I was in OKC this weekend; some thoughts...

[Pete]

1. The airport looks terrific! Yes, I know we need better air service but with the majority of the renovation work done, I have to say I’m very impressed. Gives a great first impression to visitors and will be a fantastic base to build from.

2. Bricktown has really come alive! I met friends down there on Friday night and there was really a great buzz of energy, and it was really cool to drive under the railway bridges with the new signs, see all the horse-drawn carriages, and hordes of people milling about.

3. Downtown seems much more alive, too. Driving by on I-40, you see the theater, Toby Keith’s the fountains, the canal, the Ford Center… It’s very impressive.

4. Midtown is making a nice comeback. The work at St. Anthony and the street improvements in that area are exciting. However, there are still big holes between there and downtown which I’m sure will fill in with time. But there’s still a lot to fill in… That area felt really dead as a drove through several times.

5. There is a real enthusiasm among the citizens. People seem to be really excited and proud of what’s going on in town and I can’t remember that being the case in a very long time. I think getting the Hornets – even if temporary – has really helped the city’s collective ego. There is a real ‘can do’ attitude and lots of optimism. I got the general feeling that people are expecting things to continue to get better at a increasing pace.

6. People are just so darn nice! It never ceases to amaze me. Even on a crowded plane or football stadium, everyone is friendly and polite. I really miss that!

7. OU and Norman have made huge strides. I know I’m not objective on this subject (and neither am I about OKC) but OU is turning into a great university. Even if you didn’t go to school there and hate the football team, that school is very important to the state and to the Metro in particular. Do yourself a favor and spend an afternoon walking through that campus and pop your head into the new Reynolds Performing Arts Center, the new art museum, the beautiful student union, the new Price Hall (business), the Noble Museum of Natural History… And the south campus with the Weather Center and all the high-tech companies and the huge growth on the Westside… It’s all very, very impressive.

8. There are lots of beautiful, affordable homes in Midtown. For all of you that want to live downtown but are worried about the cost of the new developments, I urge to take a look at Mesta Park, Edgemere and even the areas around Crown Heights. You can get a lot of home for your money in some beautiful neighborhoods with plenty within walking distance and much more a mile or two away.


I was only in for two days for various reasons, but I had a fantastic time and gained a renewed enthusiasm and excitement for OKC. I realized there is now lots to show and market to someone visiting, and when I left just 15 years ago that pretty much was not the case.

I think if we can get more investors, developers and employers into town, we have a great product to sell them.

[metro]

Glad you enjoyed your trip and hope you get back soon! At last the general population is rediscovering what a great city this is and the potential it has. Let's continue to make everyone well informed and brag about what we do have and what is yet to come and not what is wrong with this city.

[floater]

1. The airport looks terrific! Yes, I know we need better air service but with the majority of the renovation work done, I have to say I’m very impressed. Gives a great first impression to visitors and will be a fantastic base to build from.

It looks nice, but the fact that there is no separate area with seating and retail/cafes for those receiving arriving passengers really irks me. Instead there is a CNBC store -- in the terminal.

2. Bricktown has really come alive! I met friends down there on Friday night and there was really a great buzz of energy, and it was really cool to drive under the railway bridges with the new signs, see all the horse-drawn carriages, and hordes of people milling about.

On Saturday night, there were so many groups of teens walking about, it was as if Bricktown declared it "clique night".

3. Downtown seems much more alive, too. Driving by on I-40, you see the theater, Toby Keith’s the fountains, the canal, the Ford Center… It’s very impressive.

I never get tired of this view. Especially at night.

4. Midtown is making a nice comeback. The work at St. Anthony and the street improvements in that area are exciting. However, there are still big holes between there and downtown which I’m sure will fill in with time. But there’s still a lot to fill in… That area felt really dead as a drove through several times.

Yeah.

7. OU and Norman have made huge strides. I know I’m not objective on this subject (and neither am I about OKC) but OU is turning into a great university. Even if you didn’t go to school there and hate the football team, that school is very important to the state and to the Metro in particular. Do yourself a favor and spend an afternoon walking through that campus and pop your head into the new Reynolds Performing Arts Center, the new art museum, the beautiful student union, the new Price Hall (business), the Noble Museum of Natural History… And the south campus with the Weather Center and all the high-tech companies and the huge growth on the Westside… It’s all very, very impressive.

