Belle Isle Library

[Laramie]

NICE! Wish they could do the same to the Gold Dome and turn it into a public library.

Good idea, Oski--put a Public Library Central Computers (computers only) in the Gold Dome and a Senior Wellness Center in the former First Christian (Egg Shell shaped) Church--you shave two historic OKC structures. Don't know what the renovation costs would be however, there's some MAPS funds available.

[Anonymous.]

It looks amazing! The aerial photo is hilarious in regards to the sidewalks to nowhere.

[tvkokc]

It looks amazing! The aerial photo is hilarious in regards to the sidewalks to nowhere.

I won't get into exactly how I know all this, but when the new site design was planned for BIL the city specifically asked for that sidewalk there in the plans. There was discussion of further sidewalk expansion from the termination point at the west end. This happens all over and always looks goofy until they continue on with it with a bond project. Gotta start somewhere!

The library looks so amazing, I'm really excited how it's turned out with the expansion and this will be a great addition to the community.

[Pete]

My understanding is the city is planning to actually create crosswalks across NW Expressway and I hope sidewalks will also be added along NW Expressway.

The northbound BRT stop will be just to the east near Penn Square and southbound will be in front of the Oak apartments.

[tvkokc]

My understanding is the city is planning to actually create crosswalks across NW Expressway and I hope sidewalks will also be added along NW Expressway.

The northbound BRT stop will be just to the east near Penn Square and southbound will be in front of the Oak apartments.

Correct, that was what the rumor was at one point for more sidewalks in this area in the future.

[David]

Sidewalks north and south along Villa going into the local neighborhoods would be nice too.

[baralheia]

My understanding is the city is planning to actually create crosswalks across NW Expressway and I hope sidewalks will also be added along NW Expressway.

The northbound BRT stop will be just to the east near Penn Square and southbound will be in front of the Oak apartments.

Seems like this area would be a good candidate for a pedestrian bridge too, if funding were ever to become available for one.

[shawnw]

IMO each of those areas (e.g. neighborhood associations) need to go to the maps4 committee about those sidewalks. Input from the neighborhood would likely ensure that these sidewalks got done. That's based on feedback I got from a MAPS3 sidewalk committee member.

[Pete]

Seems like this area would be a good candidate for a pedestrian bridge too, if funding were ever to become available for one.

I'm sure that will never happen, but if it was to go anywhere it would be placed near the 2 BRT stops near Penn/Penn Square/Oak.

[midtownokcer]

We are so lucky to have the Metropolitan Library System. Just in the past 10 years they've opened, built, or renovated the following:

• Northwest
• Almonte
• Southern Oaks
• Bethany
• Jones
• Capitol Hill
• Del City
• Edmond
• Belle Isle

[dcsooner]

Well done!

[barrettd]

Those photos are terrific, Pete, and the remodel is spectacular, in my opinion. What an outstanding accomplishment.

[soonerguru]

This is effing killer. What a great renovation and what an inviting space.

[soonerguru]

My understanding is the city is planning to actually create crosswalks across NW Expressway and I hope sidewalks will also be added along NW Expressway.

The northbound BRT stop will be just to the east near Penn Square and southbound will be in front of the Oak apartments.

Correct. I spoke to Councilman James Cooper this week and he said this is going to be a legit, wide crosswalk with signals, something he personally worked on. Very excited to see it and it is a game changer for the neighborhood south of the Expressway, IMO. He also said there will be additional sidewalks along the expressway linking the planned BRT stops which, amazingly, did not have sidewalks as part of the original plan. This is something else that James worked on behind the scenes to make happen.

I think he has proven that building bridges and developing relationships with people throughout the city and the bureaucracy (and even the people with whom he may often disagree on many issues) is an extremely effective way to get results, as opposed to drawing lines in the sand, making dramatic call outs, and even verbally attacking folks in public. Instead, he has built and nurtured relationships with people of all stripes behind the scenes. Proud of the work he is doing. It's also exciting to see the transformation that we saw happen downtown moving to other areas around the city.

[TheTravellers]

Correct. I spoke to Councilman James Cooper this week and he said this is going to be a legit, wide crosswalk with signals, something he personally worked on. Very excited to see it and it is a game changer for the neighborhood south of the Expressway, IMO. He also said there will be additional sidewalks along the expressway linking the planned BRT stops which, amazingly, did not have sidewalks as part of the original plan. This is something else that James worked on behind the scenes to make happen.

I think he has proven that building bridges and developing relationships with people throughout the city and the bureaucracy (and even the people with whom he may often disagree on many issues) is an extremely effective way to get results, as opposed to drawing lines in the sand, making dramatic call outs, and even verbally attacking folks in public. Instead, he has built and nurtured relationships with people of all stripes behind the scenes. Proud of the work he is doing. It's also exciting to see the transformation that we saw happen downtown moving to other areas around the city.

This is fantastic to hear, and so glad he's my councilman, but it's absolutely ridiculous it should have to happen this way, so tired of backroom deals and hush-hush meetings and secret BS. This should've been front and center and done, it's absolutely ridiculous this had to happen "behind the scenes" in a city this large. This kind of thing should be part of the normal procedures and building things out in a normal city.

[Urbanized]

I’m sorry, there is NOTHING nefarious, “hush-hush” or “backroom” about what soonerguru describes. It’s ABSOLUTELY the job of a council member to meet with people like department heads and stakeholders in their wards to share ideas, gain consensus, encourage changes, reset priorities, solve problems.

This suggestion that every single conversation regarding the running of the City must happen around the horseshoe belies a fundamental misunderstanding of civic governance. Private meetings happen all day, every day, and they MUST happen, or the city - any city - would grind to a halt. They aren’t “back room meetings.” They’re just…meetings.

