Classen Curve

[bluedogok]

There were many schemes to redevelop the old Belle Isle building, in fact my former company looked at it one time to possibly be the new headquarters building about the time the lease was coming up for renewal. There was no good way to make office financially feasible with the environmental remediation that it was going to take along with the modifications to make it work for office.

I still think a retail/hospitality use (at that time) would have been the best hope for renovation, something like the JAX Brewery in New Orleans. Remember, what is there now is pretty much "temporary architecture" so it could be redeveloped into something else if enough storefronts go empty.

The lake was mainly the cooling water for the power plant back when it provided the power for the streetcar system.

[OKCTalker]

The Jax Brewery in NOLA is almost a non-entity now. I was there 10 days ago, there were almost no shoppers, and the employees in the stores that were open were either surfing the Web or reading newspapers. It doesn't have anything to do with the layout, design or location; I believe that this very common formula of cobbling together a bunch of national credit retail tenants didn't work in a small building with a weak landlord.

[bluedogok]

I know, I was referring to JAX back 10+ years ago when it was a bustling area, I know it had starting sliding even before Katrina but that really hastened the decline. I still think it is a nice concept for large building reuse but in the current retail environment nothing is good. There are still major contractions in retail to come.

[onthestrip]

It is a shame that it was developed the way it is. The developer showed very little foresight. It easily could have been a upscale lifestyle center that would totally compliment Penn Square and provided some much needed space for quality retailers that we dont have.

Back to the power plant. Baltimore has done very well with developing a former power plant, pic below. Or you could take a cue from the Tate Modern in London. They turned their old power plant into one of the worlds best modern art museums.

[max]

This power plant (I assume Baltimore) is totally awesome. What character and uniqueness. Of course, we're not getting this back in OKC any time soon, but that is a great, great use.

[Pete]

Ironically, the proposal by Leadership Properties specifically cited that Baltimore project as a model for what they hoped to accomplish.

Oh, what could have been.

[flintysooner]

I seem to recall some injuries and maybe even a death or more than one there before it finally was demolished. Unless there were significant subsidies I doubt a renovation project would be possible even now. Or I should say 18 months ago or so when things were still pretty hot.

[max]

I seem to recall some injuries and maybe even a death or more than one there before it finally was demolished. Unless there were significant subsidies I doubt a renovation project would be possible even now. Or I should say 18 months ago or so when things were still pretty hot.

No doubt it was dangerous while it lay derelict, dark, and unused. If you shut down any industrial (or many other types) building with enough character, spookiness, or whatever compelling reason, and let it rot for enough years, someone's going to break inside and fall over a railing in the pitch black. It's just one of those things, and at some point, personal responsibility steps in. Of course, there might have been a healthy dose of it not being kept secure.

i just mean to say that it was a bad deal all around, and it would have been great to keep it. Better security or something could have kept it around long enough to do something, but hindsight is 20/20.

I think the Belle Isle area would have developed smarter and denser if a mixed use like the Baltimore plant had come about, but it's over and done now. Unfortunately, due to the age and popularity, I wouldn't think Belle Isle Station will be redeveloped for quite a long time. I just hope that Classen Curve and some of the other developments in the area further smart development of the Belle Isle area and Classen in general. It's the most successful inner-city shopping area (I would imagine, at least, can't think of anything that compares), and i'd like to see it developed that way.

[max]

FYI, this made me look into Austin's incredible old power plant near downtown, and what do you know? There are plans for renovation, I guess. Seaholm Power, LLC : Austin : Texas : Power Plant Redevelopment

I've always loved this building.

[betts]

Just heard pretty much straight from the horse's mouth that an interesting company is looking seriously at Classen Curve. And, as much as I hate teasers, I really can't say. Not Whole Foods, though.

[okclee]

This thread has really got me p.o., just thinking about how a lake was in-filled to develop a Wal-Mart.

Makes me sick how this city operates, Belle Isle, Bass Pro, The Hill, Legacy Arts apartments, etc. etc.

[jbrown84]

This shows the approximate location of the old lake superimposed on what is currently there.

As you can see, that entire, awful strip center is what we now have instead of that nice body of water. And lame little office buildings where the plant once stood:

The lake was gone long before the plant came down.

[ksearls]

Hey, drove by the Curve today and saw a new sign for a place called Wood Fired Pizza. Not sure if anyone had mentioned that; anyone know who is doing this?

[jbkrems]

I heard that the Wood Fired Pizza might be a Hal Smith creation, like Lakeside and Red Rock. That was in the Gazette a long time ago.

[OKCTalker]

I didn't scroll back a page or two, but has anyone posted yet on 501 Ranch and the running store going in at Classen Curve?

[LordGerald]

Hey, drove by the Curve today and saw a new sign for a place called Wood Fired Pizza. Not sure if anyone had mentioned that; anyone know who is doing this?

Don't know but the pizza is wood-fired. I know that much.

[ksearls]

Hello LG!

Drove by again this afternoon and it is actually called Upper Crust wood fired pizza, but thanks for your wise (ass) words.

Love,
K

[soonerfan21]

not 501 Ranch but Cafe 501 (another one in edmond) is coming to Classen curve

[betts]

So, besides Balliets and the running store, is the entire complex going to be restaurants? That's the way it seems.

[soonerguru]

Not to be a downer but I recently drove through the development and I'm still underwhelmed. It is truly weird that the property opens inwardly, creating very little visual interest from Classen itself.

[bluedogok]

That is how most of that type of development is trending. For the most part that style is another type of mall, just open air with a drive instead of a concourse. So the "back of house" is always along the main streets. It is designed to focus the interest on the stores along both sides of the concourse, if you look at a traditional mall there is very little exposure to the "outside". I think a two-side approach is better along a primary visual corridor but it can be harder to lease due to most retailers having a particular basic plan requiring a back of house.

[soonerguru]

That is how most of that type of development is trending. For the most part that style is another type of mall, just open air with a drive instead of a concourse. So the "back of house" is always along the main streets. It is designed to focus the interest on the stores along both sides of the concourse, if you look at a traditional mall there is very little exposure to the "outside". I think a two-side approach is better along a primary visual corridor but it can be harder to lease due to most retailers having a particular basic plan requiring a back of house.

I see that but it seems to go against what a lot of folks on this forum are looking for as far as quality development is concerned. At least the parking doesn't front the street I guess.

[bluedogok]

That is the thing, you focus the customer on the "inside" of the development. You create it's own "Main Street" within the complex, you wouldn't want your "front with parking" along a 35-40 mph primary road. Most "quality development" sites the buildings this way, much easier to create an inviting pedestrian environment with one lane at no more than 20 mph than on a wider, faster road. I do think that most of the developments need more "streetscape" along the main road than most do even if it doesn't "front" it.

[onthestrip]

That's all well and good but classen curve hardly will be pedestrian friendly. It's too long and narrow. Doubt many people will want to walk from a store on one end to a restaurant on the other.

And on another note, with several restaurants seeming to go in there, I wonder if parking will be an issue

[betts]

That's all well and good but classen curve hardly will be pedestrian friendly. It's too long and narrow. Doubt many people will want to walk from a store on one end to a restaurant on the other.

And on another note, with several restaurants seeming to go in there, I wonder if parking will be an issue

If pedestrians won't walk the length of Classen Curve, they won't walk anywhere. It's a grand total of about two to three blocks long. I agree that parking could be an issues, however.