King's Crossing

[ljbab728]

A new grocery store is intended to be a catalyst for revitalization of the NE 23rd street corridor.

http://www.oklahoman.com/article/3946001?embargo=1

A $20 million redevelopment anchored by the first new grocery in decades for northeast Oklahoma City is set to be started later this year as Oklahoma City prepares for an aggressive makeover of the NE 23 corridor.

Ward 7 Councilman John Pettis on Tuesday is set to request creation of a tax increment finance district for NE 23 between Lincoln Boulevard and Interstate 35, along with a potential new Urban Renewal declaration, aimed to ensure investment doesn’t stop with a new shopping center at NE 23 and Martin Luther King Boulevard.

The store will be opened by the owners of Buy For Less. They will eventually build a completely new building.

[G.Walker]

I really take offense to this article, its very stereotypical. All the pictures they took of food that were featured in the article were of fried chicken, ribs, collard greens, and pigs feet. Like that is the only food black people eat, wow!

[dcsooner]

I really take offense to this article, its very stereotypical. All the pictures they took of food that were featured in the article were of fried chicken, ribs, collard greens, and pigs feet. Like that is the only food black people eat, wow!

G. Walker, I totally agree with you on that point. Love the insertion of a grocery in NE OKC, much needed, but the photos are as you stated stereotypical.

[Urbanized]

If you read the article it mentions that this location will be custom-tailored to the neighborhood similar to how Uptown Grocery in Edmond and Super Mercado are. Perhaps the photographer went a little overboard trying to reinforce that idea, or maybe he was even pointed in that direction by the marketing folks from the store. But yeah, it feels a little bit over-the-top.

[Garin]

Have you been to KD's cause collard greens are the main side dish..... Quit looking for racism in everything embrace the culture.

[betts]

I'm very pleased John Pettis and Cathy O'Connor are working towards creation of a TIF district there. 23rd St. is a great corridor and it would be wonderful to see it continue to improve.

[Steve]

I really take offense to this article, its very stereotypical. All the pictures they took of food that were featured in the article were of fried chicken, ribs, collard greens, and pigs feet. Like that is the only food black people eat, wow!

Some explanation. Yes, there were photos requested of food items unique to this store, just as we would ask to have shots of food unique to a store in the Asian district (like Super Cao) or the Mercado in south OKC. But did I envision the layout as it was? No. We recently upgraded our publishing system and it has been problematic. I was traveling across the country Friday as the Sunday paper was being designed. The publishing system crashed Friday night, and the business section design was not completed until 2 a.m. Saturday, way after deadline. This caused the presentation desk to rush through completion of this story's lay-out. You will notice in the print edition that the very last paragraph cuts off in mid sentence. The headline is also completely wrong - it is not Urban Renewal building the store, it is the owners of Buy For Less. I was not happy when I saw the early edition paper on Saturday. Unfortunately, the Sunday business section is printed just once - pre-dawn Saturday, and that's it (the front section and sports are printed a second time early Sunday).
We've met, and I think you know what's in my heart when it comes to this city's diversity and different communities. A couple of photos could have shown the unique items sold at the store. The layout you saw was, I suspect, not so much an insensitivity as it was a result of very talented people struggling to overcome problems caused by software that is proving to be a bit of a disappointment in the early implementation stages.

[hewi]

Have you been to KD's cause collard greens are the main side dish..... Quit looking for racism in everything embrace the culture.

"Don't speak on this black reality, if you don't know this black reality!"

[hewi]

The layout.

Fail.

[Plutonic Panda]

Fail.

What?

[Plutonic Panda]

"Don't speak on this black reality, if you don't know this black reality!"

The Reality of Race: Is the Problem That White People Don't Know or Don't Care?

It probably would be for the best if that is kept in the politics section.

[catch22]

I was just driving through this area last week. So much urban development potential. Lots of remaining buildings that are pretty urban in nature, and would make a great little district.

Glad to see b4l investing in the area with a new concept.

As far as the Oklahoman article, it doesn't surprise me. The quality of their work has dropped substantially. (Not referring to Steve-- he does good work)

[Spartan]

Er anyway. Great for B4L, I hope they do this development right and embrace the street. They need a positive beacon for development just as much as a grocery store. This project can do both.

