Scissortail Park

[Just the facts]

Let's hope something can be done about this before it is built. I have my doubts at this point.

I have already chalked it up to 'opportunity missed' exactly like Lower Bricktown and Sandridge Commons. It will be up to people 10 to 15 years from now to fix it. If they just missed the target by a little bit it might be worth the effort to fight it but these guys missed it by miles.

[onthestrip]

Pretty much 100% disagree. It will be a great park and there is no reason to keep a non descript building

Why wouldnt we keep an easily rehabbed buidling that takes up so little space. It could serve a multitude of functions and would also be a source of income for the city. I think integrating a historic structure would also add quite a bit to the aesthetic of the park. Not everything has to be new.

[Spartan]

The problem I see with the Central Park is that they are building a suburban style regional park where they should be building an urban park. The design criteria for each are totally different and it appears Hargreaves & Associates has never heard of the rural to urban transect and the unique design features that occur across the spectrum. The park should be designed based on the T-zone it is in. I don't know if it is their own incompetence or if that is the direction they are getting from the subcommittee. Either way I see this park as something that the next generation is going to have to fix because this group seems in capable of doing it right the first time.

Te problem isn't that we are incapable. We are very capable if we just cared. The people on council and these committees are people pleasers, not sharp-minded visionaries who want to hold Hargreaves to a standard. I don't know why Hargreaves hasn't put in the work they were paid to, but I suspect they sensed we don't really care and are taking advantage of that.

I know it isn't very Oklahoman to be anything but nice, but when all you are is nice even when you should be pissed, this park is what happens.

[bchris02]

Te problem isn't that we are incapable. We are very capable if we just cared. The people on council and these committees are people pleasers, not sharp-minded visionaries who want to hold Hargreaves to a standard. I don't know why Hargreaves hasn't put in the work they were paid to, but I suspect they sensed we don't really care and are taking advantage of that.

I know it isn't very Oklahoman to be anything but nice, but when all you are is nice even when you should be pissed, this park is what happens.

Well, the OKC way is "anything better than crappy makes us happy." As long as that is the attitude here, crap is what we will continue to get. It's frustrating because every time it seems like OKC might have turned a corner and learned its lesson from past mistakes, projects like this and the Stage Center Tower prove otherwise. Also, the poor park design sounds like it was more of a good ole boy thing than it was a simple people-pleasing episode.

[Spartan]

Well I don't know, it would make sense, but who is Hargreaves' good ole boy connection? Their behavior exhibits strong signs of that but I just don't know enough to make that claim.

[lasomeday]

Well I don't know, it would make sense, but who is Hargreaves' good ole boy connection? Their behavior exhibits strong signs of that but I just don't know enough to make that claim.

Hanz Butzer.......

[Spartan]

How is Hans Butzer connected to Hargreaves?

[lasomeday]

He paired up with them for this project and presents his cafe concept of a chimney looking structure as the focal point for the north part of the park. He is why they go the project and no one opposes it.

[MustangGT]

Pretty much 100% disagree. It will be a great park and there is no reason to keep a non descript building

100% agreement here. Could it be the naysayers are just sour graping the design???

[Spartan]

He paired up with them for this project and presents his cafe concept of a chimney looking structure as the focal point for the north part of the park. He is why they go the project and no one opposes it.

Right but it is the subcommittee's responsibility to enforce a standard and approve work.

[bchris02]

100% agreement here. Could it be the naysayers are just sour graping the design???

The Film Exchange building is a separate issue from the design flaws. I really could care less either way about the Film Exchange building. What I was hoping to see is an urban park and not something that could be built in Edmond. Tulsa's design hits the nail on the head.

[OKVision4U]

Subcommittee Members:

Kimberly Lowe, Chair
Michael Dover, Vice Chair
Bill Cameron
Kari Watkins
Anthony McDermid
Teresa Rose
Miles Tolbert
Desmond Mason
Fred Hall
Debi Bocar
Rusty LaForge

...can we add Cuatrodemayo, Andrew Stewart ?

[OKCisOK4me]

Subcommittee Members:

Kimberly Lowe, Chair
Michael Dover, Vice Chair
Bill Cameron
Kari Watkins
Anthony McDermid
Teresa Rose
Miles Tolbert
Desmond Mason
Fred Hall
Debi Bocar
Rusty LaForge

I did not know. Excellent. So great to see a college standout and former NBA player take pride in our city.

