OKC area Districts

[metro]

I thought it would be a good time to visit the topic of historic/tourist districts in OKC. The following is a good start of districts and probably a few you haven't heard of. I also have some pics of district signs (some of districts yet to be announced). I can't compress them enough to fit in the forum but if you can let me know and I'll email them to you to compress and post. Please feel free to add to this list.

Adventure District
Automobile Alley
Arts Quarter (newly renamed)
Asian District
Bricktown
Capitol Hill
Capitol Complex
Deep Deuce
Flatiron
Film Row District
Hispanic District
Lower Bricktown
MidTown
Plaza District
Oklahoma River Corridor
Old Trolley Track District
Triangle District
Western Ave. District

[writerranger]

The only problem is according to this list, Oklahoma City ends at about NW 36th street. Just because we don't "name" outer areas of the city doesn't make them any less of a "district".....For example, where's the "Memorial District"? There's more to do in that several mile stretch than in most on your list. The "Northwest Expressway District"? I fear many here like to urbanize Oklahoma City more than it actually is. It may sound cool, but there's a LOT more to OKC than just these hip "named districts"...Oklahoma City is not San Francisco. It is more DFW metroplex than anything. We exclude a lot of people, places and things when we turn OKC into only its inner-city. No offense meant, Metro, I just see that kind of uberhip urban thinking here a lot. It is OKCTalk, not UrbanHipOKCTalk.

[metro]

I can respect your points writeranger and I am not debating them. I am mainly referring to more inner city "official districts" that have district signage and a committee or board that help promote their area. While Memorial Rd. and NW Expressway are vital cooridor's, I don't believe they are historical districts with district signage. My point wasn't intended to sound uberhip or be like San Francisco or anybody, but to merely remind or educate people who may not be familiar with certain historical/tourist draws within our great city.


On another note, I have added some new photos of district signage in my photo gallery if anyone wants to upload it to this forum. Thanks.

[windowphobe]

In which case, I'd like to nominate Mayfair Heights, which is an Urban Conservation District as declared by the city.

(We have signage just east of May on 43rd and 47th, at opposite ends of Mayfair Park.)

[BG918]

Does anyone have a map showing these districts? What about Stockyards City and the Paseo Arts District? And the Gay District around 39th and Penn?

[BDP]

Crown Heights, Edmore, Heritage Hills, and Paseo all have signage.

The only problem is according to this list, Oklahoma City ends at about NW 36th street. Just because we don't "name" outer areas of the city doesn't make them any less of a "district".....For example, where's the "Memorial District"? There's more to do in that several mile stretch than in most on your list.

Yeah, but I think we are talking about smaller community like districts that have a character and a history. The Expressway "district" is more like a 5 mile corridor than a district. The truth is that things are not developed in districts like they used to be. So, it makes sense that the older historic parts are named by district as they always have been and that the suburban big box car developments are named for the long streets they occupy.

I also think it’s good for all of Oklahoma City to celebrate it historical and unique districts. These are the areas of the city that make it different from both San Francisco AND DFW. Just because these areas are the cool and hip areas doesn’t mean that we have to start naming the rest of the city like them so those areas won’t feel left out of the “in” crowd, so to speak. The worst thing we can do is try and pretend that parts of the city are what they aren’t.

In the end, it’s just about identity so people know where things are and have some sort of idea of what’s happening where. I’d say that NW expressway and Memorial Rd do just fine as they were developed. I’m not sure how making them districts after the fact does much. And in some cases, parts of those areas already have district names, even if their namesake is long gone, like Belle Isle and Quail Springs. How about a Baptist district? the truth is that most of OKC above 36th just hasn't been developed or thought of in terms of districts to begin with.

[BDP]

Crown Heights, Edmore, Heritage Hills, and Paseo all have signage.

The only problem is according to this list, Oklahoma City ends at about NW 36th street. Just because we don't "name" outer areas of the city doesn't make them any less of a "district".....For example, where's the "Memorial District"? There's more to do in that several mile stretch than in most on your list.

