University North Park

[Dekoung]

Yes, Trader Joe's is not even in TX as posted above. I have been to many TJ's on east and west coasts and AZ and I have gotten the phone number of HQ and called and put in a good word. It is something about distribution network with the products they sell.

A Whole Foods although pricey is better than nothing. The Whole Foods in Tulsa which was a Wild Oats until the merger is one of their top selling stores percentage wise and I was told they want to move from their 41 and Peoria location to way out south so they can have an even larger store. And of course the Tulsa one does not sell wine and is thriving anyway.

[dismayed]

Agree completely. As I understand it though, Trader Joes will not expand into Oklahoma because of our archaic liquor laws which prohibit selling wine in a grocery store. That's a shame, because Trader Joes is awesome.

At one point there was a group trying to get a petition going to call a vote on this very subject and make grocery store liquor sales legal. Does anyone know the status of that?

[OKCMallen]

The last time I looked the website for that group had not been update in a really long time.

[john60]

Recently, I know that Qdoba and Athletic Village have both opened stores in UNP; the John Q. Hammons hotel (which in my opinion, all look the same, and they don't look good) is also almost complete. It will at least be nice to have a big, nice hotel in Norman.

It seems like Phase I, or whatever they are doing right now, is the more basic retail stuff. Hopefully the later phases of this project will bring some better tenants than a Pet's Mart and a Cingular Wireless. Otherwise, this thing will be not much to get excited about, IMO. Just another spiffy oversized strip center on I-35.

That's a bit negative, though. Maybe that was the intention: to see if phase one could be bursting at the seams supporting "regular stuff" to encourage the higher end merchants to sign on.

[Dekoung]

[QUOTE=john60;141953].

It seems like Phase I, or whatever they are doing right now, is the more basic retail stuff. Hopefully the later phases of this project will bring some better tenants than a Pet's Mart and a Cingular Wireless. Otherwise, this thing will be not much to get excited about, IMO. Just another spiffy oversized strip center on I-35.

A person involved with this told me that indeed Phase I is as expressed above. I'm not sure if it is Phase II or Phase III that is supposed to have the "upscale" merchants. But anyone I ask can not tell me who some of these might be. I think it will be mid level chains like Black and White and Anne Taylor Loft. I can't imagine Nordstrom's, Neiman Marcus, Saks coming in there since there are no Nordstrom's or Neiman Marcus' in OKC or Tulsa so why one in Norman which does not have the demographics of Tulsa or OKC. Saks has a very successful small store in Tulsa but think they think one is enough for the state. I can see the possibility of a Williams Sonoma since the CEO is an OU grad.

[Dar405301]

does anyone have any recent pics of UNP?

[centaurian]

UNP is great and all. ( i guess) but does anyone really live or drive around the nw side of norman, the traffic situation is worse than ever., can we say urban crowding?

ODOT is going to widen I 35 through Norman, and the city is considering construction on the service roads down the east and west side to make them one way.
wow how much fun that will be to have so much construction going on between lindsey and robinson.....

not to mention they are going to shut robinson down to 2 lanes soon at 36th to work on the waterway there...i also heard they are trying to connect rock creek at the west end of UNP across the interstate to create another overpass ?? has anyone heard about that plan?

and you thought main and 36th st was a mess..
I m glad i dont live on the west side of I35.

[flintysooner]

We went to Qdoba the other day for lunch. There were a lot of people all throughout the center and a pretty good line at Qdoba. It is very convenient for us since we come from the north. When the new hospital complex is completed and operating there will be a lot more people there, too.

I think the center is done very nicely on a good many of the small details. They are expensive details and probably few people would notice them.

[Littleville]

On one of the maps I saw of UNP one of the fashion department stores was a Belk which is a nice department store.

[Jesseda]

my wife loves belks, good news finally a department store that is not be in every other town in the metro

[little1335]

With the Parisian acquistion in the SE US, Belk are everywhere around here. Sort of a dime a dozen. They do have some nice things in larger markets (some in ATL, etc.) but others are sort of, just, eh... I hope they attract even higher end retail to UNP.

[jbrown84]

I haven't been in one, but I get the idea that Belk's is just another Gordman's or Kohl's.

[CuatrodeMayo]

I haven't been in one, but I get the idea that Belk's is just another Gordman's or Kohl's.

I can assure you it's not. My wife worked at the one in stillwater from the time it opened in 2006 until last month. It's not as nice as Dillards or Macy's but more similar to JCPenny.

And it's Belk, not Belk's/Belks. =)

[jbrown84]

Interesting.

