Ideas 4 MAPS

[Laramie]

How about a War Memorial Monument that would include all wars associated with the United States.

United States War Memorial Monument...

[PaddyShack]

Why do we need another war memorial? Not trying to be negative here, but I thought we have a plethora of them around the city and the surrounding suburbs.

[Sooner.Arch]

Why do we need another war memorial? Not trying to be negative here, but I thought we have a plethora of them around the city and the surrounding suburbs.

I can not agree more with you. We have so many and no one even visits them. Why would we put money on something that won’t be used to it’s fullness.

[Laramie]

Why do we need another war memorial? Not trying to be negative here, but I thought we have a plethora of them around the city and the surrounding suburbs.

Add a mega tourist attraction dedicated to war heroes; may want to consider bringing all city-owned related memorials into one War Memorial Park with a vertical monument center piece.

[dankrutka]

A Clara Luper monument is long overdue and there's already an organization working towards that. Roscoe Dunjee should absolutely be honored in some way too. He was an absolute legend, and to me, maybe the most compelling figure in OKC history. Indigenous peoples and histories are underrepresented in OKC too.

Then maybe a parking meter monument where the first one was placed. I'm only kind of kidding, but there should be a historical marker.

[hoya]

Then maybe a parking meter monument where the first one was placed. I'm only kind of kidding, but there should be a historical marker.

For people to spit on?

[Laramie]

The first parking meter installed in Oklahoma City is at the Oklahoma Historical Society today.

80 years ago, parking device got its start in downtown OKC: https://newsok.com/article/5433519/8...n-downtown-okc

[EthanG]

As a thread akin to walkability in OKC, do you all believe that an expansion of the OKC Underground tunnels could be at all viable in terms of logistics, cost, and public use? I have been thinking about how and if this could be done for a while and I would love to hear other opinions.

[Pete]

As a thread akin to walkability in OKC, do you all believe that an expansion of the OKC Underground tunnels could be at all viable in terms of logistics, cost, and public use? I have been thinking about how and if this could be done for a while and I would love to hear other opinions.

Welcome Ethan!

There will be an extension either above or below EK Gaylord, connecting the Santa Fe Garage with the proposed parking structure just east of the RR tracks on the north side of Main Street. The city has already set aside money for this as part of the deal with BancFirst and Continental.

As far as doing more than that, there is a strong movement away from doing so because generally speaking, driving people underground on into skywalks is considered bad urbanism. The idea is to get people on the streets to creat more street-side retail and services and to create more vibrancy.

[shawnw]

From a fiscal perspective, the bigger the underground gets, the more the cost is for DOKC to operate it, which potentially pushes up BID assessment fees for those business that touch it.

[EthanG]

Welcome Ethan!

There will be an extension either above or below EK Gaylord, connecting the Santa Fe Garage with the proposed parking structure just east of the RR tracks on the north side of Main Street. The city has already set aside money for this as part of the deal with BancFirst and Continental.

As far as doing more than that, there is a strong movement away from doing so because generally speaking, driving people underground on into skywalks is considered bad urbanism. The idea is to get people on the streets to creat more street-side retail and services and to create more vibrancy.

Pete, thanks for the feedback. I sincerely appreciate the insights you and others have brought to these discussions.

On a continuing note, do you believe that a viable public good could arise from an expansion of the Bricktown Riverwalk? I had an eye and a mental map toward the area just west of Climb UP until I saw that the OG&E substation was to be constructed there. Maybe potential could be found in expanding northward toward the Banjo Museum, or something of the sort.

[LordGerald]

Welcome Ethan!

There will be an extension either above or below EK Gaylord, connecting the Santa Fe Garage with the proposed parking structure just east of the RR tracks on the north side of Main Street. The city has already set aside money for this as part of the deal with BancFirst and Continental.

As far as doing more than that, there is a strong movement away from doing so because generally speaking, driving people underground on into skywalks is considered bad urbanism. The idea is to get people on the streets to creat more street-side retail and services and to create more vibrancy.

Also if the Cox Center garage ever comes down, that will plug up the pink hall. Also, of the 10 ac/hvac units that control the air quality in the UG, some of them were installed in 1971. At this time, the city administration and the DOKC board will ultimately make the decision on the UG's future. It is my understanding that they are happy sustaining it for several more years.

[catch22]

I’d like to see the underground stay around but make the emphasis on it being an art gallery, or even more interactive with hands on exhibits featuring OKC’s history from before the land run to present day. Would be a good rainy day feature for downtown. Less emphasis on it being transportation and more emphasis on it being a destination.

[Johnb911]

I'd like to see a CVS/Walgreens go in down there.

[Laramie]

Wouldn't expect them to expand the underground concourse any more than what Pete mentioned through the Bricktown canal viaduct.

The metro concourse has killed the street life. Expect the streetcar to help with the resurgence of street life which will help bring back some above ground retail; potential for future developments with some retail store front.

