Here's a Midtown update:

Developer announces plans to convert historic properties

By Steve Lackmeyer
The Oklahoman

The transformation of MidTown continues, with developer Greg Banta unveiling plans today for the first of more than two dozen property renovations aimed at converting nuisance properties into upscale housing, retail and offices.


The Oklahoma City Urban Design Commission, which is charged with overseeing exterior renovations in the north downtown area, will review Banta's "MidTown Renassaince" plans today for two buildings that were built in 1920 and 1946. They are among more than two dozen properties Banta has bought, has a contract pending for or is negotiating sales for in an area bordered by Classen Boulevard, NW 10, NW 14 and Dewey Avenue.

"It will be a true mixed use development," said Banta, who is moving his offices into a building at 1329 Classen Drive. "I think our timing is just right. It's poised to be the next hot development area in downtown."

To date, The Banta Cos. has spent $4 million buying 18 properties, with plans to spend another $4 million on further acquisitions and renovations.

Banta's ties to MidTown go back to the early 1990s, when he worked in the area. He later managed one of MidTown's landmark properties -- the Pasteur Medical Building.

Even after opening his own company's offices in northwest Oklahoma City, Banta often wandered back to MidTown.

"I never drove around much, except to see the old Mid-Continent Life building," Banta said. "I always felt that was the best historic building in Oklahoma City."

In 1998, after starting his company, he brokered the sale of a building at 1329 Classen Drive. He was dazzled by the property -- but wasn't able to buy it.

In May, Banta and his wife were dining in Bricktown and decided to make another trip by the old Mid-Continent Life building. The 1329 Classen Drive building was up for sale again -- and this time, Banta was ready to buy it and make it his headquarters. But he remained concerned about the surrounding area. Driving around MidTown, Banta assembled a list of troubled properties that needed an overhaul to make the area viable.

"For a pure selfish standpoint, my thought was if we were to move our offices there, we needed to make the area cool," Banta said. "We worked with several brokers, worked with some owners directly and tried to stay in the background so that nobody would know what the overall picture really was."

Kevin Jacobs, president of The Banta Cos., said they had help from area residents in determining which properties were nuisances -- and which properties were contributing to the area's well-being. They think they have eliminated all but two nuisance properties.

Their purchases include the west side of Francis Avenue between NW 11 and NW 12 -- an area cited by area property owners as the source of drug dealers and prostitutes when St. Anthony Hospital was abandoning its downtown home.

They also bought the site of the former Myriad Motor Inn at 1305 Classen Drive. The site was reduced to rubble several years ago, with debris dumped into the razed building's basement. Banta recently removed the debris, and cleared the site for office development.

All but one of the existing buildings will be renovated -- and they will require approval by the Urban Design Commission for any exterior changes, including window replacements.

"We love the historic character of the area," Jacobs said. "There is one building (at Classen Boulevard and NW 12) that we've had structural engineers look at; the city has declared dilapidated, and we would like to save it. It has a neat front on it. But there is no roof, and the integrity of the building is gone."

Most of the building renovations were visible this week. The first units are expected to be available by May.

Plans call for wrought-iron fencing with brick posts and attached parking to be added to each property. Banta said building interiors are being gutted, while exteriors are being preserved.

"People want that old look and that old feel. But most of them want all the new high-tech stuff -- high-speed Internet, cable television, high-finish counters -- and that's what we're trying to deliver."