Driller's Stadium Construction Progress

[patric]

I walked it at night the other day and there was one working streetlight on Elgin between Archer and First. So it's dark, and there's no through sidewalk on either side.

A rule of thumb with outdoor lighting is when you over-light one area, everything around it appears dark.
That's because the eye adapts to the brightest surroundings, not the darkest.

Same thing happens when, say, you have a nervous neighbor that gets PSO to install what they call a "security" light (aka "barn light", "NEMA light") and their yard is now lit up like an intersection.
Suddenly the neighbors yards all appear darker to them now, so they feel insecure and install inappropriately bright lights of their own, and it spreads from house to house like a cancer while the utility mops up.

Ill meet you half way, though, in that the area could use some well-planned supplemental lighting, but if you are trying to out-glare the stadium, no amount of streetlights will fix that until you address the over-lighting and glare around the stadium.

The streetlight fixtures have no uplight, they light the sidewalks and street well, and it makes for a pleasant, well-lit walk along the sidewalk. The only complaint I have about them is the bulbs are too bright. People in Tulsa are just going to have to get used to light fixtures that do what they're supposed to do (put light on the ground) and save money by using lower-wattage bulbs.

There's no rule of lighting that says a street light has to be a minimum of 100-watts.  That's a PSO thing that needs to be addressed.  Until you get past that, your just burning tax dollars for nothing.     

[patric]

This awning lighting obviously wasnt designed to help human vision, was it?

Good luck trying to look out those upstairs windows a night.

[forevertulsa89]

This awning lighting obviously wasnt designed to help human vision, was it?
Good luck trying to look out those upstairs windows a night.

I could be wrong, but I thought those lighted areas above the awning were where those art deco panels were installed, not windows.

[patric]

I could be wrong, but I thought those lighted areas above the awning were where those art deco panels were installed, not windows.

I could be wrong, too.  Being lined up with the downstairs windows sure makes it look that way.
In either case, the uplight is wastefully designed.

[sgrizzle]

Here's some photos I took today. Didn't realize that if you sit on the first row, you are on the same level as the players, whereas at the old stadium you were several feet above the field. Also, love the open design. Feels less like a stadium and more like a giant party. The ticket price levels are amazing considering the cheapest are $5 and the most expensive are $15.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/sgrizzle/sets/72157623633969175/

[patric]

City to BNSF: "You're not helping" 

A train derailed in Tulsa late Saturday morning at 1st Street and Greenwood Avenue.

District Fire Chief Ben Herring said that no injuries were reported and no hazardous materials are involved.

The derailment occurred as hundreds were taking part in DrillersFest to get a first-hand look at the new ONEOK field in the nearby historic Greenwood District.

ttp://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?subjectid=11&articleid=20100403_298_0_Atrain742073

[Red Arrow]

City to BNSF: "You're not helping" 

A train derailed in Tulsa late Saturday morning at 1st Street and Greenwood Avenue.

District Fire Chief Ben Herring said that no injuries were reported and no hazardous materials are involved.

The derailment occurred as hundreds were taking part in DrillersFest to get a first-hand look at the new ONEOK field in the nearby historic Greenwood District.

ttp://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?subjectid=11&articleid=20100403_298_0_Atrain742073

Unless BNSF has an unpublished history of derailments in that area, I would say it was an unfortunate circumstance.

[sgrizzle]

I was at the stadium and heard it happen. Hardly anyone there was aware anything happened.

And yes, the lighting patric pointed out was for lighting the medallions that were installed after the picture was taken.

[bacjz00]

Feels less like a stadium and more like a giant party.

Ditto that.  Just checked out the park yesterday and I was BLOWN AWAY!!  People far and wide need to come downtown and enjoy a couple of games in this park this season.  It has great character.  Lots of places to see the game and "be seen".   It has excellent "loafing" qualities. 

[PonderInc]

I went to DrillersFest and thought the new stadium was awesome!  (Though the Drillers missed an opportunity to have some actual players on the field.  A little infield practice, some signing of baseballs, some mingling with the fans...)  I can't decide if it's better to sit on the 3rd base line and admire the view of downtown, or to pay $5 and sit at the picnic tables in the "terrace" area with a glove, ready to shag homeruns.

