Newly Approved Projects Downtown

[Bellaboo]

So if I'm reading this correctly, city funding for the Century Center renovation will run just north of $6.5 million?

I see it at 4.4 million, unless i'm missing something...?

There is a breakout (kind of) over in the Century Center thread, I believe post # 327.

[rezman]

It probably would do less in that respect. Especially when you factor in the density and per capita use.

It is in Oklahoma City. I know it wasn't part of the original proposals, and I don't think it is scheduled for resurfacing anytime soon. But I am trying to find out.

Actually, one side of the road is Oklahoma City, and the other side is Edmond.

[ljbab728]

Wonder what those Bricktown improvements really are?

One thing I would like is to replace those cheap looking metal railings along the canal with something more substantial.

[shawnw]

$750K... how big of a surface parking lot can you build with that? :-P

[BoulderSooner]

Thats what Im thinking. Before it was just $1.5mil to OPUBCO to move. Now its several million more for building and parking improvements. All for a company that is already located in OKC and is no threat to move out of town. This has me scratching my head.

the 1.5 to OPUBCO is the only "different" payment the 2.9 mil to the building owner (2.1 TIF 800k loan) is to help support the 27 mil renovation of the building and add to 2 parking decks

the 1 mil for parking (split between CC and sante FE) will only go to the parking decks that COPTA will still own

[Just the facts]

Dismantling suburban sprawl is expensive, but it is a one-time up front cost.

[Plutonic Panda]

Urban sprawl?

[Just the facts]

Urban sprawl?

LOL - good catch. At least we know you read

[Plutonic Panda]

Ah, come on man. I read, watch, and listen (when I have time). ;P lol

[Just the facts]

Ah, come on man. I read, watch, and listen (when I have time). ;P lol

I know, I just wish that could be said about everyone .

[Plutonic Panda]

I know, I just wish that could be said about everyone .

I know exactly what you mean. haha

[rezman]

I'm sorry ..what was that?

[Plutonic Panda]

Ayyyy you talkin' to me rezman? (said in a Newyorker accent) lol...

[rezman]

Ayyyy you talkin' to me rezman? (said in a Newyorker accent) lol...

[BDP]

Wouldn't this type of financing be the best source to finally get a Quiet Zone? Looking at the list of projects, it really seems like a quiet zone would outpace all of them in return on investment.

[HangryHippo]

Wouldn't this type of financing be the best source to finally get a Quiet Zone? Looking at the list of projects, it really seems like a quiet zone would outpace all of them in return on investment.

I agree wholeheartedly!

[Praedura]

Here's a Gazette article that provides the background for the funding of these projects -- namely, the stellar performance of TIF 2:

Oklahoma Gazette News: TIF funds

[BDP]

Some movement on the quiet zone:

Funding plan approved for downtown railway quiet zone | News OK

Ward 4 Councilman Pete White cast the only “no” vote, citing concerns that surrounding property owners and developers were not contributing enough to the cost.

Mickey Clagg, a partner in MidTown Renaissance Group and leader of the private fundraising effort, presented a list of 28 contributors pledging to pay $668,700 toward the $2.9 million project.

I'll have to remember that when bonds are floated for infrastructure improvements in ward 4.

[OKCisOK4me]

I can see why they'd want to shut down SE 23rd. It's located on the curve. You should see the amount of flashers at that crossing. They should just have a 360 degree swirling red beacon.

[LakeEffect]

I can see why they'd want to shut down SE 23rd. It's located on the curve. You should see the amount of flashers at that crossing. They should just have a 360 degree swirling red beacon.

They tried to shut it down before they added the 3rd track as part of the I-40 project. It didn't get far because it was poorly presented to Planning Commission and City Council... Long story.

[ljbab728]

An interesting commentary by Steve about this subject.

Living and Working by the Tracks ? Without Investment Downtown | OKC Central

[Just the facts]

As I mentioned in another thread – a large number of people are living with a world-view that is rapidly disappearing and they seem to have a hard reconciling with that despite all the evidence around them.

The 60 year experiment with suburbia is ending and it will be gone in a generation. A recent magazine article here in Jax points out that 77% of the Millennial generation wants to live in walkable urban neighborhoods. As the baby boomers themselves opt for traditional neighborhoods in their retirement years it is going to leave a lot of housing stock vacant. Throw in the fact that in the next 20 years more than 80% of all families will not have children (50% today) and it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that the demand for 4 bedroom houses on cul-de-sacs is going to vanish – which happens to be the largest housing inventory in suburban America.

As further proof, gasoline consumption and miles driven peaked 6 years ago and has been declining ever since – which leads to a whole other problem; who is going to pay the maintenance tab for all of the infrastructure we created that made urban sprawl possible? Or do we just let it continue to slowly decay?

Data released last week shows that the suburbs have the fastest growing population of poor and that is a trend that is only going to continue. While some will deny that is happening, we have 10,000 years of human urbanization and the vast majority of the modern world as evidence that sprawl and poverty go hand in hand. America spent vast (and I mean vast) sums of money trying to counter-act human nature and in the end – we couldn’t do it. As Steve pointed out, sprawl is nothing more than rolling ghetto.

So if Pete White thinks that not providing the housing options that current and future generation demand then he is as squirrely as the day is long.

[mkjeeves]

The 60 year experiment with suburbia is ending and it will be gone in a generation. A recent magazine article here in Jax points out that 77% of the Millennial generation wants to live in walkable urban neighborhoods.

Just because a minority percent of people what something, doesn't mean they can afford it. We and they can't for the most part. Massive subsidies again? I thought you were against that.

As further proof, gasoline consumption and miles driven peaked 6 years ago and has been declining ever since – which leads to a whole other problem; who is going to pay the maintenance tab for all of the infrastructure we created that made urban sprawl possible? Or do we just let it continue to slowly decay?

There was a recession. I guess you forgot. Correlation does not equal causation, and you haven't even really established correlation.

Data released last week shows that the suburbs have the fastest growing population of poor and that is a trend that is only going to continue. While some will deny that is happening, we have 10,000 years of human urbanization and the vast majority of the modern world as evidence that sprawl and poverty go hand in hand. America spent vast (and I mean vast) sums of money trying to counter-act human nature and in the end – we couldn’t do it. As Steve pointed out, sprawl is nothing more than rolling ghetto.

Yep. Much of the movement to downtown is our generations version of "white flight" only it's not race, it's class. Move or drive the poor out and vilify them. In some world views, if that all gets done before the End of World, I guess they would go ahead and wall the downtown with their horde of gold and guns creating a city state, cut off whatever resources they control and let the poor they have pushed out fight it out.

The fastest way we can kill the maps brand and downtown subsidy is to continue to try to co-opt it into a war on the burbs, AKA 90% of the working, taxpaying and most importantly, voting citizens of the city.

I think it's time I reconnected with my councilman again and remind him who he represents.

[Just the facts]

mkjeeves - I am going to put you down in the Pete White camp. Good luck with that. The rest of us are moving on.

[mkjeeves]

You and others of you who are in a small (yet vocal) minority can do whatever you want. You don't even live here so good luck with getting representation on the council.