Presentation: "What's Going on Downtown?"

[cameron_405]

...follow the link below:

"What's Going on Downtown?" - Russell Craus, Planning Director

[mugofbeer]

Thank you Cameron! Very interesting. Saw some good renderings and photo's I hadn't seen before!

What a thought, though. 20 years ago the presentation would have been just a wee bit shorter.

[Dustin]

Very cool. The Iguana Lounge before and after is amazing. As well as the Myriad Gardens.

[ljbab728]

Something I saw in a depiction of the Myriad Gardens renovation that I had never noticed before was a structure above the water stage. Does anyone know if that was eliminated or if it is still being planned? It appears it could support some kind of lighting or sound systems for presentations or it could have tarps attached for a cover in bad weather.

[UnFrSaKn]

Noticed one of your photos was in the .pdf Cameron.

[UnFrSaKn]

I mentioned a few months ago in a thread about that lot across from the parking garage and next to Stage Center. On page 59 it says "Downtown School". Anyone know something about that? I must have missed it somewhere.

[mcca7596]

They are gravitating to that being the probable site of a future downtown elementary school.

I thought someone said it would be the last of the MAPS for Kids projects, however it may be separately funded.

[OKCTalker]

I saw Russell present this last week to a group of about 50 people, and he couldn't go into much detail on individual projects due to time constraints. After 30 minutes of rapid-fire slides, some eyes were starting to glaze over. Can you imagine - so much going on in the central part of our city that people are getting overloaded! It was incredible.

Enjoy it, everybody, because it won't always be this good.

[mcca7596]

Enjoy it, everybody, because it won't always be this good.

What makes you say that? I think, as long as the dollar doesn't collapse, that it will only keep getting better.

[metro]

I saw Russell present this last week to a group of about 50 people, and he couldn't go into much detail on individual projects due to time constraints. After 30 minutes of rapid-fire slides, some eyes were starting to glaze over. Can you imagine - so much going on in the central part of our city that people are getting overloaded! It was incredible.

Enjoy it, everybody, because it won't always be this good.

Yeah, because they keep presenting stuff that most of us have heard a hundred times already. Our leaders preach to the choir instead of collaborating new ideas with our excellent talent pool we have here in OKC.

[Spartan]

They are gravitating to that being the probable site of a future downtown elementary school.

I thought someone said it would be the last of the MAPS for Kids projects, however it may be separately funded.

No, it will be a MAPS for Kids project, one of the last. That is a project that will begin in the next 3-4 years. And they aren't just gravitating toward the site, it's a done deal.

Mcca, not at all trying to one-up your post or anything, just trying to remove the doubt from it. There was a Gazette article a while ago when they finalized the site, but obviously they can't do anything now until Devon construction workers no longer need truck parking.

I thought that the graphics for the senior wellness centers were the most interesting, since that was something I hadn't seen before.

[mcca7596]

Glad to know it's finalized; I think it's a great site, being just south of the Arts District.

[Spartan]

Yeah, I think the idea is that it will be the heart of downtown's residential community. Although currently it is perhaps the furthest thing in downtown from significant residential (the Montgomery is nearby), I think it is a great site as well. I think it will compliment the cultural assets around there, presuming that the Stage Center is saved, and it also has great potential to tie together two main residential parts of downtown (Arts District, and Core2Shore). I can see that area drawing more of a young family mix in the future, while Deep Deuce retains more of an urban elite image and continues to draw more artsy young professionals and empty nesters, which has been a good recipe for Deep Deuce so far.

[mcca7596]

What would be the chances of a future junior high and/or high school after this?

[OSUMom]

What that 'whitewater' picture from? Is there a place along the river where a whitewater area is built?

[Spartan]

Not yet, but there will be. It's probably from one of the cities that the "urban whitewater" thing has been modeled after. Might be Charlotte, possibly.

Mcca, I don't think the chances of a future junior or high school are very good for downtown. But there is also the Emerson Alternative School, and Classen SAS is a half mile away. I think the chances would be better to attract a type of magnet school, like one of the Hoover schools, which are currently running out of space in a building they share and jockeying for room with eachother, although Maps for Kids may give one of them a better home. Something with an arts focus would make sense downtown, though.