Lumberyard

[OKVision4U]

Good job OKCTALK for digging this up, and kudos to Molly Fleming and the Journal Record for breaking this story!

This is far from a "rumor" as stated by Steve L. We are looking at a significant development either way. They look to be moving with the 2 Mid-Rise Res. Towers as soon as the BLVD is in.

Pete & OKCTalk have been with this one for awhile now.

[David]

Ahh.

Isn't like half the country north of I-40? I'm not really a fan of that idea.

[warreng88]

How about NLB (Not Lower Bricktown) or NIFES (North of I-40(Fourty), East of Shields)?

[CuatrodeMayo]

Tall Cotton?

[OKVision4U]

... Central Park East / Central Park West.

[OKVision4U]

I follow a pretty simple rule for naming things. In my opinion names should reflect one of the following

1) Location
2) Natural/Significant features
3) Origin
4) Use

Good neighborhoods should be 1/4 mile from edge to center with a corridor of some type separating them from other neighborhoods. Likewise, good neighborhoods should not be bisected by corridors unless that corridor serves as the unifying object which the neighborhood is based on (i.e. Automobile Alley)

If you don't like the North40 there are other names as well including Lumberyard, Cotton Seed, and Santa Fe East. Since this area isn't large enough for two neighborhoods one name should cover the whole area.

.. Central Park East / Central Park West ?????

[CuatrodeMayo]

S.O.B.

(South Of the Boulevard)

[warreng88]

S.O.B.

(South Of the Boulevard)

Like.

[jccouger]

Winner.

[soonerguru]

And if it were on the other side of the boulevard it could be NOOB (North of OKC Boulevard).

[kevinpate]

SoSH

South of Stuccoville Hell

[catcherinthewry]

SOBR....South of BRicktown

[bchris02]

SoSH

South of Stuccoville Hell

Like.

How about SoMS. South of Memorial South.

[ljbab728]

For those who aren't Journal subscribers.

Inside Properties’ Lou Christiansen told The Journal Record the company is interested in building a hotel and apartments, with the time frame to be decided once the sale closes. He said if the company continues with the apartment plan, retail space will be built on the first floor of the buildings. The proposal is depicted in a rendering produced by Dallas-based Humphreys and Partners Architects.

He said there are no plans for a speculative office tower.

[LocoAko]

S.O.B.

(South Of the Boulevard)

Not SoBo?

[OKCisOK4me]

We're brainstorming for the company (if this development is real) so let's come up with something good...like The Lumber Yard...lol.

[Spartan]

I like North40. It's urban and gritty in an Okie way.

[Urbanized]

So...does the developer have a track record of similar development? Or actually ANY development? The Journal Record didn't seem to ask that question. I mean, this would be a BIG project, bigger than even many of the most-seasoned OKC developers could take on.

I have searched online to find any previous successful developments that he might be associated with but can't find anything. I can't find a news item (other than JR article), web article or website (I did find a suburban housing development in the AZ desert that he might be connected to) anything at all, but just couldn't find anything. I know we have some great archivists on here, maybe someone here can find something. Surely he has some major successes under his belt if he intends to take on something so ambitious.

[josh]

This is far from a "rumor" as stated by Steve L. We are looking at a significant development either way. They look to be moving with the 2 Mid-Rise Res. Towers as soon as the BLVD is in.

Pete & OKCTalk have been with this one for awhile now.

I don't think you read the same article as the rest of us.

[Urbanized]

Go do a Google search for "[developer name] + developer" or "[developer name] + development" and/or include "Oklahoma" or "Oklahoma City" for any of the people who are in the development game downtown and you will return dozens of hits for articles, their company websites, LinkedIn profiles, etc.. Here are examples: Gary Brooks, Nick Preftakes, Richard McKown, Richard Tanenbaum, Randy Hogan, Jim Thompson, Marsh Pitman, Ron Bradshaw. John Gilbert (Bomasada/Metropolitan) comes up heavy whether you include OKC or Houston in the search. Even guys who have yet to get a whole lot (or anything) on the ground have quite a bit of coverage in the news media or elsewhere; Chris Johnson, Gary Cotton...

