Covell and I-35 Development Updates

[mugofbeer]

I drove the area between Waterloo and I-35 and zig-zagged my way down to Arcadia. I was shkcked at how many housingddevelopments are going up in the area. Lots of nice, tree-covered lots and lots of new housing going up.

[oklip955]

Tell me about!! I've lived here in the area since 1984 and everyday I drive through the area and cannot believe it. I'm wondering what it'll be like in another 5 yrs???

[Plutonic Panda]

So all of the heavy machinery has been moved off of the site and there is nothing there now. I'm not worried at this point, because it would seem to me they are going to need different kinds of machines than what they used for land clearing, but so far no other movement on the site. If this place is still dead in November, then I think we can start worrying.

[Plutonic Panda]

The hotel will go before the planning commission on the 21st.

Here is the new location and the site plan for the Hilton Garden Inn Conference Hotel















- http://agenda.edmondok.com:8085/agen...q=5788&prev=0#

[Plutonic Panda]

Update on the hotel from The Sun

Final site plan approval was granted this week for the $25.5 million Hilton Garden Inn and Conference Center to be located near Interstate 35 within the northeast corner of Sooner Road and Covell. The Edmond Planning Commission favored the request made by Covell Partners, LLC with a 3-0 vote.

The planned unit development covers an entire quarter-section of land, said Bob Schiermeyer, city planner. The site plan provides for a southwest to northeast orientation of the hotel/conference center, he said.

“Access to the building will be from Covell and Sooner Road with a loop drive around the east side of the building,” Schiermeyer said. “There is a second drive on Covell.”

The 130,033-square-foot hotel is in full compliance with the city’s 15 percent requirement for landscaping and plant count for the Interstate 35 corridor, according to Ryan Ochsner, the city’s urban forestry coordinator.

Two ground signs are 8 feet tall, making them shorter than what is allowed in the I-35 corridor, Schiermeyer said. “These signs will have a brick base to match the six-story brick building. The 158-room facility will be 80 feet tall.

“There is no height limit,” Schiermeyer said of the location.

The parking will meet the requirements for 160 hotel rooms and conference center, Schiermeyer said. There will be 546 parking spaces on the site and 28 bicycle parking spaces.

Covell Partners Project Manager Clay Coldiron said the hotel’s swimming pool and spa will be inside the building.

- Hilton Garden Inn phases on schedule - The Edmond Sun: News

[Plutonic Panda]

things move so slow in this city it's unreal

Edmond hotel and conference center construction set to begin at first of the year | NewsOK.com

[Plutonic Panda]

From News9

EDMOND, Oklahoma - It's been in the works for the last decade and finally plans are starting shape up for a brand new conference center in Edmond, near Sooner and Covell Roads.
“The major hurdles are through, so we would like to see some dirt moving out there very soon," said Janet Yowell, Executive Director of the Edmond Economic Development Authority.

The site plan was just approved last week for a 130,000 sq. ft. Hilton Garden Inn, standing six stories tall with about 160 rooms.

“It will be a full-service hotel with a restaurant with food service and then a place to hold meetings,” Yowell said. “So it will have event space and break out space, and that's the thing that's important to us and a new product to our market. We haven't had a full-service hotel in a number of years."

The center will fill a void in Edmond as traffic continues to pick up in the growing area along I-35. It is also where a public-private sports complex is to be constructed on the northeast corner of Sooner Road and Covell Road.

not a fan of the final design, looks like any ordinary hotel, but whatevs



- read more here: Plans For Edmond Convention Center, Sports Complex Take Shape - News9.com - Oklahoma City, OK - News, Weather, Video and Sports |

[CuatrodeMayo]

Throw-away development at its finest

[Plutonic Panda]

Throw-away development at its finest

We're talking big names here though! We got McDonald's and a Braum's coming here. Likely a Walmart to. This is the real deal!

[zachj7]

So a hotel, a McDonalds, and a Braums? Impressive....

[Bullbear]

Nothing brings in a conference like Braums.

[cagoklahoma]

I think this HGI is where ODOT is hosting the 2016 conference on the best urban design principles and how to incorporate public input.

[Richard at Remax]

As an edmondite the hotel/convention design is a shame. Looks like a hotel attached to a church. wish it was a little more contemporary with some greys, less brick.

as for the restaurants already planned, i will say they don't bother me. the majority of this area will be used by people not from the area and people stopping off i-35. and with the sports complex a lot of families and kids. kids love mcdonalds. its cheap and fast.

I would assume more sit down restaurants are in the pipeline.

[jerrywall]

I don't even think it's a question that more restaurants and businesses will attempt to build near there. I also would expect another hotel or motel, considering the easy access to the interstate, and the sports complex that's going to be near there as well.

I'm not a fan of the rendering either, but I'm wondering how final that is, or if there might be changes done as building progresses. I would have loved for this to be more visually in line with the designs of the sports complex.

[Plutonic Panda]

I think it's final. I believe when it's all said done, this will be a nice area with some great restaurants and stores. I just hate to think what were stuck with now and if another economic recession happened, this is what we would have for awhile.

[Zorba]

Hotel looks like about 95% of every other mid-grade business hotel in the country, so basically what I was expecting. At least it is a Hilton Garden Inn and not a Best Western or Motel 6. I am sure this area will develop nicely, as long as the city doesn't let something stupid go in (i.e. Wal-Mart, Church other large ugly box right in the middle fo the lot). I am still hoping someone will convince Life Time Fitness to move in there (fat chance).

