NOMA (North May District)

[shawnw]

Um, wut?

https://twitter.com/noma_district


I thought we decided we'd reached the "district" quota...

[catch22]

Seems forced.

[Celebrator]

Hey, I'm in favor of volunteers taking interest to care for, improve and promote any area in the city--it can only be a good thing to have people involved in making an area better! It takes a lot of work and time and if people are willing to do that in the name of civic improvement, I don't care how many districts we have. There's no quota on enhancement and advancement!

[PhiAlpha]

Ah, what about Historic SODOSOPA?

[TU 'cane]

Ah, what about Historic SODOSOPA?

Ha, glad someone beat me to it.

"Welcome to historic SODOSOPA!"

[d-usa]

I'm just happy that I have the opportunity to live and enjoy the OCNQSNQENQDC District.

(Oklahoma City North of Quail Springs, Not Quite Edmond and Not Quite Deer Creek)

[bradh]

I agree with Celebrator here, but the jokes are still funny

[Celebrator]

Yeah, the acronyms could very well get out of control though, you're right. LOL

[Pete]

Hey, I'm in favor of volunteers taking interest to care for, improve and promote any area in the city--it can only be a good thing to have people involved in making an area better! It takes a lot of work and time and if people are willing to do that in the name of civic improvement, I don't care how many districts we have. There's no quota on enhancement and advancement!

Right and it helps break down the sprawling metropolis into more identifiable pieces.

Usually, a district name represents a group of people and businesses coming together to make that area better and to promote their efforts.

And, there is often placemaking and events associated which we need more of in this town.

[AP]

I just don't understand what is in "NOMA" that is worth visiting? Northpark Mall?

[Colbafone]

Well, if they extended this district down to Britton (which I doubt they will since that's definitely more Village territory) you could include The Garage, The Ranch, Uptown, Luby's and a few other cool places. And right on the fringe of being in this district you've got Sun and Ski Sports, Papa Dio's, and Soccer USA which is a pretty cool soccer store.

Even just within the district boundaries, you've got Northpark Mall and all of its amenities (their car show thing on whatever Saturday gets PACKED) and Northpark has been bringing in a ton of Food Trucks recently, you've got Quail Creek Bank, soon to open Hopscotch, Pink Parrot(which is always packed), the shopping center with Laser Quest right at Hefner, Chelinos (I know it's not super unique, but people love it) and there are some really cool unique townhome communities.

[ClayCall]

Kind of lame, but hell, if it makes you feel as though your neck of the woods is hip; by all means...

[Celebrator]

Kind of lame, but hell, if it makes you feel as though your neck of the woods is hip; by all means...

Just think about what's good for the city. And it's not about being hip, it's about community partnerships, economic development, and both financial and emotional commitment to a place. If people were doing nothing we would be complaining about that, so just be supportive of their efforts. If there's nothing there for you, don't go, but to just call it out as "lame" is, well, lame. Just no reason to bash this effort.

[OKCisOK4me]

I just don't understand what is in "NOMA" that is worth visiting? Northpark Mall?

No, that would be NOPAMA.

[bradh]

I just don't understand what is in "NOMA" that is worth visiting? Northpark Mall?

Maybe that's the point of it?

[AP]

To bring people to the Mall?

[AP]

I have no issue with the area and fully understand why people live there. But this seems a little silly and a little bit like co-opting the idea of walkable districts in the core without really offering the same experience. It feels like a gimmick, more or less.

[Celebrator]

I have no issue with the area and fully understand why people live there. But this seems a little silly and a little bit like co-opting the idea of walkable districts in the core without really offering the same experience. It feels like a gimmick, more or less.

I don't think either location in the core nor walkability determines if you can define yourself as a district. No, you want probably attract people for the same type of experience but it's not about being like a district in the core. It's about gathering together stakeholders in a defined area to bring resources together for improvement--economic, aesthetic, social, etc. The point is to strengthen an area based on building relationships between business owners and residents that prove useful in driving improvement. Branding an area has the effect of developing identity, defining a mission, and instilling pride. All of which lead to good things. NOMA can't compete with, say, SOSA, but it's not trying to in the same way. It's more for the people in NOMA than it is for those of use who don't reside or work there. Putting one of these together works! I know I've been apart of developing one in the neighborhood I work in and it has done nothing but good things for our district--even if you don't think we should call ourselves one.

