OAK (formerly Penn Central)

[soonerguru]

I think Belle Isle + Penn Square fits that mold a bit better, but I bet if we compared addresses, we'd find the cause for our positions

I'm not sure you are understanding my point. Unspoken, but I'm already assuming improvement with Belle Isle and Penn Square, so we agree on that. But, those are already largely successful in their current states. Shepherd Mall is not. It's a slightly better version of Crossroads because it has already adapted to its post-mall state.

Shepherd Mall takes up a huge footprint in the central city. Massive. And, it is underutilized. Think of the land area that it occupies. It's insane. At least Penn Square and Belle Isle largely make sense for the land they take up.

Shepherd Mall is a distressed, if currently basically utilized, facility. It could be and would be so much more with a major residential / retail development. I'm thinking 2/3 residential to retail and mixed use. We have a housing shortage and Shepherd Mall is adjacent to some of the hottest real estate markets in the entire city.

Admittedly it would take a genius developer, but OKC is missing a huge opportunity here by not moving this along.

[Rover]

This has been a dream of mine for a decade, for real. The Shepherd Mall location is a sleeping giant. It would be the most amazing, transformational multi-use location in the state if its redevelopment were executed skillfully. A true multi-use urban development with housing, retail, restaurants, office and other space such as education. It is an absolutely massive footprint in the central area of the city that is growing rapidly. It is a major potential catalyst to make OKC a next-level city and nothing to joke about at all, as I don't think you are doing here.

Also, once OAK is mostly done, it makes the redevelopment of the Shepherd Mall footprint all the more viable.

It will be a very long time before the area has the same potential as NW Expressways/ I-44 area does. Much more money in the neighboring areas of Belle Isle, Nichols Hills, Glenbrook. Plus, Shephard Mall area is pretty transportation isolated. Much more likely SM would be replaced with apartment complexes.

[pickles]

Any kind of upscale retail development on the current Shephard Mall site would be too speculative to make it through corporate approval.

[soonerguru]

Any kind of upscale retail development on the current Shephard Mall site would be too speculative to make it through corporate approval.

People who lack vision don't reap the rewards. I'm merely suggesting a mixed-use development featuring housing, not an OAK copycat development. Geez.

[progressiveboy]

I grew up in the Shepard Mall area, specifically the Cleveland area. At one time, this was a great area, but in my personal opinion, I just do not see that area bouncing back at 100%. Shepard Mall area is very "marginal" at best and I do not see it making a huge comeback. Driving around the area, it is hit and miss with upkeep of homes. It would be nice if a huge developer with big pockets can redevelop the area. From NW 23rd to around NW 36th the area looks a little ratty!!

[SEMIweather]

I grew up in the Shepard Mall area, specifically the Cleveland area. At one time, this was a great area, but in my personal opinion, I just do not see that area bouncing back at 100%. Shepard Mall area is very "marginal" at best and I do not see it making a huge comeback. Driving around the area, it is hit and miss with upkeep of homes. It would be nice if a huge developer with big pockets can redevelop the area. From NW 23rd to around NW 36th the area looks a little ratty!!

People said this about many other neighborhoods in the core until the moment that they actually did make a comeback. I really think just about everything bounded by I-44, I-235, and I-40 is set up for a positive trajectory in the long-run, with the possible exception of Westlawn Gardens.

[progressiveboy]

People said this about many other neighborhoods in the core until the moment that they actually did make a comeback. I really think just about everything bounded by I-44, I-235, and I-40 is set up for a positive trajectory in the long-run, with the possible exception of Westlawn Gardens.

Hope this happens for this area. It will take millions for it to make a comeback. Wishing the best for OKC core!

[rte66man]

I grew up in the Shepard Mall area, specifically the Cleveland area. At one time, this was a great area, but in my personal opinion, I just do not see that area bouncing back at 100%. Shepard Mall area is very "marginal" at best and I do not see it making a huge comeback. Driving around the area, it is hit and miss with upkeep of homes. It would be nice if a huge developer with big pockets can redevelop the area. From NW 23rd to around NW 36th the area looks a little ratty!!

