Depot to get shops

[BDP]

It's amazing how slow things seem to move sometime.

Unfortunately, I think this is because we have a lot of people in control of this stuff that have no prior experience in doing it. Things move much faster in larger markets or where expertise trumps local affiliation. It's a hard balance, because you can get experienced outsiders controlling it where it's only a small part of their portfolio and it can get lost in the shuffle. But I think what we have is just small timers who are using some of our best properties to cut their teeth in terms of redevelopment.

[metro]

For Lease signs finally went up this week:

[jbrown84]

makin' progress...

[okclee]

Whoa, slow down there Brewer.

[mecarr]

DOes anyone want to predict when the first shop will move in? I think they'll announce a new tenant by May, and then that tenant will move in around October, and open for business around January.

[metro]

Well, I know they originally had Camille's and Cingular Wireless lined up, but this was about 2 years ago when these were supposed to open. I do imagine these will be easier to lease now that the Ford Center tax extention passed and given the proximity of these to the Ford Center, cheap fast-food joints or clothing retailers would do extremely well here being so close to the convention center and Ford Center.

[Pete]

I'm sure one of the reasons he's been so slow is that he makes good money off the parking directly in front of those spaces. Also, I was told by someone in their offices that they are only a partner in the retail space.

I went all around that building on Friday because I thought it might be a good venue for a class reunion I am planning for the summer. I couldn't get inside because they were setting up for a wedding, but I was really disappointed in the condition of that building.

There was garbage blowing around, all the exterior stonework needs to be at least cleaned and some of it repaired, the light fixtures need work and there are rust and water stains on a good part of the exterior. Even the one Amtrak sign looks really crappy. And, there were cars parked right on top of the stairs which looked really trashy.

Does Brewer own this outright or is he just operating it for the city? Whatever the case, at the very least the exterior needs to be improved -- it's an embarrassment.

I took a few photos:

[Kerry]

Maybe we can all pitch in and buy them some vowels for the sign.

[wsucougz]

It's pretty obvious that Brewer does the bare minimum. Who in their right mind would open a business there?

[okclee]

What is the nicest project / building in Bricktown that Brewer owns??

[John]

What is the nicest project / building in Bricktown that Brewer owns??

Is this a trick question?

[okclee]

I am curious is Brewer really as bad of a property owner as it appears??

[Kerry]

Seeing is believing. Compare the Santa Fe station which is actully used as a train station to the Union Station that hasn't been used as a train station for 30 years. There is no comparison. Union Station is in much better condition.

[okclee]

How does Brewer get away with it??

I understand he is one of the original bricktown developers and I do give him credit for being one of the few that got things started. Unless he is willing to give the proper attention to the properties that he owns, he needs to step aside. It is my opinion that at this point he is slowing down progress the way that he is operating to date.

[betts]

I noticed a sign for a business going in at the Santa Fe station, but couldn't read it at all due to the fact that the letters were in some gothic font and there was a lot going on behind them. I think the name started with an "e". Anyone know what it is?

[metro]

I noticed that too I took pics and will post them soon.

[theilluminatedfirefly]

Thanks for posting the pics, everyone.

My niece and I took the Heartland Flyer about 10 months ago and the station (at that time) still had a slighty skeevy vibe. Still feels kinda vagrant friendly - not alive and bustling. Maybe that has changed since then. I just know last year I was disappointed that it wasn't "nicer."

[BG918]

Thanks for posting the pics, everyone.

My niece and I took the Heartland Flyer about 10 months ago and the station (at that time) still had a slighty skeevy vibe. Still feels kinda vagrant friendly - not alive and bustling. Maybe that has changed since then. I just know last year I was disappointed that it wasn't "nicer."

Santa Fe will see a big renovation and expansion once we approve commuter rail. It will be the primary downtown station and connection point for street-based light rail next to it on E.K. Gaylord as well as Amtrak. Hopefully this will be addressed in MAPS III.

[jbrown84]

Perhaps it's the same as the banner on this page: Bricktown - Oklahoma City, Oklahoma - Dining, Shopping, Events

I had been wondering about it. Of course, if so, it's not really in Bricktown (grrrrrrrrr)

[dalelakin]

Not much of a site but here is a link.
Envy Collections

[betts]

Ah, Envy. I was having trouble reading the sign. It's a collection of what?

[metro]

men's and women's clothing. I will post pics soon

[jbrown84]

Sounds like it will go well with Lit and Firefly.

[betts]

Do you think they are going to replace the awnings? They look terrible currently. And, can the stone be cleaned? It's rather stained and dingy appearing as well. I thought both those things would be done before any retail went in to that location.

[soonerguru]

Oh my, Envy looks cheesy. I don't have high hopes for it.

From most accounts I've heard, Jim Brewer is a fairly nice guy. He is, however, in over his head.

At a certain time in our history, Brewer may have been considered a lunatic, or even a visionary. But so much has happened in OKC since then that now he seems dated.

A lot of the "concepts" in Bricktown have been very amateurish. Brewer knows enough to know that something needs to be done, he just lacks that "last mile" ability to execute something in a cosmopolitan city.

There's still a good ole boy vibe with just about everything in Bricktown. This was charming at one time, but no longer so.

Brewer gets away with it because he has a lot of powerful people by the short hairs, and he has made himself a powerful person.

It is a shame that the "bigger" good ole boys don't call him on it and demand better results.

At one time, to question any aesthetic decision by a developer in OKC would have been considered radical, and even rude. Now, we have higher standards, and we have a sophisticated citizenry that demands more. Brewer is an annoying anachronism at this point.