New OKC developments.

[TheArtist]

This has some of the new developments that are being worked on in OKC.  What I once thought of as being kind of gimmicky and rinky dink, aka the canal an OKCs revitalization of their downtown, is really becoming more and more impressive every year.

Would most of this stuff have happened with out their MAPS? I don't actually think so.  But yet if we think of spending any tax dollars in this town, there are a lot of people that will scream that it will not do any good or will only help a few.  


Click on the "next" button and go through the whole list.  There are a number of small developments at first but then you will run across quite a few very nice ones.  

http://okmet.org/cover/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=119&Itemid=1

[waterboy]

They screamed there too Artist. Their leadership overcame the anti-tax, anti-cooperation elements. I spent some time in 2002 with their maps director (who btw was a former Tulsan). He couldn't say enough good about the Mayor at the time who pulled all the disparate interests together and made them realize what was at stake. He lobbied the county, cities, authorities, foundations, chambers, and was able to convince them that they were all in the same boat. It barely passed and he was not re-elected! That's leadership.

Some think we did the same thing with V2025. I'm not one of them. Ours doesn't have the same focus. Its like a bicycle designed by committee. We're having success in many areas but the effect is dissipated. Isn't it ironic our mayor also was not re-elected? Truth is OKC has very little in common with Tulsa.

[okcpulse]

waterboy, what are you talking about?  If you are talking about the original MAPS project that passed with a 54% vote in 1993, then you are referring to Mayor Ron Norick.  But Ron Norick wasn't not re-elected, he retired his mayoral duties to focus on his private interests.  

You are correct in that there was a lot of opposition, but he didn't run for another election.  Today he is overseeing the redevelopment of the Oklahoma River.

MAPS for Kids passed in 2001 with a supermajority victory, pioneered by former Mayor Kirk Humphreys.  However, he wasn't a popular political personality in OKC.  He left his post to run for Washington.

[SoonerRiceGrad]

Ron Norick is still a "major" player in the scheme of DT OKC. His "pet project" is the riverside and he's been vocal and key to making this project a reality.

The link in the first post of this thread is apparently to one of the developments that get on my nerves. I would much rather see that ugly beast torn down, but hey, what can you say?

I intend on getting a full list of Tulsa projects up whenever I feel like finishing that list. Some days I come home from work and I just feel like bein a good for nuthin. Kirk Humphreys was, by all means in my opinion, a great guy. And my opinion is unwavering. That guy was one of the greatest mayors in the history of OKC. Often the Gazette wrote articles in jest about "kidnapping him and dumping him on a suburban street corner for a night to teach him a lesson about city planning."

I would vote for "Kirk the Smirk" any time. I don't think so highly of Mick Cornett, but the man is coming around. Kirk was sold on light rail and wanted to make it reality, actually Ron Norick's MAPS was THIS close to making light rail happen (Istook took it off the list) but Mick is coming around, and he's actually starting to go through the motions to get OKC light rail within the next ten years.

[waterboy]

quote:Originally posted by okcpulse

waterboy, what are you talking about?  If you are talking about the original MAPS project that passed with a 54% vote in 1993, then you are referring to Mayor Ron Norick.  But Ron Norick wasn't not re-elected, he retired his mayoral duties to focus on his private interests.  

You are correct in that there was a lot of opposition, but he didn't run for another election.  Today he is overseeing the redevelopment of the Oklahoma River.

MAPS for Kids passed in 2001 with a supermajority victory, pioneered by former Mayor Kirk Humphreys.  However, he wasn't a popular political personality in OKC.  He left his post to run for Washington.

My apology. I was operating off of memory and confused Humprhey with Norick. Not my city and i should have double checked before posting. My point though was that change is always controversial, the MAPS was too, and leadership requires a willingness to suffer that controversy. Also, that your focus was different.

[SoonerRiceGrad]

I don't consider 54% passage something to look back on and go, "Everybody was all for it!"

[okcpulse]

quote:My apology. I was operating off of memory and confused Humprhey with Norick. Not my city and i should have double checked before posting. My point though was that change is always controversial, the MAPS was too, and leadership requires a willingness to suffer that controversy. Also, that your focus was different.

During a meeting in 1990 when Mayor Ron Norick introduced the concept of MAPS, one of his colleagues warned him that he would put his political career in jeopardy if he went forward with MAPS.

Ron Norick responded by pounding his fist on the table and shouted, "I don't want to be the mayor that doesn't want to do this!"