IMO, the problem with redevelopment around Shepherd Mall is its close proximity to the Plaza District (your locally owned restaurants and shops), the Oak (new national groups), and Penn Square/Belle Isle (the usual mall/big box stores). As far as retail and restaurants go, you will end up with the fast food establishments that are already there. If a developer really wants mixed use, they will have to work double hard to fill it.

[Just the facts]

I think it is the opposite - development attracts development.

[soonerguru]

IMO, the problem with redevelopment around Shepherd Mall is its close proximity to the Plaza District (your locally owned restaurants and shops), the Oak (new national groups), and Penn Square/Belle Isle (the usual mall/big box stores). As far as retail and restaurants go, you will end up with the fast food establishments that are already there. If a developer really wants mixed use, they will have to work double hard to fill it.

It can be done. A lot of you all are pretty negative about OKC’s prospects given what is happening in our city. Again, I am not suggesting this would be a development like OAK.

[Pete]

[Teo9969]

So we should top out the floor count this week on the hotel through there will be some additional height for the mechanical and facade on the roof. Pretty cool!!

As much as that area had already changed, the addition of the 3 lots right against NWX and to the corner of Penn is going to make this feel even bigger.

[stlokc]

This is kind of nitpicky. But I'm a little perplexed why the taller building on the east side of this development is angled the way that it is. The apartments are being built parallel to Penn but the taller building is angled differently. Does anybody else find that visually strange?

[April in the Plaza]

This is kind of nitpicky. But I'm a little perplexed why the taller building on the east side of this development is angled the way that it is. The apartments are being built parallel to Penn but the taller building is angled differently. Does anybody else find that visually strange?

doesn't the taller building have to be angled differently to allow sufficient room for the tightly manicured courtyard?

[Pete]

doesn't the taller building have to be angled differently to allow sufficient room for the tightly manicured courtyard?

And the drive between it and Penn and a million other things they are trying to cram onto a tiny piece of land.

This is the problem with drone shots... Absolutely nobody is going to see this property from the angles I post.

[catch22]

Speaking of, can anyone get some street level views for us who are too far away to see it with the naked eye?

Easy parking at the bank across the street!

[shai2022]

This is kind of nitpicky. But I'm a little perplexed why the taller building on the east side of this development is angled the way that it is. The apartments are being built parallel to Penn but the taller building is angled differently. Does anybody else find that visually strange?

Could be that way so there is no view into the Temple backyard from top hotel floors.

[gjl]

Speaking of, can anyone get some street level views for us who are too far away to see it with the naked eye?

Easy parking at the bank across the street!

Having seen it from street level sitting at the stop light on NW Highway and Penn many times you don't grasp the overall size of the development like you do from the drone shots IMO.

[David]

Having seen it from street level sitting at the stop light on NW Highway and Penn many times you don't grasp the overall size of the development like you do from the drone shots IMO.

The view of it while driving west on I-44 is also pretty impressive.

[Pete]

[soonerguru]

Very impressive in person.

[ChrisHayes]

I was up there taking pictures of the site with my phone earlier. I'd love to get permission to walk around inside the site getting pictures with my actual camera. Same can be said for at Okana and other major projects around the city.

[HFAA Alum]

And to think there's a whole other office tower that's slated to be built along with all of this. I can't help but to think if there will be more vertical developments sprouting out in this area, preferably residential.

[ChrisHayes]

And to think there's a whole other office tower that's slated to be built along with all of this. I can't help but to think if there will be more vertical developments sprouting out in this area, preferably residential.

I can't tell you how much I would love for this area to infill with mid rise to 10-20 story buildings as you go up NW Expressway. Roughly between Penn and Baptist Medical Center. Have it turn into OKC's second high rise district. It's already close to it.

[April in the Plaza]

And to think there's a whole other office tower that's slated to be built along with all of this. I can't help but to think if there will be more vertical developments sprouting out in this area, preferably residential.

do you have a rough idea of total leasable sqft in the proposed tower?