University Town Center

[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.

[Questor]

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.

I have no idea if this is true, but a business owner in UNP once told me that the Warren was initially supposed to go into UNP but that the city had such ridiculous regulations they eventually started looking elsewhere. Elsewhere ended up being Moore because of all their incentives. One has to wonder if there is some truth to that when you consider the number of plans that have been released showing businesses that ultimately went to Moore instead, Five Guys being a good example.

[ChargerAg]

I have no idea if this is true, but a business owner in UNP once told me that the Warren was initially supposed to go into UNP but that the city had such ridiculous regulations they eventually started looking elsewhere. Elsewhere ended up being Moore because of all their incentives. One has to wonder if there is some truth to that when you consider the number of plans that have been released showing businesses that ultimately went to Moore instead, Five Guys being a good example.

So we aren't getting the 5 guys anymore?

[progressiveboy]

So we aren't getting the 5 guys anymore?

I am pretty sure Norman will still be getting a 5 Guys Burgers because their website shows a location "Coming Soon" to Norman. I hope that Norman will eventually step up to the plate and get a few decent shops in that development. UNP has been somewhat of a dissapointment.

[rcjunkie]

So we aren't getting the 5 guys anymore?

5 Guys is going in the same area (under construction) as Zio's, should open early fall.

[kevinpate]

5 Guys is going in the same area (under construction) as Zio's, should open early fall.

Driving by their site on my way elsewhere yesterday, they have Now Hiring signs hanging outside their entry. Apparently they are still on track for opening soon.

[kevinpate]

We don't see much in the way of neighborhood association youthful artistic expression in Norman like one readily finds in other parts of the metro. However, if some association wanted to use AS as an advertising canvas, I don't know that it would up the ugly factor by much at all.

[venture]

I have no idea if this is true, but a business owner in UNP once told me that the Warren was initially supposed to go into UNP but that the city had such ridiculous regulations they eventually started looking elsewhere. Elsewhere ended up being Moore because of all their incentives. One has to wonder if there is some truth to that when you consider the number of plans that have been released showing businesses that ultimately went to Moore instead, Five Guys being a good example.

Yeah, it is definitely a trend that Norman is its biggest enemy when it comes to landing new businesses. There is no reason Norman isn't able to compete, effectively, to land companies that are going to OKC or the other suburbs. Unfortunately the mayor and council haven't really shown much willingness to change the way they do business.

[dop]

I saw where OKC gave an incentive of 7 million plus to attract the outlet mall. Norman would never offer any incentive money...the council would argue about natural development and that everyone should be treated fairly, the little guy would get cheated, and that they could not afford it! This incentive money is small change in comparison to the return OKC will get from it.

[venture]

I saw where OKC gave an incentive of 7 million plus to attract the outlet mall. Norman would never offer any incentive money...the council would argue about natural development and that everyone should be treated fairly, the little guy would get cheated, and that they could not afford it! This incentive money is small change in comparison to the return OKC will get from it.

$7 million to get something like $50 million annually in sales tax revenue. Yeah...terrible. lol

There was a story in the Transcript or DOK about the outlet and the support OKC gave it to land the project. They were very honest about being aggressive to bring in businesses from suburbs to raise the city's sales tax revenues. So the situation for Norman is going to become...do they continue the current "natural development" philosophy and permit OKC and Moore to take business away, or play the same game and lure companies away from surrounding areas.

Eventually the city will need to decide - do they want to be proactive and grow, or settle being a commuter community supporting OKC's growing revenue base.

[JimTrabersColostomyBag]

I saw where OKC gave an incentive of 7 million plus to attract the outlet mall. Norman would never offer any incentive money...the council would argue about natural development and that everyone should be treated fairly, the little guy would get cheated, and that they could not afford it! This incentive money is small change in comparison to the return OKC will get from it.

RE: the little guy would get cheated..... ask all those eating establishments around the Warren Theatre if they would rather have the theatre there or an empty field.

[metro]

I saw where OKC gave an incentive of 7 million plus to attract the outlet mall. Norman would never offer any incentive money...the council would argue about natural development and that everyone should be treated fairly, the little guy would get cheated, and that they could not afford it! This incentive money is small change in comparison to the return OKC will get from it.

The incentive was for tax credits so they could use it for advertising, like over a 5 or 10 year period.

[venture]

Can we just take that and copy it for UNP?

It is disturbing that even in Moore they are talking about a lifestyle center there now and we can get this stupid one built. Rosenthal seems to be sleeping.

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?s...2997240&type=1

[Just the facts]

Can we just take that and copy it for UNP?

St Johns Town Center has it is own screw-ups as well. They have condos on site but they put a pond in-between it and the shopping which require people living on site to have to drive a 1/2 mile to go to a store that is 100 feet from their front door.

[kevinpate]

Silly place for a matt shack in my opinion. I think another casual dining or fast foodie shack would be a better fit right there. But, I don't get to decide such things.

[ahlokc]

Yep, seems out of place. And it will be a Mathis Bros mattress store after looking it up. Apparently the land cost them $1.1 million.

[G22]

Things like the Mathis Brothers mattress store will bring people to Norman from smaller communities like Purcell, Blanchard, Lexington, and Pauls Valley. I wish they had put more stores like this in the middle of the development but the Mathis Bros store is a major anchor.

[venture]

That is pretty stupid. I'm all for water features...but work in a couple artsy/scenic bridges (walking and vehicle) to allow for easy connections and promote a neighborhood type setting.

[Jesseda]

went to ulta with the family this morning and i noticed that the rock creek bridge is now open.. So is there going to be anything new being built or announced for the unp area?

[BG918]

It would be good if they could at least finish the lake that was supposed to go in south of Academy. The new bridge looks nice.

[Questor]

Another hotel and a Crest Foods are planned, but the developer is dragging his feet on turning over the land....

http://normantranscript.com/headline...under-scrutiny

[ljbab728]

It's interesting that the developer wants to alter pedestrian friendly areas to allow for more parking. Is that area so busy that no one can find a place to park?

[venture]

What I don't get is that the park was part of the plan agreed to at the beginning...so why is it more complicated now to just get that part done?

Just screams of a developer that has/had no intention of following through on anything they agreed to and continue to develop a big box haven.

[lasomeday]

I am sure the developer has breached his agreement. The land is owned by the city right?

[kevinpate]

If Mathis truly wanted to play pharm shoppe line of sight with the discount mattress folk across the way, I wish they had crossed the street and bought up the space between Matt Firm and IBC. I absolutely agree with you it would have been a better play overall to plop another food shoppe there by Cheddar's and Logan's. Of course, were I king for a day, both the mattress houses would have ended up to the west by the tire house or somewhere else they weren't front and center. Oh well.