Underground Grand Opening

[okclee]

I received an email with the information from DowntownOkc.com

A Grand Opening will be held Friday March 30th at 2:00 p.m.

The location will be in the UNDERGROUND below the 101 Park Avenue building off of Broadway between Main and Park.

Entry locations are in the Broadway Kerr parking garage, Skirvin Hilton at the Santa Fe parking garage & First National Center with parking at the Main Street parking garage.

[BailJumper]

I think the whole underground remodel is a joke. IMO it looks very tacky. I hear people joke about it often when I'm down there at the bank and post office.

[jbrown84]

Tacky?

I know some disagree with taking away from street life by renewing the tunnels, but I don't think it's tacky at all.

[BailJumper]

I liked the idea of renovating the tunnels, I just think the execution is tacky. C'mon, exposed green and red light bulbs!??!

I hope someone opens a Christy's Toy Box in the red light portion!

[Martin]

they're like bug zappers... for people. if that's the 'after' pic, then my vote goes for 'tacky'. -M

[CMSturgeon]

So what else is down there? Any historic photos or details of its previous usage? What exactly do they have down there do draw a crowd?

[okclee]

Where is the disco ball?

I will need to find my roller skates, it's 70's disco-skate.

[metro]

I don't think the remodel is tacky. Did you not see it before? And yes there are photo and art galleries throughout it. If you read all the official threads of the Underground and Conncourse, you will find the answers to your questions. I do however wish they would have went with halogen or LED lighting but overall very futuristic and modern looking. Haven't heard anything but good about it other than it might detract from streetlife.

Kim, have the new outdoor entrance signs gone up yet? If so can you post us a pic?

[CMSturgeon]

Thanks Metro!

[Martin]

futuristic? yeah... that pic looks futuristic... like straight out of a 1970's sci-fi flick.

i totally agree, halogen or led would've looked alot better. -M

[zuluwarrior0760]

Each of those light fixtures exposed on the wall had a cost
of less than $25.00....

It's about making an effect with very little $$

LED would have been 10x the cost, but would be very impressive.

Overall, I'd say it's a massive improvement, even if it's not for everybody's
taste.........

[BailJumper]

Well, I'm just glad they didn't settle for "at least it's an improvement" when they redid Bricktown.

There are a dozen ways they could have improved the underground and while this is 'better' it is certainly not impressive.

[Easy180]

Makes sense to not go too overboard on spending since there is very little traffic underground compared to pre-bricktown days

Nice change and I'm sure more is in store if the underground starts to attract more shops and restaurants

[Pete]

Tunnel renovations light up debate both pro, Conn
By Steve Lackmeyer
Business Writer

Downtown workers no longer complain about torn carpeting, roof leaks and dark hallways when they venture into the underground tunnels once known as the Conncourse.

Instead, they're debating whether the brightly colored lighting is "cool” and "cutting edge,” or simply a headache that will encourage them to stay above ground whenever possible.

Gone are the Brady Bunch era wall colors, carpeting held together by duct tape, and broken light fixtures. But, after a $1.6 million renovation wrapping up this spring, even businesses along the tunnels are at odds whether the renamed "Underground” ultimately will help or hurt their bottom line.

Vicki Harris, who has owned Vicki's Downtown Style Shop in the tunnels for 33 years, was among those eagerly looking forward to the renovation when it started last year. Now she's given up hope the changes will bring her more business, and only hopes it won't cost her existing customers.

"They don't like it,” Harris said. "None of them do. They say the lighting gives them headaches.”

Another veteran of subterranean downtown argues the opposite.

"Some customers complain about the lights, but a lot more like the changes,” said Varan Bailey, who works at Ricolleto's restaurant and has been employed in the tunnels for 20 years. "I really like it down here. Compared to the way it did look, it is now much better.”

Pedestrians echoed the debate. Clair Fretwell, who works at First National Center, admits the lighting scheme seemed odd at first, giving her skin a colored hue.

"I enjoy it,” Fretwell said. "I really hope this brings more businesses down here.”

Victor Cooper, a downtown employee for 30 years, didn't like what he saw.

"I'm not impressed by the green, and the red is worse,” Cooper said. "It's a little too garish.”

The colored lighting is a specialty for the renovation's architect, Rand Elliott, who isn't surprised or offended by the mixed response.

"It's like any other public/private project,” Elliott said. "There are some who will say it's great, those who don't quite understand it. And we have that, and I'm happy we do ... Anytime we have a project like this and people talk about it, I think that's very positive. The most successful projects are those that create dialogue.”

Elliott recalled overhearing a construction worker responding to remarks about the renovation.

"His comment was ‘if you don't get it, don't come down,'” Elliott said.

Challenges aren't new to Elliott, who had to wait for Downtown Oklahoma City Inc. to create a special assessment district to pay for the project when the original business improvement district funding fell short.

