Core to Shore Meeting - April 10th

[okclee]

So what happens to Bricktown, Deep Duece, the Triangle, Auto Alley, Mid Town, etc??

None of these areas are even close to being completed, yet Okc is ready to move on with the Core to Shore developments.

I think that the areas I have mentioned need to fill in before Okc opens up other areas for development.

[Architect2010]

were the conceptual drawings new ones or ones form previous presentations???
I wonder if they'll put the presentation on okc.gov. cuz right now all they have is the meeting agenda!!!

oh and does anyone know when they will reschedule the post-poned steering commitee meeting that was supposed to be today?

[betts]

There were some changes from prior drawings, and yes, they said they would post them tomorrow.

OKCLee, all the development you mentioned is private. It will proceed as it has people interested in those areas. I noticed that Block 42 has a big sign up saying it's only got 14 units left. They have poured the footings for several more Maywood Park row houses and the other projects seem to be progressing. Most of the housing in the Core to Shore area will not get started for at least five years, and hopefully all the other housing in the Triangle will be sold by then. They will be neighborhoods with a very different feel, I think.

[metro]

Core to Shore committee presents recommendations

September 28, 2007

OKLAHOMA CITY – A steering committee tasked with planning development south of downtown Oklahoma City to the north shore of the Oklahoma River has completed its recommendations.The Core to Shore steering committee began work last year to determine the best use of hundreds of acres that will be prime for development with the realignment of Interstate 40, which is set for completion in 2012.

The interstate will move about five blocks south and the old bridges that run just south of the core of downtown will be knocked down and replaced by an at-grade boulevard.

On Wednesday evening, representatives from the project presented the committee’s findings in a public forum.Russell Claus, Core to Shore project manager, said the project was a proactive response to anticipated development that will connect the core of downtown to the Oklahoma River.“ Development is going to occur in that area,” Claus said. “We wanted to make sure that we were doing the right kind of development.”And while initial plans and drawings have been selected, Claus said this will not be something that will happen overnight.“It’s not going to happen over the next decade,” he said. “It’s going to happen over several decades and it will evolve over that time.”

Among the recommendations for the area include a possible convention center with roughly 1 million square feet of space, as well as large parks and open spaces and numerous housing options. A variety of housing was included in the plan from single-family homes to multifamily options up to pricey condos and town homes that would be built by private developers.Sara Jane Maclennan, with URS Corp., said the goal in the steering committee’s recommendations is to propose vibrant, compelling neighborhoods, as well as retail and civic projects that will attract private development.“Obviously we are not dictating that this is the design that we are going to use,” she said. “We wanted to give you a feel of the spirit of the place.”

URS, a global engineering design firm, won a $387,000 contract from the City Council last year to determine the best use of the first 590 acres to be developed. Maclennan did say, however, that while the designs will likely change over the course of the project, the recommendations will lay the groundwork for what would be the best use of the available land.

Anthony McDermid, with TAParchitecture who is working with URS locally, said is addition to all of the planned development, the project has one overriding goal. “One of the central ideas in this whole plan is the idea that we’re going to connect the core of the city, the central business district, to the river, which is one of our nearest and best assets but currently doesn’t have a clear linkage,” he said. McDermid showed a slide that depicted a plan where a strip of land from the core of downtown would be connected to the river in a pedestrian friendly setting without vehicular intrusion.That area would pass through a large park as well as include a pedestrian bridge over the new I-40 and possibly another pedestrian bridge over the Oklahoma River linking the area to the south shore.

Claus said this is the first phase in a long-term effort, but will provide a framework for the type of development the city would like to see in the area.The next step is formal approval from the City Council and the Planning Commission to adopt the recommendations as an official city document and then look at funding options.Claus said the recommendations could come before the Planning Commission and the City Council for approval early next year.

[CuatrodeMayo]

http://okc.gov/planning/coretoshore/documents/092607Public%20Meeting.pdf

Excellent job OKC!

[OU Adonis]

Thats pretty amazing stuff... wonder what the time line is for all that.

