MAPS for MWC

[goodfriday]

I feel we need to think outside the box to improve our city. I would support having a MAPS tax for community. Would not the benefits out way a few more pennies out of our pockets ? I would love this to be a forum for grand ideas if this would come to pass.

[Plutonic Panda]

Ya whats the deal with maps not taking place in the metro. After all it stands for metropolitan area projects and it takes place in Downtown.

[BoulderSooner]

Ya whats the deal with maps not taking place in the metro. After all it stands for metropolitan area projects and it takes place in Downtown.

it doesn't all take place downtown .. for 1 .... and for 2 it is an Oklahoma city tax of course it is not in midwest city

[Snowman]

The name was picked after the project list, calling it DAPS or DPS does not have quite the same ring to it.

[Dubya61]

Right. MAPS is an OKC tax, not a MWC or Del City Tax. But it only makes sense that MWC / Del City (or any other non-OKC entity) could do the same. MWC / Del City: what would you do (on a smaller scale, obviously) with a local investment tax? Build a transportation hub where Heritage Park Mall is? Attact a MLS team with a stadium? Do something to gussy up Eagle Lake? Find a way to extend the Oklahoma River to where it touches Del City and make a recreation area out of that and Eagle Lake? Make Rose State / Oscar Rose (whatever it's called now) a better campus? Realize some potential in that weird plot of land that some oddly-named hospital trust owns on 29th? Build a wind farm? Build a Hadron Collider? -- OK, that was off the deep end, but really. What could MWC / Del City be? Let's make it happen!

[Plutonic Panda]

Build a Hadron Collider?

Now this would be awesome!

[CuatrodeMayo]

Do something to gussy up Eagle Lake? Find a way to extend the Oklahoma River to where it touches Del City and make a recreation area out of that and Eagle Lake?

I did a sketch of something like that a few years ago. I'll have to see if I can find it.

[Just the facts]

Four things I would like to see MWC do.

1) Redevelope Heritage Park Mall into a real town downtown.
2) Redevelope Air Depot from HPM to Tinker AFB - to include minimum setbacks, on street parking, bike lanes, and landscaped median
3) Build a local transit hub where Air Depot crosses the railroad for intergration into the regional rail network
4) Introduce streetcars from the redeveloped HPM site to Tinker AFB along Air Depot (assuming regional rail doesn't go directly to Tinker), in which case it should go from the HPM site to the new local transit hub.

[bombermwc]

Four things I would like to see MWC do.

1) Redevelope Heritage Park Mall into a real town downtown.
2) Redevelope Air Depot from HPM to Tinker AFB - to include minimum setbacks, on street parking, bike lanes, and landscaped median
3) Build a local transit hub where Air Depot crosses the railroad for intergration into the regional rail network
4) Introduce streetcars from the redeveloped HPM site to Tinker AFB along Air Depot (assuming regional rail doesn't go directly to Tinker), in which case it should go from the HPM site to the new local transit hub.

Air Depot is pretty danged ugly, but i think the city has exhausted the right-of-way already...at least what's feasible. When they added the center turn lane, it pretty much took over what was there. I would love to see some changes, but we do need to be realistic about it. Adding some sort of landscaping effort would help (it's not going to be a median...again there's not enough right of way to do that), but again, given the small right of way, i'm not sure there's room without blocking views for cars. As far as parking...on air depot...um no way. With that amount of traffic, there's absolutely no reason to do that. You're just asking for wrecks. And a median just ends up causing more people to U-turn. If you're willing to give up the center turn lane, then you can do that (and landscape and whatever). But something has to go to make room for it, and there's nothing left outside of the current footprint.

I'd like to see the sidewalk project completed on BOTH sides fo the roads as well as start an effort in neighborhoods.

And I'd just assume the bulldoze HPM between Sears and Dillards and have a grass field rather than an empty building. It's not exactlly a retail hub area...never has been. So i'm not sure you'll find much support to throw ay money at it.

I know it sounds like i'm trying to argue, but it's just discussion. The points you make are exactlly the type of discussion that start this sort of thing. So it's great to have them out there.

[mmonroe]

I've thought about this for a long time, but i feel the city is too proud of our current sales tax percentage, ie. Get Caught Shopping MWC, the street signs that say "Your tax dollars help improve Midwest City".


@JTF, I think you're thinking a little small.

[Dubya61]

I've thought about this for a long time, but i feel the city is too proud of our current sales tax percentage, ie. Get Caught Shopping MWC, the street signs that say "Your tax dollars help improve Midwest City".

not trying to argue -- just want to make sure I understand your comment. Does MWC want to keep their sales tax low? or like keeping a high sales tax?

[CuatrodeMayo]

Here it is:

[Plutonic Panda]

I wish this would happen. What are the chances???

