Campus Corner

[PhiAlpha]

Now just imagine doing this with commuter rail: 30 min headways with stops in DT Edmond, north OKC, midtown OKC, Santa Fe Depot, Moore and downtown Norman. OU would be the "end of the line" and a short walk down Brooks to the stadium

I’ve imagined this many times…why can’t we have nice things??? Lol

[PhiAlpha]

22 min on the way down arrives at 847am

38 min on the way back arrives at 927pm (i wonder why the additional 16 min?)

I think it has to do with freight traffic but can’t remember. Maybe the train is just tired after a long day.

[PhiAlpha]

I've taken CalTrans from San Jose to a SF Giants game.

It was awesome. Almost everyone aboard was going to the game and the last stop was right across the street from the stadium. Returning the other way was just as easy and fun. I've done something similar for Yankees, Mets and Cubs games.

There may be no better use of regional mass transit than moving large groups of fans in and out in an efficient and stress-free way.

did this from downtown Chicago to a cubs game as well and it was a blast. Also highly recommend doing the big game train (heartland flyer OU/TX train) at least once. They bring in a couple of dining cars with skylights, 98% of the train is going to the game and it drops you off at union station in Dallas. Takes a little longer, especially on the way back but is much less stressful than driving in I-35 game traffic. A really fun time if you aren’t on a strict schedule.

[FighttheGoodFight]

did this from downtown Chicago to a cubs game as well and it was a blast. Also highly recommend doing the big game train (heartland flyer OU/TX train) at least once. They bring in a couple of dining cars with skylights, 98% of the train is going to the game and it drops you off at union station in Dallas. Takes a little longer, especially on the way back but is much less stressful than driving in I-35 game traffic. A really fun time if you aren’t on a strict schedule.

I remember taking the DART to the cotton bowl as a kid and getting cursed at by Texas fans. It was quite an experience.

[dankrutka]

Would it ever be possible for OKC and Norman to run additional lines throughout the day? How cool would it be if you could catch a train from Norman to Bricktown and vice versa on the hour?

[Jersey Boss]

Would it ever be possible for OKC and Norman to run additional lines throughout the day? How cool would it be if you could catch a train from Norman to Bricktown and vice versa on the hour?

Not on the current rail lines. Over 35 freight trains run through Norman every day.

[CaptDave]

Oh man - after reading this thread it is clear that our great fortune to build a new house just west of campus with a huge bonus room could become a huge windfall. I took a look at AirBnB rates for football weekends in Athens for similarly sized and located homes, and the rate for two nights was $5000-11000. I've generally been opposed to using our home for AirBnB, but having the ability to rake in that much three or four weekends in football season is pretty compelling. The location is also walking distance to CC which would only enhance the visitor experience overall. None of this was even the slightest consideration when we took down our old house and built new.

[Pete]

I've heard from a couple of different sources that this big Campus Corner project is either completely stalled or dead.

To get it done, the University would have to come in as a partner and then use eminent domain for some holdouts. As you can understand, President Harroz doesn't want to put resources into this and then use eminent domain on what will be a very controversial project. A lot of alums would be upset about a complete scrape of the area, and that's political capital the school does not want to spend, as there are a ton of big things in the works.

Was also told OU is fully behind the new basketball arena at University North Park. Seems like that project is going forward and is quite likely to happen.

[chssooner]

I've heard from a couple of different sources that this big Campus Corner project is either completely stalled or dead.

To get it done, the University would have to come in as a partner and then use eminent domain for some holdouts. As you can understand, President Harroz doesn't want to put resources into this and then use eminent domain on what will be a very controversial project. A lot of alums would be upset about a complete scrape of the area, and that's political capital the school does not want to spend, as there are a ton of big things in the works.

Was also told OU is fully behind the new basketball arena at University North Park. Seems like that project is going forward and is quite likely to happen.

Makes sense. His job isn't to upset alums and the surrounding area. This will get ripped to shreds on here, but I understand why he isn't doing it, if the university would have to upset those relationships.

Plus, as you said, that capital needs to be used for better things, which are in the works.

[SEMIweather]

Is there any sort of an ETA yet on when the new arena would be completed? Feel free to move this to the UNP thread if needed.

[Pete]

Is there any sort of an ETA yet on when the new arena would be completed? Feel free to move this to the UNP thread if needed.

They want to get going and have a formal announcement soon to help both basketball coaches in recruiting.

Still lots of hoops to jump through but this is definitely heating up and I'm pretty darn sure it's going to happen. Lots of work being done behind the scenes.