[Ginkasa]

To bring people to the Mall?

I think bradh might have been saying the point is there is currently nothing there worth visiting and this effort to rebrand the area as "NOMA" is to try to attract businesses and attractions to the area.

[bradh]

I will say, I'm excited for Hopscotch to finally open whenever that may be.

[soonermike81]

Am I the only one that gets sick and tired of hearing so many people trash any place that is outside of the core, or in one of the "hip" districts? It starts to become really douchey sounding. All these new districts that have popped up over the past 5-10 years, I think are great. But trying to diminish every other part of town, because they are trying to maintain relevance, is annoying af. By no means do I hang out at Northpark mall, but if I happen to be near the area and they had a festival going on, I would stop by and check it out. I'm not gonna stop and check it out because all the "cool" hipsters are there; I'll check it out because it seems like it's happening at that moment and there might be some possible good eating options with the food trucks there. Just because you can't walk to every single business along May Ave easily, doesn't mean the place just completely sucks. Just means that it's not a easily walkable part of town. Also, regarding Uptown, i don't feel that many people are walking from Guernsey park to Pump Bar on a regular basis. Also, if you want to compare dining options, you can probably name any cuisine in the core that you enjoy eating at and I'll name a place that's outside the core that is better than it.

Don't get me wrong, I love what is happening in OKC and seeing all these revitalized areas of town. This has been my home for over 30 years, and I have a deeper connection to many of the "hip" districts before they became the place to go. It just gets old seeing all these elitists acting like their neighborhood is better than everybody else's. Makes me not want to frequent those areas, which is unfortunate, because I love just everything about our city.

[AP]

Did anyone say that outside the core was bad? I said naming this "district" NOMA is silly. This isn't a district at all. There is a mall at 122nd and May and a strip mall at Hefner and May. That's it. I just said the other day that I wanted to try Camilya's that is in that strip mall. I have nothing against the area. I just feel like it is a gimmick to try to label this area as a district. And I could personally care less if anyone on this online forum thinks I sound douchey.

[soonermike81]

Promise I wasn't referring directly to you; I usually go through and just read comments without looking at names and that is the sentiment that I get from this board in general. No one, that I have seen, has said directly, "outside the core is bad." But just the attitude toward everything outside the core or suburban, comes off extremely douchey. I rarely post on here but I've been reading off and on for several years, because I love learning about all the new great things happening in the city. And I seem to always hear things like "don't Edmond my downtown" or hear people belittling suburbanites. A lot of times, I will see a new restaurant opening, and so many times someone will chime in and say, it's not a good location and they should've put it in "xyz district." I don't have specific quotes or instances that I can reference back to, but there's no denying that it has happened on many occasions.

And then this thread pops up, and people are ripping them for trying to create an identity. For all we know, some of these businesses have been struggling for years, and are needing of this PR boost. There's no doubt that with all then new districts thriving, other parts of town have to be suffering at least as little. But because it's not in a "cool" area that rich developers are gentrifying, there's no reason to visit NOMA. And like you, I don't care what people on an online forum think of me either. I don't know anyone on here, and no one knows me. But since it's a place for discussion/opinions, I thought I'd chime in and give my take.

[soonermike81]

And yes, Camilya's is really good. I recommend them for solid Mediterranean food

[Urbanized]

I personally really like this part of town a lot. I used to live there, I'm a regular these days at Coffee and Cars at Northpark, I love Rococo, and - though I personally prefer urban living these days - I'd say I like the "feel" and housing stock here about as much as any part of town that's not downtown/inner OKC. I just don't think it is a "district." The word implies something that this is not. It's Quail Creek/Northpark to me and always will be.

I AM glad to know they are banding together to promote the neighborhood. I think it is one of the best hopes for avoiding the type of slump that happens in the suburbs when a new, fancier place is built a mile or two or five down the road. It has maintained solid staying power for decades.