Fordson Hotel (formerly 21c Museum Hotel)

[lasomeday]

Classen could be a bike corridor all the way to NW Expressway and with the huge ROW and medians on NW it could be turned into a bike corridor as well. I have friends in Okarche that bike to OKC on the weekends.

[BDP]

Somebody else mentioned making Classen a very bike-friendly thoroughfare and I think that is a genius idea.

Would really link all the historic neighborhoods farther north and west to the central core.

It would be great if we could find another corporate benefactor to do a Project 180 for bikes.

And if this really does spawn a complete revitalization of the western core, Classen becomes a great western edge to create an "outer loop" for streetcar expansion:

Park / Convention Center > Film Row > Up Classen > 16th / Plaza District > Asian District > 23rd / Uptown > Broadway > Bricktown > Park / Convention Center

Then we'd kind of have a CBD / Midtown Loop, a Park / Uptown Loop, avoid the fight with HH, and end up with a very connected core. It also kind of creates the opportunity for park and ride lots at the ends of the boulevard, so people driving into the city could ditch their cars and ride public transit to their destination(s) without having to deal with or clog up the central grid.

[warreng88]

This would also help link Midtown/Mesta Park with Classen-Ten-Penn/Plaza/Gatewood/OCU too. That seven lane buffer is obviously a physical and mental barrier between these areas.

[CuatrodeMayo]

Somebody else mentioned making Classen a very bike-friendly thoroughfare and I think that is a genius idea.

Would really link all the historic neighborhoods farther north and west to the central core.

It would be great if we could find another corporate benefactor to do a Project 180 for bikes.

http://www.okctalk.com/transportatio...-greenway.html

[warreng88]

I drive Classen too and From Work every day. On most days I wish it had 4 lanes going each way. Classen is also the snow route.

This could be fixed with a few things: the new boulevard (even thought it is going east to west, not north to south) and timing of lights. My wife drove that every day for three years and said it was busy, but not so busy a lane couldn't be taken out.

[warreng88]

Classen could be a bike corridor all the way to NW Expressway and with the huge ROW and medians on NW it could be turned into a bike corridor as well. I have friends in Okarche that bike to OKC on the weekends.

I never understood why the city has never added bike lanes and sidewalks to NW Expressway from Classen all the way to Council. There is plenty of room on either side and that could link Lake Hefner trails, down Expressway to Classen to the River.

[shawnw]

I never understood why the city has never added bike lanes and sidewalks to NW Expressway from Classen all the way to Council. There is plenty of room on either side and that could link Lake Hefner trails, down Expressway to Classen to the River.

I agree with this EXCEPT for at the May interchange. Those short ramps from May where cars speed into the NW Exp traffic with minimal looking would be a bicyclists death trap.

[warreng88]

I agree with this EXCEPT for at the May interchange. Those short ramps from May where cars speed into the NW Exp traffic with minimal looking would be a bicyclists death trap.

Good point. At that area, you would probably need to bring the path south and cross at the light at May in front the of the Target. Then, continue the path on either side, hugging the E-S or N-E ramps.

[OKVision4U]

This is the direction we need to continue to follow. Outside investment that sees the potential ( ROI ) in our City & State. Looking forward to seeing this project's ribbon cutting. Welcome 21c Museum!

[shawnw]

Do we have any kind of timeline? Or any examples to base our expectations on (such as how long it took their hotels in other cities to come online)?

[Pete]

I suspect this will take a while due to the need to cleanup a building that was used for manufacturing. I bet that will take close to a year itself.

Also, before that even starts they are likely to be applying for all types of incentives.

Once construction actually began on the Cincinnati property, it was about 1.5 years.

My guess would be opening sometime in 2016.

[DoctorTaco]

I agree with this EXCEPT for at the May interchange. Those short ramps from May where cars speed into the NW Exp traffic with minimal looking would be a bicyclists death trap.

Tunnels, obviously. Adds expense I know.

[Pete]

I still think this is a very odd location...

I took a look at their Louisville and Cincinnati locations and they are both very close to the heart of those respective CBD's in areas much more dense.

Plus, there is so much nothingness between Fred Jones and everything else, and what is there -- and not moving -- is not appealing: the county jail, police station, etc.


I worry this will be too much of an island for an extended period of time. It's very hard to imagine that much change in the next few years.

On the other hand, here's hoping that this announcement will ramp up development, planning and cleanup in the immediate area.

[hoya]

Well, if they don't finish construction for 3 years, that will give a bit of time for that part of the city to develop a little more. The 21c people also mentioned in an interview that they're happy to start the revitalization process, and seemed to understand that it may take a few years before the surrounding area really catches up. I would presume that there'll be a push to have a Classen streetcar line, in part to connect this hotel. I could see two or three more places to eat spring up in that area, to serve people staying in the hotel. And I'd presume that the City Rescue Mission will be moving elsewhere eventually.

[shawnw]

In the VERY least a 21c-sponsored Spokies stop (and probably one on the opposite end of film row) will be needed to coincide with the opening.

