Connecting downtown to Health Sciences Center

[HOT ROD]

we need urban master plans for OKC in general.

[ljbab728]

Someone needs to figure out something and come up with a solution for this area?

Does Oklahoma City have any 'clue' about the potential this area possesses.

There will be more spin-off firms as the G.E. Global Research Technology Center and the research industry expands & develops.

Umm, I think that is what the planning for an "innovation district" will be all about.

[Laramie]

Umm, I think that is what the planning for an "innovation district" will be all about.

A step in the right direction. What functions will this 'innovation district' have; something that the city will abide by or will it just be another advisory group with gums?

[ChrisHayes]

I drove through that area on 235 just last night and one idea I had, though lofty, was building a wide bridge across 235. Make it like a hundred or couple hundred feet wide and keep enough to put a layer of dirt and maybe a bike/walking path on. The end result would be a short tunnel on 235 and the two districts connected.

[boitoirich]

I drove through that area on 235 just last night and one idea I had, though lofty, was building a wide bridge across 235. Make it like a hundred or couple hundred feet wide and keep enough to put a layer of dirt and maybe a bike/walking path on. The end result would be a short tunnel on 235 and the two districts connected.

His name is CuatroDeMayo. He is the resident badass of OKCTalk
https://andrewkstewart.wordpress.com...ntennial-park/

[sroberts24]

I would rather see Cuatro's idea come to life than Core to Shore! This would be so awesome and truly connect the neighborhoods and expand downtown. I guess it is a fantasy considering the city would have to work with ODOT to ever get this implemented.

[Urbanized]

Not to mention it would probably be a billion dollar project. Maybe some day when our population has tripled. MAPS VII maybe?

[AP]

His name is CuatroDeMayo. He is the resident badass of OKCTalk
https://andrewkstewart.wordpress.com...ntennial-park/

But no longer a resident of OKC

[CuatrodeMayo]

Like many of my ideas (Market Circle, etc), these drawings are created merely to spur conversations, stir the imagination, and suggest change. It's more about the IDEA of spanning the freeway than a an actual, viable, plan for doing so.

[Grant]

Like many of my ideas (Market Circle, etc), these drawings are created merely to spur conversations, stir the imagination, and suggest change. It's more about the IDEA of spanning the freeway than a an actual, viable, plan for doing so.

While we're on the subject (and now slightly off topic), I want to drop in and say how fantastic your Market Circle concept is. Seriously great work there. I absolutely love it. 10/10, would build.

[boitoirich]

Not to mention it would probably be a billion dollar project. Maybe some day when our population has tripled. MAPS VII maybe?

I doubt this would be $1 billion. Klyde Warren Park in Dallas was $100 million for 0.2 miles (cap + park). A Univ. of Texas proposal to cap a one-mile portion of I-35 through downtown Austin is estimated at $550 million. CDM's park would run 0.8 mi., and, using those comps as estimates, could be built for around $450 million.

[stlokc]

In Downtown STL, they are capping one block of interstate highway with park space as part of a larger plan to "connect" the Arch grounds to the heart of Downtown.

St. Louis Gateway Arch Grounds Project | CityArchRiver 2015

The "cap" over the highway looks to be $26 million. The entire project is $250 million.

[Plutonic Panda]

In Downtown STL, they are capping one block of interstate highway with park space as part of a larger plan to "connect" the Arch grounds to the heart of Downtown.

St. Louis Gateway Arch Grounds Project | CityArchRiver 2015

The "cap" over the highway looks to be $26 million. The entire project is $250 million.

WOW WOW WOW!!!

This will be amazing!

Here is direct link to the before and after. When you switch from a picture, you slide the bar above the pic to view what it will be. Very neat and this should really liven up the area!

CityArchRiver 2015 | Slider Gallery

[CuatrodeMayo]

In Downtown STL, they are capping one block of interstate highway with park space as part of a larger plan to "connect" the Arch grounds to the heart of Downtown.

St. Louis Gateway Arch Grounds Project | CityArchRiver 2015

The "cap" over the highway looks to be $26 million. The entire project is $250 million.

This looks incredible (and much-needed). Very cool.

[Laramie]

MAPs has been a godsend for OKC. Now when I look at a city very similar to ours; Omaha comes to mind. They do not have a vehicle like MAPs at their disposal. Yet, the times I have visited Nebraska's largest city, their growth appears modest--getting better. We are growing at a much faster rate.

I've been impressed with their medical center area; especially with the recent cases in the way they have handled the Ebola outbreak.

My brother works at the OU Medical Center (Lab); he's close to his second retirement. They are well-equipped to handle most anything. Especially their trauma center. He has talked with doctors who want the areas' cosmetics advanced. There appears to be some concern with the visionary outlook for that area.

My personal (services from McGee Eye Institute, OU Physicians, OU Family Medicine, Pharmacy) experience in that area as it develops is walkability. Once I use the parking garage, it's pure shoe-leather from there on. I recall how difficult it was for me to get around in that area from Stanton L. Young, 10th & 13th streets.

Omaha seems to have a much better diagram with the way they have planned and coordinated their medical facilities. One my aunts lived there for years, I recall our visit there how similar it was to OKC. University of Oklahoma's expanded medical presence in that area will make the difference.

