Braum's

[swilki]

Sorry for the duplicate post, but it makes sense to post this here as well.

I haven’t posted here often since I was elected to the city council in The Village. But I thought in this case I’d share my thoughts which I’ve also posted on my Facebook account.
Monday evening we discussed to new developments. A new office building on Hefner and the second development was the new Braum’s in Casady Square. After seeing the initial plans months ago, I had some concerns regarding certain aspects of the proposal. My concerns related mainly to traffic safety issues along Penn, Braum’s signage, and how this development could set the tone for improved walkability in The Village. The options I presented would have created a more walkable area along Penn and brought their signage slightly more in line with the codes that were recently passed at the suggestion of the Village Vision task force.

Regrettably, each time I offered a suggestion, I was met with a firm no from the company. Therefore, I voted no on this proposal, knowing that my fellow council members would be voting yes and the development would pass. Don’t get me wrong, I am excited about Braum’s building here and will be a repeat customer! However, I feel strongly that the codes and suggestions developed by the Village Vision and my other council members should at least try to be followed.

In the end, I know that Braums will be a great community partner and will be a welcome addition to The Village.

[Joe Kimball]

Regrettably, each time I offered a suggestion [with regard to walkability and signage], I was met with a firm no from the company.... In the end, I know that Braums will be a great community partner and will be a welcome addition to The Village.

I'm so glad to see a knowledgeable source on this topic, and i thank you for your input. I must say, as well, that that's a very generous attitude to have as to their presence, when they are outright refusing to consider a change in plans. They just may pay for the privilege in other ways, though!

[timothy.a.owen]

Now that I live in Piedmont.....PIEDMONT AREA NEEDS A BRAUMS!!!!!...please build one. I keep hearing a Braums will be built near the corner on Piedmont Rd and the Express Way, but have never seen it.

Careful what you wish for... they'll have to tear something down in order to build their store! /sarcasm

[swilki]

Don’t get me wrong, I’m thrilled they are opening here. They’ll bring much needed tax dollars in and that’ll keep us progressing forward. I regret them not wanting to do a few things, but overall it’s a much needed improvement over what was there. And I’m hopeful they’ll join the list of other businesses here who are always willing to step up and help the city (Uptown, Dunkin Donuts and Walmart to name a few).

[OKCisOK4me]

I live 1/4 mile SW of Penn & Britton in The Village and I am highly disappointed in this news. Either direction, 1.5 miles--north or south--there is a Braums. But they have to choose this ONE location and take away a good Chinese food joint, China City. I'm in dismay. Why can Braums not figure out how to build a new store in the innards of this city on land that is readily available as we all know? I guess Sonic has 'em by the balls...

[OKCretro]

they are tearing down a building that once housed a blockbuster video! lets protest and demand they keep the building the way it is even though braums will bring much needed tax dollars to the village?

when did they close the braums that was by johnies? i think it was where the cigar store is now

[stile99]

I don't think you'll get anyone to join your preserve the ex-Blockbuster crusade. The minor protest I've seen has been because apparently there's a popular Chinese food place there, and I really doubt we'll see protesters fill the streets. While I agree it would suck if my favorite Chinese place closed, I have two immediate backups, and several other perfectly good choices in the area. The other objection is apparently they want a skyscraper sign and the people in the area do not. As per usual with Braum's, the response has been "shove it where the sun don't shine", but again, don't look for a mob in the streets over it.

[Johnb911]

Don’t get me wrong, I’m thrilled they are opening here. They’ll bring much needed tax dollars in and that’ll keep us progressing forward. I regret them not wanting to do a few things, but overall it’s a much needed improvement over what was there. And I’m hopeful they’ll join the list of other businesses here who are always willing to step up and help the city (Uptown, Dunkin Donuts and Walmart to name a few).

