OKC should model Boulevard after Philadelphia's Benjamin Franklin Parkway

[metro]

So with all the talk about our new Downtown Boulevard and being the "gateway into Downtown," I thought I'd post my two cents on how the boulevard should be modeled. I've been to almost every major city in the U.S. and many abroad, and nothing has impressed me more than Philadelphia's Benjamin Franklin Parkway. Our forefathers (masons) new what they were doing when they master planned cities like Philly and D.C. I'm posting a few pictures from what I've found online. I'll try to find my personal pics of the boulevard over the next few days and post those as well.

[therondo]

great pics! i love the fountians with the traffic circles and the way that beautiful building is the focal point!

[Matt]

Finally there's some discussion of what the new downtown boulevard should look like here in OKC Metro Area Talk.

[redrunner]

What a waste of space. I'm pretty sure Metro knew about the existing topic on the new downtown boulevard but leave it up to him to create his own. Search is your friend.

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

[mugofbeer]

Well, what a very nice thing to say. I guess you've never made a mistake - if you would even call it a mistake.

[metro]

redrunner, I'm aware of them, there's many threads on same topic, but I felt it was worthy of it's own thread, if you disagree, flag it for the mods. As several posters above said, it's refreshing to have an actual EXAMPLE of what we should mimic, instead of rehashing the same diatribe in 12 different threads on the same topic. This thread as you can see by my title was to give a SPECIFIC example of what I think we could model for success.

On a side note, I'd love to see Classen Boulevard redone in parts to tie in with the new Boulevard and Sheridan Avenue. I'm thinking MEGA roundabouts with statues, fountains, etc as in Philly or any other world class boulevard.

[OKC@heart]

redrunner, I'm aware of them, there's many threads on same topic, but I felt it was worthy of it's own thread, if you disagree, flag it for the mods. As several posters above said, it's refreshing to have an actual EXAMPLE of what we should mimic, instead of rehasing the same diatribe in 12 different threads on the same topic. This thread as you can see by my title was to give a SPECIFIC example of what I think we could model for success.

On a side note, I'd love to see Classen Boulevard redone in parts to tie in with the new Boulevard and Sheridan Avenue. I'm thinking MEGA roundabouts with statues, fountains, etc as in Philly or any other world class boulevard.

I totaly agree! Why not throw in some great public art and fountains and roundabouts! I think it would be fantastic! This has been done in other cities and can be great. Houston has this near their museum district. See attached image.

[circuitboard]

Wow that is really pretty, I hope our city has that much character one day! Thanks for posting Metro.

[PLANSIT]

Nah. 1) We don't need that capacity. 1) BFP connects amazing historical landmarks. Ours is going to connect auto dealerships and the freeway.

[dmoor82]

Rocky,rocky!!! Lol

[Midtowner]

Why be modeled after anyplace?

[CuatrodeMayo]

Looks pretty soul-less to me. The Santa Monica suggestion was far superior.

[jonno]

Perhaps this could be scaled down somewhat? Fewer lanes might keep it from looking as imposing and severe.

I've always been a fan of Boston's Commonwealth Ave. Four lanes, lined with parking and a median wide enough to handle benches, trees, walking/running paths and statues. Plus it dead ends at the Boston Public Gardens while the boulevard will transverse OKC's park.

[Kerry]

...while the boulevard will transverse OKC's park.

This is a darn good point. The new Blvd needs to be more like a park and less like a major road, at least around the park area.

[Midtowner]

I'll ask again, why should it be modeled after anything else? Particularly boulevards featuring buildings which are hundreds of years old? OKC's boulevard will hopefully be something both unique and appropriate.

[bluedogok]

Perhaps this could be scaled down somewhat? Fewer lanes might keep it from looking as imposing and severe.

I've always been a fan of Boston's Commonwealth Ave. Four lanes, lined with parking and a median wide enough to handle benches, trees, walking/running paths and statues. Plus it dead ends at the Boston Public Gardens while the boulevard will transverse OKC's park.

We looked at an apartment on Commonwealth when we were considering a move to Boston, it is a nice area and was only a three block wall to the school. We pretty much only looked in Back Bay and Beacon Hill.

