Town Center

[bombermwc]

No MWC board would be complete without a discussion about 29th street.

I noticed that Best Buy is definitely there now. You can see the shape on the front coming together to make out that weird sort of angled wall thing they use.

[Lauri101]

Other than the rumored hotel/motel on Mid-America, I couldn't be more thrilled about the way 29th street is shaping up. They've got a long way to go on landscaping and beautification projects, but it's looking good!

The Barnes and Noble deal fell through, because B&N wanted free rent for 5 years, so my hope and dream of a bookstore in EOC are on hold. Too bad the larger bookstores don't realize that we read out here also!

By summer, I can stroll from my house to the courtyard and park, if all goes well.

[bombermwc]

Suck0, I hadn't heard that. That really stinks...maybe they could get a Borders or someone else (not walden's please). Maybe get the first chain location for Full Circle...haha.

[Lauri101]

...maybe they could get a Borders or someone else (not walden's please). Maybe get the first chain location for Full Circle...haha.

From your lips to the book god's ears!

[billinvegas]

Wow,

it's been about 10 years since I've been in the MWC / OKC area (born and raised in MWC)

the news about the development on 29th is intriguing, not much there when I left some time back...

is there anyplace I can go (on the net) to see any current photos of the area?

thx

Bill

[bombermwc]

about as good as you can get is the city's chamber site. Welcome to the Midwest City Chamber of Commerce Website! go to economic development and then Town Center. They are keeping most information from the public so you can't see much.

I would say it's worth the drive out to see it because it completely changes the face of MWC on I-40.

[Lauri101]

I don't know why MWC is keeping this so hidden, but when I "googled" it, the site above is about it. Since the "site plan" only gives parcels without business names, it really is hard to conceptualize without looking at it.

The MWC Sun has published several architect drawings showing the landscaping planned. There will be a walking trail, park and trees. Too bad they had to take out all the beautiful old trees that were there, but I guess it would have been too hard to put in the infrastructure and work around the trees. I did look on the Sun website, but the drawings aren't available in archives.

A bookstore is still on my wish list!

[bombermwc]

I spent lots of cash down there this weekend and noticed that JC Penny has all of its walls now. It came up really fast!

They keep the stuff on the down low because that's what the businesses coming in want. They don't want to advertise and tell everyone that a certain business is coming in only to have it leave...like B&N. I say screws to B&N now....you know I have never eaten at Cracker Barrel again since they decided to leave MWC after the tornado. Hmm I must hold corporate grudges.

[Lauri101]

Same here for CB - too funny!

B&N has never been my favorite anyway, so they'll be off my list for good.

I read something about Books-A-Million considering the area, but haven't heard anything lately.

I think some of the marketing folks for these big businesses are not looking at the demographics of eastern OK county. There are plenty of people who drive pass the 29th and Air Depot area daily who have college educations and steady jobs with disposable income!

[bombermwc]

Yeah I had heard something about a books a million too. It's a good place, I'd love to have them. They are just like B&N or Borders...just another player. It's like Chili's Applebees, TGIF, etc....just a different twist on the same theme.

I bought a few cookbooks at one in St. Louis last year.

[soonerfaithful]

I am so looking forward to the Chick Fil-A that is going in on 29th. I never go to Heritage anymore so to have a Chick Fil-A so close to my house I'm counting down.
We're also hoping about a bookstore over there somewhere. Since Waldenbooks is closing in the mall that leaves us with nothing. I'm joining the rest of you in hoping that it will happen.

[bombermwc]

I'm excited about Chik-Fil-A too. It's so much nicer not having to go in a mall to go in one. I haven't been to one in years because I hardly ever go in malls anymore...especially Heritage. I'm been to the free standing Chik-Fil-A's before and really like it a lot better. You get th emore updated look and the convenience of being able to walk right in just like every other place. Plus they save a LOT on rent.

One more thing that kills Heritage piece by piece.

[soonerfaithful]

Did anyone read the article in Saturday's business section of the Oklahoman?


Still no mention of a bookstore.

[Lauri101]

Did anyone read the article in Saturday's business section of the Oklahoman?

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Still no mention of a bookstore.

I saw it - so far, it doesn't appear we'll have one.

Maybe, after Hastings got so little business, they think we don't read in EOC.

On the bright side, Town Center is coming along very nicely!

[BaconCheeseburgerDeluxe]

I think it is time for MWC to become a college town.

If I were official with MWC, I would convince Rose State to become a full-fledged four-year college with student dorms on site. The school could cater to the students who could not afford schools like OU and OSU but had reasonable grades and test scores. The campus would only have to grow by 20 or 30%. Not to mention it would get rid of some of the eyesore businesses along I-40.