Just wonder if there's any areas in which MAPs could be incorporated into the OU Medical Center area where it could be a game changer or difference maker connecting downtown.

[ljbab728]

Just wonder if there's any areas in which MAPs could be incorporated into the OU Medical Center area where it could be a game changer or difference maker connecting downtown.

The only way I see that happening with a future MAPS would be with transit.

[Spartan]

Like many of my ideas (Market Circle, etc), these drawings are created merely to spur conversations, stir the imagination, and suggest change. It's more about the IDEA of spanning the freeway than a an actual, viable, plan for doing so.

But it is an actual, viable idea that should be done. Ohio ODOT has recently gotten in the habit of building a lot of urban freeway caps in Cincinnati, Columbus, and Cleveland.

Cincy's freeway separating it from the Ohio River is getting capped:


A series of double caps over 670 in Columbus between Downtown and the Short North



Long Street Cultural Bridge in Columbus connecting downtown and a historically important African American area


South High and Front Street caps connecting downtown and the Brewery District


Innerbelt reconstruction in Cleveland which widens it but eliminated room for exits, so caps are used to create room for exits without tearing down historic buildings


And of course the grand daddy of them all, the Big Dig


LA is getting freeway caps that hide its huge freeways and give it sorely needed greenspace


Chicago is finally capping the Kennedy Expressway


St. Louis should have capped 70 to connect the city to the Arch long ago


Dallas built Klyde Warren Park connecting the Arts District across the Woodall Rogers Freeway


If we didn't have a DOT that was stuck in the stone ages, we would be doing these, too.

[bchris02]

If we didn't have a DOT that was stuck in the stone ages, we would be doing these, too.

That's the thing. As we've seen from the Boulevard discussion, its very difficult to convince ODOT to think outside the box. In your opinion what should be done to change that? I am sure funding is also an issue. The extravagant highway projects being built in large cities in more affluent states likely cost more than ODOT has the ability to spend.

[Plutonic Panda]

But it is an actual, viable idea that should be done. Ohio ODOT has recently gotten in the habit of building a lot of urban freeway caps in Cincinnati, Columbus, and Cleveland.

Cincy's freeway separating it from the Ohio River is getting capped:


A series of double caps over 670 in Columbus between Downtown and the Short North



Long Street Cultural Bridge in Columbus connecting downtown and a historically important African American area


South High and Front Street caps connecting downtown and the Brewery District


Innerbelt reconstruction in Cleveland which widens it but eliminated room for exits, so caps are used to create room for exits without tearing down historic buildings


And of course the grand daddy of them all, the Big Dig


LA is getting freeway caps that hide its huge freeways and give it sorely needed greenspace


Chicago is finally capping the Kennedy Expressway


St. Louis should have capped 70 to connect the city to the Arch long ago


Dallas built Klyde Warren Park connecting the Arts District across the Woodall Rogers Freeway


If we didn't have a DOT that was stuck in the stone ages, we would be doing these, too.

Don't forget, Dallas is also trying either remove or cap Central Expressway.

[mugofbeer]

Only the part between I-30 and Woodall Rogers. Not the entire Central Expressway. From what I read, not much chance of it being removed

[Buffalo Bill]

I am sure funding is also an issue. The extravagant highway projects being built in large cities in more affluent states likely cost more than ODOT has the ability to spend.

Ya think? Boitoi's estimate above represents about 80% of their annual budget. Good luck getting rural legislators, Tulsa, and everyone else to say, yeah we just want to cap 235.

[boitoirich]

If we were able to get it built, the tagline for Centennial Park should be "Sometimes you can fix stupid."

[Spartan]

If we were able to get it built, the tagline for Centennial Park should be "Sometimes you can fix stupid."

Why not, that's exactly what it's about. Urban Renewal freeways were always a messy order of business, and OKDOT shouldn't have built them in the first place if they didn't have the resources for proper mitigation.

I believe Tulsa is generating discussion about freeway caps, so already it sounds like there should be a majority of people in the state wanting one. Klyde Warren Park in Dallas (over Woodall Rogers) was $110MM, which I don't think is too bad, but if that is bad we should look at the Ohio freeway caps which are just bridges extended and reinforced to support a building or a park.

[HOT ROD]

I suspect Tulsa would support a cap if they got one first. lol.

Joke aside, I wonder if a coordinated effort could be launched so that the cap included streetcar connection into the OHC and then overall budgets were consistent. This is where I always argue that OKC needs master planning to guide development and coordinate expenditures.

As an aside: I'm actually surprised that I-40 didn't include a cap for the new Union Park. If it did, you'd truly have a continuous greenspace from the CBD down to the river. While I appreciate the 'statement' that was meant to be made by the pedestrian bridge, you really can't see it too well from the freeway due to all of the bridges blocking it on approach (IMO).

[bchris02]

I would say a cap over I-235 should be a part of MAPS4, but I don't know if the city would have any say in it being that its ODOT property. Would any freeway cap have to be proposed and funded entirely by ODOT? It is a cool idea though and it would be great if there would be a way to make it happen without having to get Tulsa and rural Oklahoma on board.