[Snowman]

I wish this would happen. What are the chances???

I doubt they would fill over the riverbanks, though I had heard a couple comments from people involved in the chamber of commerce having interest in doing one past i35.

If the water sports referenced for the bridge were the same ones we have now, the only compelling reason I can think of planing races in this section is if it were a longer span than the boathouse's basin; say at least 6000 or 8000 meters for the course.

[Plutonic Panda]

I doubt they would fill over the riverbanks, though I had heard a couple comments from people involved in the chamber of commerce having interest in doing one past i35.

If the water sports referenced for the bridge were the same ones we have now, the only compelling reason I can think of planing races in this section is if it were a longer span than the boathouse's basin; say at least 6000 or 8000 meters for the course.

Well if it were to happen, what would you think about something like the Great Wolf Lodge in Grapevine, Texas being built here. It could even have the indoor water park and have a slide that would be open during the summer that would go into the Oklahoma River. I mean this would just be freakin awesome man!!!!

[Snowman]

Well if it were to happen, what would you think about something like the Great Wolf Lodge in Grapevine, Texas being built here. It could even have the indoor water park and have a slide that would be open during the summer that would go into the Oklahoma River. I mean this would just be freakin awesome man!!!!

The park would be awesome but until we improve in the quality of the water a slide into it is unlikely.

[Dubya61]

I sure like it, but that looks like it's all a Del City issue. Don't know how you could talk MWC into taxing themselves for that.

[Eagles_07]

Del City wouldn't foot the bill for something as dumb as this, plus that part of the river has no water in it anyway so I don't see any of this ever happening any time soon. While it would be nice for Del City and Midwest City to have some river front shopping/restaurants and housing but it wont happen.

[bombermwc]

Well if you put in a dam a little down river, you could have some fill there. There are large swaths of land that aren't developed right next to the river in both cities. So if the level was raised like it was downtown, you do have the potential for development. The problem that then arrises is, does that become land that is desirable or would it be all for not? Personally, i can't imagine why anyone would want to build there. There's a dump within view. There is very little road traffic and the roads to that area are lacking. So if a development did come about, then there would need to be some major infrastructure changes...not to mention someone would have to buy up that land to develop it....and put in a few bridges. Don't get me wrong, I've got some great visions in my head for what it could poentially look like. But I also have to consider the reality of what would go there. With the canal being so close, a restauruant district wouldn't work (plus the river smells unlike the canal). Big Box stuff is on the other side along with the hotels. So i'm just not sure what WOULD go there.

One thing I could picture would be a commercial office space area. Think a less fancy pants version of The Woodlands.....or even think like where Dell is now. Have a water feature there and you can create a "look" for the area. Throw in some developments of some 4 story low rise office structures (and the needed infrastructure for them), and you might just inject some life into an area that had no real purpose!

[Dubya61]

MWC citizens might ought to look at Sidewalk Sid's post number 43 in the Moore forum thread: "New Central Park for Moore". I wonder if there's a spot that a plan like that could be undertaken in MWC. Is there a spot in MWC where some urbanism can be injected? and then maybe spread a bit?

BTW, even if you don't like the idea of expanding the Oklahoma River, the idea to get passenger rail to MWC in that map is tantalizing, eh?

[Just the facts]

Is there a spot in MWC where some urbanism can be injected? and then maybe spread a bit?

Heritage Park Mall site.

[mmonroe]

If you guys will give me a month, (this is pushing me to move forward now with it), I have a few proposed ideas for midwest city i've had for a little while and have put it on the back burner of my 20% pile. I'll get these presentable and you can ooh and ahh over them, or hate them. You might see some surprises you've never thought of before.

[goodfriday]

Looking forward to it Mr. Mmonroe.

[mmonroe]

If you guys will give me a month, (this is pushing me to move forward now with it), I have a few proposed ideas for midwest city i've had for a little while and have put it on the back burner of my 20% pile. I'll get these presentable and you can ooh and ahh over them, or hate them. You might see some surprises you've never thought of before.

hehe this is a big project.

[easternobserver]

hehe this is a big project.

DEL City is sort of doing its own mini maps. Bond issue last year for major drainage and fire trucks and storm sirens. Lst temporary sales tax did new city hall, new police station, redone community center and a bunch of roads. Newly approved temporary sales tax is for new library, new senior center, new fire station, new sports complex, new public works building and a bunch of redone streets. Also just did massive widening on 15th. New development at i40 and Sooner was partially publicly funded. New hotel and convention center at i40 and Scott just approved for TIF funding. Dont forget the dog park and what has been done at Eagle Lake (much more needed there). Also working on a preservation district for neighborhood north of City Hall.

Strong council' strong neighborhood watches, responsible budgeting made possible support for big efforts to clean up housing areas, do infill commercial redevelopment, close apartments and look to the future.