Huge mixed used project proposed north of Quail Springs

[Pete]

‘New lifestyle’ developing north of Quail Springs Mall
Homes,upscale retailers, public space envisioned.
Richard Mize Real Estate Editor

Richard Mize: 475-3518, richardmize@oklahoman.com


The hay pasture due north of Quail Springs Mall — an odd neighbor for a big-city regional mall of such vintage — will blossom into a mixed-use, “open air lifestyle community” called Village at Quail Springs if Larry Owsley pulls off his ambitious plan.

Owsley has land in hand — 232 acres he paid $10 million for on Oct. 31, some of which abuts the property line of the 27-year-old mall. At the same time, he lined up $20-plus million in development credit from an Oklahoma lender.

The project, master planned by Carter Burgess, the national civil engineering firm based in Fort Worth, Texas, will go before Oklahoma City planners soon. Owsley said he will seek a planned unit development with a C-3 commercial overlay, which will give him the flexibility required to accomplish his aims.

His vision? A “Main Street” kind of thing, “bigger than Bricktown.”

‘New lifestyle’ for Oklahoma City

He wants to attract upscale retailers not now seen in Oklahoma; homes, including lofts, condominiums and brownstones; a variety of office buildings; a bandstand and amphitheater; a hospitality and conference center, and other features to help make it all a community, not just an array of different kinds of property, such as parks, plazas, trails, a green belt and a public lake.

Real estate development has been a large part of his 32 years in business, but Owsley acknowledged he’d done nothing to this scale. He is president and owner of RCL Mortgage Corp. in Oklahoma City and is working on his latest project under the name of Quail Springs Land Development LLC.

“We were fortunate to have been able to purchase this unique tract of land, located in the heart of the growth area of north Oklahoma City and surrounding communities,” he said. “We intend to create an openair environment, an upscale, urban mixed-use community that we all can be proud of. The Village at Quail Springs will attract retailers and users that are not currently located in Oklahoma. It is time to implement a ‘new lifestyle’ for the Oklahoma City area.”

Leland: ‘This is the spot’

Office growth to the east along Memorial Road and the Kilpatrick Turnpike, housing growth north and west toward Edmond and Deer Creek, and growth in retail traffic around the mall and the Memorial Road corridor in general all bode well for Village at Quail Springs, Owsley said.

Heavily preleasing retail space will get the project off to a sound start, said Carl Edwards, retail specialist and co-managing partner of Price Edwards & Co., the commercial realty firm. Speculative retail construction would be difficult, he said.

“If he can get some national tenants that can draw traffic, he can have some success,” Edwards said. Having the project front NW 150 — as Owsley plans — “would concern me,” Edwards said. However, he added, “synergisms with traffic around the mall, generally speaking, that’s a pretty good deal.”

Owsley said he has no doubts about the location, especially with NW 150, one mile north of Memorial, being widened. He plans seven entrances from NW 150.

Leland Consulting, the Portland, Ore.-based national real estate research group, “said this is it,” Owsley said, “the target point, the major traffic area of the northwest Oklahoma City area. This is the spot.”

Bumper-to-bumper

cars?

The mall area already is the spot, judging from the traffic — and traffic congestion. Owsley said he’s working on dealing with the Catch-22: Heavy traffic is good for business, but a reputation for traffic jams can keep people away from an area.

“The potential increase in traffic is always an item for evaluation,” Owsley said. “The Pennsylvania/Memorial and May/Memorial intersections are of great concern. A traffic study group is analyzing the current traffic count and projected traffic flow based on the increase that the development might create. Suggestions will then be made regarding the flow of traffic away from these two highly congested areas (to) direct a much higher flow of traffic arriving and departing from the north, east and west.”

“Our goal is to create a great people place and community, in which people can gather to eat, visit, shop, work and play in a friendly, relaxed and safe environment,” he said. “We want to be good neighbors.”

[metro]

“We intend to create an openair environment, an upscale, urban mixed-use community that we all can be proud of. The Village at Quail Springs will attract retailers and users that are not currently located in Oklahoma. It is time to implement a ‘new lifestyle’ for the Oklahoma City area.”