[onthestrip]

I would guess the time line is pretty far down the road. THe city first needs to add thousands of more high paying jobs. And how exactly will this be developed? Will the city sell/lease the land to developers? Will developers be required to follow this plan percisely?

[CuatrodeMayo]

Read the last several pages and you will see that much of land aquisition could happen as soon as next summer.

[HOT ROD]

I decided to split my original text that I wrote in 4th and Broadway, and put the following here. This is in response to my saying that the current C2S has way too much single detached housing which should not be allowed in a downtown district. Here goes. ...

Perhaps I should send yet another email to the city, I think this is a big mistake to create cookie-cutter housing in downtown. We need top design and DENSITY to support the 24/7 retail/living makeup that a successful downtown should be.

Here are my ideas:

- less to NO single-family detached housing in ANY downtown district, esp C2Scd
- raze Cox Convention Center after the new convention center is built, reclaim the 4 square blocks for CBD skyscraper expansion
- build this new convention center along EK Gaylord, S of the downtown blvd. Make it at least double the size of Cox, which means possibly redesigning the rr tracks (making the opportunity for a rail hub as well)
- build the new NBA arena on the other side of the new boulevard from Ford Center and across from EK from the new Convention Center, we might have to increase from 58 steps to 100 steps from arena to arena but that is still better than anyone else.
- encourage housing in Bricktown, esp in the upper levels of the current buildings
- encourage more hotels in other parts of downtown, not JUST the South CBD/Cox area and Bricktown. We need a hotel near the OKC National Memorial, not to mention a few near the Civic Center (which would help spur and clean-up Westown) for starters.
- build the downtown park from Myriad Gardens down to the river BUT
- have a continuous and successfully urban retail district along the full length of the new boulevard. Where the park meets the boulevard, build a SQUARE (ala Union Sq SF or Pioneer Square in Portland) which would be immediately across from the two arenas and Myriad Gardens as well. Spruce up the S side of Myriad Gardens to "flow" better.
- Encourage the CBD to expand to the S and W from its current footprint. This might mean redefining the Arts District to a smaller area where the museums are. Reclaiming the Cox land will also help with this while still maintaining the compact core of downtown
- here is a biggie I dont understand, WHY WHY do we waste land in the CBD on the Trigen plant? Can't we move that over by the jail or something, and reclaim that land for a hotel. or scraper. .. Seems like a HUGE waste of land in an area that otherwise should be very vibrant.
- In fact, the whole look of EK Gaylord is cut-off and all of this area should be filled in with retail options all along/under the RR tracks and the other side of EK.
- of course, we already know we need light rail. Start with the downtown trolley using low floor light rail streetcars (ala Portland Streetcar), but start with a larger and more comprehensive route and expand it into C2S and Midtown within 10 years.
- Get high floor light rail (ala Portland MAX light rail) to Edmond and Norman (and points inbetween) and get commuter heavy rail (and/or Express Bus) to Norman in the South, Guthrie to the North, Midwest City to the East, and Yukon to the West, for start. We could build a WRWA line as a starter, we'd be the smallest big city to have airport transit. . .. (we need something distinct that will shake heads, think big people!!!) Have local bus feed into transit centers at those suburb locations/Park N rides. I have a way to pitch this, as a "MAPS for the Metro", where each major suburb would get a transit center/library/city hall/courthouse or a combination of that, increased service, while we ALL pay for the 1 cent tax to fund it all.

By the way, Maps for the Metro will be different from the MAPS that pays for the new arena. Im not sure of the timing, if the NBA can wait 10 years for a new arena in OKC, then we could do the MAPS for the METRO first since I propose it to have infrastructure and beautification for the whole Oklahoma City CSA and due to the larger tax base, should take no time to fund.

If I could get my idea solidified/agreed, the metro could pitch MAPS for the Metro next year, then after a year start building. In five years, the tax is over - we could start a new OKC only MAPS for the Arena and more OKC ONLY oriented stuff.

Like I said, hopefully the NBA/Bennett can wait for 5-10 years because I think we need the MAPS for the Metro sooner rather than later. I think with Ford Center and improvements, plus the fact that we can't do any C2S until I-40 is built (which is 2012 at the earliest), that we should do an infrastructure/beautification Maps for the Metro NOW, while we have time/can.

