Uptown Revitalization

[bombermwc]

Here's some info on the Uptown remodeling. It's progressed, but is going slow now that its so cold outside.

Uptown Redelelopment

[Lauri101]

Cool - thanks bombermwc!

Are they just going to leave that nasty looking strip where the Dollar store is? After Sav-A-Lot closed, that place is looking worse every day.
ick...

[bombermwc]

If you scroll down to the bottom part of North Star's page, you see that there is a 2nd and 3rd phase that remodels each of the four properties...including adding offices on the portion that is attached to Henry Hudson's.

[bombermwc]

anyone know why things have stopped? i thought maybe it was because of the cold, but now that its warmer, i don't really see any more activity. They had started on the stone work on the exterior of the plaza but hadn't done anything to the office building.

[bombermwc]

I noticed that the new windows are in at the Oklahoma Journal and that more of the stone work has been done in the shopping center. I'm going to try to remember to take some pictures tonight.

[bombermwc]

Here we go.....
The Oklahoma Journal Building with it's new windows....much better than the old.


The front doors with the old Brady Bunch stairs still inside. Hopefully they will go.


The old style of the shopping center....


They are in the process of becoming this....


And This...


Then they'll add brick and some other stuff....and put the parking lots all back in....LOL

[Lauri101]

Thanks for posting those, bombermwc.

It seems as though this has taken a long time to get there - hopefully, the nicer weather will speed things up.

[metro]

Yeah thanks for the pics. I totally forgot about this redevelopment. What intersection is this at?

[bombermwc]

Well phase I is at 15th and Key (which is just west of Midwest Blvd).

Phase II is the section that I showed that still looks old (Dollar General, Evelyn's Flowers, etc.) That portion is just west of Key...across the street from the new section. Phase II will also add office buildings behine Henry Hudsons and the Oklahoma Journal bldg on Key. Hudson's is in a 4th strip section of Uptown.

Phase III is the last section over where Langston's Michaels, Burchardt's Furiture, Hancocks, etc. etc. etc. is. It's really the biggest section, but also the part that has survived the best over the years tenant wise. I think that's why it's going to be last so that they can spur development in the less than successful portions first.

I can't tell you how excited and glad I was when I first heard about this. Especially the Phase I part because that part of the strip center always looked absolutely awful. It seemed like everytime the wind blew, part of the metal facade blew off. And with the new parking lots they had put in a while back, it just really makes the area look much nicer.

Obviously they are looking to compete more with the new strip developments in town which are MUCH nicer than what Uptown had become. But also, I think to bring back some of what Uptown was when it was built. I find it hisorically awesome that Uptown and "Downtown" are being redveloped at the same time, just like they were built at the same time...ish.

[metro]

I'm not familiar much with the east side. I'm assuming you mean NE 15th and Key? Is MW Boulevard a major street or what is the nearest major street? Sorry haven't been over that way in awhile.

[Karried]

It looks like a major street, the only way I even thought of it was because of the pic of the little girl.

Off topic I know but why would any parent let a little girl (in the pic above) cross that busy street with no helmet???

[Lauri101]

I'm not familiar much with the east side. I'm assuming you mean NE 15th and Key? Is MW Boulevard a major street or what is the nearest major street? Sorry haven't been over that way in awhile.

Metro - that's SE 15th and Key Blvd.

Midwest Blvd is one mile east of Air Depot. Key Blvd is half-way-ish between Air Depot and Midwest Blvd.


Like bombermwc, I am getting excited about this development. Uptown was one of the places I frequented in my college days.

Years ago, I worked at the original Frederick's of Hollywood, located where the Phase I construction is going on now. The store moved to Crossroads Mall and opened the same day that Crossroads opened. That was my first and last experience managing a retail store.

[metro]

Thanks for the clarification. Even though I knew of this project for several months now, I didn't know this area was called Uptown. I'm more familiar with the original Uptown along NW/NE 23rd area and near the Capitol. I'll have to drive by and check it out soon.

[bombermwc]

Well it "Uptown" MWC was the response to "Downtown" which was the old 29th street complex. It's really just the name of the shopping complex, but it sort of took on an identity in its time because of the location on the opposite side of the Origional Mile.....(for you non-mwc history buffs, that's the origional square mile of development in MWC that started the whole town....America's Model City and all that).

[soonerfaithful]

I love seeing Uptown getting a face lift. That for me was always the place to go only living 3 streets away.
The old Conrad Marr on the corner, TG&Y and Sears before it burned down. If Sears hadn't burned who knows if we even would have had a Heritage Park Mall.

[bombermwc]

I drove down Midwest yesterday and could see that at least the east side of the building has it's brick up. I didn't look to see on the south or west sides.

[soonerborn]

It's so refreshing to see all of the new construction going on in Mid/Del. The area's sort of gotten a bad rap lately and it's wonderful that they're changing their image somewhat! Makes me feel good again about my old stomping grounds.

[ewoodard]

Have they heard from any interested tenents for the vacent sav-a-lot location or any others.

[bombermwc]

I need to get some new pics....especially at night. The place really looks nice. I especially like the light fixtures and the signage. I wonder how long until they start the other phases?

The Oklahoma Journal building doesnt look like its moving very fast, but the ugly reen wall is now BRICK!!! YAY!!

[Watson410]

Geeez!!! They work slooow! They don't even have that much left... just pour the parking lot already... Crews only work on the shopping center, maybe once or twice a week. What's the deal?!?!

[Lauri101]

It does seem like they could just finish it off. Maybe all the workers are being stopped at the border?