[Spartan]

The Film Exchange building is a separate issue from the design flaws. I really could care less either way about the Film Exchange building. What I was hoping to see is an urban park and not something that could be built in Edmond. Tulsa's design hits the nail on the head.

How else do you plan to make Hargreaves design a more contextually appropriate park than by refusing to let them white wash the site of its urban context?

[bchris02]

How else do you plan to make Hargreaves design a more contextually appropriate park than by refusing to let them white wash the site of its urban context?

Good point. All who oppose the park design needs to jump on board the Film Exchange bandwagon. The only way the park design is getting changed is if it has to be to incorporate the Film Exchange building.

[Pete]

I've been told by those closest to the campaign to save the Film Exchange Building at Central Park that they've pretty much given up hope of saving it.

[kevinpate]

Too little time, too little funding interest or too many contusions from banging their head against the don't you know the decision is already in the bag wall.

(Guessing the latter is a huge part of it)

[Just the facts]

I really could care less either way about the..,

Point of order. The phrase is 'couldn't care less'. If you could care less it means you have some level of caring above zero, but I think you meant that you care as little as possible and thus couldn't care less.

That is all and I know return you to regular programming. .

[Spartan]

I've been told by those closest to the campaign to save the Film Exchange Building at Central Park that they've pretty much given up hope of saving it.

Why is that?

[Jeepnokc]

I've been told by those closest to the campaign to save the Film Exchange Building at Central Park that they've pretty much given up hope of saving it.

I heard basically the same thing at the Film Row Association meeting last week. What I heard was that it was a foregone conclusion.

[Spartan]

Well, everything in OKC is a foregone conclusion...

Who the hell can respond to a 30 day RFP? Nick Preftakes can't even propose anything in 6 years when he owns the whole block. The city even used administrative approval to knock down the bldg across the street.

[CuatrodeMayo]

So am I the only one who read this post 10 days ago?

Film Exchange at Central Park - OKCTalk

I guess I will chime in again, after taking this recent image of a quote that shares what those who built these buildings wanted to say about their future.


But when it comes to the FEB's future - I was told yesterday morning that a very prominent person stated to my colleague: "I can't believe that no one told you that this decision was made five years ago." Referring to the demolition of the Film Exchange building.


Folks, YOUR city has an amazing history and if not for the historic tax credits and some very forward thinking preservationist and developers, the history that we still have would not be standing today. There will be at least two major sacrifices of historic structures in the very near future and there is nothing that can be done about it. Trust me - I have tried. So, let their loss become a battle cry for "no more!" in the decades ahead. I have a plan to help bring awareness to such plight and hope to garner your support in the coming months, upon it being revealed.


Thanks for all of the discussion about saving the FEB, along with others. Be part of your City's future - VOTE and become involved. Be a voice on a citizen committee. At the very least be informed - do diligent research! Apathy from voters will kill this town's forward momentum.


That is my two cents for now.

[BoulderSooner]

Te problem isn't that we are incapable. We are very capable if we just cared. The people on council and these committees are people pleasers, not sharp-minded visionaries who want to hold Hargreaves to a standard. I don't know why Hargreaves hasn't put in the work they were paid to, but I suspect they sensed we don't really care and are taking advantage of that.

I know it isn't very Oklahoman to be anything but nice, but when all you are is nice even when you should be pissed, this park is what happens.

From this post it is very clear that you have never been to a maps 3 park committe meeting and that you are out of touch with okc in general

[Spartan]

From this post it is very clear that you have never been to a maps 3 park committe meeting and that you are out of touch with okc in general

Do you care to substantiate that? Go on?

[Chicken In The Rough]

I agree with Spartan on the park design. I believe it is wholly uninspired. We have incredibly talented landscape designers locally that would have taken this park much farther. What we got was a very average greenspace. Perhaps it will develop over the next hundred years into something attractive, but we'll all be long dead.

I am not only disillusioned with the park design, but I am beginning to become disillusioned with the entire Maps 3 program. It seems OKC has lost its visionary leadership and has turned back to typical politics, or worse. It is particularly upsetting because OKC will now never support another tax initiative aimed at civic improvements. The loss will be felt on a much greater scale than just the below-average park.