Stadium District (formerly Producers Coop)

[bchris02]

I'll take your quote and change it a little. Any property that size so close to a booming downtown, a stone's throw from the home of the NBA Thunder, runs along one of the busiest east-west interstates in America, is a few blocks from one of the busiest north-south interstates in the country, and is basically just lower-lower Bricktown...that's a horrible location?

I agree. The co-op isn't a bad location at all. It's a prime location for a major development.

[shawnw]

I definitely like the idea of the future soccer stadium going on it, but don't see Prodigal having the deep pockets necessary for even the suggested $30M price tag... If you did make it your future "stadium district" by anticipating the future basketball arena would go here, then the city could justify buying (or swapping) a big portion of that land for future use. They could acquire enough for both the soccer and basketball venues (perhaps via eminent domain) and lease back land to prodigal for their stadium maybe? Just thinking out loud...

[CaptDave]

Pure comedy

ODOT's blvd design? Comedic only in the sense they think it is good......

[Pete]

Probably the only way this property gets developed anytime soon is that the co-op people get motivated to move, drop their price by a ton and sell to someone who does some development and then sells off smaller parcels to other developers.

[shawnw]

That buyer would then have to do the clean-up probably, which would help justify them marking it back up to a higher price per acre, right?

[BoulderSooner]

ODOT's blvd design? Comedic only in the sense they think it is good......

That is wipes out billions of dollars in real estate value

[HangryHippo]

I agree with Rover, I think this site would actually be the best candidate for a new sports arena complex when the time for the city to replace the Peake comes.

[onthestrip]

That buyer would then have to do the clean-up probably, which would help justify them marking it back up to a higher price per acre, right?

Why do you, and others, suggest that there would be cleanup? They make cooking oil from plants. Its not some oil refinery. Granted I have no idea on the goings-on at the co-op but is it guaranteed to be dirty and require cleanup?

[Bellaboo]

Why do you, and others, suggest that there would be cleanup? They make cooking oil from plants. Its not some oil refinery. Granted I have no idea on the goings-on at the co-op but is it guaranteed to be dirty and require cleanup?

The co-op was built during WWII. Anyone know what was there before it was built ?

[shawnw]

I don't speak from any knowledge, but just presumed that as with almost any long-time industrial site there would be some sort of clean-up involved...

[Pete]

Why do you, and others, suggest that there would be cleanup? They make cooking oil from plants. Its not some oil refinery. Granted I have no idea on the goings-on at the co-op but is it guaranteed to be dirty and require cleanup?

They make more than just cooking oil; also biofuel and several other things.

Almost all manufacturing sites require some sort of cleanup, especially those as old as this one (70 years).

[DammitDan]

So what is north of the co-op? Have they ever shown any interest in selling?

[metro]

Asking almost $3MM an acre? Sounds like someone has been smoking too many cotton seeds!

[PhiAlpha]

It would be in Tulsa.

Lol, what about in Charlotte or Austin?

[BrettM2]

Lol, what about in Charlotte or Austin?

High rise, pushed to the street, with an address in Heaven! /swoons

[BoomerThunder1]

So what is north of the co-op? Have they ever shown any interest in selling?

Already sold, well, under contract.

[catch22]

Already sold, well, under contract.

Really? Sold to who?

[mobstam]

I know that it is a moot point and I know that the land is split up between different owners, but it would have been cool if the lumber yard could have been redeveloped into the convention center hotel. The hotel could have been designed with good street level interaction and with its proximity to Bricktown, I think it would have worked well.

The convention center could have been built just south of the hotel using the north end of the Oil Mill property and a new athletic stadium could be have been built just to the south of the convention center. This would have eliminated any superblocks that will be built for the convention center and for any stadium (as the railroad tracks and I-40 would form at least two of the perimeters of the complex).

[boitoirich]

Those are some good points. I still contend that we can build a convention center and a hotel without creating another superblock, but it looks like that ship has sailed. As for a stadium, sadly nothing inspires me with the confidence that we will do it well from an urban planning perspective. I think you're right that this particular site would have been well suited for those projects -- and especially with the way OKC will approach them.

[Oh GAWD the Smell!]

Guess I'm in the severe minority here. I like it and think it should stay.

[zookeeper]

Tons of potential for that space.

[boitoirich]

Tons of potential for that space.

There really is. For comparison, here is what San Antonio did with a similar industrial space, the Pearl Brewery: Abandoned Pearl Brewery Adapted Into Vibrant Mixed-Use Project in San Antonio | Inhabitat - Sustainable Design Innovation, Eco Architecture, Green Building

There are offices, condos, apartments, live-work units, restaurants and bars, weekend farmers markets -- it's just an outstanding reworking of the area.

[bchris02]

Lol, what about in Charlotte or Austin?

Well Charlotte or Austin wouldn't have something that ugly and smelly right in the middle of their downtown. If the Co-op were in downtown Austin or Charlotte it would have been partitioned and sold to developers years ago. From what I've read here selling the property is the primary roadblock. It's harsh and you can bash me all you want for saying it but it's the truth. I am all for preserving stuff that is unique to OKC in a positive way, but the Co-op downtown is a negative. It's ugly, confirms the perception most Americans have of this city, and it will likely prevent quality development around it as long as it remains.

There really is. For comparison, here is what San Antonio did with a similar industrial space, the Pearl Brewery: Abandoned Pearl Brewery Adapted Into Vibrant Mixed-Use Project in San Antonio | Inhabitat - Sustainable Design Innovation, Eco Architecture, Green Building

There are offices, condos, apartments, live-work units, restaurants and bars, weekend farmers markets -- it's just an outstanding reworking of the area.

Cool concept, but I don't think it would work with the Co-op. The brewery has better bones. Something like that would have been perfect for the Belle Isle power plant rather than demolishing it to build a Wal-Mart. The Co-op is primarily steel buildings that would be difficult to repurpose for anything other than dirty industry.

[zookeeper]

Well Charlotte or Austin wouldn't have something that ugly and smelly right in the middle of their downtown. If the Co-op were in downtown Austin or Charlotte it would have been partitioned and sold to developers years ago. From what I've read here selling the property is the primary roadblock. It's harsh and you can bash me all you want for saying it but it's the truth. I am all for preserving stuff that is unique to OKC in a positive way, but the Co-op downtown is a negative. It's ugly, confirms the perception most Americans have of this city, and it will likely prevent quality development around it as long as it remains.



Cool concept, but I don't think it would work with the Co-op. The brewery has better bones. Something like that would have been perfect for the Belle Isle power plant rather than demolishing it to build a Wal-Mart. The Co-op is primarily steel buildings that would be difficult to repurpose for anything other than dirty industry.

With all the bashing, let's remember this is Oklahoma City history that's still up, running and employing some 200 people. I think it's pretty cool to have this industrial facility still in business (where they've been for 61 years). It may not be Boeing, but by golly, they've put a lot of food on the table of Oklahoman's who have worked there through the decades.
About Producers Cooperative Oil Mill

[boitoirich]

Cool concept, but I don't think it would work with the Co-op. The brewery has better bones. Something like that would have been perfect for the Belle Isle power plant rather than demolishing it to build a Wal-Mart. The Co-op is primarily steel buildings that would be difficult to repurpose for anything other than dirty industry.

You're right that this is an area that will have to be razed, cleaned up, and built anew. I certainly am not suggesting that we adaptively reuse those hideous structures on the site

The point I was making is that there are ways to integrate unused, disconnected industrial sites back into the urban fabric. The Pearl Brewery provides an excellent template to follow.