Aviare (formerly Avana)

[ruok2]

As a complex-neighbor, I can share your sentiment as to the need for a grocery store. I doubt that's happening with our new neighbors.

I'm just excited to see what kind of retail actually goes in -- and I pray that we don't see bail bondsmen setting up shop there.

Another bail bondsmen - now that made me laugh. Unfortunately, it would probably do quite well in that location. Personally, I'd be content with a coffee shop.

The lack of a grocery store is a fairly big deterrent to living downtown. I've tried the Homeland on 18th, but I've found that the smell of fried chicken permeates your clothes after about 2 minutes of being inside. There's really no where convenient to go. Let's hope the new residents at Legacy Summit increase the critical mass towards a legit grocery store.

[Midtowner]

ruok2:

Some say I'm a pretty funny guy when I want to be.

-- but looks aren't everything.

[metro]

I just drove by a few minute ago. Looks to be coming in right on target for early November. (well depending on who you talk to considering it was supposed to be done almot 3 years ago). Anyhow, the Brick is going up now, windows are in, and the retail storefronts are going to be a welcome addition to the Arts Quarter and the west side of downtown. I'm anxious to see who they announce as the first tenants.

[Luke]

I'm anxious to see who they announce as the first tenants.

Indeed.

It'll be great for foot traffic in that area to get more good retail.

Maybe mid/upper class people will outnumber bums on non-show nights at the Civic Center.

[Patrick]

I drove by there a few minutes ago, and I think we're going to be impressed with this development. The apartment buildings will be right on the street like Deep Deuce......as close ot "urban" as we're probably going to get. And they're building the parking garage in the middle of the complex. This is one of the few apartment complexes I know that will have a parking garage. Not bad! And the buildings look pretty classy with the brick going up and all.

I think this will be a nice addition to downtown. We've all been big on Sycamore Square all these years, but these will probably actually be more urban in design than Sycamore, at least the way they'll be set up with parking in the middle in a structured parking format, and retail fronts at the street side.

[Pete]

Glad to hear all this good news.

I've been very worried about this development for quite some time but it sounds like things are looking up.


I personally never liked Sycamore Square because it was a suburban development in an urban environment. IMO this is why it struggled from the word go.

[ChristianConservative]

Glad to hear all this good news.

I've been very worried about this development for quite some time but it sounds like things are looking up.


I personally never liked Sycamore Square because it was a suburban development in an urban environment. IMO this is why it struggled from the word go.

I've also see these apartments in recent days. I would say they're somewhere between Deep Deuce and Sycamore Square. They have angled roof lines like Sycamore Square, which gives a suburban feel, but they're right up against the street, with a parking garage in the middle, which gives an urban feel. I applaud the developers for their use of structured parking. They need to talk to the developer of Lower Bricktown and explain to him what structured parking means!

[Doug Loudenback]

Here are a few updates taken yesterday ...

[The Old Downtown Guy]

It's great to look west down 4th Street and see the project from a little distance filling that former gigantic void. A decent infill development. The overhaul of Walker is coming along as well. Spring '07 will be extra special in OKC.

[metro]

emailed them a week or so ago and just got this response about the latest:

Hello,

Thank you for your inquiry into Legacy At Arts Quarter. We are actually scheduled to open in late January, and feel that is should be the final extension. We are preleasing apartments to move in on February 1st.

Retail tenants that have been confirmed are Bodywerks Fitness Salon opening on January 2nd, and The Velvet Monkey Salon and Boutique, opening on March 1st. We currently have working a coffee shop, a dry cleaners, and a convenience store. These contracts should be finalized within the upcoming weeks.

If you are interested in securing an apartment home for Feb. 1st move-in, please contact me at 605-2787 for more information!

Sincerely,

Kathy Tisland
Director of Marketing
Legacy Communities

[bandnerd]

emailed them a week or so ago and just got this response about the latest:

Wow, I got pretty much the same response. I asked about pricing, and got some specifics, and the lady even offered to give me a hardhat and a tour lol.

I'm excited about the velvet monkey salon going in! I can walk next door to get my hair "did." haha. And if the price is right I can walk to my gym, too. That would so sweet.

[BG918]

Convenience store eh? Maybe a CVS-type store with groceries? They have urban models that are smaller than your typical CVS, something like that would be a great anchor for more residential growth in the Arts District. A coffee shop would be cool as well and would be frequented by residents and downtown office workers.

[jbrown84]

They definitely have the right idea with the retail.

[CuatrodeMayo]

Convenience store eh? Maybe a CVS-type store with groceries? They have urban models that are smaller than your typical CVS, something like that would be a great anchor for more residential growth in the Arts District.

When I was in San Antonio in May they had one of these right on the Paseo del Rio. I thought it was an odd place for a drug store, nevertheless it was a life-saver when you stay on the river for several days. Speaking from experience, I know that a CVS would not only be great for residents, but fabulous for out-of-towners staying downtown.

[BG918]

Exactly, I was in Dallas a few months ago and I wanted some pop so I walked down the street to the "urban" CVS. Something like that on Walker would not only benefit residents of Legacy Summit but also Sycamore Square, Montgomery Lofts, and the other residential projects on the westside of downtown and in Midtown. And of course it would be used by office workers and people from out of town staying in downtown hotels.