[HangryHippo]

I was not in favor of a total demo/redo, but Campus Corner needs serious help. I wonder how many people actually go to other places and see how much better things can be?

Whatever became of the project that was going to replace the gas station?

[jedicurt]

I was not in favor of a total demo/redo, but Campus Corner needs serious help. I wonder how many people actually go to other places and see how much better things can be?

Whatever became of the project that was going to replace the gas station?

what sad is that the holdout owners are problem the problem owners that have helped to bring down Campus Corner to what it is now

[Pete]

It could be better, but Campus Corner is very near 100% occupancy, and that wasn't the case for a long time.

Lots of those bars/clubs are packed with students when school is in session.


If this bigger project is doomed, I'm not sure how to make it much more than it is now or what that would look like.

[BG918]

OU owns a significant chunk of developable land in west CC - currently parking lots along University Blvd. That and the First Pres. Church property are about 1/4 of Campus Corner. I think you start with redeveloping those pieces into mixed-use (housing with ground floor retail) and work your way north. Leave the "historic" portion of CC intact along Boyd, Buchanan and Asp and rebuild the edges especially along University Blvd. and north toward Symmes.

[BG918]

I was not in favor of a total demo/redo, but Campus Corner needs serious help. I wonder how many people actually go to other places and see how much better things can be?

Whatever became of the project that was going to replace the gas station?

Would love to see this project revived as creative/co-working office space over ground floor retail on Boyd

[cinnamonjock]

Since it is stalled/dead, where exactly was this supposed to go?

[Pete]

Since it is stalled/dead, where exactly was this supposed to go?

The plan was to demolish everything in Campus Corner and go up several floors with retail/restaurants at ground level and residential/hotel above.

Would have also included structured parking.

[Mississippi Blues]

Makes sense. His job isn't to upset alums and the surrounding area. This will get ripped to shreds on here, but I understand why he isn't doing it, if the university would have to upset those relationships.

Plus, as you said, that capital needs to be used for better things, which are in the works.

Well said. No sense in tearing everything down when there’s a good chance nothing comes of it. I hated the Stage Center as an empty piece of concrete but seeing what has become of that lot in the years since it was torn down, doing that with a larger area like Campus Corner that is near capacity in one of the densest parts of Oklahoma all for the development to stall over a necessary component being unmotivated would be beyond maddening, even more so given the history of that around Central Oklahoma.

[chssooner]

Well said. No sense in tearing everything down when there’s a good chance nothing comes of it. I hated the Stage Center as an empty piece of concrete but seeing what has become of that lot in the years since it was torn down, doing that with a larger area like Campus Corner that is near capacity in one of the densest parts of Oklahoma all for the development to stall over a necessary component being unmotivated would be beyond maddening, even more so given the history of that around Central Oklahoma.

Agree completely. 100%

[cinnamonjock]

The plan was to demolish everything in Campus Corner and go up several floors with retail/restaurants at ground level and residential/hotel above.

Would have also included structured parking.

Right, but would this include everything bordering University, Buchanan, and Asp from Boyd to Apache? or was it just to go up to white? Are Greek house and that tobacco place on campus corner? Would First Presbyterian have been demolished?

[Pete]

Right, but would this include everything bordering University, Buchanan, and Asp from Boyd to Apache? or was it just to go up to white? Are Greek house and that tobacco place on campus corner? Would First Presbyterian have been demolished?

I mapped everything out here:

https://www.okctalk.com/showthread.p...09#post1238309

[PhiAlpha]

It could be better, but Campus Corner is very near 100% occupancy, and that wasn't the case for a long time.

Lots of those bars/clubs are packed with students when school is in session.


If this bigger project is doomed, I'm not sure how to make it much more than it is now or what that would look like.

I just don’t understand why it has/had to be a full scrape and start over or nothing. It seems as though large enough contiguous swaths of it could be purchased to build some fairly transformative developments.

I’m glad the university isn’t getting involved. I’m not sure what reasoning they would use to justify it but that would seem to be a big time abuse of eminent domain.

[Pete]

^

I'm sure the developers know they can't get all the property they need without eminent domain, thus they reached out to OU in order to make them a partner with that power.


In any event, it doesn't look like that is going to happen and I'm not sure if OU even seriously considered that arrangement.

[BG918]

^

I'm sure the developers know they can't get all the property they need without eminent domain, thus they reached out to OU in order to make them a partner with that power.


In any event, it doesn't look like that is going to happen and I'm not sure if OU even seriously considered that arrangement.

Sounds like they dodged a bullet. New infill development on parking lots and areas to the north would be welcomed though