I think, instead of a bid blow up dragon.

I think that Chelinos need to take a little more pride and have a little nicer furniture that would be easy to store at night when closed so it won't get stolen.

Chelinos needs to use their canal level for seating and not as a waste dump for broken furniture and trash.

I really really really hate to be pessimistic about Bricktown, because I do like Bricktown. But, I'm just really starting to wonder if Bricktown will ever be all that I envision it could be.

[Steve]

working it

[sroberts24]

awesome thanks

[OKCTalker]

Midtown is much more appealing to me, but probably because I seek out interesting places where I can converse with friends and engage other people. Its restaurants, galleries and shops appeal to me more than Bricktown's ingress/egress challenges, paid parking, crowds, drunks and noise.

[knightunder]

i agree bricktown could have been a drawn for families and for business people but all what i see is exactly the opposite

[Pete]

Don't forget the School of Rock is coming as well.

I would expect another flurry of activity once the economy stabilizes and money starts flowing more freely for construction loans.

[rondvu]

Perhaps a Dollar General, Family Dollar or a pawn shop could locate in some of the empty spaces, if we are lucky maybe all three can come in.. It would bring an air of sophistication to the area don't you think? If we loose the focus and momentum and let somewhat undesirable business's (as in not right business fit) and stray away from original direction it could soon be reality, but that is my take and it really doesn't hold much water.

[soonerguru]

Steve,

Nice comments, but "sophisticated entertainment venues?" On what planet?

[Steve]

Steve,

Nice comments, but "sophisticated entertainment venues?" On what planet?

Blame Doug. He assured me Coyote Ugly is a sophisticated place for fine wine, merryment, musical performance and dance. I simply took his word for it.

[kevinpate]

Two semi-random questions -

Anyone else get the sense Doug may have already arranged a lifetime reservation for a CU barstool space?

Will Trammel call the dance line the Boomerettes?

[megax11]

For the first time ever, I went to San Antonio last summer, and I must say their canal is downright awesome. Goes from a mall, to a lot of restaurants, and small retail shops, and the atmosphere behind it is downright incredible.

Don't get me wrong, the one we have here in Bricktown looks nice, but at the end of the day, will it ever become the size of some bigger ones?

I mean it looks like Bricktown has so little to work with in terms of size, so I can't see the canal being too big, though I would love for it to become just as big, or bigger than San Antonio's canal.

The canal in San An had lots of trees, adding to the atmosphere, and it almost had an enclosed feel to it, but that wasn't bad by a long shot.

I just hope they can expand this canal in time, or make it go to the Oklahoma river, where hopefully a huge nightlife will spawn along the river.

Long walkways, retail, restaurants, and boating to take you along the river and to certain hotspots.

EDIT: Oh, and I would also hope they get rid of all those industrial looking buildings near the rock climbing place, and south of I-40 in downtown... Beef those areas up and make it a part of bricktown. Heck, extend the canal into that area.

[Patrick]

EDIT: Oh, and I would also hope they get rid of all those industrial looking buildings near the rock climbing place, and south of I-40 in downtown... Beef those areas up and make it a part of bricktown. Heck, extend the canal into that area.

Don't count on it. I think they just enlarged the place.

[warreng88]

Don't count on it. I think they just enlarged the place.

I remember an article several months back saying the Mills were going to be moving in about five to six years.