Taft Stadium

[BB37]

I've looked at the plans. The first row of columns parallel to the WPA wall and about 15 feet to the west of the wall will remain. (As will the ticket booth building in the center area of the wall and between the wall and that row of columns, formerly below some of the seating.) The columns get backed up with new 2.5 foot by 5 foot thick concrete buttresses from ground level to about 10 or 15 feet below the top of the wall and beams will be added at the top of the buttresses back to the wall. The old raker beams (sawtooth beams running up at an angle that used to support the seating) will remain way up high between the columns backed up by the buttresses and the old wall. Everything west of those buttresses goes away after the buttresses cure...columns, raker beams etc, and the new seating will be 100% new construction in that space.

Thanks for the info. I've been very curious about how they planned to support the wall.

[UnFrSaKn]

Energy FC unveil plan for Taft Stadium Seating

Energy FC

[warreng88]

We live at 21st and May and I was talking to my wife about how the Energy games are selling. She was worried about overflow parking once they start playing at Taft running in to our neighborhood. I told her with the parking in front of the stadium and NW Classen, I seriously doubt we will see parking flow south of 23rd and east of May unless it is just people visiting friends who live in the neighborhood and walking from there.

I was thinking about it and I couldn't come up with a good bar in the area for pregaming. Anyone have any idea?

[Urbanized]

Bali Hai?

[warreng88]

Bali Hai?

Not a bad idea, but I was thinking more of a place you can park at, get a drink and then walk to the stadium, kind of like the Speakeasy. If someone was smart, they would open one this year understanding it will get busier next year when the games are there.

[NWOKCGuy]

Aren't we kind of limited on being able to open a bar near the stadium with Taft and NW Classen being so close? It would have to be a bar south of 23rd to keep it within walking distance.

[bombermwc]

Question, the Energy renderings cover the track. Are they planning on pulling stuff out each game to cover the track for those things, or are they considering removing it? I'd have a major problem with removing it after the renovation would have just put it in. The stadium is first, for OCPS and Energy is secondary. I absolutely do not want a soccer field taking over this place from the schools. So Energy needs to be OK with the primary lines being for football and not soccer. We didn't wait 50 years for Taft to finally get renovated with MAPs money, so a pro team could usurp it. And what happened to them building their own place somewhere with room to expand up to 20k later?

[warreng88]

Aren't we kind of limited on being able to open a bar near the stadium with Taft and NW Classen being so close? It would have to be a bar south of 23rd to keep it within walking distance.

I am not sure what the distance limitation is. The 51st Street Speakeasy is less than 500 yards from Bishop McGuinness and they opened after the school, obviously. It would be interesting to know the law on that.

[Urbanized]

300 feet. An ABC-3 (full mixed beverage, no food requirement) must be 300 feet from a school.

[warreng88]

Question, the Energy renderings cover the track. Are they planning on pulling stuff out each game to cover the track for those things, or are they considering removing it? I'd have a major problem with removing it after the renovation would have just put it in. The stadium is first, for OCPS and Energy is secondary. I absolutely do not want a soccer field taking over this place from the schools. So Energy needs to be OK with the primary lines being for football and not soccer. We didn't wait 50 years for Taft to finally get renovated with MAPs money, so a pro team could usurp it. And what happened to them building their own place somewhere with room to expand up to 20k later?

By looking at picture 12 of 12, it looks like something will go over the track for the soccer games. There have been talks of building their own place for room to expand later but the renovations of the stadium were conceived before the Energy was. And just for clarification, MAPS money was not used to renovate the stadium. I believe it was part of the 2007 GO Bond.

[warreng88]

300 feet. An ABC-3 (full mixed beverage, no food requirement) must be 300 feet from a school.

So, that would have to put it either north on like 32nd street or south around 21st or so. There is a bar on the northwest corner of 31st and May that may be outside the distance. Not sure if it is still open or not, but it was a few years ago. 51st Speakeasy might remain the bar and then people just drive over.

[Bullbear]

There is that tiny bar on May at 31st.. years ago was teh copper penny.. it has changed names frequently over the years and currently I believe it is vacant.
I also live at 21st and May and there really aren't bars within walking distance of Taft.

[Mr. Cotter]

The tiny bar was most recently Pugsley's Pub. It's vacant now. I'd love for that site to be leveled, and a Skinny Slims North to put in.

[NWOKCGuy]

It was also a gay bar called the Patio for a while. I loved going there because it was just me and my friends and we had total control of the juke box. LOL

[DammitDan]

If 51st St Speakeasy is the "official" bar for the Energy, I don't see why they can't have a bus driving tipsy fans to and from the stadium, like Iguana does for Thunder games.

[Mr. Cotter]

If 51st St Speakeasy is the "official" bar for the Energy, I don't see why they can't have a bus driving tipsy fans to and from the stadium, like Iguana does for Thunder games.

Uh, because that solution doesn't involve building a nice new bar within walking distance of my house, obviously.

[Bullbear]

Uh, because that solution doesn't involve building a nice new bar within walking distance of my house, obviously.

I agree! We crestwood folks want a nice stumbling I mean walking distance bar.

[NWOKCGuy]

I'm on 19th in Crestwood.

[warreng88]

I'm thinking the building on the SW/C of 21st and May. It has been a tire store and is currently a thrift store. Would make for a great pub.

[Bullbear]

I'm thinking the building on the SW/C of 21st and May. It has been a tire store and is currently a thrift store. Would make for a great pub.

I would be down for that.. and it has an upstairs that is rarely occupied. it could be a two story Pub and a great home bar for the energy.
and super close to the house.

[warreng88]

I would be down for that.. and it has an upstairs that is rarely occupied. it could be a two story Pub and a great home bar for the energy.
and super close to the house.

I could throw a football and hit that place from my front porch.

[Bullbear]

I could throw a football and hit that place from my front porch.

LOL then we must be very close neighbors

[Mel]

I could throw a football and hit that place from my front porch.

Don'tcha mean a futball.

[warreng88]

Don'tcha mean a futball.

Ha!

[bombermwc]

I'll miss the sight lines the old concrete stands had, although my butt won't miss them. Neither will my pants after someone spills their drink behind me.