The 21c. thread has brought up an important topic of conversation: The strategic use of resources to build the best downtown districts possible. So I'd be interested to hear opinions and discussions about general state of health (scale of 1 to 10) for these areas districts, what percentage of unannounced resources over the next 5 years you think they should receive (leaving the CBD out, because it functions very differently than the other parts), and time-frames of when you would like to see them meet certain milestones.

Here are my thoughts going from SE to NW. Definition of downtown here is River-235-13th-Classen...I'm incorporating announced developments in my assessments:

East River Development (Lincoln/River/235/40) -- 8 --
When all proposed projects are completed. 2.5% or resources…This area doesn't need a lot once the Olympic facility is built, but it's unique in that any development it will gain is going to be different from the rest of DT. This will be in great shape by 2017.

Cotton Mill Site and surrounding area (Shields/40//Boulevard) -- 2 --
And only because of OKC Rocks. 0% of resources I expect and hope that this area isn't even thought about until 2020/25…unless a very unique project comes around from an otherwise uninterested investor.

C2S South (Western/River/Lincoln/40) -- 3 --
That factors in the South Park. 0% of resources...I just don't think this this area should be touched in the next 6 years.

C2S North (Western/40/Shields/Boulevard) -- 4 --
Factors in the Central Park…maybe a 4.5 if we keep the Film Exchange building. 5% of resources…would like to see established developers buy some of the land surrounding the park but wait to announce plans for construction until at least 2017.

Bricktown (BNSF/Boulevard-40/235/4th) -- 8 --
Steelyard/Rock Island Plow/etc. 7.5% of resources…I know this sounds weird, but I'd like to keep most of those empty lots empty for the next 3 to 6 years…It would be nice for Bricktown to be able to see what other up and coming areas start offering that Bricktown doesn't have. Those surface parking lots are not fun to see, but they are blank slates and given the right project, can keep Bricktown competitive for years to come…but just filling them in for the sake of filling them in would likely give us nothing new to really be excited about.

Deep Deuce (BNSF/Tracks/235/4th) -- 8 --
Maywood Phase II, Hill, Flats… 12.5% of resources…I'll be disappointed if this district is not entirely filled in in the next 5 years…or at least under construction to be entirely filled in. I don't think this neighborhood is lacking anything honestly…The only thing Deep Deuce needs is more public art in some of the drab spots (RMP between 2nd and 4th…maybe the concrete should be opened up to Graffiti artists). I think tops for Deep Deuce by itself is a 9.25, but in terms of what Deep Deuce has contributed to downtown, it may be the most important neighborhood in OKC.

CBD (Walker/Boulevard/Shields-BNSF/4th) -- 7 --
CBD is just going to take a long time, the problem is that some of the streets are just horrendous in terms of interaction. But the business that are in the CBD are strong and it's at least not totally void of mixed-use elements. Realistically, it will take, I dunno, a trillion dollars for this area to even think about approaching a 9, let alone a 10.

West Downtown (Western-Classen/40/Walker/4th) -- 5 --
This area is very disjointed, and I think needs serious attention from some planners. Half of it is supposed to be an Arts district, but there are Police Headquarters, a Jail, Random businesses scattered about…It needs residential in the long run, but it can't be at the expense of other downtown districts (Midtown). If we're going to give resources focus to this area, I'd rather us not touch South Midtown for the next 5 years. I think the 21c. development forces the hand here for this area, so I think 12.5% of the resources.

Auto-Alley (Broadway/4th/235/13th) -- 6 --
Broadway is great, the Metropolitan will bring so much life. I'd like to see this area get about 25% of the resources going forward. I've made it clear that I think area has the chance to be the best entertainment district in the city, and primarily because it has a nice mix of structures to renovate and blank slates to develop. I think over the next 5 years, we should strive to get this area to an 8.5 or 9…it has the chance to have the best feel of any area in the city.

South Midtown (Walker/4th/Broadway/9th) -- 3.5 --
South Midtown is just bad, but it's also really important, and I don't think we have the resources to develop this area the way it needs to be developed in the long run. I'd like to see us give very little of our resources here until we're ready to have $75M developments. So…0% of our upcoming resources.

SOSA (Classen/4th/Walker/9th) -- 4 --
Since this will be mostly residential, it's going to have to develop organically…that being said, it would be nice if the city would invest resources into the infrastructure of this area, as it's horrific. I'd like to see 5% go to this area.

North Midtown (Classen/9th/Broadway/13th) -- 6.5 --
Even with The Edge/10th&Shartel/11th&Francis, there are still just so many empty lots. I'd like to see this area make rapid progress over the next 5 to 6 years, and I think it will. Therefore, I'd like to see 30% of resources go toward this area. It has the chance to be the complete package: Residential, Business, Retail/Restaurant, Entertainment. If we focus on this area and get it right, we then have an excellent blueprint for C2S. It's not going to be perfect, but it merits a lot of focus.