Your Southside (only) Wishlist

[mranderson]

What would you like to see on the southside that is not already there?

Here are mine:

Comp USA

A mall not invaded by criminals

A major tenant to replace GM

A larger Will Rogers World Airport

A major skyscraper

Barnes and Noble

Borders

[soonerliberal]

Most of mine center around the I-240 and south area and are quite extensive:

- A totally reinvigorated Crossroads Mall and immediate area(duh)
- A Barnes and Noble or a Borders even
- I-35 all finished and flowing well and increased capacity on I-44
- An urban renewal project all along I-240 (It has gone a long way but there still needs to be more progress)
- A library for those of us who aren't in Moore, and south of 240
- A midrise skyscraper, maybe part of the new Crossroads mall? (don't want to take away from downtown)
- Development or something in the areas of I-35 between Crossroads and Moore
- Some kind of trails system running from downtown to areas such as Earlywine Park and Moore (one which you won't worry about getting shot)
- Implenting of some sort of Hispanic marketplace and "downtown" to give the community a center much like the Asian community (I know Capitol Hill and 44th street are going this direction)
- Making Grand Blvd actually grand like it was in the old days
- NO MORE WALMARTS!
- A Target of some sort south of 240 for crying out loud!
- More promotion of what the southside has to offer (we have the wealthiest zip code in the state (73170, Norman Transcript) and many still think we are the "southside scum")

I'm sure I will have more sooner or later...

[OklaCity_75]

This is not a wish list it is more like a prediction per say.

One area you guys are forgetting about is I-44 from 104th to H.E. Bailey.

Because of expansion at Ft. Sill, Lawton is about to experience a serious explosion of growth that will trickle all over southwestern Oklahoma and possibly towards OKC.

Newcastle is exploding with housing. I am not talking about just your average three bedroom homes either. These are large homes on acreages and in gated communities.

All those people living in Newcastle and further down the turnpike are going to need places to shop and eat. Not everyone is going to want to go north side all the time to shop, dine out or to use service providers.

I think I-44 from 104th to H.E. Bailey is about look similar to Memorial before long. The city is well aware of the potential of that area otherwise Southlakes park would still be an open pasture.

Here is what I predict will come to that corridor:

A new hospital about the size of Mercy will be built. Intergris Southwest is always running at capacity and it alone cannot handle all the growth south side

Community Hospital on 89th will probably add a new high-rise structure and specialize in the same services as Intergris.

New restaurants and hotels

car dealerships

Service providers such as auto service stores, barbershops, salons, dry cleaners and video stores

New shopping centers on 104th and I-44, 134th and I-44 and a large regional center will probably be redeveloped on the site of the existing Tri-City shopping center.

The old trestle bridge that is over the river will probably be destroyed to make way for new interstate lanes.

[soonerliberal]

This is not a wish list it is more like a prediction per say.

One area you guys are forgetting about is I-44 from 104th to H.E. Bailey.

I agree with you completely on that. Traffic on I-44 from the airport to Tri-City is a nightmare, especially in the rush hour times. Much of the affluent neighborhoods of SW OKC are very close to I-44 (i.e. Rivendell) and there is plenty of open areas along the highway for development.

I predict or at least hope there will be a widening project starting within five years. They already have room for 6 lanes across the river, so that will hopefully cut down on the costs. The existing bridges in that area are ancient and will need to be replaced soon anyway.

I have a feeling the reason I-44 is ignored so much as an area for possible development is because so many people see people south of 240 being part of Moore and there is incredible development there already; as well as the so-so "new" development along I-240 itself.

The I-44 district has incredible potential considering the demographics, the freeway, and the urban sprawl in the area. Maybe a SuperTarget could anchor something there? I can always wish.

[Bobby H]

The highway capacity around OKC needs to be addressed pretty seriously. The new 10-lane I-40 crosstown expressway is taking a big bite out of road improvement resources. So it may be awhile before other improvements can happen.

Here are some things I'd like to see.

1. The I-35/I-240 interchange needs to be totally redone as a four level "stack" interchange with all direct connector flyover ramps. Cloverleaf interchanges are horribly stupid. They're dangerous and they take up more space. The I-44/I-235/B'way Extension interchange on the north side of town desperately needs the same treatment. That current interchange is ridiculous.

2. Finish the Kilpatrick Turnpike. Have the OK-4 side extend up to meet I-40. Take the current eastern dead end on the H.E. Bailey extension at OK-9 and US-62 the rest of the way over to I-35. Right now there is enough space to build mainline toll lanes and free frontage roads. That situation will not exist for much longer. Same goes for OK-4.

3. Add more lane capacity to I-44. Once the Kilpatrick Turnpike is completed I-44 should be boosted to three lanes in each direction from the H.E. Bailey turnpike extension up to Tri-City.

Speaking of Lawton, the city is starting to see that growth from BRAC. Some of the first units for the Air Defense School are arriving. More than $250 million is being spent aboard Fort Sill for new housing.

Lawton's Chamber of Commerce, City Council and other business people are pushing hard for the 2nd Street downtown revitalization program. The city wants to transform run down parts of 2nd Street and East Gore into something of a business loop off I-44 and attract some major retailers, new building developments and some entertainment spots. Nothing concrete has happened on it just yet, but the insiders say some major annoucements should come soon.

[soonerliberal]

The I-240/I-35 interchange is in the works to be redone starting in 2008 I believe (as soon as some funding comes along and Shields interchange is finished). The plans are to make it a pseudo-stack with flyover ramps from I-35 to I-240 both directions. The exits from I-240 to I-35 will remain clover leafs, but the deadly and incredibly irritating weaving will be resolved. I think that is their ultimate goal. I remember last year Crossroads mall was complaining because more construction will hurt the mall (go ahead and blame the construction, not the management scheme huh?). I think the reason for doing it that way was because they are working with limited space and a fullblown stack logisically isn't too feasable plus it is incredibly more expensive and face it our state is pretty cheap when it comes to transportation. I-235 and Broadway reconstruction isn't too far out either, but once again funding is an issue.

[SoonerDave]

Crossroads Mall was complaining (and I think 100% justifiably) that the proposed redesign was going to permanently eliminate the Pole Rd exit, where the majority of their car traffic exits I-240 to access the mall.

I'm no fan of Crossroads management, but I think its unrealistic to expect them not to complain if you're cutting off their major traffic artery. Don't forget, too, that Crossroads was hurt (at least indirectly) by all the I-35 reconstruction over the last few years, and I think when this came about they finally said "enough is enough."

Crossroads' owners hired their own traffic engineers/architects to develop an alternate proposal that saved Pole Road, and as I understand it, someone in the pecking order (gov't level) "strongly encouraged" ODOT to reconsider their plans, which they did, and the Pole Rd exit was saved.

-SoonerDave

[okcitian]

- some offices along I-240 maybe mid-rise or high-rise
- As mentioned before a Barnes & Noble
- Stores that was in Crossroads like the Gap, and many a "Utica Square-esque" shopping center in South OKC with stores like Banana Republic, Abercrombie, J. Crew. (If not a new mall)
- More trees along I-240, more flower beds or what not.
- A new library with an impressive post-modern architecture to give the city something new to look at.



BTW: There is some open land near the airport that is north of 59th street and just west of S. May avenue and east of 1-44 that could be used for something, maybe a restuarant or small offices.

[Martin]

maybe this is too boring for a wish, but i'd like to see the road that is highway 37 in tri-city extended so that it crosses over the river and hooks up with indian hills road in norman. that'd open things up nicely, imo. -M