[Urban Pioneer]

Talked to the Buy 4 Less owners. They are awesome! Their new format at most future stores is based on the success of Uptown. I realize that it is a bit out of the way for Urbanites, but if you ever go for a "Sunday drive" up north, you should check it out! Think smaller Whole Foods concept but reasonably priced.

I wish they would buy the Homeland on Classen/16th, demolish it, and build an Uptown there.

And kudos to John Pettis for helping broker this deal!

[hewi]

...The quality of their work has dropped substantially. (Not referring to Steve-- he does good work)

Agreed!

[boitoirich]

I accept Steve's explanation, and I'm ready to move on to talk about the development.

What a win for the Eastside! I travel the NE 23rd Corridor nearly everyday, and I always talk about its redevelopment potential. I too would like to see Buy 4 Less embrace the street. Placing parking in the rear will enhance the profile of the transit at the intersection, and also slow cars down which are known for swooping in and out of the present parking lot (see image). Across the street from B4L, the Ralph Ellison Library already embraces rear parking.

[soonerguru]

This is a great story! Impressed with Councilman Pettis and what he has already accomplished in his short tenure (and I realize there are more involved than just Pettis). However, Pettis shows what you can do when you roll up your sleeves and build bridges with people to get things done for your ward.

What a pleasant departure from the mindless conspiratorial rants from Shadid, which accomplish nothing.

[bradh]

It seems that when Pettis won it was kind of an unknown, but he's made a couple of moves since election that make me wish he was my councilman instead of Greiner. First voting for the streetcar and now this.

Nothing against Skip Kelly, but sometimes something new and fresh, with maybe the same beliefs, is not a bad idea.

[Garin]

Hank and Susan have a great thing going. They have fund their niche in the grocery biz and are not afraid to embrace the different cultures around the city. You won't meet a nicer family IMO they will be successful with this new store as well and they will be the first to tell you that they owe every bit of their success to Jesus Christ. Truly up standing Christian family and business owners.

[ljbab728]

It seems that when Pettis won it was kind of an unknown, but he's made a couple of moves since election that make me wish he was my councilman instead of Greiner. First voting for the streetcar and now this.

Nothing against Skip Kelly, but sometimes something new and fresh, with maybe the same beliefs, is not a bad idea.

Is anyone else thinking what I'm thinking? He might be a good successor when Mick decides to retire.

[LakeEffect]

It seems that when Pettis won it was kind of an unknown, but he's made a couple of moves since election that make me wish he was my councilman instead of Greiner. First voting for the streetcar and now this.

Nothing against Skip Kelly, but sometimes something new and fresh, with maybe the same beliefs, is not a bad idea.

I'm happy to be living in Pettis' ward right now.

[LakeEffect]

Is anyone else thinking what I'm thinking? He might be a good successor when Mick decides to retire.

You're not the first person I've seen/heard suggest this...

[Just the facts]

I was just driving through this area last week. So much urban development potential. Lots of remaining buildings that are pretty urban in nature, and would make a great little district.

Glad to see b4l investing in the area with a new concept.

As far as the Oklahoman article, it doesn't surprise me. The quality of their work has dropped substantially. (Not referring to Steve-- he does good work)

My first thought when I saw this story the other day was what kind of existing building stock do they have and is there a chance to either rebuild or create another traditional neighborhood urban cluster. I really hope there is. My fear is that will give it name which evokes urban development but can in no way deliver it (see Choctaw Town Center). As boitoirich pointed out, the library did put in rear parking even if it did keep the large setback from the street. If they go with a TIF I would love for them to rezone a large portion of this area using the Smart Code instead of sticking with segregated Euclidian zoning.

http://www.smartcodecentral.org/

[LakeEffect]

My first thought when I saw this story the other day was what kind of existing building stock do they have and is there a chance to either rebuild or create another traditional neighborhood urban cluster. I really hope there is. My fear is that will give it name which evokes urban development but can no way deliver it. As boitoirich pointed out, the library did put in rear parking even if it did keep the large setback from the street. If they go with a TIF I would love for them to rezone a large portion of this area using the Smart Code instead of segregated Euclidian zoning.

SmartCode Central

The library didn't "put in" rear parking. They KEPT the rear parking...

[Just the facts]

The library didn't "put in" rear parking. They KEPT the rear parking...

Thanks. I am not up to date on my Ralph Ellison Library history .