Is this guy dilusional? Urban?? Sounds pretty SUBURBAN if you ask me. Yes, it probably has a good chance of making it do to all the suburbanites, but they do have a point about the crazy traffic it will generate in addition to what is already around the mall. Not sure either about what this "new lifestyle" will be for Oklahoma. I thought downtown was creating that live/work/play lifestyle quite well myself.

[Karried]

Owsley said he will seek a planned unit development with a C-3 commercial overlay, which will give him the flexibility required to accomplish his aims.

His vision? A “Main Street” kind of thing, “bigger than Bricktown.”

What do you mean, sounds Suburban, Metro? I didn't get that impression, what is making you think that?

I think it is impressive but have to add that I am worried about the traffic. The area is already really congested especially during the holidays. I live nearby and we have more than enough retail and eating establishments.. but still, I think it will bode well for property values. I'm looking forward to hearing more about it.

[BDP]

Hey, at least he has a plan.

I guess it's "urban" in the way that some areas of LA are. It'll still be car driven and it's way away from the city's center, but if he pulls off the mix of services, it will certainly be more urban than bricktown and, specifically, lower bricktown. I think LA calls them "urban oasises" or "urban destinations". IMO, it's sounds exactly what should have been done south of Reno and around bricktown.

It's a way for suburbanites to play urban for a few hours. It does sound like something new to OKC and especially Edmond.

[brianinok]

Sounds like the mixed use area in Plano, just off the Dallas North Tollway. I think the way BDP describes it is accurate.

Legacy In Plano - A Spirit of Community

[writerranger]

BrianInOk, You beat me to it. I was thinking of Legacy the whole time I was reading the article. The whole Legacy plan in Plano has a very urban feel to it. As far as I'm concerned, it's the most exciting thing happening in DFW. Here is a link that gives you an idea of some of the urban residential space in Legacy in Plano.
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[metro]

What do you mean, sounds Suburban, Metro? I didn't get that impression, what is making you think that?

I think it is impressive but have to add that I am worried about the traffic. The area is already really congested especially during the holidays. I live nearby and we have more than enough retail and eating establishments.. but still, I think it will bode well for property values. I'm looking forward to hearing more about it.

It is still somewhat suburban and design, and it's definitely out in the middle of suburban sprawl. It's just going to further create more suburban development and traffic out that way. Yes it is "master planned" and by that I'm not sure if that qualifies it as "urban". The whole concept of live/work/play is the theme for Downtown Inc. and all the development going on downtown. Not sure how this guy thinks his development is going to be any different. He may have retailers that won't be located anywhere else in the city or state, but to flat out say its a new concept to the state of Oklahoma is stretching it in my opinion. The fact that everyone is comparing it to Plano and L.A. should suggest something about suburban development and what most on this site usually suggest we should stay away from being like Dallas or like So. Cal. This isn't a place that young professionals like myself that are committed to downtown and inner city revitalization are going to visit frequently. Stuff like this is designed for the professionals that live in the burbs and want a "urban oasis" near the burbs. This type of development is what Hogan claims he is trying to do for Lower Bricktown but failed at. And that fact that he's only spending $30 million on the entire development and can compare that to the almost $1 billion that has gone into downtown/Bricktown the last few years is ridiculous. That's just my two cents.

Don't get me wrong, I welcome this development to OKC as it will fulfill a niche, its just that some of the claims are a bit stretched. This is a similar development to what is proposed at UNP in Norman and the new development going in on Covell Rd. and I-35.

[Karried]

Oh, I see what you mean... Suburban area trying too hard to be Urban?

I've always been a little fuzzy on what defines urban/suburban.
I think a lot of it has to do with where you are in your life.. life stages maybe.. Urban is cool and exciting and fun and a lot of younger 'hip' people love to be in the midst of that excitement.. inner city hustle and bustle, clubs, condos and apartments where maybe Suburban is convenient and predictable and a safe haven for raising a family, schools, soccer fields, chain restaurants, custom homes with yards and SUV's ...

I play 'urban' all the time and drive 20 min South to have fun in Bricktown.. I guess it would be nice to drive only 5 minutes but I love to sit at a table with a cocktail, on the canal and people watch in Bricktown.