The nineties and early 2000s will definitely be known as a golden age for OU. Thanks to President Boren.

8. There are lots of beautiful, affordable homes in Midtown. For all of you that want to live downtown but are worried about the cost of the new developments, I urge to take a look at Mesta Park, Edgemere and even the areas around Crown Heights. You can get a lot of home for your money in some beautiful neighborhoods with plenty within walking distance and much more a mile or two away.

I agree. I've been scouring the neighborhoods the past few days. I'd never really been through Crown Heights, and it blew me away. Lots of charm with excellent dining and shopping nearby on N. Western.

I think if we can get more investors, developers and employers into town, we have a great product to sell them.

It's just a matter of getting on their radar screen.

[Doug Loudenback]

5. There is a real enthusiasm among the citizens. People seem to be really excited and proud of what’s going on in town and I can’t remember that being the case in a very long time. I think getting the Hornets – even if temporary – has really helped the city’s collective ego. There is a real ‘can do’ attitude and lots of optimism. I got the general feeling that people are expecting things to continue to get better at a increasing pace.

Great report, MalibuSooner! The above, I think, is perhaps the most striking ... I can certainly remember my own attitude (bland, crummy downtown (after urban renewal, not much to do town). My personal attitude, as well as and perhaps in keeping with the times, has done a 180. I've come to be very proud of my hometime, and with great expectations for its future! I felt this way before the Hornets, though, though that's certainly a big plus, too.

[Pete]

IMO, there's always been somewhat of a defeatist, chip-on-the-shoulder attitude by many in OKC.

One of the big reasons seems to be the close proximity to Dallas, which -- love it or hate it -- is one of the most progressive cities in the U.S.

However, I think people now realize that Tulsa and similar-sized cities are better points of comparison, and by that measure it's easy to see how far OKC has come and the unlimited potential that lies ahead.

No doubt that this has been changing ever since MAPS was approved, but I think the Hornets thing really helps to validate those feelings in an objective sort of way.


But that feeling is absolutely palpable when you visit... "Have you seen everything in Bricktown? You wouldn't believe how much has changed! Isn't it great about the Hornets? What do you think of the airport?" Etc., etc.


You'll always have some negative voices but the common man on the street seems to feel proud of OKC in a way that I can never remember.

[Karried]

MalibuSooner, Thanks for sharing that report - it is great to hear from someone who has been here and can appreciate the work that has gone into creating this renewal. I'm glad you had fun - wish is was warmer for you - wouldn't you know it we got an early freeze!

[Patrick]

Hey MalibuSooner. Your post was all positive. What are some of the negatives you found on your trip to OKC? Don't want to turn this into a pessimistic thread, but it's always good to know what we still need to work on.

[Pete]

As far as negatives, as I mentioned, the area between about 4th and 13th looks like one big vacant lot right now and I think it will take a long time for that to change.

I continue to be appalled by the excessive urban sprawl. Much of Norman and Edmond are just generic housing tracts dotted with fast food and Wal-Marts. I sure wish the area had adopted some sort of rational growth strategy some time ago which would have kept more people in the older areas of OKC.

Also, tougher restrictions need to be placed on signage and minimum landscaping for commercial projects. Big parts of Memorial and NW Expressway (and any other big commercial thoroughfare) are unnecessarily ugly due to huge, garish signs and big ugly parking lots without any trees or flowers.


None of these issues are new, they are just striking from somewhat of an outsider's point of view.

[Patrick]

I've always found it interesting how Edmond can have strict rules and regulations for businesses, yet OKC does not. I guess OKC just cares about the tax base. The Wal-Mart SuperCenter in Edmond on Danforth has a forested parking lot because the city of Edmond required it. Why can't OKC do the same?

Concerning Urban Sprawl, that's one reason I've been against the continued development on Memorial Rd. I think that only encourages people to move northward. But, OKC isn't going to turn down a development proposal, because it means a larger tax base.

[Pete]

Edmond tends to be tough on the east side of town but not on Broadway and the west side.

And Quail Springs was way premature (really floundered for quite a while) and did nothing but encourage development that would have easily fit somewhere else in town. Instead, the same amount of people and businesses are now spread over a much bigger area than needed and has resulted in both the new and older areas becoming quite ugly in parts.