Would also be a good interim step to modify the 50 route slightly...

[bchris02]

Well, if they don't finish construction for 3 years, that will give a bit of time for that part of the city to develop a little more. The 21c people also mentioned in an interview that they're happy to start the revitalization process, and seemed to understand that it may take a few years before the surrounding area really catches up. I would presume that there'll be a push to have a Classen streetcar line, in part to connect this hotel. I could see two or three more places to eat spring up in that area, to serve people staying in the hotel. And I'd presume that the City Rescue Mission will be moving elsewhere eventually.

That's the thing about OKC. You have to plan for the long term being that the gentrification of the core is really still in its early stages. Within 3-4 years, by the time this hotel opens, film row should be much more developed. The anticipation of the hotel will probably spur development, because this is no small deal at all.

[Rover]

Somebody else mentioned making Classen a very bike-friendly thoroughfare and I think that is a genius idea.

Would really link all the historic neighborhoods farther north and west to the central core.

It would be great if we could find another corporate benefactor to do a Project 180 for bikes.

What if on Classen from downtown through the Asian district you segregated each of the outermost lanes with a curbing and make them into bike lanes which could be still used as emergency exit lanes and snow routes for cars if conditions required? Or do it on the inside lanes and make the medians walkable and with good landscaping.

[Pete]

I saw in the interview they don't mind going into areas that need revitalization, but I'm telling you this location is completely different than anything they have done so far.

Also, the properties between Fred Jones and anything decent are held by dozens of separate owners who have been sitting on them for decades. It's not all the sudden they are all going to agree to sell or develop. And even if I was a developer, there are other parts of town I'd rather focus on than far west downtown.

I absolutely love the concept and the FJ building, but I hate that this will be so far removed from everything else we already have planned for downtown.

[Pete]

Yes, I'm sure this must be part of a bigger plan otherwise it doesn't make any sense.

The good news is that the City does control a good chunk of property along Main Street. The bad news is what they now have planned for the new police station is a terrible design, especially in light of this new development.

[bchris02]

I saw in the interview they don't mind going into areas that need revitalization, but I'm telling you this location is completely different than anything they have done so far.

Also, the properties between Fred Jones and anything decent are held by dozens of separate owners who have been sitting on them for decades. It's not all the sudden they are all going to agree to sell or develop. And even if I was a developer, there are other parts of town I'd rather focus on than far west downtown.

I absolutely love the concept and the FJ building, but I hate that this will be so far removed from everything else we already have planned for downtown.

Steve spoke of mind blowing development in the next five years. To me, that means some serious gentrification at a serious pace. I am sure the developers of this 21c know more than we do about what is in store for that specific area. I doubt they would embark on such an ambitious project if they had doubts about the location.

[Pete]

Okay, so this opens in 2016.

Who exactly is going to stay there and what will they do once they arrive?

This property is HALF A MILE from the Myriad Gardens, and that half mile is well dodgy; horrible, crumbling sidewalks, etc. Do you think someone is going to pay a couple hundred dollars a night and then walk the better part of a mile through a rough neighborhood to get to anything downtown has to offer? They could offer a car service but doesn't that defeat the purpose of being downtown in the first place?

Keep in mind, we will soon have over 3,000 hotel rooms downtown, all of which feature infinitely better locations.

And conversely, this is very far removed from the thousand of living units in the downtown area. Virtually everyone coming to the gallery and restaurant will be driving to get there.

I'm sorry, I just don't get this at all. I really hope there is something huge on the horizon that will bridge this massive gap and provide big improvements in infrastructure. But even if that happens, this is still very far removed from 99% of what has already been accomplished downtown.

[warreng88]

What do the people who own the FJ Plant also own in the area? Do they own any of the buildings to the south of it? We need to get Chip Fudge to weigh in on all this.

[catch22]

I agree with you Pete. Huge win for OKC but I am still scratching my head on the location.

[Pete]

Remember, before OCU would consider putting their law school here they insisted on a streetcar line. And even then, the deal still fell through.

No way the streetcar goes here now; not for a very long time, anyway.

Even if there is quite a bit of development in this area, this hotel will still be nowhere near most the downtown attractions. What could possibly be built in the surrounding area in the next 5 years that would be any kind of draw?? Maybe a few more restaurants and bars... We'll be very lucky to double what is now in Film Row in that time. How would even that make this area any sort of destination?

I get the hotel itself is cool and interesting but I just can't see any scenario -- even pie-in-the-sky -- where this location makes sense for an up-scale hotel.

I could see office or residential, but a destination hotel?? And I assure you this is a VERY different location than Louisville and Cincy.

[warreng88]

So, phase two of the streetcar has is it tentatively going to the OUHSC, correct? With the law firm and the school going in to empty parking lots on Sheridan, I am curious if they know of more developments happening west on Main and Sheridan to provide infill. There are only two buildings on the entire Sheridan, Main, Shartel and Lee block so there is plenty of room for development over there. Also, the main street arcade is currently being worked on (retail if I remember correctly). I am curious about the large empty space directly north of this building and who owns it.