Well, regardless, I'm happy to see the development coming in and hope he lives up to the 'hype' surrounding the project. Urban or not.. it will improve upon the empty field :-)

[metro]

Exactly, I think you're now getting my point Karried. Suburban trying to be urban, taking some "hip urban aspects" and carbon copying them in a cornfield in the suburbs. As I mentioned it's only going to create further suburban development around it. To an extent, I do agree with you in respects to life stage. This development is designed for the suburban family that wants a "safe master planned community" if there is such a thing. Or at least it creates that illusion as far as I'm concerned.

Downtown/Midtown or the real "urban" environment is not just for young yuppies, there are a lot of new couples and families starting up, as well as a lot of empty nesters (hence the high dollar developments going up first). In fact, downtown is fixing to start groundbreaking here in the coming year or so on the first new elementary school in or near the downtown area for all the new residents.There is no "safe" area as Edmond and high income areas have crime too. It is just more masked in the illusion of suburbia. As I stated, I am still all for the development and welcome it to OKC, as to being new concept to OK and urban, again, I'm not so sure that is an accurate statement.

[Patrick]

I honestly don't see how this will be any different than the town center planned for Edmond, the new retail "mall" planned for Norman along I-35, etc. And just because this area will have Brownstones, townhomes, etc., doesn't mean it will be urban. I live in a townhome off May Ave. and Hefner and I live nowhere close to an urban environment.

This area will be surrounded by a Home Depot on one side, and a mega mall on the other side.

Unless they're putting 20+ story office buildings up, I don't really consider it urban.

Urban means density, and I don't see any density in those plans. Looks pretty spread out across a corn field to me.

[Patrick]

Also, remember, people, when they buy land, always have lofty dreams. Much of the time, they never happen.

[metro]

Thank you Patrick for agreeing with me. As I say, it's a welcome addition but an "illusion" to what it really is.

[jbrown84]

Malibu, what is the color coding on that map?


This is how I see it: That area is going to continue to grow and that huge piece of empty land was going to be developed. (in fact I just was noticing it the other day and wondering why it was still undeveloped). I would much rather it be something like this--something semi-urban and mixed use--than just another subdivision with houses that all look exactly alike or another strip mall like we have across the Kilpatrick. If this looks anything like The Legacy or the masterplanned area of The Woodlands, TX or some of the developments I've seen myself in Houston, then this will be a welcome addition in my book. It may not be the kind of thing that attracts you, but there is certainly a large niche of people that would be impressed by it.

But I do agree this isn't exactly an original idea for OKC.

[BDP]

This isn't a place that young professionals like myself that are committed to downtown and inner city revitalization are going to visit frequently. Stuff like this is designed for the professionals that live in the burbs and want a "urban oasis" near the burbs.

I agree. I can't see myself ever having any reason to visit there, but, like you said, if he pulls it off it will be better and maybe more urban in design than what Hogan has done.

I've always been a little fuzzy on what defines urban/suburban.

Urban is usually defined by density and not just density of residents, but services as well. It is pedestrian based and served by mass transit. Most of the setbacks are at the street and developments are not dominated by parking lots.

In the end this place probably won't be big enough to create a real urban lifestyle where parking lots and cars are not needed. No matter its mix or density it is still going to be surrounded by the epitome of suburbia, but it can probably pull off a kind of "urbanland" Disney type attraction in the middle of suburbia that will have a high degree of novelty for the locals, I imagine.

Urban is cool and exciting and fun and a lot of younger 'hip' people love to be in the midst of that excitement.. inner city hustle and bustle, clubs, condos and apartments where maybe Suburban is convenient and predictable and a safe haven for raising a family, schools, soccer fields, chain restaurants, custom homes with yards and SUV's ...

I think that's how they're marketed and is probably the general impression of people who haven't lived in an urban setting. While many urban areas are dominated by young people, there is no lack of families or empty nesters. In fact, the latter dominates many new condo sales in urban areas. Urban areas are more neighborhood and community minded than most suburban cities, as they are more interactive whereas suburban communities tend to focus on isolation.