The Edmond businesses around UCO do fairly well. I would like to believe MWC would be able to pull off the same thing.

In the end, you would have more college graduates in Oklahoma. MWC would see more money in the form of retail and hotels. Parents from all over central Oklahoma would eat it up because; they could send their kid to a good school at an affordable price and still keep an eye on them.

Make Rose State a full-fledged college and you will get your Barnes and Noble in a heartbeat.

[SpectralMourning]

I am loving this development. As a current student at RSC for now, I keep screwing around in the Town Center on my really long break. It's just enjoyable with a nice atmosphere.

I had the same thought of RSC becoming a four-year institution but I'm not sure if they have the money for it. I'm sure if they had the capability, they'd ED the surrounding neighborhoods and build on from there. Either way MWC has extreme potential to create quite a metro "powerhouse" through that triangle of the Town Center, RSC, and Tinker AFB. I suppose you could count Reno as well.

[bombermwc]

I think that's really up to the state whether or not they move to 4 year. I think it currectly serves a wonderful purpose and is a really great academic institution. If you do turn 4 year, there are many things that become much more complicated and I don't know that the school would remain as flexible as it is now. Becoming 4 years means a whole other bag of rules and junk....and a lot more $$$...ie higher tuition.

[soonerfaithful]

There has been talk for years about turning Rose into a 4 year school. It's always been decided against.
I think the two year is perfect. We don't have many 2 year colleges left. It helps a group of people that might not be able to go to college otherwise.

[bombermwc]

Agreed. I think it serves it's purpose amazingly well. Students get opportunities they don't get in 4 year institutions because of the more relaxed atmosphere of "majors" or whatever, and they get an excellent education from the talented instructors. Maybe a lot of people don't realize how many professors at Rose and OCCC are either part-timing from their jobs at other universities or are retired from those places. Or, that the other professors are just down right good teachers. I took a few classes there while I was in college, and I was just as happy with the education I received in my Rose classes as I was at my own college.

[traemac]

does anyone know the new restaurant they are building next to old chicago?

[BaconCheeseburgerDeluxe]

There has been talk for years about turning Rose into a 4 year school. It's always been decided against.
I think the two year is perfect. We don't have many 2 year colleges left. It helps a group of people that might not be able to go to college otherwise.

They could still offer the two year degrees. The two degree students could even live on campus. I was just stating that adding a full fledged university would help MWC grow their economy.

I think you get that relaxed atmosphere at most of the smaller schools. I am attending classes at OSU-OKC. Some my classmates are also students at SWOSU. They tell me SWOSU Profressors and the overall atmoshpere of the school is just like OSU-OKC.

I like the small schools because you have professors that are working in your feild of study that can relate recent real world expierence. The professors are not people who have been out of the loop for 10 or 20 years like you would find at OU and in OSU-Stillwater.

OSU-OKC is already offering 4 year programs in several areas.

[foodiefan]

Hmmm. . .opening a can of worms?? How can I say this tactfully. . . "Higher Ed" is (supposed to be??) an elevated learning experience, not an "economic engine."

Stop and count how many higher ed public and private opportunities there are in the metro area. . .Rose, OCCC, Oklahoma Christian, OSU-OKC, SNU, OCU, UCO, OU, plus numerous comercial/smaller schools not mentioned and Stillwater is not that far away!! Also, the "off-site" classes that are offered by many schools.

Perhaps it's time we stop "expanding" and start seriously supporting the institutions that already exist and quit looking for one on every street corner (like McDonald's. . . I really don't think that is quality of education we're seeking. . . )

[jbrown84]

Stop and count how many higher ed public and private opportunities there are in the metro area. . .Rose, OCCC, Oklahoma Christian, OSU-OKC, SNU, OCU, UCO, OU, plus

OBU, OBU-OKC...




Is the Penney's only going to be 1 floor?

[bombermwc]

You know, I can't tell about Penny's. I thought surely it would be 2 because of the size of the building. With the walls up, I can't see anything inside to tell. I think I remember seeing a second floor going in before the front wall went up though. I can't imagine any other reason why they would have put up those gurders midhigh with that metal flashing...like to pour conrete on top of.

If they are convering that building in Moore to a Penny's surely that would be a 2-level as well right? I think it was a hardware store before....that old company that went bankrupt....can't remember the name. Not Builder's Square...more local...something Central in the name for the one in Edmond...argh!

[jbrown84]

Is the Penney's what is going in behind Old Chicago next to Best Buy? It sure looked one story if that's it.