He also had to design directional portals and signs in tunnels that slope, have no straight walls and uneven ceilings.

Elliott is eager to see how many people "get it” when Downtown Oklahoma City Inc. hosts a celebration at 2 p.m. Friday marking the renovation's completion.

The tunnel will feature the first completed art gallery, focusing on the history of downtown. Other galleries will be added in the next few weeks, along with above ground entry signs, flat screen televisions airing local news, including coverage of weather conditions outside, and piped in music.

Elliott notes the celebration is near the entrance of the original tunnel built in 1935 by hotelier W.B. Skirvin to link his hotel with the Skirvin Tower, now known as 101 Park Avenue. The tunnel system as it is known today, however, was developed in the 1970s at the direction of banker Jack Conn.

"I would love to have been a part of the conversations back then with Jack Conn and others,” Elliott said. "There are people on both sides of the fence, as to whether it's valuable or not. There are those who want to fill it with concrete. But on a cold, windy or stormy day, it's busy and it's much appreciated for the service it provides downtown people.”

Elliott visited with some potential restaurant and bar operators before the renovation started who swore they could never see themselves opening a business in the basements that connect to the tunnels. He said those same visitors have taken a second glance at the lighting, new carpeting and wall decor and are intrigued. He suspects business activity will pick up once the tunnels are equipped with flat screen televisions, piped-in music and art galleries.

But Elliott doesn't agree with critics who say The Underground draws people away from street level businesses.

"If you think about it, there is very little retail even possible in The Underground,” Elliott said. "It's more about getting people from point A to point B. ... What we've done is come in, made The Underground a more interesting place to be. We're capitalizing on that you're there, we want to entertain you, educate you, and make it an experience you don't have every day.”

[BDP]

Well, I'm just glad they didn't settle for "at least it's an improvement" when they redid Bricktown.

Actually, I hear that all the time, especially in reference to lower bricktown. It seems no one can agree that a great job was done there. The only consensus is that "at least it's better than 10 years ago".

This thing was done on a budget and is definately more Euro than Okie. It may be too post modern for many, but at least it's not a toilet like it was before. The underground has long had an identity crisis and I guess this is too different for downtown Oklahoma City, but maybe it will find a niche and some actual success with the new design. If not, then let's just seal it up or find a way to convert it to an underground transit center for the commuter trains.

[MadMonk]

Ouch. Even the pictures burn my retinas. Can't imagine being down there. On the plus side you have a tan when you emerge.

[Pete]

Frankly, I'm glad to see it renovated (it was an embarrassment before) but glad they didn't spend a ton of money -- and it seems they did a lot with a little.

And I'd much rather try for something a little out-there then more of the same, predictable crap.

There are always going to be people that complain when you try something a little new... I remember a bunch of people complaining about the airport design choices when it first started coming together.

[BailJumper]

There are always going to be people that complain when you try something a little new..

That's the easy way out for those who wear it on their sleeves.

I'd love to see them have to publish an itemized accounting of new paint, carpet and bare colored bulbs screwed to the wall.

[Pete]

I'll withhold judgment on the design until I see it in person but that system is almost a mile long and had not be updated in about 30 years.

In addition to carpeting and paint, they installed information kiosks, new signage, artwork and had to make various repairs.

$1.6 million isn't a lot of money for something of that scale.

[ksearls]

BailJumper,

Please feel free to drop by sometime and we would be glad to share that info with you. The money came from the property owners in a Special Improvment District so it was very closely monitored. We actually came in under budget. I think we got a lot of bang for our buck for the money we spent.

I hope everyone will join us tomorrow for the opening and some technicolor cupcakes! Give the project a chance!

Kim

[BailJumper]

I don't doubt the "under budget" claim one bit. It looks it!

[Bobby H]

I think the city should have worked with some sort of major corporation or something to get a budget to do the lighting effects work in the tunnels correctly.

Exposed fluorescent lamps are not what I would consider tasteful, even if they are colored. Nearly all still have that nasty yellow cast to the color of light emitted. Ultimately, exposed fluorescent lamps just look CHEAP.

I agree LED lighting would have been quite a bit more expensive, at least in terms of fixture cost. However, a well designed LED lighting system would have been far more eye-pleasing and capable of far more dramatic effects. Such a system would be far more effective on attracting pedestrians to the tunnel network.

To see some of the kinds of things LED lighting can do, check out the website for Color Kinetics. Click the "Showcase" link for a galley of the company's most notable recent installations.
Color Kinetics Incorporated - LED Lighting Systems

[Pete]

Since the installed lighting was inexpensive, it wouldn't be a big deal to pull it out if and when more money is available down the road.

For now, I'm glad for the upgrades.

[metro]

[jbrown84]

I prefer an inexpensive update like this, since we aren't really trying to create an attraction--just make it look nice for people that go down there.