Having lived in an urban city and Oklahoma City, I can honestly say that urban living is way more convenient than suburban living. The fact that you can walk less than a block and meet most of your immediate needs makes it more convenient than anywhere in Oklahoma City. Within ten blocks you usually have a wide variety of services and restaurants and you never have to deal with traffic, parking, or congestion. Beyond that public transit can generally connect you to just about anything you could ever want within 20 minutes.

And suburban living being safer than urban living is definitely a myth. New York was just named the safest large city in America by the FBI and that city and San Francisco are often rated in the top ten safest cities over 500k in the country. Crime is usually more the result of income demographics. Since many urban areas of the country have seen exponential growth in property value and cost of living, many have outpaced suburban cities in the reductiom of crime.

Probably the biggest difference between the two is the car and isolation. Urban developments tend to focus on pedestrian traffic and suburban ones revolve around driving and parking. Surburban is about putting as much space between peeople and services, while urban is usually about bringing them together. So, this place may come off as urban on a micro scale, it won't be able to ignore its suburban surroundings.

[brianinok]

I am going to echo a few comments already on here, and maybe some others not mentioned here yet.

- That land was going to be developed eventually, just look at the location.
- Despite what many of you would like to admit, all cities have suburban areas attached to them. Some just don't have it in their city limits like OKC (this is partially to do with OKC's huge city limits). Even NYC and LA have suburbs, and that is okay. Everyone doesn't have to live in an urban setting.
- As the urban areas grow, the suburban areas will grow, too. Like it or not, some people like to live in that area.
- Since that land is going to be developed as something, this appears to be the best we could get. True urban is too cost-prohibitive for this area. But, we should be thankful it isn't going to be a regular subdivision or a regular strip mall. Face it: this is the best we could hope for in that area.

[Karried]

Surburban is about putting as much space between people and services, while urban is usually about bringing them together. So, this place may come off as urban on a micro scale, it won't be able to ignore its suburban surroundings.

Yes, that makes sense.

I was born and raised in the Bay Area of San Francisco, only moved to OK a few years ago..

San Francisco may be the epitome of an urban lifestyle but for many of us who have been there often, (speaking for myself and friends in the Bay Area), we wouldn't want to raise a family there. There are many, many places where it is frightening, places where you have to walk over homeless drunks/addicts laying on the sidewalk, houses are all on top of one another, neighbor sneezes and the other says bless you, in the next house ... It's a beautiful, gorgeous area but it does have plenty of crime problems and homeless issues.

Urban = no cars? I'm not so sure about that. Traffic in New York or San Francisco is atrocious. Yeah, there is pedestrian traffic but plenty of pedestrian fatalities ( because of all the traffic), too.

I can see professionals, couples and empty nesters wanting to live in a true urban city..I think it would be exciting and vibrant.. in the center of all the action, but, honestly, I can't see raising children or a large family in an apartment or condo in SF or Bricktown either .. I love my kids but I love the space that a house in the suburbs brings too, lol - the ability to send them out to play in the backyard is invaluable to me :-) .. and having a center such as the one described above will be a bonus since it's only a few minutes away.... but that is what makes the world go around..we all like different lifestyles.

[BDP]

Urban = no cars?

I didn't say that. However, urban area are not developed with the car as the focus, which is part of the reason there is so much car congestion, actually. In urban areas you can get around without a car and can often get what you need with a short walk.

San Francisco may be the epitome of an urban lifestyle but for many of us who have been there often, (speaking for myself and friends in the Bay Area), we wouldn't want to raise a family there. There are many, many places where it is frightening, places where you have to walk over homeless drunks/addicts laying on the sidewalk, houses are all on top of one another, neighbor sneezes and the other says bless you, in the next house

There are areas of any city like that. Having lived in San Francisco, I would have no problem rasing a family there (and I know people who are raising families there and people who were raised there). It's a well educated, diverse area with a good standard of living. Of course, I'm not going to raise him in the tenderloin, the Mission, or out on Market street just as I would not want to raise him in many parts of Oklahoma City, but SF is consitently rated a safe city to live in and I think the benefits of raising my son there would be many fold for him. I actually have a lot of conerns about rasing him in Oklahoma City and often comtemplate a move to a different environment. It's just a matter of wieghing opportunities and desires, I guess.

