University Town Center

[Shake2005]

The fact that the developer said the center will draw people from Kansas City and Dallas should have been a red flag. Like Dallas and KC folks need to come to Norman to shop, even if upscale retailers did locate in UNP.

The best indicator on if a developer is lying is if they are speaking.

[kevinpate]

The best indicator on if a developer is lying is if they are speaking.

breathing is a close second at times

[Spartan]

Maybe he was talking to Nordstrom.

[venture]

If the Hollywood is renovated, that would be great news because it's dearly needs it. I would consider going back. Perhaps they'll add an IMAX--that would really help them compete with Warren.

The best thing they could do, is just rebuild at UNP and tear the old one down. Then they can fix that stupid intersection along the service road. Also it would open up for that parcel of land to be used for either a couple more restaurants (cause we don't have enough obviously /sarcasm) or another hotel.

[soonerfan_in_okc]

There was never a movie theater planned for N. Park.

I can tell you as a former Ft. Thunder Employee, this statement is 100% false, Norman was never considered when Bryan's/Ft. Thunder was looking for the right place to build their new store. You need a new source for you information.

Based upon the first quote and how you were proved wrong, I am going to go ahead and say you are the one that needs a new source for your information, not king.

[Mr T]

Does anyone know why the City keeps cancelling the TIF oversight committee meetings? Four of the last five at least have been cancelled.

[dismayed]

The best thing they could do, is just rebuild at UNP and tear the old one down. Then they can fix that stupid intersection along the service road. Also it would open up for that parcel of land to be used for either a couple more restaurants (cause we don't have enough obviously /sarcasm) or another hotel.

All the roads around the UNP are very strange. I have not been able to figure out what they were thinking.

[okcustu]

I was suspicious of the project from the beginning. Rarely do directions to Louis Vuitton stores begin with "make a right at the Dress Barn and keep going until you see TJ Maxx"

[Jesseda]

lol i thought the same thing, how can target, tjmax petco, kohls etc be part of the upscale development..

[gamecock]

Because Target, TJ Maxx, Petco, and Kohls were never intended to be part of the upscale development . . .

[venture]

Pretty obvious the developers made a bit of a mistake not getting the lifestyle center portion of UNP developed first. Most of these centers that I've seen get developed have done the lifestyle center before the surrounding pad sites...we just got messed with on this one.

[G.Walker]

Sent email to the Norman Economic Development Coalition regarding the University North Park Corporate Center, and this is what they had to say:

"I appreciate your support of economic development.

The project is still mainly the same as it concerns the office park. The national economy has really kept us from recruiting the out of town employers we had hoped for, but we currently have some activity.

We have a total of 60 acres and we are working on using the last 30 for an advanced manufacturing center concept. We are close to our first project in that area. I have attached our brochure which provides more information.

Please let our office know if we can provide additional information."

Don

[ChargerAg]

that sounds horrible.

Where is the discount tire that we were promised.

[rcjunkie]

that sounds horrible.

Where is the discount tire that we were promised.

Nothing says "High End" shopping like Discount Tire.

[venture]

It is obviously time for them to reconsider the plan for UNP. They really should negotiate a plan with GGP, who owns Sooner Mall, to construct the lifestyle portion of UNP and relocate all the stores from Sooner. Then I would go through there and tear down Sooner Mall and redevelop it as a commercial business park - something we don't have much of here. One that would fill up, I would look at the area south of Main Street and start expanding through there and even relocate the strip mall stores (not the restaurants) to UNP.

When I say business park, I'm thinking something on the scale of: http://www.arrowheadpark.org/APA%20W...dpark-2010.pdf

Probably highly unrealistic, but concentrating the bulk of the retail/shopping in one dense location would help the project overall. Then you have the ability to redevelop land as a high density business park that would increase the commercial population of the city and assist with tax revenue (and probably values) even more.

[ou48A]

I hope the new Rock Creek I-35 bridge helps relieve some of the congestion on west Robinson

[rcjunkie]

I hope the new Rock Creek I-35 bridge helps relieve some of the congestion on west Robinson

It should, the traffic at Robinson and I-35 is horrible.

[Spartan]

This is the progression of this project.

Large mixed-use lifestyle center > Project on hold, give us another year > Just Target strip mall only > Can't get lifestyle center tenants, but here's Discount Tire and Academy > Office portion ready to go > Oops can't get discount tire, office park having trouble now > Instead of office park, howabout a nice new "advanced manufacturing center" instead? > Utter fail?? > Citizens revolt and get their money back?

Maybe just wishful thinking..

[BG918]

I'm still of the opinion that UNP stays a big box center south of Rock Creek (which will soon connect across I-35) and then a mix of offices and higher density residential (apartments) north of Rock Creek to Robinson. There is an opportunity there to have good access to I-35 for residential (esp. for those commuting to OKC) and airport frontage on the east side creates some unique opportunities for aviation-related businesses.

Sooner Mall should remain as it is but should try to lure another retail anchor such as Macy's and maintain or slightly expand their current offering of stores. There is no reason, IMO, for Sooner Mall to not be on par with at least Quail Springs as far as small-format retail offerings. It is the primary retail center for the south metro..

Concentrate the few high-end retail shops that Norman could actually support in a new mixed-use development along University in Campus Corner. Something similar to what they have done along Crockett/West 7th in Fort Worth with stores, restaurants, a small hotel and movie theater.

[ChargerAg]

When did the discount tire deal fall through?

[venture]

Call me the eternal optimist...obviously though not with the current city leadership. UNP can definitely still be a retail powerhouse if they would work with some additional developers. I've seen new malls/lifestyle centers go up in the rust belt, where economies are in the tank, and absolutely thrive. There is no reason why something couldn't be done with GGP to move the stores in Sooner to a new lifestyle center/mall in UNP - Shops at North Park or whatever you want to call it. Bulldoze Sooner Mall and create a business park. The additional corporate density will help with property values, city income, and just the overall success of the city. Once it gets to a certain point, expand it south along Ed Noble in a mixed residential/commercial format.

Getting pretty off track here I know, but once this is all in place and the corporate population is growing, would extend (and widen) the north-south runway at Westheimer to around 7500' to permit for larger corporate aircraft to fly directly into Norman (granted a lot do now) from distances farther away. Not to mention, also allows OU to travel from the airport on chartered aircraft instead of going to Will Rogers. Of course, I can just hear the complaints now when the first 757 comes into Westheimer.

Anyway, it really is about reinventing Norman to be more self sufficient, which it has the ability to...but Rosenthal needs to wake up and actually do something.

[BG918]

Anyway, it really is about reinventing Norman to be more self sufficient, which it has the ability to...but Rosenthal needs to wake up and actually do something.

I don't have the same vision as you on several things, including UNP/Sooner Mall and Lindsey St, but I completely agree with your statement above. Norman has a lot of potential as a city independent, but still closely tied, to OKC but needs more effective leadership. The I-35 corridor is important but so is the central core and campus area, the part of Norman that makes it unique from anywhere else. We both want to see Norman prosper.

[dop]

I keep hearing about the bad economy, but the outlet mall and Warren Theatre were built close by. Those may have worked pretty well at UNP?! May have drawn some people (and money) to Norman.

[BG918]

I keep hearing about the bad economy, but the outlet mall and Warren Theatre were built close by. Those may have worked pretty well at UNP?! May have drawn some people (and money) to Norman.

Agree, those would've done well and fit in well at UNP. But it didn't happen.

[venture]

They probably didn't even think about it. However, I could see Warren wanting Moore over Norman to be a bit closer to pull from North OKC.