Uptown / 23rd District

[Pete]

If AF relocated, their existing space would be leased to new businesses.

And given the very tight nature of the local office market, I bet they'd fill most if it sooner rather than later.

[Rover]

But hopefully the AF offices become available for other tenants. There is a need for decent size contiguous spaces of A&B office space in this city. AF building downtown would bring more business to the mid-town area via their old offices. Win-win.

[wdj]

I get the pleasure of moving to the Plaza District from Edmond next month. Count me excited!

To everybody else: Sorry for being a lurker. (I'll pay for my membership soon!)

[Spartan]

I would agree that tying in 23rd along with the Capital/Health Sciences Center through the streetcar would be a complete game-changer for the urban core.

By doing so, you'd be connecting the main concentration of students along with key amenities, employers and housing areas. Let's face it, if you live in Mesta Park or HH or further south you can just walk downtown pretty easily. But not so much from OCU, Jefferson Park, the Capital and HSC.

There are also a large number of lower-income people around the Capitol who don't own cars, which would be another potential goldmine for ridership. That end of the socioeconomic range will be important to balance along with more upscale infill development, not just for ridership, but for a healthy, diverse urban core.

My understanding is that connecting NE OKC to medical services could also potentially open up federal grants, although we know the likelihood of any of those ever going to us...

[iMAX386]

A good chunk of OCU students don't have cars either b/c a lot of kids come from out of state for the performing arts, and while OCU's enrollment is just a few thousand, that would provide some ridership to the streetcar if it made it to 23rd. OCU holds monthly events in Bricktown at Harkins, etc. so there's definite demand for an OCU to downtown access.

[Teo9969]

A good chunk of OCU students don't have cars either b/c a lot of kids come from out of state for the performing arts, and while OCU's enrollment is just a few thousand, that would provide some ridership to the streetcar if it made it to 23rd. OCU holds monthly events in Bricktown at Harkins, etc. so there's definite demand for an OCU to downtown access.

Not only that, I imagine that with a reliable mass transit from that area to downtown, that OCU would try and work out more ways/events for students to attend downtown, via a deal with the street car. Maybe a Thunder night for OCU students once a semester...or a free pass for the OKCPhil or Canterbury concerts at the Civic Center.

[Spartan]

If American Fidelity really is building downtown, Someplace Else is going to take a hit. I doubt they'd close, but I imagine they do a good chunk of business from AF employees during lunch and early dinner.

Maybe they'd have to go someplace else...

[Teo9969]

Maybe they'd have to go someplace else...

booooooooooo!!! :-P

Pete, good point...but how quickly in years do you really think those buildings would fill?

[Pete]

I think their old buildings would fill relatively quickly. There just isn't must office space available anywhere in OKC.

Not only has Chesapeake bought up about a million square feet of buildings on the near northwest side, most of that space was occupied. So, they are slowly but surely driving out the existing tenants as their leases roll over.

[Spartan]

booooooooooo!!! :-P

Sorry! I couldn't resist any longer...

[lasomeday]

I think their old buildings would fill relatively quickly. There just isn't must office space available anywhere in OKC.

Not only has Chesapeake bought up about a million square feet of buildings on the near northwest side, most of that space was occupied. So, they are slowly but surely driving out the existing tenants as their leases roll over.

Good points. These buildings aren't too far away from Chesapeake. Maybe they could move their CNG division there when it spins off.

[HOT ROD]

the area is quite vibrant, as has been mentioned - so perhaps Someplace Else won't have to close if AF relocates downtown. But if things did get bad, Im sure Someplace Else could move to, well - someplace else. lol

[CuatrodeMayo]

I get the pleasure of moving to the Plaza District from Edmond next month. Count me excited!

To everybody else: Sorry for being a lurker. (I'll pay for my membership soon!)

Welcome to the neighborhood!

[LakeEffect]

The request to demolish the old Hemi's pizza was withdrawn from Urban Design Commission review this morning.

[Bullbear]

The request to demolish the old Hemi's pizza was withdrawn from Urban Design Commission review this morning.

I am sure that place is a total mess but I have always thought it was a cool little building. has some character and would be a neat coffee shop or little Eatery.

[Pete]

I am sure that place is a total mess but I have always thought it was a cool little building. has some character and would be a neat coffee shop or little Eatery.

Agreed!

The system seems to have worked here as the committee originally recommended the demolition permit be denied.

If the landlord is serious, it shouldn't be hard to find a good tenant and thus provide funds for a renovation.

[betts]

I saw some work being done on the space immediately to the west of the Tower theatre this morning. There's also an interesting business that looks like it's opening on the west side of 26th and Classen, but I didn't have time to investigate.

[Doug Loudenback]

the area is quite vibrant, as has been mentioned - so perhaps Someplace Else won't have to close if AF relocates downtown. But if things did get bad, Im sure Someplace Else could move to, well - someplace else. lol

I doubt that Someplace Else will be relocating regardless of what happens with American Fidelity. One reason is that the same husband and wife, David and Peggy Carty, the operators of the deli, actually own the properties next to each other and have for many years ... Someplace Else and the Cookies neighborhood tavern. Another reason is that he deli, which opened in 1976, has a very loyal following simply because they make great food and I just can't see the owners packing it up anytime in the future. Incidentally, the Someplace Else property was the original shop for Sound Warehouse (1972-1973).

For more about the history of this pair of businesses, see http://dougdawg.blogspot.com/2012/02...#someplaceelse

[Teo9969]

No doubt Someplace Else would stay afloat without American Fidelity, even if nobody occupied the current AF buildings for years (which obviously would never happen). But Someplace Else is just one of those businesses that deserves to make tons of money, it would just suck if they lost that revenue.

[Skyline]

There is a contractors sign out front of the building at 1900 N. Classen. It has a permit # on the sign too, although I couldn't read it very well.



This building has been vacant, it was once a pharmacy. It is across the street from Cafe Antiqua and north of Homeland.

[metro]

I don't think it's vacant, the pharmacy has appeared to be in business and their is a barber shop in that building as well.

[Skyline]

I don't think it's vacant, the pharmacy has appeared to be in business and their is a barber shop in that building as well.

I called the pharmacy phone number on the sign and the number is "not in service". I don't know about the barber shop on the north end. The contractor sign that I saw was on the south end near the pharmacy section.

[Pete]

1900 N. Classen is owned by American Fidelity.

A building permit was issued about a month ago to remodel the space for retail sales.

[metro]

Well they both were open recently, they must have got bought out ala Chesapeake style.

[Skyline]

Well they both were open recently, they must have got bought out ala Chesapeake style.

Found out that the barber shop is open although their hours are something like 9am - noon, probably why I never see any activity around this building.