[Plutonic Panda]

Yeah my excitement for this area just dropped big time. It took me a minute to digest the design for the hotel and now that it has, this coupled with the Braum's, McDonald's, and even the rumored Crest just has me blah. I mean this is the kind of sprawl I don't like. This is just the same crap at 100 other OKC intersections and represents the typical Edmond way doing things. Maybe I'll be proven wrong by an indoor upscale mall, lifestyle center, or even a large movie theater with an upscale 2nd story sports bar(like what was discussed), but for now, I have more hopes for the Waterloo development and that isn't even funded yet.

BTW, they are slated for several big box stores, and I wouldn't mind that as long as they are good stores like a Costco, Ikea, Rooms to Go, Fry's ...etc. I swore I overheard the mayor saying a Tiger Direct Warehouse was in the works for the area, which would fit where they tend to locate sometimes, but I would still be surprised. I am just hopeless for this area currently, but I hope I am wrong.

Again, just for a list of what is actually confirmed

*6 Story Hilton Garden Inn and Conference Center
*McDonald's
*Summit Sports Complex - http://www.okctalk.com/edmond/35223-...s-complex.html

What is rumored or speculated at this point

*large upscale movie theater and lasertag complex w/ upstairs sports bar
*Crest grocery store
*Braum's
*gas station/Convenience store(OnCue?)

The hotel, which isn't really ambitious at all, isn't starting until the beginning of the year. If memory serves me right, it was supposed to be half way completed by now as original timelines had groundbreaking dates this summer, but I could be wrong on that. They changed that however sometime ago and said we'd see vertical movement this October and now it is January.

The McDonald's is supposed to start whenever dirt really starts to turn into a foundation over at the hotel, according to The Edmond Sun.

The sports complex is supposedly breaking ground this month. I suspect that is going to be delayed as well, but I don't know. This was originally going to break ground in the spring of 2014.

The road construction is slated to begin spring 2015, which for reason, I feel that the Summit Sports complex will be delayed from 6 months to a year, but I hope I am wrong. They are going to widen Covell to 6 lanes(three lanes each) from Sooner rd. to I-35. They aren't going to widen the bridge, which I think is a mistake, and they have no plans to add service roads, although they are going to use 2013 surplus tax revenue to do a study. I'll make a map of where everything is supposedly going.

Anyhow, the main reason(s) I am being pessimistic is we have a bunch of delays, no real movement on any buildings & this whole area turned dirt over a year ago(last fall if remember right), and we were told this was going to become a world class development & right now were faced with a mid-rate hotel, a McDonald's, and a gas station.

The only really nice thing we are getting is a world class sports complex, and while that excites me for just having such a thing, I will likely never step foot in there, so it doesn't do anything for other than it is just cool we are getting it.

[bchris02]

Tiger Direct warehouse would be awesome and a huge score for OKC. How likely do you think that is?

One positive thing is with Wal-Mart going in at Covell and Coltrane, there is no reason to worry about it going in at this intersection and ruining the possibility of better retail there.

Regarding the Crest, I thought that I heard it was no longer happening. Is it back on the table?

[Plutonic Panda]

Groundbreaking set for January in Edmond's new hotel and conference center | NewsOK.com

[Plutonic Panda]

Hilton Garden Inn groundbreaking nears - The Edmond Sun: News

What a f*cking throwaway project.



When you look at that what do you see? You know what I see? A hotel that has literally no identify and will be surrounded by a McDonald's, Braum's, and some gas station. Wonder how long it is until a Sonic and a strip mall get announced for here. They could've done something really neat like place large electronic billboard on the side and grow vines up with a large sign on top that says Edmond Conference Center, but we have a hotel that could be anywhere, and you wouldn't know where it was by looking at it. 99% of development in Edmond. Makes me so mad.

Now this is just more worthless sprawl, and sorry to be negative here, but until the 'plans' for the large, upscale movie theatre/bar lounge come to fruition, I'm deeply disappointed in this.

[Plutonic Panda]

Have the whole side light up at night






. . . or if they really want to step outside the box

[bradh]

Hotel looks like about 95% of every other mid-grade business hotel in the country, so basically what I was expecting. At least it is a Hilton Garden Inn and not a Best Western or Motel 6. I am sure this area will develop nicely, as long as the city doesn't let something stupid go in (i.e. Wal-Mart, Church other large ugly box right in the middle fo the lot). I am still hoping someone will convince Life Time Fitness to move in there (fat chance).

I'm holding out for the Life Time Fitness along Memorial west of Portland

[Will]

Hilton Garden Inn groundbreaking nears - The Edmond Sun: News

What a f*cking throwaway project.



When you look at that what do you see? You know what I see? A hotel that has literally no identify and will be surrounded by a McDonald's, Braum's, and some gas station. Wonder how long it is until a Sonic and a strip mall get announced for here. They could've done something really neat like place large electronic billboard on the side and grow vines up with a large sign on top that says Edmond Conference Center, but we have a hotel that could be anywhere, and you wouldn't know where it was by looking at it. 99% of development in Edmond. Makes me so mad.

Now this is just more worthless sprawl, and sorry to be negative here, but until the 'plans' for the large, upscale movie theatre/bar lounge come to fruition, I'm deeply disappointed in this.

I'm really disappointed as well. This looks like the hotels that are already at 2nd and I-35.

[jerrywall]

I'm really disappointed as well. This looks like the hotels that are already at 2nd and I-35.

Which may be the intention.

[onthestrip]

I'm really disappointed as well. This looks like the hotels that are already at 2nd and I-35.

Which may be the intention.

The thing about the other hotels down the road is that they arent being given a hotel tax rebate from the city, and this Hilton Garden is. Not sure what great thing Edmond is getting on this deal, other than they can say the have a "convention hotel."