Where do you see OKC in 10 years?

[ssandedoc]

Hi everyone, I'm new to these forums. But I have been following all the developments through the many posts here. I have definitely learned a lot.

I was wondering where do you see OKC in 10 years? I know we will have the Sonics, the new I-40, the American Indian Cultural Center and Museum, river transport, and many other things. How do you see OKC looking?

[PennyQuilts]

All I know is that I plan to be back home, long before then. It will look gorgeous. It already looks gorgeous... I'm wondering if there will be more development in SW OKC. I'm also wondering about the area between OKC and Shawnee.

[AFCM]

I think we'll see OKC in a major transitional phase. Currently, a lot of projects are being proposed. In about ten years, the the ventures you mentioned, along with the Devon tower, will be complete. Plus, the trees on the river will be maturing...yay! However, there will be a lot more projects in their infancy around that time, so we'll be able to see a MAJOR undertaking of OKC as most of the ambitious ideas are being implemented. I only hope we plant more trees NOW so we have something to look forward to in a decade.

The renaissance has only begun. Stay tuned.

[dcsooner]

I think the overall mindset of the citizens of OKC is changing in that citizens want OKC to become a great city. Some of the "old" attitudes of stay the course, don't change, remian in the past, are gone. Oklahoma Citians and Oklahomans now expect more from ourselves, public and private leaders. I envision Oklahoma City continuing its momemtum because of the public / private partnership that has been developed over the last 15 years. I expect the City to change in the areas of tourism, entertainment (Pro BB), arts, upscale dance clubs, varied eateries, quality of life (river development, trails, parks etc), employment diversity and a return of many of us back home to OKLAHOMA!!!

[AFCM]

I should also point out that demand for natural gas will be a lot higher in ten years than it is now. OKC is really going to benefit from that as well. Put on your sunglasses, the future looks bright from here.

[okcpulse]

All I know is that I plan to be back home, long before then. It will look gorgeous.

I second that.

[adaniel]

Being down at OU for the past 4 years, I really feel like this city is onto something special. It is really surprising to hear college aged students' opinions of this city now versus four years ago. Lest I remind you that these are the people that are going to build the future. You only have to notice the influx of out-of-state tags to know that the secret about OKC is slowly getting out.

It will be very exciting to see what theis place will look like in 10 years, and as a young person, I can only hope to be a part of it.

[metro]

Hi everyone, I'm new to these forums. But I have been following all the developments through the many posts here. I have definitely learned a lot.

I was wondering where do you see OKC in 10 years? I know we will have the Sonics, the new I-40, the American Indian Cultural Center and Museum, river transport, and many other things. How do you see OKC looking?

Look at the Core To Shore (C2S) renderings. This will give you a good idea of what OKC could look like in 10 years.

[soonerfever]

Well I think it all depends on if we stay on the same track as we are now. People need to keep thinking forward and we need leadership that thinks that way too. I see OKC growing just as it is now. We will have the Devon Tower, NBA, the riverfront will have grown, more people living downtown, and I think bricktown will continue to expand. As long as OKC stays interesting then it will be ok. They can't let people move away and business's build on the outskirts of the city like they have the past 20+ years. I also see some type of a mass transit system built or in the stages of being built.

[BabyBoomerSooner]

It will definitely be odd to drive on I-40 through downtown and not be within spitting distance of the Ford Center. The whole river front should actually have landscaping and a park-like quality surrounding the formerly glorified ditch we called the North Canadian.

I'll make a bold prediction; in 10 years we'll have riverboat gambling on the Oklahoma River.

[stlokc]

Just random idle predictions:

The 40-story Devon Tower will be filled and will be the most significant building downtown.

The FNC will be completely renovated and will be the regional HQ of a bank not currently in OKC.

Some company will have bought the current Devon tower for their HQ. It will be full of employees.

All of the current housing developments will be finished and full, and there will be one new mid-rise residential tower built from the ground up, either near the Civic Center, or somewhere in the Triangle/Deep Deuce area.

There will be at least one major addition to Bricktown, and there will be more retail.

