OAK (formerly Penn Central)

[Pete]

They had a meeting last night for neighbors at the Registry building.

Lots of new renderings as they head into next Tuesday's city council meeting for final approval.

[shawnw]

If I were the church I would have offered the Oak developer the entire surface parking lot under the condition that they build structured parking on it with free use by church members. Those funds could have gone a long way for the church, that lot is currently so underutilized most of the time.

[Plutonic Panda]

If I were the church I would have offered the Oak developer the entire surface parking lot under the condition that they build structured parking on it with free use by church members. Those funds could have gone a long way for the church, that lot is currently so underutilized most of the time.

Hah! I was thinking the exact same thing! Build a park atop the garage and have retail facing the opposite side and event space facing the church. Sort of a lost opportunity but not like they can't revisit it in the future.

[Pete]

I don't know this for sure, but I suspect the developer has already worked out a deal with the church for use of that huge surface lot.

Even on Sunday mornings, that lot is not close to full and the rest of the week it's completely empty.

[Timshel]

While LOI's of course don't mean a tenant is final/definitely going to move in, I'm encouraged by the number of larger (I'm assuming primarily retail/restaurant by virtue of being on the lower floors) spaces that have a lease or letter of intent attached to them (assuming that's what the legend in the first few renderings mean). No doubt that's why the developer is moving forward, but encouraging nonetheless. Hopefully we have some solid high-end new to market retail/restaurant/etc. companies heading our way.

[Pete]

Yeah, they have been working with possible tenants for quite a while and now that they are very close to getting the green light, they seem to be wrapping up deals.

It's just such a great location. Penn Square is fully leased and they have pretty much run out of pad sites.

Plus, Penn Square offers nothing in the way of living units, office space and just a couple of restaurants and an older theater. Given the success of the mall when other malls are struggling, you would think OAK would find plenty of takers.

[ditm4567]

Inject. This. Into. My. Veins.

[jonny d]

I am really wondering about the hotel choice. 4 star is awesome, but I wonder if it will be a new to market hotel. Overall, this development could be a game-changer for OKC!

[sooner88]

I am really wondering about the hotel choice. 4 star is awesome, but I wonder if it will be a new to market hotel. Overall, this development could be a game-changer for OKC!

Would be awesome if Charlie Givens would bring a ZaZa here.

[Richard at Remax]

A Le meridien would be nice

[ditm4567]

I wonder if the boutique hotel that was supposed to be built on Western across from Chesapeake decided to move over here...

[Pete]

Too bad REI didn't wait because this would have been a great spot for them.


Suddenly, we have a real battle and great options for new-to-market retail, restaurants and entertainment: OAK, Classen Curve and Chisholm Creek.

[David]

I love everything about this development.

Were the neighbor reactions positive?

[Pete]

Were the neighbor reactions positive?

Yes.

Notice that they have changed their plans so that the parts that abut any existing homes are now lower profile.

The developers have done a great job of working with neighbors and the planning commission. They have held scores of meetings and seem to have really listened to the feedback.

[Colbafone]

Would be awesome if Charlie Givens would bring a ZaZa here.

No chance right now. I've personally asked, nearly begged him, to do so. He doesn't seem to have any interest.

[SagerMichael]

This is a massive project well done. No complaints

[Ross MacLochness]

^^^ I was wondering if that's what happened. The new layout is so much better! This is a case of a developer working with neighbors that seemed to be really productive. Seems they've lessened the impact of the parking garages directly across from single family homes. This design to me is far superior to the original plans. Very encouraging!

[David]

Something else that occurs to me, the future BRT line going up Classen and NW Expressway has a stop at Penn Square on the plans. Should be nice synergy with this development once everything involved is up and running. Definitely would need better supporting sidewalks along NW Expressway and Penn to up the pedestrian access, but that seems like a no-brainer to make it all work better.


(From the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) thread)

[Patrick]

NorthPark Center in Dallas has a similar new mixed use development to the east of that mall and they co-exist really well.It's called Park Lane and the shops are called The Shops at Park Lane. They have high end apartments, office space, restaurants, and retail. I think it's like 33 acres and 500,000 square feet of shopping with an equal amount off office space, so larger than this will be, but pretty comparable.

https://www.visitdallas.com/things-t...Park-Lane.html

The shops that OAK will attract will likely be different from what Penn Square has. More like Classen Curve. I think it will be a great get for this city. I see OAK and Penn Square as complementing each other, kinda like NorthPark and Park Lane do, not really competing with each other.

[Pete]

Penn Square would be smart to make it possible to actually walk to their mall from OAK or anywhere else.

As it is, there are crosswalks and even a bus stop but you either have to rappel down a berm then weave your way through the asphalt parking lot, or take you life in your hands by walking down one of the drives into the property. People aren't going to do either of those things, even though the distance between these two projects is easily walkable.

[chuck5815]

Would be awesome if Charlie Givens would bring a ZaZa here.

Or if Tilman would bring in a Landry's concept or two. Definitely thought we messed up by not asking for a Bubba Gump Shrimp Company location in the Westbrook Trade.

[Dob Hooligan]

I wonder if the boutique hotel that was supposed to be built on Western across from Chesapeake decided to move over here...

I am authorized to say that the hotel you are referring to is still on track to be built across from the Chesapeake campus. I believe more info will be released later in 2019.

[shawnw]

Penn Square would be smart to make it possible to actually walk to their mall from OAK or anywhere else.

As it is, there are crosswalks and even a bus stop but you either have to rappel down a berm then weave your way through the asphalt parking lot, or take you life in your hands by walking down one of the drives into the property. People aren't going to do either of those things, even though the distance between these two projects is easily walkable.

I agree with you, but they certainly didn't make it easy to walk from Belle Isle shopping center, so I'm not super confident they will do so here.

[jonny d]

I also think that, if the developer has all of these LOIs and leases already confirmed, then he has it on good authority that the project will be approved (like Pete said, City Council will usually follow the Planning Commission result). Just makes me pumped that a development like this is coming!

[Pete]

I agree with you, but they certainly didn't make it easy to walk from Belle Isle shopping center, so I'm not super confident they will do so here.

That non-connection is even worse.

Penn Square is a complete island in the middle of a sea of asphalt.

You can't even easily walk from the Container Store or Cheesecake Factory to the mall, and they are on the same property.