It's the Refineries, Stupid.

[CoffeeBean]

Headline:  Tulsa Burns While Leaders Fiddle

Appears Jenks is moving on yet another river project as Tulsa continues to neglect one of the most widely articulated desires throughout the "visioning" process:  RIVER DEVELOPMENT.

quote:JENKS -- The developer behind Oklahoma City's Lower Bricktown and East Wharf on Lake Hefner was recently chosen by three Tulsa businessmen to create a second-to-none riverfront attraction here.

Thousands of people are drawn to the ambiance of Bricktown each year with its water taxis that drift along a manmade canal.

Randy Hogan, president of Stonegate-Hogan, a real estate management and leasing firm, said that magic can happen here, too, with an actual waterway -- the Arkansas River -- helped along to fullness with a low-water dam that is in the works.

"We love what we see. It has massive potential," Hogan said of the 200-acre cow pasture that is now his blank slate. "I think you have a natural setting on the river -- you play off that."

Hogan said he will spend the next 30 to 60 days devising a concept and configuration for the site that will feature mixed-use development with an entertainment twist. A 25-acre lake is also planned.

Office, residential, retail, restaurant and hotel uses will be explored, but there won't be a full-blown amusement park or a discount chain. Hogan said he will try to assemble the best mix of tenants.

"We won't feel like we've done our job unless we've got a true destination point when it's all said and done," he said.

The site in Jenks' entertainment/tourism district was purchased last year by Lynn Mitchell, Jerry Ledford Jr. and Julius Puma of the River District Development Group LLC.

Mitchell said Hogan's successful Oklahoma City projects that incorporate water were a big selling point, as was the fact that Hogan is a fellow Oklahoman. In fact, Mitchell said, they plan to finance and construct the project locally.

What happened in Bricktown speaks for itself, Jenks Mayor Vic Vreeland said.

"We're very excited to see the person responsible for much of Bricktown come to this area. During the river study and all the public input we had, the one thing we kept hearing was, 'Look at everything they did in Oklahoma City with Bricktown.'

"So here they come."

Mitchell said they may approach Jenks regarding some type of rebate on costs incurred to construct roads and sewer lines, but that the overall project will not be part of any sales tax or bond issue package.

"We won't request to hit the citizens for any type of assistance -- it will be privately financed," Mitchell said.

The property borders the Arkansas River to the east, the Midland Valley Railroad to the west, the Creek Turnpike to the north and the vicinity of 106th Street to the south.

Mitchell said they looked at other sites throughout the Tulsa area, but the tract in Jenks was the largest that was ready for development. In addition, it extends south from other developments -- RiverWalk Crossing and the Oklahoma Aquarium -- which already attract 500,000 visitors a year. It also has great visibility from the Creek Turnpike and access from Aquarium Drive.

Vreeland said the project is very exciting for Jenks and all of Tulsa County.

"This will be something we have not seen in the Tulsa area," the Jenks mayor said. "We think it's just one more piece to the whole puzzle. The (Oklahoma) Aquarium started it all and RiverWalk Crossing and Sharon King Davis' development across the river (King's Landing). The whole area is pretty exciting - it's standing room on ly every night."

Hogan's work in Oklahoma City is wrapping up. The urban lofts in Centennial on the Canal are 90 percent sold and he said he's ready to focus on Tulsa.

"It's perfect timing," he said. "Jenks has been great. Everybody was been real enthusiastic about it."

 

FOCUS: Does anyone believe significant river development will occur in Tulsa so long as refineries occupy the west bank?  On a related note, any truth to the rumor that Sinclair is building a new emissions stack that may potentially impact the Maple Ridge area?

[Wilbur]

Significant river development won't happen until there is a changing of the guard in the Lorton dynasty and the Metro Chamber.  Both are too focused on downtown and finally crammed an arena down our throats.

I will bet that 20-years from now we'll all still be talking about river development, just like we were 20-years ago.  Or, all of us will be enjoying the river in Jenks.

[Rowdy]

quote:Originally posted by Wilbur

Significant river development won't happen until there is a changing of the guard in the Lorton dynasty and the Metro Chamber.  Both are too focused on downtown and finally crammed an arena down our throats.

I will bet that 20-years from now we'll all still be talking about river development, just like we were 20-years ago.  Or, all of us will be enjoying the river in Jenks.

And we will also be talking about our Toll Roads disappearing.  Oh wait, it won't happen...

[cannon_fodder]

Leaving the toll roads for another thread...

The refineries are not going anywhere.  They are worth too much money and in recent years even more money has been invested into them.  In the next couple of months tens of million more will be invested.  

Basically, regulation in this country has made it impossible to build new (more efficient and cleaner) refineries AND reclamation of the land that has been polluted for nearly 80 years would be prohibitively expensive, so companies are forced to keep the old ones.  

Therefor, the refineries are an obstacle that we will have to overcome, because they aren't going anywhere.
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Congrats to Jenks.  While I would much rather see this private development in Tulsa the economics are just not as favorable.  There is no where along the river in Tulsa that 200 acres of land is available (unless we sell off the river parts, which I am against).  Tulsa's river font will have to be developed as a series of smaller projects all along the river.

What's good for our suburbs is good for Tulsa, as long as Tulsa is able to stay the focus of attention.  Which, of course, means we need to develop and grow also.

[TheArtist]

A few very small project but with the possibility, hopefully, of one really nice urban development near downtown.  The rest parks and conservation along the river.  

I think such a combination will be fine.  Its no big deal to me that we could end up with river development only on "both ends" of the river in Tulsa and mostly park space (and yes the refineries) in between.  Jenks and all of their development is not that far, and a top notch development near downtown between 11th and 21st that can continue to infill and grow more urban with time, will create a better over all use for the river than having a continuous hodge podge of growth all along it.

Lets not forget we can do the 3 lakes and canal that have been drawn up for the Pearl District and have develpment around them and also focus on downtown.  Tulsa can have a very wonderful balance of many things.  If we properly do all the areas we can develop, right, we will absolutely have nothing to worry about with respect to the suburbs.  

 Remember too this type of thing just goes with developing near a city.  Its harder because there are already things there. Not too many 200 acre cow pature blank slates lol.  Lets make what we have top notch so that it will last and can evolve and grow, and not have to be replaced or worried about redoing later.