Yeah, but I think we are talking about smaller community like districts that have a character and a history. The Expressway "district" is more like a 5 mile corridor than a district. The truth is that things are not developed in districts like they used to be. So, it makes since that the older historic parts are named by district as they always have been and that the suburban big box car developments are named for the long streets they occupy.

I also think it’s good for all of Oklahoma City to celebrate it historical and unique districts. These are the areas of the city that make it different from both San Francisco AND DFW. Just because these areas are the cool and hip areas doesn’t mean that we have to start naming the rest of the city like them so those areas won’t feel left out of the “in” crowd, so to speak. The worst thing we can do is try and pretend that parts of the city are what they aren’t.

In the end, it’s just about identity so people know where things are and have some sort of idea of what’s happening where. I’d say that NW expressway and Memorial Rd do just fine as they were developed. I’m not sure how making them districts after the fact does much.

[ksearls]

Actually, the Arts Quarter is a part of the larger Arts District, just as the Flatiron is a part of Automobile Alley.

Kim

[BDP]

sorry baout the semi-double post. The edit button is gone. Mods can delete the second one.

[metro]

I thought the Flat Iron is more apart of the Triangle than anything. Thanks for adding Stockyards City, Paseo, and such. If we want to promote historic neighborhoods you can even take it a step farther. Anyhow my original intent was to promote the heritage, history, and TOURISM aspect of these districts to help inform and encourage even more TOURISM to these areas. I'm not sure if we want to promote NW Expressway and Memorial as tourist attractions despite tourists maybe staying in hotels in these corridors. Again, I have updated district pictures in my gallery and will be adding more later today, someone feel free to add them into this thread directly if you can. Thanks.

[ksearls]

The Trinangle is in Automobile Alley too!

[metro]

Kim, are you sure? I thought the Triangle is the larger district as a whole and it incorporates some of Deep Deuce, AA, and Flat Iron. I could be wrong but I'm pretty sure The Triangle is the area at large.

[shane453]

I saw a map of Downtown OKC that showed "The Flatiron Area of Automobile Alley" as a sort of subdistrict colorcoded in the same green as AA.

I think you're right about the location of the Triangle borrowing space from several established districts since it is a new space, but I don't know that I would call the Triangle an official district just yet, though it's definitely going to be one of the coolest areas of downtown when progress is made.

Plaza District is also listed as a part of Midtown, according to Midtownokc.com.

[ksearls]

Yes, The Triangle area does encompass some of Deep Deuce and a little bit of Bricktown according to their website. It's kind a confusing thing, these "district" boundaries. The districts that we recognize were set out in the creation of the Downtown Business Improvement District (BID) and are officially recognized districts. The other districts (Triangle, Lower Bricktown, Flatiron) are "marketing districts". The BID allocates funds to maintain and market its official districts (Arts District, Auto Alley, Bricktown, Biz District, and Deep Deuce) but we support and play well with others!

[metro]

Kim so can you explain what the official boundaries of the arts district and arts quarter will be? and where the old arts district signage will come down for arts quarter signage? The article in the Oklahoman made it sound like it all would be named Arts Quarter

[ksearls]

I really have not been involved in any of the Arts Quarter planning so I can't answer that question. They have formed a group that is driving that bus and all of the funding will come from that group. From what I understand, the Quarter will be a section of the District but the Arts District name and signage will remain.

[metro]

Just curious, because from the articles I've read and the people who I've talked with (people who live/work/own) in the district. It is being replaced altogether by Arts Quarter. I personally hope your right and hope it is a small section of the larger Arts District. Can anyone clarify?

[Patrick]

BTW Kim, I happened to stop briefly in the Oklahoma Tower today to check out the Hornets Store. I happened to take a brief look in your office. Nice place. Sorry I didn't have more time to come by. I was in quite a hurry. Next time I'm there, I'll stop in and say hi!