I drove by today and I must say this project looks pretty good. How it comes up to the sidewalk with retail space on the street is how the Residence Inn in Bricktown should have been designed. I would love to see MORE development like this because most of those units aren't too expensive and more people would be able to live downtown. Turn Walker into a dense urban street like it has the potential to be.

[okcitian]

When I was in Georgetown in DC this past summer, I was about a block away from an urban CVS which was pretty conventient. Sounds like a first step for the Legacy Summit to get a convenience store nearby.

[Doug Loudenback]

I had to do some work at the office today and (of course!) just happened to take my camera with me! My original intent was to take an updated Sieber pic (did that, posted in my "Other downtown hotels" post) but as I was driving by the now-called "Legacy At Arts Quarter", it caught my fancy, too, and I got adventuresome when I saw a construction gate open and took some from the inner courtyard, too. Crews were working all around and it's obviously not done yet, but a guy on site I spoke with said that THIS WEEK some of the premises would start to be occupied by residential tenants. He also said that some of the "upper" level units would be condos and not apartments, which fact I've either not known or forgotten. Anyway, here are some pics ... click on a pic for a 1024 px wide view ...

The Main Entry With A Petite Waterfall



Same image but not cropped as much



Closer Look At The Main Entry



Another View



Further North Along Walker





South Side Showing A Masochistic Fitness Facility
(nothing against this one at all, but aren't they all?)



Inside The Courtyard

I didn't get a close-up pic of the pool ... it's not very large, but the common/courtyard area looks as though it will be a nice place to kick back and hang out after one would walk home from the office just a block or three or so away! Even the courtyard view of the parking garage isn't bad to look at! All in all, I think that this project (finally getting done after, what, 3 years, delay) is a very worthwhile addition to downtown.

[HOT ROD]

very suburban looking, something I'd expect (and rather) see along NW Expressway but hey .. its a "start" for downtown.

It would have been better if it were taller and the roofs were not pitched.!!

[Spartan]

I don't believe it is bad at all.

[Pete]

It's not horrible, but it's a long way from what was originally proposed.

Also, the size of the lettering on the awnings is garishly large.

[bandnerd]

Yay, a Velvet Monkey AND a gym next door to me! Screw the $75/mo for a second parking space and bring on the retail!

[Nixon7]

Looks similar to the centennial on the canal!! Wish it had some more color, but hey, its good to see housing coming up downtown.

[okclee]

Would like to have seen more brick, maybe two stories of brick, buy at there is one level of brick. Well at least it will put more people living downtown.

Does anyone have a picture of what this project was supposed to look like when it was first submitted to Okc?

[HOT ROD]

I thought, originally, a long time ago - that the Sycamore Square addition aka Legacy at Arts Central was supposed to be a highrise or two.

I REALLY hope we can get out of the suburban building mentality in the inner city. Sure, its better than nothing - but we are really selling ourselves short building low rise HUGE complex type buildings in downtown with the thought that they could be torn down and replaced later.

Urban Renewal had this same thought in the 1980's yet look at what they did to downtown and how long it has taken us to recover from their mistakes!!!

I think we need to have a master plan which shows high rise development (greater than 12 storeys) in the core downtown cbd (and expansion area) as well as the areas of the other downtown districts that are immediately adjacent to the CBD. Out from there, there could be a 5-storey minimum, then dropping further down.

I can't believe Legacy is ONLY going to have 3 floors occupied with ho-hum retail on the ground. What a waste! Especially considering the boom that will soon happen on Walker Ave.

This project is more suitable for the MidTown and UpTown areas (with the pitched roofs removed of course) or NW Expressway (with the pitched roofs) and under 5-storeys.

I think this is VERY POOR PLANNING by the city - there should have been better coordinated efforts to make this project taller (at least 6 storeys, come on!!!) with better retail options on the ground.

True, what we have is better than nothing and will go a long way toward giving downtown some much needed density - but look at the opportunity wasted!! Someone will have to come along later, at higher expense, to fix what happened here.

Come on, let's think BIG!!!

[okclee]

We have residential, suburban builders and developers in the core of downtown doing what they do best, and that is building residential, suburban type buildings.

The more I look at this project the worse it gets. Just think this is as good as it is going to look right now, being that it is new. That stucco / siding that is being used on the Legacy will look like junk in about 5 years. I know this because I am in the residential building business, and I see it on apartments all around the metro.

When is the city going to put their foot down and say NO?, say NO to projects that are sub-par of what they could be. The city is so desperate to be BIG that they are making poor decisions. The city needs to raise it's standards all around the metro, and if that means that some builders aren't willing to build than so be it, there will be others that will.

I love the master plan that I see for downtown and the Core to Shore project. On paper it looks fantastic, but let's see how it plays out with the city. Will the city get desperate and sell short? Let's hope that the city will learn from it's mistakes and realize that downtown Okc is a prime spot for building and development and not just another spot in the suburbs. Downtown Okc deserves better.