Devon Energy Center

[BigD Misey]

Colcord

Riverwalk

Families at Myriad Gardens

Coffee on the Balcony

[Pete]

Thanks for the photos!

Nice to see many people out and about downtown.

[catch22]

I was in downtown this afternoon, and yes the Myriad Gardens was very active with people having picnics, walks, exercising, construction workers taking naps....a very cool feeling. Also the CBD had many people walking around. Very busy feeling. Next time I have guests in town, I am taking them downtown around noon.

[Dustin]

Not to mention the weather was perfect today.

[BigD Misey]

It was even a little warm as we walked from the Gardens to the Starbucks by the Canal. Got a few good ones and even shot a vid of the kids enjoying the wave fountain.
Mind you i have no video editing program yet, my whole photo/video set up is new to me, so im just experimenting here...

Myriad Gardens Wave Fountain

[Pete]

The changes to the Myriad Gardens are an absolute home run.

Not only does it draw people in, it engages them and makes them want to stay.


Before this project I had no idea that a landscape architect could make such a monumental difference.

[catch22]

It draws me in once or twice a week.... I live in the suburbs and really want to live downtown if my income was high enough.. So I end up driving downtown on my days off to walk around and see what is going on. Hopefully I can move downtown in the next 5 years. I agree the Myriad Gardens change is a home run.

[Just the facts]

It draws me in once or twice a week.... I live in the suburbs and really want to live downtown if my income was high enough.. So I end up driving downtown on my days off to walk around and see what is going on. Hopefully I can move downtown in the next 5 years. I agree the Myriad Gardens change is a home run.

One of the beauties of an urbanized traditional neighborhood is that as your income increase (or decreases) you don't have to leave the neighborhood. There are housing options at all income levels. Downtown OKC might not be there quite yet as the full range of housing options isn't really available but there are other urban neighborhoods around downtown OKC that I'll bet are within your budget. You might have to live in something smaller than you want right now and maybe not have access to as many urban amenities but like they say "The pioneers take the arrows". Have you considered the Plaza Distirct or Paseo?

[Rover]

One of the beauties of an urbanized traditional neighborhood is that as your income increase (or decreases) you don't have to leave the neighborhood. There are housing options at all income levels. Downtown OKC might not be there quite yet as the full range of housing options isn't really available but there are other urban neighborhoods around downtown OKC that I'll bet are within your budget. You might have to live in something smaller than you want right now and maybe not have access to as many urban amenities but like they say "The pioneers take the arrows". Have you considered the Plaza Distirct or Paseo?

Actually, it is rarely true. The more dense and desirous the area the more it forces lower income further to the edges. I know that doesn't fit the idealistic dream, but is reality of economics. That's the irony of new urbanism when it goes from ideology to reality.

[ljbab728]

I guess now the trend-setter is to get a train in every picture? LOL =)

I'm waiting for when the trend setter is to have a streetcar in every picture.

[UncleCyrus]

I still cant believe we have trains period.

If it weren't for trains, how do you think all that stuff gets to all those Wal-Marts so fast?

[Pete]

Here's a rendering of the 50th floor banquet facility.

You can see the bottom of one of the "v's" and what looks to be a glass light well that opens to the triangle above.

[Pete]

[UnFrSaKn]

That looks just like mine from yesterday. Check my Flickr in a while. I'm at work now.

Someone will have to post the photos for me. Uploading now...

[catch22]

One of the beauties of an urbanized traditional neighborhood is that as your income increase (or decreases) you don't have to leave the neighborhood. There are housing options at all income levels. Downtown OKC might not be there quite yet as the full range of housing options isn't really available but there are other urban neighborhoods around downtown OKC that I'll bet are within your budget. You might have to live in something smaller than you want right now and maybe not have access to as many urban amenities but like they say "The pioneers take the arrows". Have you considered the Plaza Distirct or Paseo?

It's not as easy as me just making the move if I did find something in my price range, if I worked downtown or nearby I could easily do it. But I'd end up moving even further away from my employer and even public transit, if it did become viable, my commutes are at odd hours that public transit would probably still miss. I report for work on the weekdays at 415am. I leave my house about 330am. On weekends I report for work in the evening and get off anywhere between midnight and 2am. So there are more factors into keeping me out of downtown than just the price point, it would be more inconvenient for me to at the moment. As much as I'd love to, I just can't do it at this point in time.

Edit to Add: I say my goal is within 5 year, because I believe by then downtown will have enough amenities to outweigh the negative of being further away from work. Hopefully we will have some more retail, and more everyday services within walking distance or on the streetcar line. Where despite being further away from work, with being able to walk to things I use everyday, my total time in my car will be lower on a weekly basis. So there is a curve to it, for my personal situation the curve has me in the suburbs for convenience (as much as I hate being in my car) vs. cost, as downtown grows and my income increases the curve vs. cost will place me at a net advantage for living downtown. I am waiting for the curve.

[Pete]

Tons of fantastic photos from Will... Worth the wait!

[Pete]

[dcsooner]

Wow!

[Pete]

Wow, is right.

First, thanks so much to Will for busting his tail to not only get down there and take all these, but cover everything in a very comprehensive way AND get them all posted within a day.

Secondly, this complex is purely world class. That term gets thrown around a lot but it is well deserved here. Every aspect is extremely impressive and there is still plenty more to come: auditorium, finish the south entrance and park / courtyard, tower-top restaurant and banquet facility, connection to the Underground, connection to the newly revamped Colcord, park between Colcord and Tower, LED lighting, etc., etc.


This is one of the few times that a project seems to have exceeded expectations, and they were already very high.

[Pete]

Speaking of the Colcord, their new restaurant with sidewalk and courtyard seating will be opening very soon:

[BoulderSooner]

the sign on the window a few weeks back said april 9th ... but from construction it looks like maybe middle april

[Pete]

I bet they'll want to be open for the Arts Fesitval which starts April 24.

I'm sure they are trying to get both Sheridan and Hudson finished by then, as well as the Devon park and south entrance.

[Pete]

In this photo you can see the construction on the coffee place that will be operated by the same firm that runs Nebu.

Considering Nebu stretches from this point west all the way to the Hudson entrance, it appears these will be the only services in the complex.

That is, unless they plan to add some on the second level of the Garden Wing, which I would think would be unlikely.

[SoonerBoy18]

Can people go to the 2nd - 10th floors to take pickures?

[Pete]

Can people go to the 2nd - 10th floors to take pickures?

The only level currently open to visitors is the first one; the rotunda and garden wing where the Nebu food court is located.

I'm pretty sure the public will also be allowed up to the 2nd level of the rotunda and garden wing when construction gets further along, as it's that level that will connect with a walkway to the downtown Underground system.

You will go up the escalator you see in the photos above then out through the third level of the City Center East parking garage, and that connects to the existing skywalk to Oklahoma Tower, which in turn connects to the broader system of tunnels and walkways.