Convergence (formerly Innovation Plaza)

[Dob Hooligan]

I'm trying to imagine how many people will be crossing that in August at 6PM versus December at 6PM? 95 degrees and 25 MPH south wind or 30 degrees and 25MPH north wind?

[chssooner]

I'm trying to imagine how many people will be crossing that in August at 6PM versus December at 6PM? 95 degrees and 25 MPH south wind or 30 degrees and 25MPH north wind?

People on here forget that OKC has basically the worst weather, on both ends of the spectrum, for walkability. No matter what, the weather sucks. Nothing OKC or 23rd and Lincoln can do about the weather.

[dankrutka]

People on here forget that OKC has basically the worst weather, on both ends of the spectrum, for walkability. No matter what, the weather sucks. Nothing OKC or 23rd and Lincoln can do about the weather.

People walk and bike in places with far worse weather than OKC. Infrastructure is the problem. Weather is not. You can walk in almost any weather. You just dress for it.

[OkiePoke]

People walk and bike in places with far worse weather than OKC. Infrastructure is the problem. Weather is not. You can walk in almost any weather. You just dress for it.

Oklahoma has some really good cyclists, especially for how flat it is. I will give credit to the wind and we have to ride in it and it's great training for hills. We are used to riding in crap weather, others aren't.

[Anonymous.]

People on here forget that OKC has basically the worst weather, on both ends of the spectrum, for walkability. No matter what, the weather sucks. Nothing OKC or 23rd and Lincoln can do about the weather.

If you line this bridge with dense foliage, then the N and S wind will be greatly reduced. But yes, the wind will be bad here.

[Pete]

I've averaged 4.4 miles a day for a year and a half; I document on a big spreadsheet. I may miss one day a month due to my schedule, but not the weather.

You can walk any day of the year in OKC if you dress appropriately.

[catch22]

For residents yes, but the heat and humidity can be overbearing for tourists (which I fully realize is a small percentage of any pedestrians in OKC). I am coming to town next week, and I can remember that the last time I was in OKC, it felt like a belt was wrapped tight around my lungs because of the humidity and air pressure. Of course, I am coming from an elevation of over a mile (6k feet) and a near-desert environment. So the relative weight of the air and humidity levels in OKC vs Colorado can feel like drowning in a pressure chamber. I was completely out of breath climbing the hill at Scissortail park on a mild 70-degree day. So, that is certainly a factor, but again I realize I am in the minority of walkers. I agree with Pete with one caveat, dressed appropriately while acclimated to the weather conditions is entirely possible to do.

And, to be completely fair to OKC I feel that this is something any out-of-towner should expect when traveling to any city in a different elevation and climate zone. I feel the same way in Chicago or Portland - the air feels like a ton of bricks on my chest.

[Pete]

[stlokc]

That's a great picture, Pete. Really makes me wish something could be done with that way-too-large highway exit ramp. That just smothers connectivity like a weighted blanket.

[Plutonic Panda]

Really that ramp in particular should just be removed.

[HFAA Alum]

The one thing i wished they did for this area was build a reinforced lid over the interstate from one bridge to the other, it would've made nice for a small highrise to sit on it, that or house some commercial developments, maybe a park for this area. But i guess they'll take their queues from Atlanta prior reluctance.

[Rover]

The one thing i wished they did for this area was build a reinforced lid over the interstate from one bridge to the other, it would've made nice for a small highrise to sit on it, that or house some commercial developments, maybe a park for this area. But i guess they'll take their queues from Atlanta prior reluctance.

It wouldn't take a lot of imagination to build high rise buildings in the cloverleafs and open land there now. Wouldn't have to spend hundreds of millions to build a lid.

[stlokc]

I was wondering about that exact thing, Rover. There's certainly room inside that one cloverleaf between the highway and Convergence for a building that could be connected to Convergence via a skybridge.

In St. Louis I can think of one example where an off ramp was built to encircle an existing building but I don't know if I have seen it happen the other way where the ramp came first. It would seem that the state/ODOT/whomever could make money selling that prime real estate? I don't know. May be too "out there" of an idea.

[SagerMichael]

That whole Harrison Ave exit needs to be eliminated. So much land could be opened up for use along 235

[catch22]

Isn't that a prime entrance for emergency vehicles accessing the OU hospital? I can't remember what street the ER is on. But otherwise, I agree.

[HangryHippo]

Isn't that a prime entrance for emergency vehicles accessing the OU hospital? I can't remember what street the ER is on. But otherwise, I agree.

Not really. They come up Lincoln or exit at 10th. The cloverleaf could easily go.

[catch22]

Not really. They come up Lincoln or exit at 10th. The cloverleaf could easily go.

Thanks I thought I had read something about that. Could I be thinking of St Anthony to avoid 10th when FNBS has the intersection blocked?

[HangryHippo]

Thanks I thought I had read something about that. Could I be thinking of St Anthony to avoid 10th when FNBS has the intersection blocked?

That’s a definite possibility. The cost would be horrendous, but 10th could really benefit from a RR underpass.

[KayneMo]

Some photoshopping fun I did with this area. Took out 3 of the cloverleaves and extended Walnut Ave and Russell M Perry/Stiles Ave north over/under 235. Also photoshopped in more buildings and houses throughout.

[Ross MacLochness]

lotta wasted space

[soonerguru]

Some photoshopping fun I did with this area. Took out 3 of the cloverleaves and extended Walnut Ave and Russell M Perry/Stiles Ave north over/under 235. Also photoshopped in more buildings and houses throughout.

Love it!

[Plutonic Panda]

We need to go back and revisit this: https://www.okctalk.com/content.php?...Science-Center



A massive infrastructure bill was just passed and has billions available for this sort of thing

[HFAA Alum]

^DITTO^

But unfortunately it's the Oklahoma way to draw up renders and concepts of modern grandeur and finalize plans much more diluted and significantly inferior to what was originally proposed. For example: Oklahoma Boulevard, the downtown OG&E complex, Producers Coop, the OU Medical Tower, this project, the State Fair Arena, the OMNI to some degree (that brutalist concrete facing on the east side), and a number of others. The only reason why I don't share that same attitude with OKANA is that the Chickasaw Nation is pretty firm on putting out what they have drawn out, but the DREAM hotel proposed for the UHaul lot rings out to me quite definitively (I hope I am wrong).

[Plutonic Panda]

Yep. It’s par for the course. OKC downscales more projects than any city I’ve seen. It’s sad and it sucks.

[dwellsokc]

We need to go back and revisit this: https://www.okctalk.com/content.php?...Science-Center

Hear! Hear!