Scissortail Park

[warreng88]

I don't see any high or even mid-rise buildings being built adjacent to the park. Like I have said before, I see this being more like Forsythe Park in Savannah than Central Park in NYC. Forsythe is surrounded by a few one story buildings, but mostly two to three story buildings with some retail but mostly housing. It is 30 acres which isn't too much bigger than our at 40 acres.

[Bellaboo]

OKC is building too much park land downtown. It would take 200,000 downtown residents to effectively use all the space. It took 50 years for the land around New York City Central Park to fill-in and the lots along Champs Elysees took nearly 100 years to build out. Who knows how long OKC will have to wait since we already have much smaller downtown parks whose frontage isn't built out yet after 60 years. This Central Park is no different than a giant Walmart parking lot designed to handle parking demands for the day after Thanksgiving and then sitting 90% empty they other 364 days. This park will be used to some high level of capacity for maybe 2 or 3 annual events and will be 99% unsued for the rest of the year - for decades to come. It just doesn't seem like a good use of land, money, or effort but that ship already sailed.

Welcome back JTF.

[catcherinthewry]

It is 30 acres which isn't too much bigger than our at 40 acres.

Where did you go to school?

[hoya]

Whether this park gets surrounded by midrise or highrise housing depends entirely upon how the ClayCo towers go. If they build two residential towers, and the demand is solid and they fill up, then I can see someone trying to build more towers next to the new park.

[warreng88]

Where did you go to school?

HA! I guess I meant in comparison to Central park in NYC which over 800 acres. Also, the layout will be very similar in that it is two blocks wide and five or so blocks long. Not just one big square.

[Just the facts]

I don't see any high or even mid-rise buildings being built adjacent to the park. Like I have said before, I see this being more like Forsythe Park in Savannah than Central Park in NYC. Forsythe is surrounded by a few one story buildings, but mostly two to three story buildings with some retail but mostly housing. It is 30 acres which isn't too much bigger than our at 40 acres.

If Forsyth Park in Savannah is the ultimate goal then we are spending $100 million too much - but maybe that is what this park should have been billed as in the first place. It would have been a good model to replicate.

[warreng88]

If Forsyth Park in Savannah is the ultimate goal then we are spending $100 million too much - but maybe that is what this park should have been billed as in the first place. It would have been a good model to replicate.

I meant the area surrounding the park, not the park itself.

[Just the facts]

If Central Park was our only downtown park OKC might have the downtown population eventually to keep it busy, but OKC has so many downtown parks (with many more on the way) that it is actually ridiculous.

MBG
The Canal
Bicentennial
Kerr
Devon Yard
Sandridge Commons
City Hall
National Memorial
Lots across from Federal Building
Boathouse District
Wheeler Park
Wiley Post
River Park
Promenade Park
whatever that park is on N. Broadway
and the list can go on and on.

It is like the OKC Parks Department doesn't have a comprehensive park plan. They just build at random and then find a way to sort of maintain them.

Anyhow, I have probably contributed about as much as I can to this topic.

[Richard at Remax]

I wish they would just go as far south as I40 for the new park. I don't think we need a mile long park. Have the skydance be a walking connection between a district like wheeler to the central park. Or if anything just improve the trails and spaces that run along the river.

[warreng88]

Isn't OCURA trying to acquire properties surrounding the park to control who builds there?

[Snowman]

Isn't OCURA trying to acquire properties surrounding the park to control who builds there?

Either them or one of the city's other subsidiaries.

[jccouger]

There can never be too many parks. We live in OKC, the middle of the freaking country. Stop trying to cramp us up.

[Pete]

Isn't OCURA trying to acquire properties surrounding the park to control who builds there?

Yes, OCURA is trying to buy lots of property to the west of both the upper and lower parks.

There has been quite a bit of activity to the west of the park in terms of small acquisitions and demolitions. There are a couple of groups who are obviously piecing properties together. May be just speculating but still, it will help move things forward.

[td25er]

There can never be too many parks. We live in OKC, the middle of the freaking country. Stop trying to cramp us up.

This. 95% of people couldn't give 2 craps about "density". Some people *gasp* actually appreciate parks and 1/3 acre property.

[Just the facts]

There can never be too many parks. We live in OKC, the middle of the freaking country. Stop trying to cramp us up.

What does being in the middle of the country have to do with density?

[RodH]

What does being in the middle of the country have to do with density?

"Plenty of room to swing a rope!"

[Motley]

OKC is blessed with lots of room. Maybe that feature should be embraced and make OKC the city of parks.

[AP]

This. 95% of people couldn't give 2 craps about "density". Some people *gasp* actually appreciate parks and 1/3 acre property.

Then you do actually care about density. Or the lack of it.

[kevinpate]

First, a belated welcome back to JTF.

Second, folks, never be dense about density.

Third, OKC will get the park it gets. Said park may or may not resemble any of the renderings to date, in size, features or programming.

Fourth, whatever happens with the park, it won't be as fubar'd up as the AICCM or Project 180/2

Fifth, oh there is no fifth, so have another beer and don't fret it all that much.

[jccouger]

What does being in the middle of the country have to do with density?

We country boy, we need some room to stretch our britches out.

Besides, putting a park in the middle of downtown decreases the available lots. By simple supply & demand principles, the less plots available downtown the more valuable they become. The more valuable they become the more economical it becomes to invest more in said available lots with bigger developments. The bigger the developments the more density. Wah-la

[boitoirich]

We country boy, we need some room to stretch our britches out.

No, you country. I'm urban. I wear pants.

putting a park in the middle of downtown decreases the available lots. By simple supply & demand principles, the less plots available downtown the more valuable they become.

I'm listening. Microecon is your thing, huh? Well, go on...

The more valuable they become the more economical it becomes to invest more in said available lots with bigger developments.

By way of whose voodoo? Why wouldn't they just sit empty for a while? If so, that would suggest that those land values are too high, leading to a lack of development.

The bigger the developments the more density. Wah-la

Q.E. mf'ing D. right?

-_-

[CuatrodeMayo]

Welcome back, JTF!

[jccouger]

No, you country. I'm urban. I wear pants.


I'm listening. Microecon is your thing, huh? Well, go on...


By way of whose voodoo? Why wouldn't they just sit empty for a while? If so, that would suggest that those land values are too high, leading to a lack of development.


Q.E. mf'ing D. right?

-_-

woah woah woah. Nobody ever said this was going to happen over night. Best believe this park will help spur development at a way quicker rate than a Goodwill would/did.

Just walk a block north to see how a park can lead to high quality developments. Hell, the 3 best developments of the last quarter century will all happen on 3 sides of the Myriad Gardens. Then JTF wanted to take a shot at the canal, which basically led to all new development east of the railroad tracks.

You guys can trash on this park all you want, but you Eeyors will come crawling back in 20-30 years when most major downtown development will be taking place in this area.

[jn1780]

Given how spread out OKC and its suburbs are. I don't really think a 30 acre park is going to make or break you when it comes to density. It could be 30 acres of parking lot or abandon buildings.

[kevinpate]

... It could be 30 acres of parking lot or abandon buildings.

How's the old song go ... they razed them some blight, and put up a parking lot.
Ahhhh, progress.