My assumptions need not be correct.

[Jesseda]

Belk- Belks who cares, you say tomato and I say posibble salmonella poisioning.. As long as we know what it means and is on the same subject Belk or belks, I hear people say JcPennys all the time and I know what they are meaning.. Wow some people are so nit picky.. ; )

[CuatrodeMayo]

Belk- Belks who cares, you say tomato and I say How much.. As long as we know what it means and is on the same subject Belk or belks, I hear people say JcPennys all the time and I know what they are meaning.. Wow some people are so nit picky.. ; )

C'mon man, I put a SMILEY face there I just said that because that is what my wife would do.

[Jesseda]

Just having a friendly spat with you. I didnt know there was a belk in stillwater, does it do any business? The one in branson,mo is really nice(its the only belk store i have been in), so I thought maybe all belk department stores would be like it?

[CuatrodeMayo]

All in good fun. The one in Stillwater is fairly small compared to the other stores, but it is still quite nice. They do pretty good business because they carry merchandise that only OKC and Tulsa department stores have.

There is also a larger store in Owasso that is very nice and a new one that just opened in South Tulsa.

[Dekoung]

I read an article in the Wall Street Journal this week about the problems of new and in construction lifestyle centers with future retail stores who had signed on to be tennants and have backed out because of the economic situation. These are mainly the smaller more upscale stores.

Part of the problem is the herd syndrome. Certain retailers want to be with others so they wait to see who is coming in. If a key store does not sign on or pulls out then there can be a domino effect. It can be circular too with store A waiting on store B and vice versa.

So just wondering if UN Park is having any problems like that?

[Superhyper]

With Norman (and Oklahoma in general)'s continued growth and relative isolation from the downturn I don't expect that to be too much of a problem here. At least not for a while. Here's hoping we can continue to buck the nation-wide trend

[slick]

Hello,

New to the forum. Been browsing for a bit, and this thread caught my eye. I didn't even know that this development was as big as it is (looking at the site map, there seems to be a whole lot heading our way).

And thats what I have questions about. Does anyone have the contact information for the developer? I am wonder if there are any opportunities left for a hotel or two (small scale of course, no JQH sized properties coming from me). One of the site plans I saw, showed a proposed 13 acres or so, at Rock Creek and the frontage road.

I would also like to say that I am very glad I found this site. I never knew so many locals were interested in the development of our State. This really makes me excited about the future of Oklahoma (and glad that I didn't move to Texas, lol).

[veritas]

Part of the problem is the herd syndrome. Certain retailers want to be with others so they wait to see who is coming in. If a key store does not sign on or pulls out then there can be a domino effect. It can be circular too with store A waiting on store B and vice versa.

So just wondering if UN Park is having any problems like that?

Your "herd" metaphore is very correct. Commercial retailers are a funny bunch and spend vast amounts of time analyzing who is and isn't present at a site prior to their move in. However, usually a development will reach a critical mass where the first domino falls and the rest fall soon afterwards.

In particular, this scenario is likely to play out at UNP. I've heard many complaining about how the City Council was lied to about the types of stores that will move into UNP. What I believe they are missing is the fact that, just as you described, the upper end stores wait to see who will go in first prior to their decision to act. This usually means the more moderate stores will take the plunge first (Kohl's, Target, Dress Barn, etc.) which will help build to the critical mass I referenced above.

Moreover, as Legacy Trail begins to be built out (the trail will eventually connect UNP to Lake Thunderbird via walking and biking trails) I suspect the intertia will only grow. UNP is a two mile long development and the first mile isn't even close to being fully developed.

[flintysooner]

Does anyone have the contact information for the developer? I am wonder if there are any opportunities left for a hotel or two

Sooner Investment - Commercial & Investment Real Estate

Doubtful on hotel opportunities.

[Dekoung]

With Norman (and Oklahoma in general)'s continued growth and relative isolation from the downturn I don't expect that to be too much of a problem here. At least not for a while. Here's hoping we can continue to buck the nation-wide trend

Superhyper, sorry, I did not make myself clear. The article referenced not only the local economies but also the national economic situation which has effect on the national chains and their decisions to build new stores or pull in their horns. So even though this area may be doing pretty well , some chains may be rethinking expansion into new retail developments.

[slick]

I called about the possibility of another hotel or two in this development, however, they are not currently pursuing more hospitality. Its still on the table, but until the Embassy opens, they will not contract out another hotel.
But there is still a possibility, so I am hopeful at this point. I would like to have a hotel in Norman, and UNP is definitely the area I would like to be in. I can't wait to see how this development turns out.