Thanks for posting Sonny, I appreciate how transparent you've been with everything going on in the village over the last few months. Very disappointed to hear how Braum's responded (or didn't respond) to adhering to our guidelines. Also, the office on Hefner got approved? Surprising, considering I thought the recommendation from the zoning committee was not to re-zone.

[RadicalModerate]

As a long time resident of The City of The Village, I find all this very interesting. We shop the Braum's location on North May (mostly for milk and simple grocery items) and it will be nice to have a location just down the street. I must say, though, that the proposed signage is WAY out of proportion . . .

[Pete]

Perhaps the Chinese restaurant will relocate somewhere else in Casady Square.

I wouldn't assume they are going out of business because this building is being demolished.

[RadicalModerate]

I live 1/4 mile SW of Penn & Britton in The Village and I am highly disappointed in this news. Either direction, 1.5 miles--north or south--there is a Braums. But they have to choose this ONE location and take away a good Chinese food joint, China City. I'm in dismay. Why can Braums not figure out how to build a new store in the innards of this city on land that is readily available as we all know? I guess Sonic has 'em by the balls...

Maybe the Chinese place could move into the current location of Church's Chicken? I don't know anyone who frequents Church's Chicken. That, or the haunted location between Johnnie's Charcoal Broiler and ZT's Cigar Shop (the one that has changed hands about a dozen times in the last ten years and the place that I kept suggesting to Sean Cummings would be a great location for the reopening of his famous and wonderful Irish pub.)

[Joe Kimball]

Please refresh my memory on the Chinese restaurant: is this the one that features (or featured; been a while for me) a creek that runs through the restaurant, filled with koi, that you cross with a simple arch bridge?

[Jeepnokc]

Perhaps the Chinese restaurant will relocate somewhere else in Casady Square.

I wouldn't assume they are going out of business because this building is being demolished.

Good point. If they still had a lease, the landlord may be paying for them to relocate so they could make the deal with Braum's work.

[shawnw]

OKC will be jealous of the Village. We could have had that sign at Classen Circle!!!

[barrettd]

OKC will be jealous of the Village. We could have had that sign at Classen Circle!!!

In light of what I'm hearing about the negotiation with The Village, I'm shocked they pulled out of Classen instead of bullying their way through.

[barrettd]

As a long time resident of The City of The Village, I find all this very interesting. We shop the Braum's location on North May (mostly for milk and simple grocery items) and it will be nice to have a location just down the street. I must say, though, that the proposed signage is WAY out of proportion . . .

It will also help keep tax dollars in our city (The Village) instead of folks going north to the one on May. I think, overall, this is a win for The Village. That shopping center needed an update, and it also means businesses want to be in our city. I'm not a big fan of the huge sign, but, compared to a lot of the stuff on Britton east of Penn, it's not so bad.

[RadicalModerate]

OKC will be jealous of the Village. We could have had that sign at Classen Circle!!!

(quietly LOL-ing) "Braum's!!! Immediately North of The Gateway to Nichols Hills!!!! Where all the Homes are Historic, All the Codes are Enforced, And All of the Speed Limits are 25 mph or less. =~)

[RadicalModerate]

It will also help keep tax dollars in our city (The Village) instead of folks going north to the one on May. I think, overall, this is a win for The Village. That shopping center needed an update, and it also means businesses want to be in our city. I'm not a big fan of the huge sign, but, compared to a lot of the stuff on Britton east of Penn, it's not so bad.

Very True. As they say in Minnesota . . . "Well, then . . . That's very different. It coulda been worse, doncha know." =~) (p.s. I love The Village. mostly.)

[RadicalModerate]

Please refresh my memory on the Chinese restaurant: is this the one that features (or featured; been a while for me) a creek that runs through the restaurant, filled with koi, that you cross with a simple arch bridge?

