OG&E Energy Center

[bombermwc]

it's been a while since we talked about the actual construction topics on this one....anyone have any updates on where we stand as far as seeing something happen here?

[Pete]

Clayco and the City are still trying to reach agreement on TIF funds.

A new TIF has been proposed to help feed this project and the convention hotel and garage. I suspect that the Clayco negotiations can only go so far under the location for those are resolved.

[Stickman]

Was told they have sent out notices to land owners for land valuations. The key word I believe is "blighted".

[Just the facts]

Funny how land across the street from 1 of 6 finalist for the International Urban Park of the Year award, cattie-corner to a $750 million corporate headquarters, and next door to OKC's prize elementary school is 'blighted'. By that standard is there not a single un-blighted plot of ground in all of OKC?

[soonerwilliam]

That's what I was looking for. Thanks so much.

[Pete]

Funny how land across the street from 1 of 6 finalist for the International Urban Park of the Year award, cattie-corner to a $750 million corporate headquarters, and next door to OKC's prize elementary school is 'blighted'. By that standard is there not a single un-blighted plot of ground in all of OKC?

In the town hall meeting about TIF's, it was mentioned that one city defined a mall as blighted because it didn't have a Nordstrom.

You can get around the blight requirement for TIF's for virtually anywhere, which is one of the reason it's been abused.

[Just the facts]

In the town hall meeting about TIF's, it was mentioned that one city defined a mall as blighted because it didn't have a Nordstrom.

You can get around the blight requirement for TIF's for virtually anywhere, which is one of the reason it's been abused.

So all of OKC is blighted then. I shouldn't have been surprised considering we had to pay an outlet mall to locate here.

[Rover]

So all of OKC is blighted then. I shouldn't have been surprised considering we had to pay an outlet mall to locate here.

I believe Pete was noting what OTHER cities have done also and how easy it is to get a blighted definition to skew TIFs. However, your continued sniping at OKC is noted. Someday, I hope you actually see something positive here instead of just taking pot shots.

[Just the facts]

I believe Pete was noting what OTHER cities have done also and how easy it is to get a blighted definition to skew TIFs. However, your continued sniping at OKC is noted. Someday, I hope you actually see something positive here instead of just taking pot shots.

Please Rover. I am not the one saying the most prime piece of real estate is blighted. I am arguing it's not blighted. Honestly, you might want to find a new hobby.

[OkieNate]

Please Rover. I am not the one saying the most prime piece of real estate is blighted. I am arguing it's not blighted. Honestly, you might want to find a new hobby.

The irony!!! Im sure this will get deleted, but JTF telling anyone to find a new hobby when I can't come in here and see a page without his black cloud floating around it is laughable. Maybe you both should find new hobbies so people can come on here and enjoy it again.

[Anonymous.]

I, for one, enjoy the contributions of all people that are passionate enough about Urban Planning in OKC to come on this forum and participate.

The more people that care and are aware - the more we can improve.

[Just the facts]

OkieNate - there is an ignore feature.

[zookeeper]

I, for one, enjoy the contributions of all people that are passionate enough about Urban Planning in OKC to come on this forum and participate.

The more people that care and are aware - the more we can improve.

I agree. Those that only want an echo chamber would render this forum useless.

[OkieNate]

OkieNate - there is an ignore feature.

I don't want to censor you because I have seen informative and wise ideas from you. Just wish you'd go back to that...

[Architect2010]

Please Rover. I am not the one saying the most prime piece of real estate is blighted. I am arguing it's not blighted. Honestly, you might want to find a new hobby.

But just to clarify where people may have gotten confused:

So all of OKC is blighted then. I shouldn't have been surprised considering we had to pay an outlet mall to locate here.

I'll be honest, I picked up on the facetious nature of your post and I'm sure others did as well, but that can be easily overlooked without verbal tone to communicate your intention. Otherwise it comes off as well, "continued sniping." Remember that we all converse on this board through the realm of text. Sometimes it's easier to leave out literary devices that require tone to decipher... although the board would certainly be less entertaining...Carry on!

[Bellaboo]

So all of OKC is blighted then. I shouldn't have been surprised considering we had to pay an outlet mall to locate here.

