More downtown housing allocations

[waterboy]

Why are you surprised? Because they went for comment outside of the TN fraternity? All of those folks are players in downtown regardless of their reputation or perceived success. I have my reservations about them but they were naturals for interviews.

What the reporters/writers surmised was more critical to me. Demand has always been there for downtown housing. Its been poorly met and downright ignored for decades. I, and friends of mine,  wanted to live in downtown lofts over three decades ago but were told that zoning wouldn't allow it. Now, all of a sudden, its news?

They also conclude that business will follow downtown housing, which is the accepted notion, but not necessarily true.  Within two miles of ground zero downtown exists high densities of single family and multi-family housing. High quality housing of varied demographic nature. Yet, we have to travel to Promenade, Brookside, Cherry Street, Utica Square and the fairgrounds area to do our shopping. We have to travel farther than if similar businesses existed downtown where churches, TCC, social services and jail operations snapped up available locations.

Its leadership that failed downtown not the suburbs. Damage done by attitudes that attempted to protect status quo interests for years is hard to repair. Now downtown is getting electro shock therapy. This will piss off the core of the frat here, but this is my feeling.....I expect downtown will end up looking like Brookside and Cherry Street. Sanitized and commercialized by commercial realtors and wealthy land owners in attempts to draw people in who are more comfortable with 'sburban lifestyles. Safety, class separation, moderation and conformity are their issues. Kohl's, franchised operations, Red Robin's, gas lamps and fake canals. Lovely rehabbed historical buildings mostly accessible to only the top tier disposable income earners.

Frankly, I don't blame suburbans for their lifestyle or their hesitance in wanting to revive such a downtown. They already have these things.

[Townsend]

Why are you surprised? Because they went for comment outside of the TN fraternity?

Where'd you get that?

If you took that as an attack on your friends, it wasn't.

I was commenting that they seem to use Sager as an example much more than others when some news organizations talk about Downtown revitalization.

I didn't think Sager's share of revitalization compares as high as some others.  If I'm wrong, let me know.  His 1st street loft project has been slow to finish and other buildings I've been told are his property have sat empty and decrepid.

As far as Arnett goes, did they choose him because of his blog?

[sgrizzle]

Arnett is the go-to guy on downtown housing since he has lived a block away from the Tulsa World for years and he gets in front of every news camera he can find.

[waterboy]

Where'd you get that?

If you took that as an attack on your friends, it wasn't.

I was commenting that they seem to use Sager as an example much more than others when some news organizations talk about Downtown revitalization.

I didn't think Sager's share of revitalization compares as high as some others.  If I'm wrong, let me know.  His 1st street loft project has been slow to finish and other buildings I've been told are his property have sat empty and decrepid.

As far as Arnett goes, did they choose him because of his blog?

No, no, no.....I think we missed each other on this one. I thought you were inferring that these folks interviewed had been chosen capriciously. And that people on this forum might have been better interviews. In fact these guys are merely well known for living in or working on downtown. Sager seems shady to me, Arnett loves to puff his own legacy and Bolzle is a commercial real estate guy. I have past acquaintances with them and worked shortly with Arnett. LIke them or not they are all committed to downtown.

I was simply musing on the mess we got ourselves into and why no one in the press ever seems to do more than shine, shine, shine the stories. And why didn't they interview David Sharp?

[Red Arrow]

I chuckled when I heard sager interviewed for this story... I believe he the only person to accept 2025 funds, spend them, and have nothing whatsoever to show for it.  He owns as many downtown lofts as I do.

Zero?