...but when you search "Lou Christiansen developer" and add "Tucson" or "Oklahoma" you get not much of anything except for Journal Record or NewsOK coverage of this purported project, all in the past couple of days. There is a link to a PDF of a statement of qualifications for a Texas construction firm that lists "Lou Christiansen, Jr., Western Land Investments, Tucson AZ" as a "satisfied customer." When I search "Western Land Investments, Tucson, AZ" I get a link to a company that builds homes in a desert subdivision, but no mention of Lou Christiansen. What gives? Does Tucson media not cover developers or projects in their hometown to the extent that OKC does? And what are the projects he is involved with in OKC, which have been alluded to (but not named) in the coverage? You would think someone capable of building the type of development in the rendering would have accumulated a lot of coverage over the years.

This thing just seems like a flip or a fishing expedition to me, but again, I hope I am wrong.

[Just the facts]

.. Central Park East / Central Park West ?????

The only problem with that is the Santa Fe viaduct creates a transportation corridor that separates this area from Central Park. At best Central Park East would be the area from the boulevard south to I-40 and from Robinson to the railroad.

[MFracas84]

I use to live in Tucson and know first hand they do not want development in their city. In fact, when I was there people hated the idea of building a freeway in the city even though you had to drive city streets everywhere. I remember seeing cars with bumper stickers that said "Welcome to Arizona... Now go home".

[pickles]

Go do a Google search for "[developer name] + developer" or "[developer name] + development" and/or include "Oklahoma" or "Oklahoma City" for any of the people who are in the development game downtown and you will return dozens of hits for articles, their company websites, LinkedIn profiles, etc.. Here are examples: Gary Brooks, Nick Preftakes, Richard McKown, Richard Tanenbaum, Randy Hogan, Jim Thompson, Marsh Pitman, Ron Bradshaw. John Gilbert (Bomasada/Metropolitan) comes up heavy whether you include OKC or Houston in the search. Even guys who have yet to get a whole lot (or anything) on the ground have quite a bit of coverage in the news media or elsewhere; Chris Johnson, Gary Cotton...

...but when you search "Lou Christiansen developer" and add "Tucson" or "Oklahoma" you get not much of anything except for Journal Record or NewsOK coverage of this purported project, all in the past couple of days. There is a link to a PDF of a statement of qualifications for a Texas construction firm that lists "Lou Christiansen, Jr., Western Land Investments, Tucson AZ" as a "satisfied customer." When I search "Western Land Investments, Tucson, AZ" I get a link to a company that builds homes in a desert subdivision, but no mention of Lou Christiansen. What gives? Does Tucson media not cover developers or projects in their hometown to the extent that OKC does? And what are the projects he is involved with in OKC, which have been alluded to (but not named) in the coverage? You would think someone capable of building the type of development in the rendering would have accumulated a lot of coverage over the years.

This thing just seems like a flip or a fishing expedition to me, but again, I hope I am wrong.

I think most here have gathered that this isn't being floated by an established developer, not one who has ever been part of a project of this magnitude at least.

[Urbanized]

Really? Because here are the bulk of the posts on this page besides the ones debating name options. Josh is the only poster who seems to question the legitimacy of the development.

I'm glad to learn there's something behind this rumor.

So this thing has a pulse?

*fingers crossed*

OKCTalk with another story break, weeks in advance.

Good job OKCTALK for digging this up, and kudos to Molly Fleming and the Journal Record for breaking this story!

This is far from a "rumor" as stated by Steve L. We are looking at a significant development either way. They look to be moving with the 2 Mid-Rise Res. Towers as soon as the BLVD is in.

Pete & OKCTalk have been with this one for awhile now.

[ljbab728]

Here is what I found but it certainly doesn't give much information.

Lou Christensen | Western Land Investments , Inc. | ZoomInfo.com

Western Land - Tucson Arizona Land, Property and Ranches for Sale

This:

http://www.manta.com/c/mtcnpsr/archi...l-elements-llc

lists him as the owner of this company:

http://www.arcelements.com/