Core 2 Shore will be mid-way through completion. The new convention center will be finished and there will be a 25 story high-end hotel as its anchor. Lots of construction in this area in 10 years.

The NBA will be thriving, the practice facility will be on the Broadway Extension or the Kilpatrick Turnpike area.

There will be actual light rail plans on the drawing board but they will not have begun construction yet.

The boathouses will be finished along the river, and there will be significantly more landscaping and cultural improvements.

The sprawl will continue unabated to the North and Northwest. Edmond, Deer Creek, and North OKC will have completely grown together.

Chesapeake will have fully built-out its campus and completed renovation of Nichols Hills Plaza. A high-end department store not currently in OKC will be its anchor.

All of these predictions are assuming that oil and natural gas remain strong and that, in addition, OKC has continued to diversify its economy. I would love to see some new large-scale corporate HQ operations, but feel it is more likely that growth will come organically from what is already in OKC and from developing clusters like biotech/medical and aviation.

[Blazerfan11]

Grover Norquists dream come true. Whether it will be a dream or nightmare for the common folk is very, very TBD.

[Pete]

That's a great list, stl.

I would add:

Midtown will be a full-fledged urban neighborhood with lots of younger people living in condos and apartments with many local restaurants and bars within walking distance.

The OU Health Science Center will be home to thousands more high-paying jobs in healthcare and biotech and will feature half a dozen large structures.

I-40 will be fully relocated and the new downtown boulevard in place.

Union Station will be restored to it's full glory and featured prominently at the south end of our new Central Park.

The NW side of town south of Memorial will continue to rot due to the unmitigated sprawl north of there.

[stlokc]

Pete-
I think you are both right and wrong about NW OKC. The significant neighborhoods of Nichols Hills, Quail Creek, Crown Heights, Belle Isle, Lakehurst, etc. will always hold their value and may in fact become more attractive as gas prices continue to rise. But I do agree that it will get more spotty, particularly in the areas south of Lake Hefner.

Midtown: I fully agree. OUHSC: I agree, as long as the university and research park continue to spawn start-up private companies and the city/state make it attractive for these companies to stay in OKC. The growth can not only come from the university itself.

[Pete]

stl, I'm sorry to say that the neighborhoods you mentioned on the NW side will be more the exception than the rule. Geographically, they represent a very small part of that sector.

When you see areas developed only 20 years ago falling onto hard times (like many of the neighborhoods around PC North) it's hard to imagine how they'll come back any time soon.



But not to be negative! The long list of positives are much more fun to think about.

[stlokc]

Pete-I have to admit I am not as familiar with the areas around PC North. I'm only home sporadically and am never out there - once you get West of Meridian you kind of lose me. So I'll concede the point.

There are more positives than negatives, you're right!

[Chicken In The Rough]

From a distance, it appears that OKC has reached the beginnings of a critical mass.

My reasoning:
David Boren's tremendously successful turnaround efforts at OU; the flourishing of Bricktown; the dramatic expansion of direct jet service at the airport; the renaissance of downtown (and the Devon Tower); the Oklahoma River and an abundance of new development sure to come (think Capital Hill and the Stockyards in addition to C2S); the arrival of viable new housing and increased density in the core; the emergence of proactive corporate citizens; etc.

OKC may never be glamorous enough to attract high-profile executive headquarters. But, I think OKC is extremely well-positioned to begin attracting regional offices, professional service firms, and other higher-wage white-collar employers. I'm thinking major accounting firms, banks, consultancies, etc.

Also, with the success of Devon, Chesapeake, Sandridge, and others, OKC may be in a good position to attract other major energy companies. I'd love to see a few come back from Dallas and Houston for a change.

OKC has lost an entire generation to the brain drain, but that will stop now. All the pieces of the puzzle are finally present, and we won't let the momentum slow down. I think in ten years we'll see more plans on the drawing board or under construction for more public spaces such as large parks and plazas. We'll see the beginnings of an integrated mass-transit system using a bus system modelled ater that of Curitiba, along with streetcars and light rail where it makes sense.