I'm almost positive that I'm wrong about this . . . Yet, perhaps the wonderful dining establishment to which you might be referring could have been that elegant Chinese Restaurant that used to be where the suburban branch location of 1492 is now? Remember? The Chinese Restaurant that moved to North May and then went away? =~)

[Johnb911]

The Chinese restaurant is just a standard takeout place. I know some folks that like it, but personally I've always thought China River on May next to Little Ceasars is better.

I was surprised that Braum's wanted to put a location there since there's already one a mile and a half north and another 2 miles south on May. I suppose it's to get all those Nichols Hills ice cream dollars. It doesn't bother me at all that they want to tear down the strip center. I guess my beef is that they're adding more parking to a building going into the middle of a parking lot. Not that I have any ideas on how to make it better.

[RadicalModerate]

The Chinese restaurant is just a standard takeout place. I know some folks that like it, but personally I've always thought China River on May next to Little Ceasars is better.

I was surprised that Braum's wanted to put a location there since there's already one a mile and a half north and another 2 miles south on May. I suppose it's to get all those Nichols Hills ice cream dollars. It doesn't bother me at all that they want to tear down the strip center. I guess my beef is that they're adding more parking to a building going into the middle of a parking lot. Not that I have any ideas on how to make it better.

Is there a reason why you, Sir, are apparently overlooking and seemingly unconcerned with the loss of the Nail Salon and the Insurance Agency, not to mention other storefronts, up for lease, in addition to The (allegedly) Best Chinese Restaurant in The Village (not counting the Historical Location of the Last Blockbuster Video Store North of Nichols Hills? Is there, perhaps, not a conflict or interest, Sir? JUST KIDDING!!! [Watched "Lincoln" on Netflix last night and Paid a visit to the Walmart Neighborhood Market Today. Fer some fixin's fer dinner. The Giant Sign will be a big improvement. East of Pennsylvania Avenue. Like, in Monopoly. And "Common Sense." =~)] p.s. once, on a flight to Reno or Las Vegas or Tucson, I sat right next to a regional manager for Blockbuster. it was, like, a brush with Greatness. Suffice it to say: The landing was OK. =~) Word on the street has it that this sort of thing is called Noblesse Oblige (or something like it)

[swilki]

Thanks for posting Sonny, I appreciate how transparent you've been with everything going on in the village over the last few months. Very disappointed to hear how Braum's responded (or didn't respond) to adhering to our guidelines. Also, the office on Hefner got approved? Surprising, considering I thought the recommendation from the zoning committee was not to re-zone.

Thanks John! The past few months have been interesting on multiple fronts and getting the facts out is important. Excited to keep things moving forward and watching the last few years of planning to start really paying off!

Not sure where the Chinese restaurant is relocating, but I know some of the other businesses are just moving to the other side.

[OKCisOK4me]

I actually called China City and the guy had no clue what they were gonna do. He seemed very sad to say the least.

[Joe Kimball]

I actually called China City and the guy had no clue what they were gonna do. He seemed very sad to say the least.

I really hate to hear that. There isn't space in the plaza he could move into?

[Urbanized]

That particular strip hasn't been good for some time. Braums is an improvement here and will bring light and activity to that particular area in the evening. As for the sign, it seems too high for a neighborhood (as opposed to needing to be seen by a highway). OKC needs to pass new sign ordinances.

True story: maybe 20 years ago the OKC Planning Dept tried to update the sign ordinance, modeling changes in scale and materials on Edmond’s existing ordinance. Elimination of pole signs in favor of solid bases, lowering height and square footage, and general improvements that would have greatly improved visual aesthetics in OKC. It was only for new signage permits, so older signs would be grandfathered and nobody would have to replace existing, so no hardship would be placed on existing businesses. It was comprehensive and very well thought out.

There was a huge protest mounted by sign companies that got the thing killed. Besides the sign companies there was at least one other company involved in getting the proposal killed. Braum’s showed up at meetings and threw an absolute FIT about it, essentially suggesting it would create extreme hardship for them. The City ended up caving, and here we are.