[jonno]

We looked at an apartment on Commonwealth when we were considering a move to Boston, it is a nice area and was only a three block wall to the school. We pretty much only looked in Back Bay and Beacon Hill.

I have a cousin who lives in Beacon Hill. We stayed with her this past summer during a trip out east. For those who aren't familiar with the area picture blocks and blocks of this:

random house in the area

[dmoor82]

Yeah my whole family is from Boston and I've been through these area's and you are talking UBBER WEALTHY!these are historical sections of Boston and if you dont have MILLIONS to swing around then dont even try!Beacon Hill, real estate prices make Nichols Hills look CHEAP!!!all home/condo/apartment prices in The Boston metro are WAAAY higher than OKC,but you get WAAAAY more square footage here,I'd say 2-3 times as much!! Wages up there a way higher also,A burgerKing worker start at 12-13/hr! but also gas is higher!its a trade off!but for me I like my SPACE!

[bluedogok]

The rentals we were looking at weren't too bad...for Boston or NYC. We were trying to stay around $1,800 a month, there were quite a few available (more in Back Bay than Beacon Hill) and prices have slid some in recent years. There are some rentals in the downtown towers here around that rate, but they are much bigger, newer and nicer but Downtown Austin is not Boston.

[Midtowner]

Yeah my whole family is from Boston and I've been through these area's and you are talking UBBER WEALTHY!these are historical sections of Boston and if you dont have MILLIONS to swing around then dont even try!Beacon Hill, real estate prices make Nichols Hills look CHEAP!!!all home/condo/apartment prices in The Boston metro are WAAAY higher than OKC,but you get WAAAAY more square footage here,I'd say 2-3 times as much!! Wages up there a way higher also,A burgerKing worker start at 12-13/hr! but also gas is higher!its a trade off!but for me I like my SPACE!

So many exclamation points!

I am so excited about your post!

[dmoor82]

My Father owned some houses in Winchester,Stoneham,Medford and Waltham. and The smallest house was 900 sf +basement and sold for 350k!but you also are paying for The city or zipcode!there are places in and around Boston metro that compare alittle to some parts of OKC,it probably compares better alittle w/Austin!

[dmoor82]

So many exclamation points!

I am so excited about your post!

^^^I am excited that you are excited!!!!and it's making me more excited!!!!

[ljbab728]

[QUOTE=metro;303618]redrunner, I'm aware of them, there's many threads on same topic, but I felt it was worthy of it's own thread, if you disagree, flag it for the mods. As several posters above said, it's refreshing to have an actual EXAMPLE of what we should mimic, instead of rehashing the same diatribe in 12 different threads on the same topic. This thread as you can see by my title was to give a SPECIFIC example of what I think we could model for success.

QUOTE]

Metro, if you look at my first post starting the thread mentioned above, you'll see that was exactly what I was doing when mentioning the Santa Monica Boulevard reconstruction as an example.

[mugofbeer]

Don't worry about it Metro. Keep up the good work.

[metro]

Thanks. Just because we lack historic buildings from our nations forefathers, does not mean we should lack creative thought or insight. To some extent, build it and they will come mentality does work. If we build this right, it will attract quality development like we've never seen. If we keep the status quo mindset that is shared by some posters on this thread, then yeah, it will be another Reno with more lanes. World class designed streets command world class buildings to be built on them. Our forefathers knew this and that's why they (masons) designed streets a certain way. We also have key assets and buildings in the community we can use as a guideline.

An excellent, modern day OKC example would be what is being dubbed as the "Harvey Axis". Harvey is the main street lining the OKC Memorial, goes straight into the Devon Podium, straight through the heart of the revitalized Myriad Gardens, Promenade Park, key focal point on the "new boulevard", key walking thouroughfare through the new Central Park onto the new Skydance Bridge and through the other side of the Central Park. It is the near straight line that the planners are using as the guidepoint, commanding all these great facilities to focus on (Myriad Gardens renovation, Promenade Park, Boulevard, Central Park, Skydance bridge all have not started yet, yet focus on this key axis. Same goes for world class boulevards. Some have to be a visionary or great urban planner to see this kind of detail and foresight, but with a little imagination and education, the common man can see the greatness of such planning.)