We'll see real estate prices in the urban core hitting unprecedented levels. Homes in Heritage, Mesta, and Lincoln Terrace will routinely sell at over $300 per square foot. We'll see the dramatic redevelopment of the West End; the area from Walker to Penn, and from 16th to Sheridan. Great old neighborhoods will be revitalized, urban infill will accelerate, and a few midrises will pop up. 10-Penn will re-emerge as a hot area in the next few years.

Direct air service will continue to expand. We'll see non-stop jets going to Miami, Seattle, Boston, and Philadelphia. We may even see the beginnings of true international service to destinations in Mexico and Canada. Will Rogers World Airport passenger throughput will increase and OKC will grow from a medium-sized regional center, to a larger national center similar to Nashville, Indianapolis, or Kansas City.

The Creative Class will grow substantially in the coming years. Young hipsters who once left OKC for more lucrative, inspiring, and fulfilling destinations now will stay and add their signature style to our city. We'll see a lot more art galleries, jazz clubs, trendy boutiques, niche bookstores, and coffee houses. Our local colleges pump out a tremendous amount of talent year after year. OKC will be an incredible place when we are finally able to reap the benefits of this talent rather than losing it to New York, LA, Nashville, or Dallas.

A major town center style retail development will come to the downtown area within the next ten years. It will serve as an anchor for the new transit system, and will probably be located in the Triange or East Bricktown area. It will feature several large department stores such as Dillards or Macys, and will feature at least one truly upscale department store such as Niemans or Nordstroms. It will also have a Crate and Barrell, Restoration Hardware, Whole Foods, Barnes and Noble, and a host of other stores. Significant in this retail complex will be a major theater such as an Angelika or Magnolia showing strictly independent films and documentaries.

Immigration will continue to change the look and feel of the city. The South Asian and East Asian communities will blossom, and of course we'll see rapid growth in the Latino community. Immigrants will be attracted to OKC for its employment opportunities, below average cost of living, and excellent quality of life. We're going to see the development of a wonderful tapestry of language and culture.

In ten years, we'll see the completion of our urban trail system. You'll be able to bike from Draper to Hefner and from Overholser to Remington Park. The bicycle will become a viable method of transportation with a network of bike paths woven throughout downtown and along the riverfront.

Today, OKC is one of the hottest cities in the nation and people are beginning to notice. We've got to keep some visionaries around and keep this momentum going.

[CuatrodeMayo]

The founding of a world-renown Design Cooperative by yours truely.

[AFCM]

Have any predictions changed now that the NBA is permanently in OKC?

[soonerguru]

Wow! What an inspiring and exciting post from Chicken in the Rough!

[RabidRed]

I think the biggest asset we have not tapped is the entertainment talent in our state. If you look at the Reba McIntires, Vince Gills, Garth Brooks, and Carrie Underwoods of our state and what we have failed to do with them is disappointing. With all this talent we should have developed a Branson type venue here in OKC. Maybe a MAPS vote could add that to the mix?

[CuatrodeMayo]

we should have developed a Branson type venue here in OKC. Maybe a MAPS vote could add that to the mix?

NOOOO!!!!!

[OKCMallen]

The playoffs in the Western Division.

[ddavidson8]

Where do I see OKC in ten years? Hopefully where it is now. Unless there is an earthquake or something.

[traxx]

I think the biggest asset we have not tapped is the entertainment talent in our state. If you look at the Reba McIntires, Vince Gills, Garth Brooks, and Carrie Underwoods of our state and what we have failed to do with them is disappointing. With all this talent we should have developed a Branson type venue here in OKC. Maybe a MAPS vote could add that to the mix?

The thing is, with the exception of Toby Keith, when our stars get big they move out and some of them stay gone like Reba and Vince. Garth is only back in the state because of his retirement. Maybe in the future we'll see more do like Toby Keith and still hang their hat here even after they become stars.

As for OKC in 10 years, I hope to see a great core to shore, not nail salons and big box stores. I hope it's something unique and different like what Bricktown was originally supposed to be.