Would like to see a west extension of the Bricktown Canal into downtown on the IDEAS 4 MAPS.

[PaddyShack]

I just had an idea this past weekend while out shopping with the wife. Maybe some sort of program or push to get more retailers, national brands and the such to open up in the core along the streetcar route. Maybe bring back the idea of a galleria mall or something. It would just be nice to come downtown in the morning and stay all day satisfying both shopping and dining needs.

[mugofbeer]

I don't think I have seen this mentioned before so I'll throw the idea against the wall. While travelling in Europe, I noted virtually every major city with a river has lined and channeled the river with businesses, apartments and condo's. Along the near-downtown portion of the Oklahoma River, how about installing a walkway above the rocks lining the river that would be 6-10 feet wide. This would hide the rocks, which aren't exactly attractive, and provide space for walking/biking/seating along the river while preserving the rocks below (which I have read temper the waves and make for better rowing). Bench seating and planters could line the edge next to the railing to simply attract people to the river's edge. Such a structure would be more attractive than the rocks edging the river and provide a far better riverside for walkability than a simple asphalt trail on top of the berm.

Future development adjacent to the river would include trees next to the elevated walk and have room for outdoor patio restaurants and bars perhaps built up to, or above, the level of the berms channeling the river. By elevating the main floors along the river, you'd be protecting from catastrophic floods while providing a level of parking below the main levels

[5alive]

^^^

[TheSteveHunt]

MAPS for Media. Start subsidizing local ownership of TV and Radio and maybe even an alternative
to the trash can Oklahoman. My friends at Free Press are starting some initiatives to sensibly do stuff
like this....

[mugofbeer]

Serious question. Whether you like the Oklahoman or not, how do you make people read papers again? Unless you are going to have an online-only traditional newspaper, the internet killed paper publications. They are hurting in most major cities with some, like Pittsburgh, not having a DAILY local paper at all (this one publishes only 5 days a week). The one remaining newspaper here in Denver has only 60 or so remaining employees.

[baralheia]

I don't think I have seen this mentioned before so I'll throw the idea against the wall. While travelling in Europe, I noted virtually every major city with a river has lined and channeled the river with businesses, apartments and condo's. Along the near-downtown portion of the Oklahoma River, how about installing a walkway above the rocks lining the river that would be 6-10 feet wide. This would hide the rocks, which aren't exactly attractive, and provide space for walking/biking/seating along the river while preserving the rocks below (which I have read temper the waves and make for better rowing). Bench seating and planters could line the edge next to the railing to simply attract people to the river's edge. Such a structure would be more attractive than the rocks edging the river and provide a far better riverside for walkability than a simple asphalt trail on top of the berm.

Future development adjacent to the river would include trees next to the elevated walk and have room for outdoor patio restaurants and bars perhaps built up to, or above, the level of the berms channeling the river. By elevating the main floors along the river, you'd be protecting from catastrophic floods while providing a level of parking below the main levels

You're basically talking about a boardwalk... and I agree, that could be a really really neat addition to the riverfront. I'm not sure if underground parking would work that close to the river, though, due to the water table. But yes, absolutely, a boardwalk along the river has a lot of potential.

[Laramie]

Boardwalk, Ocean City, Maryland. Really neat & cool place; if you get to OC, MD., visit Phillips Seafood Restaurant (pic below), you can taste the ocean in that fresh seafood.



Also, check out some of the old pics of Oklahoma City's Delmar Gardens. IIRC it had a boardwalk along with a host of amenities.

[mugofbeer]

You're basically talking about a boardwalk... and I agree, that could be a really really neat addition to the riverfront. I'm not sure if underground parking would work that close to the river, though, due to the water table. But yes, absolutely, a boardwalk along the river has a lot of potential.

If l remember correctly, there is a berm along the length of this part of the river. The boardwalk, as you put it would be on top of the berm extending over the rocks. If a developer were to build riverside patios and building access to the river on floor 2, the same level as the top of the berm, floor 1 could still be used for parking access but still be at the current ground level.

[Johnb911]

Serious question. Whether you like the Oklahoman or not, how do you make people read papers again? Unless you are going to have an online-only traditional newspaper, the internet killed paper publications. They are hurting in most major cities with some, like Pittsburgh, not having a DAILY local paper at all (this one publishes only 5 days a week). The one remaining newspaper here in Denver has only 60 or so remaining employees.

Probably some combination of making your reporters not report stuff on twitter, and put everything behind a paywall (which I'm noticing the Oklahoman is already doing) and then having your most popular, or at least most followed reporters put out long and pleading twitter threads on why to subscribe.

Ultimately it comes down to content. I don't know anything about their financials, but from the outside looking in, the KC Star seems to be doing a pretty good job of keeping the wheels on, and I think a lot of that is because they seem to be doing real and important journalism.

[OkiePoke]

Physical books sales have been increasing for the past ~5 years or so. I wonder what the driver in that is.