If you look at all of the new developments that has or is locating there because of the outlet mall, I'd say the infrastructure upgrade was well worth it.

[Just the facts]

But just to clarify where people may have gotten confused:

I'll be honest, I picked up on the facetious nature of your post and I'm sure others did as well, but that can be easily overlooked without verbal tone to communicate your intention. Otherwise it comes off as well, "continued sniping." Remember that we all converse on this board through the realm of text. Sometimes it's easier to leave out literary devices that require tone to decipher... although the board would certainly be less entertaining...Carry on!

That is one of the draw backs of message boards. To understand what I was saying one had to read the 10 previous posts. What makes this a little frustrating is that I was actually defending OKC against those who try to use 'blight' loophole to pocket taxpayer money, but Rover came along and took it out of context (which he always does by the way) and we get side tracked into this kind of stuff.

Maybe I should take my own advice and put Rover on ignore. Then I wouldn't get sucked into this non-sense.

[hoya]

Rover's got good stuff to say. You two just can't stand each other so if you talk about the same topic, you always end up arguing.

[bombermwc]

I still have this saved in a tab on my phone.

Someone should put these into the diagram on skyscraperpage.com !


And to all the mudslingers, the differing's of opinions are what make forums such an interesting place to "discuss" things (hopefully like grown-ups). Spartan and I had quite a stint of this sort of back-and-forth for quite some time, but we have both moved on and can discuss things like adults. The key point to remember in any forum like this is that your opinion (like anything else in the world) is NOT the only one and just because it's yours, doesn't make it the all-knowing opinion. Sometimes those off-the-wall crazy comments help to balance out those on the other end of the spectrum. So while some people might look at JTF and do a facepalm (and I'm quite often one of them), that doesn't mean that he doesn't bring something to the conversation. There may be plenty viewers that aren't necessarily participators that feel the same way about Rover, Pete, Me, etc.

Personally, I've started to roll my eyes when I see something come from Lackemeyer these days. Mostly that's because we've already discussed something quite a bit by the time it makes it to the Jokelahoman. But he's also able to get that information to a much higher percentage of the population than we ever can hope to. So his contribution to the discussion is immeasurable from that perspective.

I don't always practice this, but a good rule of thumb....write the reply 2 or 3 times before you hit submit.....and don't do it as soon as you read the message above. You'll be amazed at how your tone and content change after that.

[UnFrSaKn]

Perhaps if we knew the other towers would be built as proposed.

[Laramie]

I believe Pete was noting what OTHER cities have done also and how easy it is to get a blighted definition to skew TIFs. However, your continued sniping at OKC is noted. Someday, I hope you actually see something positive here instead of just taking pot shots.

Definitely remember Kerry Decker when he lived here in OKC; he was my inspiration about the future of our city. Met him at the old downtown library at a makeshift transportation meeting where many of us (Hot Rod, David, Rob & others) were fascinated about the potential for the Street Cars return to OKC. Remember his ambassadorship for OKC on other forums like Oregon Live (Portland Forest Dragons AFL) & Seattle Times (Supersonics NBA).

Now, JTF does post some positive things; he brings us those thought-provoking questions. His experiences in other places has brought him a new brand of his vision for OKC--definitely understand his position. My parents taught me to weight the good in people.

Appreciate the "posters' hunger" for OKC to catch up with the other cities developmentally, the potential is there. You must realize that our city was growth neglected for so long; it will not be a FedEx overnight moment to preserve, fix & develop Oklahoma City.

[Canoe]

They need to spray the new downtown pond for mosquitoes.

[Architect2010]

They need to spray the new downtown pond for mosquitoes.

For a second I thought you were referring to the Myriad Gardens. XD

[bchris02]

Anybody know when we can expect to find out more about this? Are things still happening behind the scenes or is this project pretty much stalled out?

[hoya]

Anybody know when we can expect to find out more about this? Are things still happening behind the scenes or is this project pretty much stalled out?

I'd anticipate that we won't hear anything until the convention center issue is decided. Remember that now they're considering the south parcel as a site for the convention hotel, and it's the expected choice. That really alters ClayCo's position as far as the 4 theoretical towers go. My guess is they try to resolve all of that with one big deal.