There are thousand of City employees, elected officials, contractors, partners and stakeholders. They have meetings every day to conduct the business of the City. I’ve personally been in four meetings this week involving City officials, and in every one the topic of those meetings invariably involved how best to serve the community, what implementations would most easily accomplish overarching goals set by councils, commissions and boards (who all DO have meetings subject to open meetings and/or parliamentary procedure). This is the business of governance.

When guru describes James Cooper as having become adept at successfully navigating City departments, gaining credibility with - and the ears of - decision makers and implementers, and using the power of persuasion to accomplish goals that he believes are important for his ward, nothing he describes is shady. He’s only describing a conscientious elected official who has become good at doing his job and at serving his constituents.

[David]

Correct. I spoke to Councilman James Cooper this week and he said this is going to be a legit, wide crosswalk with signals, something he personally worked on. Very excited to see it and it is a game changer for the neighborhood south of the Expressway, IMO. He also said there will be additional sidewalks along the expressway linking the planned BRT stops which, amazingly, did not have sidewalks as part of the original plan. This is something else that James worked on behind the scenes to make happen.

I think he has proven that building bridges and developing relationships with people throughout the city and the bureaucracy (and even the people with whom he may often disagree on many issues) is an extremely effective way to get results, as opposed to drawing lines in the sand, making dramatic call outs, and even verbally attacking folks in public. Instead, he has built and nurtured relationships with people of all stripes behind the scenes. Proud of the work he is doing. It's also exciting to see the transformation that we saw happen downtown moving to other areas around the city.

Makes me proud to have him as my councilmember.

[Urbanized]

I’d also add to my above diatribe that you can be assured that the above-mentioned BRT stops with no sidewalk connectivity were at some point unveiled in a public meeting, and likely with no public or other comment. This almost certainly occurred because of budgetary issues or because the department planning and implementing BRT is siloed from the department in charge of sidewalks.

It’s also possible that the omission was noted as “future sidewalk connectivity” with the idea being that it would be the other department’s job to solve. And it’s even possible that there WAS official or public acknowledgment of the lack of sidewalks, and THAT’S what prompted Councilman Cooper to convene additional discussions on the topic.

This isn’t shady; it’s simply bureaucracy. And budget constraint.

City departments tend to check boxes, and if someone leaves off one of the boxes, it usually doesn’t get checked.

A council member recognizing the omission and convening departments and other decision makers to find a solution is doing EXACTLY what they were elected to do.

[TheTravellers]

I’d also add to my above diatribe that you can be assured that the above-mentioned BRT stops with no sidewalk connectivity were at some point unveiled in a public meeting, and likely with no public or other comment. This almost certainly occurred because of budgetary issues or because the department planning and implementing BRT is siloed from the department in charge of sidewalks. This isn’t shady; it’s simply bureaucracy. And budget constraint.

City departments tend to check boxes, and if someone leaves off one of the boxes, it usually doesn’t get checked.

A council member recognizing the omission and convening departments and other decision makers to find a solution is doing EXACTLY what they were elected to do.

I agree somewhat with your previous post and I misread the "behind the scenes" part to interpret it as something else.

But the ridiculousness of BRT (which is a ridiculous half-assed implementation itself) stops not having sidewalks is just baffling. The people that think up transit and bus stops and routes, etc. should know better, that's what they're paid to do, they're supposed to know what they're doing and to forget/leave out/whatever sidewalks around bus stops is just beyond stupid. It'd be like me (a UNIX sys admin) "forgetting" to create userids on a server or install an application on a server, it's just something that should be done, period. Do these people never run things by other people to "check their work"? And yes, kudos to Cooper for getting it done, but he should never have had to do that. I'm just tired of OKC and OK not doing things right and having to go back and fix things (best case scenario) or just blow it off.

[David]

That's a rather unfair assessment considering this is all just planning stages and no concrete has been poured for it, either the stops or the sidewalks. I would argue that it doesn't count as "not doing things right" if we're still pre-construction and the only question is plans getting adjusted (for the better!) ahead of the actual work.

[Pete]

James also told me that he and Jo Beth Hamon are working on a bike corridor that would run along Villa from NW 63rd to NW 10th.

So, it would go through this NW Expressway intersection and will need to veer east to Youngs to get under I-44, then back to Villa.


Just last week, I had my car serviced at NW 10th and May and decided to walk home and then walk back to pick it up. It was really fun to walk mainly along this route and through Venice, Crestwood and the Miller neighborhoods. I was also happy to find that there was a sidewalk all along May.

We've got a long way to go but there has been progress with more coming. Walking and biking in this city are getting easier all the time.

And the more people walk and bike, the more people care about this infrastructure. And from my own experience, I can tell you that walking a bunch through the city really allows you to experience in a completely different way and makes you feel more connected to your community. I've met a bunch of people this way and have called in a bunch of things that needed reporting to the city's action line.

[bombermwc]

The building was stone originally when it was built in 1963, and *tons* of buildings/houses built around then in OKC are stone.

I was referring to the new additions, not the old. It's like it doesn't know what decade it wants to be in. To me it says, i have multiple personality disorder.

You definitely can't call it the Millennium Falcon Library any longer though!

[TheTravellers]

I was referring to the new additions, not the old. It's like it doesn't know what decade it wants to be in. To me it says, i have multiple personality disorder.

You definitely can't call it the Millennium Falcon Library any longer though!

The new paint colors, graphic designs, windows (both large and small), and overhangs are definitely mid-century-modern-inspired (which is usually thought of as 1950s, but can spill over into the 1960s), and the new stone just ties in to the original stone, so I personally consider it to be a whole of mid-century-modern design, updated a bit.

[Pete]

They reused the original stone from parts of the old facade in the new sections.

[soonerguru]

Urbanized, thank you for your completely accurate analysis.