[Karried]

Actually, you're talking to someone who can't hear a Journey song ( Lights ) without getting a huge lump in my throat.. so trust me, I can relate to how you feel about the city and the area in general.. there are times I miss it so much, my heart aches..

Sorry about the off topic ... regardless of how we feel about the 'burbs' I guess maybe we can agree that we all choose different areas in which to live that suits us at the time

[BDP]

"I want to get back to my City by the bay"

Oh no doubt about living to what suits you at the time. I wasn't trying to run down the suburbs as much as just counter some of the myths of urban living, like that it's not as safe or that it's less convenient. It can be safer and it can be more convenient, but that is in no way universal. Every city has it's rough spots and one should always be aware of their surroundings, but i'd say most people's sense of safety is usually not in line with their actual safety. For example, I lived in CA (including a fairly seedy area of LA) for more than 8 years and it took moving back to OKC before I ever got robbed.

Anywho, I don't see this project as really being any kind of negative. As pointed out above, it's going to be developed some day and this sounds like an interesting way to do it. I don't see myself making the trek up there, unless they pull off some real retailing coup, but it will provide a nice option for someone wanting suburban life, but also have some services to walk to.

[Pete]

Open-air mall planned for north OKC
by Kelley Chambers
The Journal Record
1/26/2007

OKLAHOMA CITY – An Oklahoma City developer has secured more than 230 acres of land to build a $500 million to $800 million development for retail, office and residential use.

Larry Owsley, of RCL Mortgage Corp., said plans have been in the works for more than a year to build an open-air lifestyle center just north of Quail Springs Mall.

“I am fortunate to have been able to purchase this unique tract of land located in the heart of the growth area of north Oklahoma City and surrounding communities,” Owsley said. “I intend to create an environment that we all can be proud of and enjoy – a true destination point in an upscale, urban mixed-use environment.”

Owsley said the concept is similar to the open-air shopping center The Shops at Legacy in Plano, Texas. The new project has been dubbed the Village at Quail Springs.

Plans call for luring upscale retailers including boutique-style stores, possible high-end department stores, a specialty grocery store and possibly an art house theater. A hotel and conference center is planned for the center of the site. Owsley said he has been working with Oklahoma City, Edmond and General Growth Properties, the owners of Quail Springs Mall, to work out a plan that would benefit all of the parties.

One concern in the area is traffic flow. The area in front of Quail Springs along Memorial Road is often clogged with traffic at the intersections of Pennsylvania and May avenues.

Owsley said a traffic study has been completed as well as work with the Oklahoma City Planning Department to find ways to handle the increased traffic in the area and ensure smoother flowing traffic on and off Memorial Road and north toward the new development.

On the land surrounding the proposed retail core, Owsley said there will be space for office complexes as well as multi-level mixed-use buildings that can offer retail, office and condo space all in the same building.

While the master design is still being tweaked, Owsley said a final design should be completed in the next three to four months and work on the project could begin in the next six to 12 months.

Owsley said he has been in talks with potential retailers and hopes to conclude deals in coming months so that he can announce the names of the new retail tenants.

[jbrown84]

Plans call for luring upscale retailers including boutique-style stores, possible high-end department stores, a specialty grocery store and possibly an art house theater.

Yes yes yes! The Shops at Legacy has an Angelika, so maybe that's what he's trying to land.

[Pete]

How many developments like this can the Metro support?

We have this one, University North Park in Norman, the I-35 & Covell project...

The one at QS makes the most sense in terms of location but I'm still not convinced any of these are going to fly.

[jbrown84]

Well, UNP can be taken off the list as it is now clear it won't be bringing anything new to the market.

[kmf563]

Unless something really exciting and fantastic is going in those office buildings, I don't see it being anything to jump for joy over. There are plenty of office parks along memorial and frankly they don't excite me. And as far as ensuring the traffic will flow smoothly - ha! good luck. I live at memorial and western...I take the turnpike to get to memorial and penn. Yes, it's that horrendous. And forget May, I don't attempt it now unless I have an hour to spare to get one mile down the road. As far as having something within walking distance, I think we are all forgetting that Edmonites do not walk unless they absolutely have to. Seriously, I have seen my neighbors drive to their mailbox!

[jbrown84]

I don't think this is primarily an office park, kmf563.