Giant Iconic Ferris Wheel to go downtown!

[Cats Cats Cats]

Its there for good. Kind of like the Eiffel Tower, the London Eye is meant to be a large, iconic symbol/attraction for that area of the city. 

I am glad Jenks is doing what its doing, and indeed I consider whats going on there as part of Tulsa. I kind of like the idea of Downtown/an eventual river district across from downtown,,, and the stuff in Jenks/Tulsa as anchoring opposite ends of the river. I dont really think they have to be seen as competitors with each other. Both can evolve differently, have different sets of attractions, feels and audiences/demographic centers.

However, its interesting to consider, that if we ever connect the two with a frequent rail service. They will essentially then be one really great whole. People at a convention in downtown can so easily hop on a train and visit the stuff in Jenks and spend the day doing both areas and not have to have a car.  Someone staying at a hotel in Jenks can go to a convention,concert or event in Downtown Tulsa. Same with living and work, etc. Tulsa and Jenks could really sell it and compete big time by being able to add each others attractions and facilities to the others list of things to see and do, # of hotel rooms available, etc. Someone in Denver pointed out how once they got their rail connecting different nodes and areas, your traditional viewpoint starts to shift. With a good rail connection, 2 different areas essentially become one.  We are very lucky to have this potential. Come to think of it, this is one way we could smoke OKC in the future.

Jenks is just like Tulsa's River district but with actual development.

[waterboy]

It would be a regional attraction at the very least. But remember the controversy that surfaced during the last few votes. We get this Owasso, BA, Bixby, SE contingent that isn't very happy to see inner city Tulsa and SW Tulsa/Jenks grow at their (perceived) expense. No one ever asked Brogdon why he doesn't support the low water dams, maybe because its so obvious. Seems we vacillate between a regional view and a city view pretty rapidly. Wonder what fuels those swings?

Quickly now. What stands out as the most stunning achievement of V2025?

[tshane250]

I hate to burst your bubble, but OKC is already doing this.  Grant Humphreys, an OKC developer bought the Pacific Park Ferris Wheel, which resides on the Santa Monica Pier, and intends to bring it to OKC to anchor a riverfront development.  Here's an article about it from a year ago.  I am not sure what the time frame is, but I recently heard about it on the Oklahoma News Report, so it might be coming soon.

Edit:  There are a couple of quasi "iconic" ideas I have for the city.  I would like to see something like the Spire of Dublin at 5th and Main, to replace the diminutive fountain.  Something ultra modern, with some height.  I would also like to see something like Prague's Petřín Lookout Tower in the open space just east of the Rose Garden in Woodward Park.  I don't know how the nearby neighborhoods would like it, but I think it would offer a great view over the city.  Though, I must admit, neither of these ideas are going to really attract tourists.  They are simply meant to add a little something to the city. 

[TheArtist]

Jenks is just like Tulsa's River district but with actual development.

Oh really? OMG... Did you know... The sky is blue. Shocking but true lol.

[TheArtist]

It would be a regional attraction at the very least. But remember the controversy that surfaced during the last few votes. We get this Owasso, BA, Bixby, SE contingent that isn't very happy to see inner city Tulsa and SW Tulsa/Jenks grow at their (perceived) expense. No one ever asked Brogdon why he doesn't support the low water dams, maybe because its so obvious. Seems we vacillate between a regional view and a city view pretty rapidly. Wonder what fuels those swings?

Quickly now. What stands out as the most stunning achievement of V2025?

The point wouldnt be for it to be an "attraction" per say, not THE reason for going, but  perhaps an "attractor". The main thing is to have something that acts as an interesting, beautiful and fun, iconic centerpiece, to the area of downtown, The area would be the attraction and the "object, tower, ferris wheel, whatever" would be its iconic centerpiece. It could catch your eye from the highway for sure and attract people. Partly I am thinking about is the convention market. In order to compete we have to have things to do downtown. Not that a ferris wheel would be some, wonderful, exciting thing, but it could be a stunning visual presence within an activity area. Plus it would indeed be something to do for the families and such who live around it. People dont go to London to see the London Eye, but it is something to see and do while they are there.

I certainly would not see this as some county vote or tax. That would be absurd imo. This is something for the city of Tulsa and even then, mostly its downtown/core region. 

[TheArtist]

I hate to burst your bubble, but OKC is already doing this.  Grant Humphreys, an OKC developer bought the Pacific Park Ferris Wheel, which resides on the Santa Monica Pier, and intends to bring it to OKC to anchor a riverfront development.  Here's an article about it from a year ago.  I am not sure what the time frame is, but I recently heard about it on the Oklahoma News Report, so it might be coming soon.

Edit:  There are a couple of quasi "iconic" ideas I have for the city.  I would like to see something like the Spire of Dublin at 5th and Main, to replace the diminutive fountain.  Something ultra modern, with some height.  I would also like to see something like Prague's Petřín Lookout Tower in the open space just east of the Rose Garden in Woodward Park.  I don't know how the nearby neighborhoods would like it, but I think it would offer a great view over the city.  Though, I must admit, neither of these ideas are going to really attract tourists.  They are simply meant to add a little something to the city. 

I think your more on the track I am thinking about. I think the spire/tower idea would be a great one. Especially if OKC is doing a Ferris Wheel, but even then I dont know how large that Ferris wheel is and it does look more the "carnival" type, versus the London Eye is classy and iconic, and its size likely dwarfs the one OKC would be getting.