One tip for the powers that be, re: weeknight games.  There's no stoplight or stopsign at Detroit and Brady.  Anyone walking to the ballpark from the Brady District will need to take care crossing this intersection.  Downtown workers typically zoom north on Detroit going about 40 MPH, headed for the on-ramp to the IDL.  They're not used to families with little kids trying to cross the street.

My guess is that the Drillers will hire a "crossing guard" or a traffic cop to alleviate this danger.

The other infrastructure enhancement that we need is a pedestrian crossing over the RR tracks on Elgin. Anyone walking to the ballpark from the Blue Dome dristrict (and I expect thousands of people will do this very thing), will have to walk over the RR tracks...or go out of their way to cross on the Detroit bridge.  I hope we won't have folks trying to out-run an oncoming train...but it's probably going to happen.

The Downtown Master plan calls for an "underpass" at this location in its list of highest priorities (1-5 years) with possible local, state and federal funding...but I can't find any reference to this in the city budget's list of approved projects.

[SXSW]

I went to DrillersFest and thought the new stadium was awesome!  (Though the Drillers missed an opportunity to have some actual players on the field.  A little infield practice, some signing of baseballs, some mingling with the fans...)  I can't decide if it's better to sit on the 3rd base line and admire the view of downtown, or to pay $5 and sit at the picnic tables in the "terrace" area with a glove, ready to shag homeruns.

One tip for the powers that be, re: weeknight games.  There's no stoplight or stopsign at Detroit and Brady.  Anyone walking to the ballpark from the Brady District will need to take care crossing this intersection.  Downtown workers typically zoom north on Detroit going about 40 MPH, headed for the on-ramp to the IDL.  They're not used to families with little kids trying to cross the street.

My guess is that the Drillers will hire a "crossing guard" or a traffic cop to alleviate this danger.

The other infrastructure enhancement that we need is a pedestrian crossing over the RR tracks on Elgin. Anyone walking to the ballpark from the Blue Dome dristrict (and I expect thousands of people will do this very thing), will have to walk over the RR tracks...or go out of their way to cross on the Detroit bridge.  I hope we won't have folks trying to out-run an oncoming train...but it's probably going to happen.

The Downtown Master plan calls for an "underpass" at this location in its list of highest priorities (1-5 years) with possible local, state and federal funding...but I can't find any reference to this in the city budget's list of approved projects.

I agree, they really need to connect the ballpark streetscaping with the Elgin streetscaping across the tracks.  Downtown Norman has a similar situation where the tracks separate the downtown and the streetscaping goes right over them; hopefully something similar is done here.  The same goes for extending the streetscaping north under the 244 overpass up through OSU.  And yes a light at Detroit & Brady makes sense as many people will be walking down Brady towards Caz's, Spaghetti Warehouse, Mexicali, Lola's, Hunt Club, etc. and even more so as more places open down there and the Visual Arts Center and new park on Brady between Boston and Cincinnati are finished.

[TheTed]

To answer my own question, Sundown Wheat is on tap behind home plate, according to Mr. Marshall's Twitter.

Choc's Spahnie 363 and Last Laugh are also on tap at OneOk.

[TheTed]

I agree, they really need to connect the ballpark streetscaping with the Elgin streetscaping across the tracks.  Downtown Norman has a similar situation where the tracks separate the downtown and the streetscaping goes right over them; hopefully something similar is done here.  The same goes for extending the streetscaping north under the 244 overpass up through OSU.  And yes a light at Detroit & Brady makes sense as many people will be walking down Brady towards Caz's, Spaghetti Warehouse, Mexicali, Lola's, Hunt Club, etc. and even more so as more places open down there and the Visual Arts Center and new park on Brady between Boston and Cincinnati are finished.

That four-lane street is way, way too much capacity. It should be streetscaped something similar to Sixth Street between Main and Boston, maybe two automobile lanes, a raised median, on street parking, maybe a bike lane between the parking and the sidewalks.

It just looks so desolate when you can see four blocks of four-lane street and there's maybe one or two cars in the whole stretch.

[TheArtist]

That four-lane street is way, way too much capacity. It should be streetscaped something similar to Sixth Street between Main and Boston, maybe two automobile lanes, a raised median, on street parking, maybe a bike lane between the parking and the sidewalks.

It just looks so desolate when you can see four blocks of four-lane street and there's maybe one or two cars in the whole stretch.

Good idea. 

[Breadburner]

On my way to the game.....!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!