Alley North (Old Dolese Headquarters)

[BoulderSooner]

looks like a 15k building +/-

[warreng88]

Are we finally getting a Pappadeaux?

[OkieBerto]

Maybe Red Lobster is making a come back?

Hahah! Right? Maybe a Combination Red Lobster/Golden Corral? Kind of like the old Long John Silvers/A&W, but on a bigger scale.

Watch it be another Cheesecake Factory!

[OkieBerto]

Are we finally getting a Pappadeaux?

This is actually the first thing that came to mind. I remember there was talk of that years ago for Memorial road somewhere and it never happened.

[Pete]

Are we finally getting a Pappadeaux?

They still own the land at Portland and Memorial.

But, that is a full 3.1 acres which is about the same size as this parcel. And their original plans for that site included a 14,000 SF restaurant.

[warreng88]

[stlokc]

Nm

[Timshel]

Definitely not trying to make excuses as I fully agree with all of the pushback on this, but I wonder if that easement presented design issues re: pushing the building to the front of the street. Obviously a problem that anyone mildly creative could solve, but I could see where a large brand with a very standardized building layout would not want to go through the effort of dealing with that easement and had the developer over the barrel about it.

[bamarsha]

OMG What a horrible downgrade. It does not adhere to any kind of urban form with all that surface parking. Substitute a multi-level urban building for something that looks like Memorial Road?

If there is to be a "large restaurant" it should at the very least be required to hug the corner of the lot with the parking in the back. But even that would be a terrible use of this space.

Major fail.

As someone that may get stuck working down in that area, I really like the idea of making like Memorial! I like large restaurants with actual parking lots.

[stlokc]

Timshel, you're probably right. But this is why urban areas need to have guidelines that force the issue. Otherwise the path of least resistance will always be "The brand I want to put there has a standardized building layout. Nothing we can do about it."

I am reminded of an urban intersection pretty deep into St. Louis. Maybe the equivalent of 23rd or 36th street. A corner popped up (I think there was a fire in an older building and that building was torn down) and a Raising Cane's fast food chicken place was proposed for the spot. And this was a vacant few acres, not a historic building being repurposed. I don't know if it was the neighborhood or the city or the developer or what, but the ultimate Raising Cane's that was built looks nothing like what is built in the suburbs. The restaurant is on the sidewalk, it does have a drive through but it's hidden. It was built to fit the context of the lot. And that was an unimportant lot and an unimportant restaurant. This lot in "Alley North" is far more substantial and worthy of respect. It can be done. Nice chain restaurants are built in urban areas all the time.

[Plutonic Panda]

What a joke.

[stlokc]

This also reminds me, except this is a far bigger example, of the preschool that was built over Classen and the discussion that unfolded there.

Really, anything below 36th street ought to be subject to design review. OKC doesn't have enough of an urban fabric but luckily there is the momentum of growth in the inner city. There is development that wants to happen. Let's repair past situations as we have the opportunity.

[dankrutka]

This lay out is absolutely embarrassing, and even more so based on what was pitched. I really hope there is significant public push back so they can build something appropriate to an urban area.

[BoulderSooner]

This lay out is absolutely embarrassing, and even more so based on what was pitched. I really hope there is significant public push back so they can build something appropriate to an urban area.

they are not in a design district ..

[dankrutka]

they are not in a design district ..

Public pressure can still work even without a design district.

[warreng88]

Definitely not trying to make excuses as I fully agree with all of the pushback on this, but I wonder if that easement presented design issues re: pushing the building to the front of the street. Obviously a problem that anyone mildly creative could solve, but I could see where a large brand with a very standardized building layout would not want to go through the effort of dealing with that easement and had the developer over the barrel about it.

From the original plans, the easement was supposed to be between two buildings that would keep the utilities/street or whatever it was in place. I think that's where I am disappointed.

[Dob Hooligan]

I'm guessing Pete is right, the developer is having trouble getting the financing for the project at the density they first envisioned. Selling the north parcel for a free standing restaurant might get thing going. The other consideration is that overall parcel hasn't been urban dense. And isn't going to be. The east is railroad and interstate design highway, the west is single family housing, and the strip north to 23rd is commercial/light industrial.

[Timshel]

From the original plans, the easement was supposed to be between two buildings that would keep the utilities/street or whatever it was in place. I think that's where I am disappointed.

Oh yeah for sure and I agree. And that would have been the cleanest approach (I just drove by and they are very low and ugly power lines - would/will likely have to get buried or otherwise changed no matter what goes in here). Just saying that, especially if the suggestions that getting the financing/traction has been difficult are accurate, it's not terribly surprising that what I hope will end up being a high quality restaurant had all the negotiating power it needed (and I doubt much was needed) to dictate that they'd build behind the easement rather than change what I'm guessing is a template design to put something shallow and long in front of the easement. Would have been nice if they would add more landscaping, etc. but hopefully it will be a big enough get that they need all that parking.

I live 2 blocks from here (though I won't by the time this is built) and it would have been great to see this develop as envisioned but would/will still be nice to have what is hopefully a positive addition to the area nearby. But if it's a Chili's; then yes, I will be extra disappointed.

[bison34]

Not that it means anything, but this permit is no longer on the OKC permits website, unless I completely missed it.

[PhiAlpha]

Not that it means anything, but this permit is no longer on the OKC permits website, unless I completely missed it.

Probably just realized they needed a few more parking spots and decided to resubmit with a smaller building to accommodate.

[cinnamonjock]

I know the situations are different, but this reminds me a bit of the braums at classen circle, and that braums would have been in a much more suburban/car-centric area. Additionally, this is a rumored commuter rail stop as well.

Most of the time, I'd rather have something than nothing in an empty lot. But this location is one of the few exceptions if this is the proposal. But at least it isn't self storage?

[Pete]

The restaurant will indeed be Pappadeaux.

The owner spoke at yesterday's Planning Commission meeting and confirmed they are buying the property.

[ManAboutTown]

The restaurant will indeed be Pappadeaux.

The owner spoke at yesterday's Planning Commission meeting and confirmed they are buying the property.

WOW! This is awesome news!

[warreng88]

Are we finally getting a Pappadeaux?

The restaurant will indeed be Pappadeaux.

The owner spoke at yesterday's Planning Commission meeting and confirmed they are buying the property.

[okcrun]

What a terrible use of land. Also does not at all seem like a good location for a chain restaurant like this, would not surprise me if it doesn't do that well, would be much better suited somewhere like bricktown that is always full of tourists. Maybe it's just my perception of things but people living in and around downtown don't tend to go to chain restaurants.