McNellie's

[Midtowner]

You're slow though.

-- walking.

[johnnyincog]

it's 6 blocks from the ne corner of legacy to the plaza court and less than .5 mile (.46 according to mapquest). r.s. kerr is the same as 3rd street. i'm just as guilty as anyone for thinking anything over a few blocks is driving distance, but in reality its totally doable.

[metro]

Johnny, thanks for the info. Exactly my point, tell this to someone in Boston, NYC, Philly, San Fran, Portland, Seattle, Austin and they'd laugh if we can't walk 6 blocks to get a bite to eat, no wonder we have the fattest city in the nation and #1 junk food city, we think 6 blocks is driving distance.

[Pete]

Anybody been by the McNellie's space lately?

I'm curious as to their progress. I'm still hoping to organize a little get-together there in mid June (only a little more than a month away).

[metro]

Pete, I drove by Sat. still lots of work to do, mainly interior cosmetic work from what I can tell, I'm not sure how their kitchen/equipment scenario is. I drive by/bicycle by on a regular basis as you know from my pictures. I will keep in touch and post new pictures next time I'm over there. Not much to look at right now, although it's been since Saturday since I've been by.

[mecarr]

yeah right!!!! It takes you 20-25 minutes to walk 4-5 blocks? You should be able to walk a mile in 10-12 minutes easily. I live further away from McNellies than Legacy Arts and I can get there in 10 minutes or less. The Seiber that he mentioned is almost as far away.

Bah, I guarantee you it's not just an easy 10 minute walk. It would be an easy "20 minute" walk, and if you want to speed walk it, then maybe around 15.

[metro]

20 minutes to walk 6 blocks or less than half a mile (0.46)? So you're saying it takes most people 45 minutes to walk a mile?

[Pete]

The average person walks about 3 MPH, so that would be 20 minutes per mile.

For half a mile, that would be 10 minutes.

[CuatrodeMayo]

I'm sitting across the street watching work progress.

Can't be too much longer now.

[CCOKC]

I noticed an ad in the Gazette (i think) last week that they are hiring staff now so I think you are right.

[Pete]

Anybody heard an opening date?

I'll be in OKC late next week and would love to be able to hoist a pint there.

[John]

Anybody heard an opening date?

I'll be in OKC late next week and would love to be able to hoist a pint there.

Have some friends on staff. I'll try to get a tentative date from them.

[OKCMallen]

Our own Wednesday Night Cheap Burger night!!! I hope it opens soon.

[CuatrodeMayo]

Taps are installed (boy is there a bunch) and they were moving in furniture yesterday.

[Midtowner]

Taps are installed (boy is there a bunch) and they were moving in furniture yesterday.

I saw that.

Walked by the other day. The taps were in some time last week.

[Pete]

Thanks for the updates. Furniture is usually one of the very last steps.

Still hoping they'll still be open in some fashion by the end of next week.

[Pete]

Called the Tulsa location today and was told they will be open within two weeks, but a specific date has not been released.

I suppose they'll do a soft opening pretty soon and take it from there.

[MestaParkMan]

I have to say that I am really pleased with the progress in Midtown. I spend a fair amount of time in the Plaza Court Bldg and that is now going to increase when McNellies opens in a few weeks.

One day when I was going to work out at the Y upstairs and I stopped by McNellies to look into the windows to see how the progress was going. The kitchen manager introduced himself and gave me a tour of the unfinished space. It was neat to get a behind the scene look and I appreciated the hospitality.

[CuatrodeMayo]

They are painting the aluminum window frames brown...

I hope they got permission for that. It's a historic preservation structure.

[John]

It's coming sooner than you think! Monday at the latest.

[Pete]

I'll be in OKC until Monday AM so I'm keeping my fingers crossed it will be open this weekend.

I'll be sure to provide a report if I get in.

[metro]

The MidTown bar will serve a plethora of bottled, tap beer
Daily Oklahoman
By Steve Lackmeyer
Business Writer

It's been a long three years for J. Elliott Nelson in his pursuit of opening a "real Irish bar” in MidTown – but he's finally ready to have a beer and treat Oklahoma Citians to the same spirits that have flowed from Nelson's original James E. McNellie's Pub in Tulsa.

When Nelson first looked at MidTown's Plaza Court Building at NW 10 and Walker for his second pub, the landmark was empty, and the area's overall future was in doubt.

"It's looking a lot better than when I first looked at this,” Nelson said.

Nelson already had a lease with the Plaza Court's previous owners when Greg Banta made the building one of his first MidTown acquisitions in 2005. Since then, Banta has created a restaurant row along the 1000 block of N Walker. And when Nelson opens his pub this weekend, it will be joining Irma's Burger Shack, Subway and the Prairie Thunder Bakery in a virtually full Plaza Court.

Before Banta agreed to honor the lease Nelson signed with the prior owners, he first had "mystery shoppers” visit Nelson's Tulsa pub. Banta quickly agreed to let Nelson become a part of his vision of an entertainment district for locals — an urban district where people will live, work, shop and play.

Nelson said he's ready to put some fun into MidTown's nightlife. He boasts his pub will have one of Oklahoma's largest beer selections including 60 drafts and 300 different bottled brands.

"We'll add a lot to the mix,” Nelson said. "We'll be the only real bar.”

The project has had some delays. Nelson hoped to open for St. Patrick's Day 2007, but soon discovered old buildings have their own timelines. He had to negotiate with the city to allow a lower than normal ceiling in the kitchen so that he could add a mezzanine level. Nelson has spent the final week, hanging large flat-screen televisions and adding other touches he believes are critical to establishing McNellies as a neighborhood pub. He took old light fixtures from the Plaza Court lobby and re-installed them in the main dining area.

And while he could have ordered furniture from the usual suppliers, he decided to buy genuine Irish tables, seats and stools.

"I didn't want furniture that looks like it came from a Chili's,” Nelson said. "For me, a pub is a gentle mix — you have to get a place that feels just right.”

It's for that reason Nelson never considered Bricktown – even though MidTown was a risky choice when he first signed a lease in 2006. "I didn't want that commercial feel — a lot of bright lights,” Nelson said. "This area is up and coming. You can get people to buy into it.”



J. Elliott Nelson looks over his soon-to-open MidTown Irish pub from a mezzanine he added into the corner spot of the Plaza Court Building. By Steve Lackmeyer, The Oklahoman

MidTown update
Developer Greg Banta is nearing completion on the Walker Avenue portion of his MidTown Renaissance project and says he is continuing to proceed with renovations at NW 10 and Robinson.
Banta said he recently signed a lease for a deli to occupy the last vacant space in the Walker Shops just north of 1492 New World Cuisine. Other tenants in the strip include a bridal shop that opened in December and a sushi restaurant set to open later this summer.

Banta said he has contracts for former flop houses he renovated on the west end of his development, including duplexes converted into offices at 1217 and 1221 N Francis and the Homestead, a former apartment complex at 1226 Shartel.

Banta said his first housing project will begin this summer with the renovation of Hadden Hall at 215 NW 10. The 10-unit condominium complex will include gated parking.

[Turanacus]

McNellie is doing training will full staff this week. I got a little taste when they were on break, the wait staff looks pretty good. 3 levels confirmed.

[centaurian]

Hey Im all for downtown mid town development, and i love beer.
But just what we need is another beer bar / resturaunt?
Don't we have enough of them in bricktown?


How about some entertainment venues or some retail ?
Something original would be nice.

[Turanacus]

actually good bars in this town are rare. take for instance, a sports bar -- there is only one option, BW3 -- there is a lot room for improvement.