The trick with some sort of tower is to have it be beautiful, but not a copy of the eiffel tower. Perhaps a very contemporary design. I have seen towers in other cities like you mention,,, but they always seem to fall short and look lame or look like a lesser copy of the Eiffel tower. Plus there is something about the idea of movement that I like with the Ferris wheel idea. Perhaps a tower with a kinetic sculpture of some sort?   

Here is something they recently did in Phoenix. Not as grand as I would like for Tulsa, and I certainly think we could have done something a lot better with 34million dollars lol.  http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=167961

Just a note... I checked the story on the OKC ferris wheel, it is indeed a "typical, large" ferris wheel, though with a great history. Its 9 stories tall, hardly giant or iconic in scale. The London Eye is about 44 stories.

[mjchamplin]

The only problem I see with something like a Ferris Wheel is the upkeep. What if it's popular at first, but then nobody goes to ride it? The city (or a private investor) wouldn't want to keep maintaining something like that indefinitely.

If it were the anchor for a successful development, that would be different. That's why the OKC one makes more sense to me (at least at this juncture). I think that for Tulsa something like this would have to be part of a bigger plan.

[tshane250]

I think your more on the track I am thinking about. I think the spire/tower idea would be a great one. Especially if OKC is doing a Ferris Wheel, but even then I dont know how large that Ferris wheel is and it does look more the "carnival" type, versus the London Eye is classy and iconic, and its size likely dwarfs the one OKC would be getting.

The trick with some sort of tower is to have it be beautiful, but not a copy of the eiffel tower. Perhaps a very contemporary design. I have seen towers in other cities like you mention,,, but they always seem to fall short and look lame or look like a lesser copy of the Eiffel tower. Plus there is something about the idea of movement that I like with the Ferris wheel idea. Perhaps a tower with a kinetic sculpture of some sort?   

Here is something they recently did in Phoenix. Not as grand as I would like for Tulsa, and I certainly think we could have done something a lot better with 34million dollars lol.  http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=167961

I like your thinking.  As for a size comparision, the London Eye is just shy of 443 feet high, while the Santa Monica one is 130 feet high.  If and when Tulsa were to ever pursue something along these lines (whether public or private or both), I think it would definitely need to be something of significance - i.e. iconic (think Eiffel Tower, Gateway Arch, London Eye - something when seen automatically brings Tulsa to mind). 

[TheArtist]

I like your thinking.  As for a size comparision, the London Eye is just shy of 443 feet high, while the Santa Monica one is 130 feet high.  If and when Tulsa were to ever pursue something along these lines (whether public or private or both), I think it would definitely need to be something of significance - i.e. iconic (think Eiffel Tower, Gateway Arch, London Eye - something when seen automatically brings Tulsa to mind). 

Exactly. And hopefully it be something thats beautiful, and something that can be "ridden" or interacted with in some way. Not just something to look at. Not just a static sculpture, not just a ride or experience but a combination of things. 

[SXSW]

I've always liked the idea of a science museum downtown. Something that would attract both kids and adults, similar to the old Harmon Science Center but bigger and better with an emphasis on Oklahoma-specific topics like energy and severe weather.  I would put it on 2nd in between Cincinnati and Detroit fronting a future park/square on the parking lot to the south.  A new central library could be built on the southside of 3rd between Cincinnati and Detroit facing the park and science museum, with the PAC along Cincinnati to the west and the Blue Dome district directly to the east of Detroit.  The science museum, library, PAC, and park/square would all be attractions to downtown with places to eat and shop nearby and within walking distance of the arena, ballpark, and downtown hotels.

I also would like to see an ART DECO museum downtown.  The Tulsa Club building at 5th & Cincinnati would be a good location, considering it's currently vacant...

[tshane250]

I've always liked the idea of a science museum downtown. Something that would attract both kids and adults, similar to the old Harmon Science Center but bigger and better with an emphasis on Oklahoma-specific topics like energy and severe weather.

Ooo, I like that idea too.  It would be great if a section (or the entire thing) had hands-on exhibits for the young and young at heart. 

[OpenYourEyesTulsa]

If OKC gets a ferris wheel, Tulsa needs one at least twice as big.  More museums and art galleries are very welcome.  Also an upscale downtown galleria mall with indoor ice skating would be cool.  I miss the old Williams place that had the ice skating.  I also miss the main mall but don't get me started on that one.

I just hope that most of it is funded by private entrepreneurs rather than our tax dollars.

[SXSW]

If OKC gets a ferris wheel, Tulsa needs one at least twice as big.  More museums and art galleries are very welcome.  Also an upscale downtown galleria mall with indoor ice skating would be cool.  I miss the old Williams place that had the ice skating.  I also miss the main mall but don't get me started on that one.

I just hope that most of it is funded by private entrepreneurs rather than our tax dollars.

What about funding by both?  A lead gift to get the building built by a family or company and then public money to finish and operate it. 

[okcpulse]

What do you mean if?  OKC got one.  It is being restored in Wichita as we speak.  One restoration is complete, it will be located along the Oklahoma River near downtown OKC.

[TheArtist]

Ok, so IF Tulsa were to do one, it would have to be at least twice as large and of a unique design lol.

However, on this thread and some others I have started to get comments and discussions going, a couple of similar wants continue to reemerge time after time. Childrens museum, Science museum with an energy slant, new library, deco museum. Seems there is more of a will do do something along those lines. So why detract from that? Take that desire and build on it.  And any of those things can be done in a way that is architecturally intriguing resulting in something akin to what an "iconic Ferris wheel" might do. The building itself can be an attraction, something people want to see and visit, an icon, an easily recognizable symbol. There are several of examples of museums that do this.