REHCO / Former Downtown Ford site

[Kerry]

I don't think connecting parks via a bridge is good idea. It doesn't solve anything other than making the street easier to cross. You still have interupted park space. BTW - what are these 'bridges' supposed to be crossing over; a boulevard that shouldn't be built in the first place?

[Snowman]

I think connecting the Central Park and Myriad Gardens would be a great idea. Just downsize the oversized boulevard and possibly lower it as it crosses the park.

A convention center is not seriously being proposed their, it is hard to fit one larger than the cox center in the space avalible.

How are you proposing to fix the access issues from the interstate that downsizing the boulevard will create getting into and out of downtown. It might be more possible if we had the population living in residential apartments in the C2S drawings now, but that will take years assuming it happens anything like the plan.

[rcjunkie]

Putting the convention center on the Ford site would be like shooting yourself in the foot ... with a nuclear weapon. Does anyone else find it sad that the most valuable piece of real-estate in the state is a close car dealership?

Not me, it is what it is, what does the former use have to do with value---nothing.

[kevinpate]

In light of the way they stropped the skydance bridge plan down, hoping for nice pedi bridges further north in the park seems, sadly, pipedreamish.

[Snowman]

for a single street crossing it is a bit a hassle to go up and down for such a short span, walking over to the nearest light is not that much worse, if they found a way to work that into an extension on the underground/skybridge network then it might be more likely to be used, Though without having the new convention center south of the ford center even that seems unlikely, and putting the convention center their has issues that have been well discuses on other threads.

[Larry OKC]

A convention center is not seriously being proposed their, it is hard to fit one larger than the cox center in the space avalible.

How are you proposing to fix the access issues from the interstate that downsizing the boulevard will create getting into and out of downtown. It might be more possible if we had the population living in residential apartments in the C2S drawings now, but that will take years assuming it happens anything like the plan.

Since I-40 is being relocated, the main points of access will be from the exits along it (forget which streets they are). Turn one or both of them into Boulevards if you have to (N/S instead of E/W). Supposedly there will be some using the Boulevard coming from the east, but again, the traffic count will be mitigated by the other exits. As others have suggested, just return it back to the grid as a regular street (if at all). Does DT really need another street?

While the ULI didn't say not to build it, they did say that what the City hopes to achieve along it, just ain't going to happen.

[Kerry]

Ah crap - I just looked to see where you can enter and exit I-40 from. I have to re-think my whole idea of the boulevard. You can't enter or exit I-40 on either side of the park (except for an exit ramp from westbound I-40 at Robinson). Without the Boulevard there is no way to enter or exit the immediate downtown area to I-40. They should have made three thru lanes and two exit lanes so they could have had more places to get on and off.


Eastbound I-40 traffic:

• exit at Agnew Ave.
• exit at the Boulevard
• exit and entrance at Pennsylvania Ave., Western Ave. & Shields Blvd.
• entrance from eastbound Boulevard

Westbound I-40 traffic:

• exit at the Boulevard
• entrance from Shields Blvd.
• exit at Robinson Ave.
• exit & entrance at Western Ave.
• exit at Pennsylvania Ave.
• exit at Agnew Ave.
• entrance from the Boulevard
• entrance from Agnew Ave.

[Snowman]

Ah crap - I just looked to see where you can enter and exit I-40 from. I have to re-think my whole idea of the boulevard. You can't enter or exit I-40 on either side of the park (except for an exit ramp from westbound I-40 at Robinson). Without the Boulevard there is no way to enter or exit the immediate downtown area to I-40. They should have made three thru lanes and two exit lanes so they could have had more places to get on and off.

A westbound entrance would have been nice somewhere east of shields would have been nice as well. The closest places near bricktown are using shields, from easter before the i35/i235/i40 juncture and off NW 4th if you stay in the exit lane. from Lincoln or Reno would probably been the most doable in the bricktown area.

[Spartan]

Enclosed sky-bridges are no good.

I do think Blair is thinking ahead. Perhaps in the future we are going to be looking for planning solutions that connect the two big downtown parks. What if the big mixed-use development that will be built on the old Downtown Ford site can somehow be oriented around a High Line-type of green space that serves as a backbone connecting the two. That could make for some interesting energy that is very different from anything already downtown.

[Rover]

Enclosed sky-bridges are no good.

I do think Blair is thinking ahead. Perhaps in the future we are going to be looking for planning solutions that connect the two big downtown parks. What if the big mixed-use development that will be built on the old Downtown Ford site can somehow be oriented around a High Line-type of green space that serves as a backbone connecting the two. That could make for some interesting energy that is very different from anything already downtown.

I assume you are referencing the High Line in New York City. It runs close to our apartment in Chelsea and is a great urban way. I agree that it would be a really unique and cool addition here. It is an odd twist, in a way... take down the elevated car route east and west and add an elevated pedestrian greenbelt/walkway north and south. What an interesting and clever twist. Taking lemons and making lemonade.

[betts]

If it weren't so ugly underneath and didn't have so many maintenance issues, I was thinking that the old I-40 would make a great High Line too. But, I think it would be prohibitively expensive to create and maintain, and development beneath it would suffer. I like the idea of a pedestrian greenbelt/walkway as well.

We were at the Capitol recently and were told people don't use or hate to use the skybridge at the capitol. I think unless they're connected to an existing building/s, they're a terrible way to move people. Again, the question should be why we need a road that needs a skybridge to cross it. I-40 I understand. The boulevard...not at all.

[king183]

I drove by the Ford dealership today and it appears they are readying it for demolition. Workers were inside tearing the place apart. It looks like they're gutting everything and shipping it off. Since it doesn't appear too substantial, I assume the actual building will be quite easy to take down and clean up.

