Plaza District-update
Plaza District emerging as theatrical community
By Steve Lackmeyer
Business Writer
Wed. July 4th, 2007
When Susan Hogan looked to revive Oklahoma City's NW 16th Plaza District a decade ago, she faced off against "entrepreneurs” selling drugs out of empty buildings, a batch of dilapidated buildings and a reputation tainted by the murder of a junk shop owner.
Newcomers like Brad Cavener and Kevin McGarr admit they probably wouldn't recognize that past when contrasted against the present day. The pair spent the past year preparing for this month's opening of the Plaza Java Cafe, 1739 NW 16.
"Just in the last year, the change we've seen is amazing,” Cavener said. "It's the new up and coming area for the city. It's going to be the next Paseo.”
Hogan, director of the Plaza District, smiles at that comparison. Inspired by the successful transformation of the nearby Paseo into an artists' community the past decade, Hogan has spent years trying to create a theatrical counterpart along NW 16. Key to that effort was a decision by Lyric Theater to buy the strip's landmark Plaza Theater, which is now undergoing a renovation into a wintertime performing arts venue. The theater already has administrative offices on NW 16, along with a children's performing arts venue in an old grocery store on the strip.
Cavener and McGarr say their $50,000 investment — not including "sweat equity” — was inspired by Lyric Theater's presence. They've also opened an adjoining men's clothing store, saying the area needs more retail.
Hogan credits much of the Plaza District's revival not just to Lyric Theater, but to Lou Kerr, who started early talks with the theater and steered Hogan to look at similar areas across the country. City officials, meanwhile, increased police patrols and spent $2.5 million on a streetscape that added new sidewalk plazas and vintage-style street lamps.
"This area was in really sad shape,” Hogan said. "Vacancies were about 70 percent. The only businesses around here were not very legitimate. We've spent years battling that and reclaiming the neighborhood.”
Hogan also realized the area had a rich mix of cultures that represented immigrants from Asia and South America. The district features a Guatemalan grocery and restaurant, a traditional Mexican restaurant and a dollar store owned by an immigrant from the West Indies who speaks six languages. It's a mix that has led to some amusing moments, such as when Vietnamese convenience store owners enrolled in a Salsa dancing class at Everything Goes Dance Studio, 1721 NW 16 (which opened in 2004).
"Where some communities at one time might have taken that as a negative, we've always seen that as positive,” Hogan said. "And from the very beginning, when we started hosting a festival 10 years ago, we've featured international performers.”
The district's transformation is picking up steam. With the addition of a 1950s-style neon sign, Photo Art Studios transformed an old laundry into a Plaza District landmark. Across the street from Lyric Theater, homebuilder Jeff Struble is completing renovations on a string of buildings that for years created a poor impression to visitors entering the district.
"We're just delighted when he came in and purchased 10,000 square feet from two different owners,” Hogan said. "They were great people, but property management and development was not their business. They had other businesses, they owned them for decades, and had done nothing with them. Jeff is getting them in great shape.”
Struble said his interest in the Plaza District started with a home renovation in nearby Gatewood neighborhood. He has invested $300,000 on building renovations, and is trying to recruit a mix of galleries and restaurants to the block.
Hogan has high praise for Struble, noting he has an employee taking care of landscaping and litter pickup while the district pursues creation of a business improvement assessment to step up the area's marketing, beautification and identification.
Struble said he caught the bug for the Plaza District while attending its annual Urban Pioneer Awards.
"I got excited hearing about everything Lyric Theater was doing,” Struble said. "I thought it was a good time to get in. And having this big area undeveloped looked bad for the area.”
Faced with painted over brick facades, Struble removed the brick, re-enforced the buildings, and reversed the brick siding so the unpainted side recreated an authentic original facade. He is hoping a restaurant will open in the corner building, which includes a courtyard that could be used for patio dining.
Hogan suspects that with Struble's renovations nearing completion, the district's current vacancy rate of 20 percent will continue to shrink. She sees empty lots being developed into housing, while commercial space is leased to a mix of restaurants and shops. She dreams of shops like Inner City Violin, now at NW 30 and Classen, making the move to NW 16.
"We'd like to see this become a full entertainment district, with a lot of options on where to eat, shop, and what to do,” Hogan said. "We want to be considered a companion piece to Paseo. Where they are identified with artists, we want to be identified with the performing arts, with complementary businesses, and with our diverse community, where you can find just about everything.”
Originally Posted by HOT ROD
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