Anyways, sorry for rambling on with my ideas. What do you guys think?

[BG918]

The OU 5th Year Urban Design studio, working under Hans Butzer (TAP Architecture), is currently developing schematic designs for the 4 big "future" downtown projects. You'll be able to see them in early December. The projects:

1) Convention Center - located on the new blvd. south to SW 6th in between Robinson and Shields. TRIPLE the size of the current Cox Center with more meeting room, ballroom, and especially exhibit hall space. Also a new auditorium and OKC visitors center. Includes retail space along the blvd. frontage and 1,200 space parking garage.

2) Convention Hotel/Condo tower - highrise with 1,000 hotel rooms and 500 condo units. Additional meeting facilities, parking garage, and street level retail space at the corner of the new blvd. and Robinson to SW 5th.

3) Transit Center - centered around Sante Fe Depot, covered hub for Amtrak, future commuter rail (Edmond-OKC-Norman), future light rail (OUHSC-Auto Alley-Bricktown-CBD), city buses, and the Bricktown canal boats. Also include parking and additional retail along E.K. Gaylord.

4) NBA Arena - new 20,000 seat arena on the Cox Center site across from Myriad Gardens. Includes more suites, club levels, mixed-use space at street level, and practice facility. This arena would be used by the Sonics and Storm (if they indeed come) and major events, while the Ford Center would still be used by the Blazers, Yard Dawgz, etc. The Ford Center's location across from the new convention center also makes it valuable if additional space is needed.

Very few cities will be able to match facilities-wise what OKC will offer downtown. I would guess the city would want to get the convention center and the hotel approved and started as soon as the blvd. begins construction in the next 3-4 years. Ditto regarding the transit center, especially considering how many people in OKC want rail transit. I have no idea about the arena, we don't even know if the Sonics are coming and they will have the play in the Ford Center for at least a few years before the city helps build them a brand new arena. Then it's up to the private sector to build retail, restaurants, and entertainment spots just like they did in Bricktown...

[metro]

HOTROD, moving the Trigen plant would be difficult if not impossible. It provides utilities for most of downtowns major buildings. Most are water cooled/heated as well as it provides some electricity, etc. Having to tap into existing lines for all buildings and re-route them to far west downtown would be a major task. I do think they could beautify the exterior of their building however. A few years ago we tried to push them (I even started a task force with the city) to get large outdoor electronic billboards (ala Times Square style) on the Trigen building. The city was interested but wasn't interested in helping finance or promote it and wanted the private sector to fund and promote it. Needless to say, it didn't get off the ground however I saw an article recently about it, I believe it was in the Daily Oklahoman.

[loulang2000]

The Pedestrian Bridge that was referenced above- Has the city chosen who will do it?

[adrian30]

anyone no anything about the old downn town mission building. are they going to tear it down its a shame if they do they should move it and have it fixed up. that building got some real charter if it was moved some were elses down town it make a good store or shop.

[metro]

loulang2000, the design has been chosen, I do not think contractors have been chosen yet, here is more info:

http://www.okctalk.com/okc-metro-are...-bridge-2.html

[Decious]

I get excited every time I see a rendering of that bridge. I wish that there was a way to put together a "best case scenario" animated presentation of the downtown area that included all of the announced projects. I know about the C2S renderings but I'd like to see another that combined that with the boat house area and the Humphrey development.

[jbrown84]

anyone no anything about the old downn town mission building. are they going to tear it down its a shame if they do they should move it and have it fixed up. that building got some real charter if it was moved some were elses down town it make a good store or shop.

No idea what building you are talking about...

[soonerguru]

I noticed that Block 42 has a big sign up saying it's only got 14 units left.

They've "only had 14 left" for like the last two years.

Never mind. I see this thread was bumped from like two years ago.

[adrian30]

the building im talking aboutis downtown on the otherside of the highway it was the city recuse mission before they moved its in the core to shore its near ford center on the otherside of the highway

[JWil]

They've "only had 14 left" for like the last two years.

Never mind. I see this thread was bumped from like two years ago.

Annoying, huh?