So, I guess they're already preparing it for whatever it's to become, whether that's part of the park or a new mixed-use development.

Has Howard stated some kind of unofficial date that he'd like things to take shape? I think I remember hearing he's being held up until the I40 demolition, but I'm not sure if that's true.

[G.Walker]

I drove by the Ford dealership today and it appears they are readying it for demolition. Workers were inside tearing the place apart. It looks like they're gutting everything and shipping it off. Since it doesn't appear too substantial, I assume the actual building will be quite easy to take down and clean up.

So, I guess they're already preparing it for whatever it's to become, whether that's part of the park or a new mixed-use development.

Has Howard stated some kind of unofficial date that he'd like things to take shape? I think I remember hearing he's being held up until the I40 demolition, but I'm not sure if that's true.

Funny that you posted this, just got bid alert, bid is calling for mixed-use development on 22 acres, two residential buildngs with ground floor retail, could it be for this? but didn't give location, or too many details...I am to cheap to signup and pay...lol...

[king183]

Funny that you posted this, just got bid alert, bid is calling for mixed-use development on 22 acres, two residential buildngs with ground floor retail, could it be for this? but didn't give location, or too many details...I am to cheap to signup and pay...lol...

Interesting. I think I recall reading that the Ford site is 8 or 10 acres (I could be wrong on that). If it is a bid for this site, perhaps they expanded the project.

[okclee]

How many acres is the downtown airport aka Humphrey's river development ??

[G.Walker]

How many acres is the downtown airport aka Humphrey's river development ??

86 acres for Humphrey's development....Humphrey's development is not scheduled to turn dirt until March 2012....

[Snowman]

Interesting. I think I recall reading that the Ford site is 8 or 10 acres (I could be wrong on that). If it is a bid for this site, perhaps they expanded the project.

22 acres looks plausible, below is a rough estimate of how much area their is if it goes between Walker and Robinson & Old i40 and Reno.

Estimate of how large the 3 sections their are buildings, lots, sidewalks and 2nd street merged together.
500 ft wide x 600 ft long = 300000 sq ft
300000 sq ft / 43560 sq ft / acre= 6.887 acres

Estimate of how much of harvey will end up in the project that will merge two of the 3 blocks.
50 ft wide x 600 ft long = 30000 sq ft
30000 sq ft / 43560 sq ft / acre= .689 acres

6.887 * 3 + .689 = 21.35 acres

[OKCRT]

Twin towers on the old Ford site? That is what I heard a couple months back. I heard mid rise but in the same sentence I heard 30 stories.

A couple 20-30 story towers would be nice in that area IMO.

[bluedogok]

A wide boulevard would not be ideal but it isn't like other cities don't have something similar. The Boston Common is bordered on the north by Beacon Street (5 lane road, 3 traffic/2 parking), the east by Park Street (3 lanes expanding to 5 at Beacon), on the south by Tremont Street (4 lanes), The Common and Boston Public Garden are split by Charles Street (5 lanes) and bordered on the south by Boylston (a divided 6 lane) and the Garden is bordered by Arlington (5 lanes) splitting it from park on the Commonwealth Avenue Mall. If I recall correctly Central Park in NYC is bordered all the way around with 5 or more lanes with most cross streets below grade.

[king183]

22 acres looks plausible, below is a rough estimate of how much area their is if it goes between Walker and Robinson & Old i40 and Reno.

Estimate of how large the 3 sections their are buildings, lots, sidewalks and 2nd street merged together.
500 ft wide x 600 ft long = 300000 sq ft
300000 sq ft / 43560 sq ft / acre= 6.887 acres

Estimate of how much of harvey will end up in the project that will merge two of the 3 blocks.
50 ft wide x 600 ft long = 30000 sq ft
30000 sq ft / 43560 sq ft / acre= .689 acres

6.887 * 3 + .689 = 21.35 acres

From the original article...

"The site is bordered by Robinson, Walker, Reno avenues and Interstate 40. With planning for the Core to Shore development continuing and Project 180, another downtown revitalization effort, under way, the future calls for the site to be bordered by the Oklahoma City Arena on the east, a revamped Myriad Gardens to the north and a new central park and boulevard to the south.

"Hall estimates the entire site spans eight to 10 acres."

[Spartan]

Well how do they not know how big the site is? They own it.

[G.Walker]

Well how do they not know how big the site is? They own it.

We don't know if the bid for 22 acres of mixed-use development is for the old Ford site...the bid could be for anywhere in Oklahoma City...just a speculation...but the bid alert did say plans were early in development, and not scheduled to start construction until July 2012...given that info, you would think it would be for downtown area, because 2012 is key year for development projects to end or start in that area, The new I-40 Crosstown, Devon Tower, first two phases of project 180, Oklahoma City Arena Renovations... are all slated to be completed towards then end of 2012...

[okclee]

G. Walker....Where are you getting your info? What construction bid news service are you reading?

There may be someone on here that would pay for the full bid news service and we won't need to play this guessing game.

[G.Walker]

G. Walker....Where are you getting your info? What construction bid news service are you reading?

There may be someone on here that would pay for the full bid news service and we won't need to play this guessing game.

BidClerk...

http://www.bidclerk.com/construction....Oklahoma.html

although its pricy to signup and get full access....

[Kerry]

Interesting find G.Walker. The bid includes elevators which means they will probably be taller than 3 stories.

Don't read anything into the attached aerial and map with the bid. The place identified is just the Google marker for Oklahoma City.

http://www.bidclerk.com/project.1092338.html