$38 million development being proposed across from BOK Center

[Hoss]

Very interesting....and about time.  Hope to see it come to pass.

http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?subjectid=11&articleid=20090505_298_0_Amilli86106

[TheArtist]

Kewl.

[RecycleMichael]

I've been waiting for this announcement for a while. I love it.

It combines a new higher end hotel, a large new downtown restaurant, loft housing and new retail right across the street from the biggest public investment we have made.

This guy is also the kind of builder who makes things happen.

Hooray!

[TheArtist]

[ifsandbuts]

Looks awesome! We've needed something like this down there for a long time. Looks like they have a great team put together with all the right elements and someone who can actually get things done in the lead. Let's just hope TDA doesn't screw it up!

[FOTD]

"Timing is everything with this project" ....that's an understatement.

Bet that our city real estate department is burning mid night oil to get this deal done.

[OSU]

oh boy oh boy oh boy!!!! This looks very awesome and I'm young enough to still be optimistic about the odds of it happening!!!

[MacGyver]

"One Development has offered the authority $1.5 million for its property. It proposes to pay 10 percent up front and the balance within 60 months of a deed transfer."

Does anybody else think 1.5 million seems a bit light for 3/4 of a leveled block next to and arguably on the only develop-able land adjacent to the BOK Center?

I'd love to see some mixed-use urban development happen, but it seems like TDA would be handing over this block to developers that are only fronting $150k.  Helluva deal for the developer - leveraging a pittance into controlling the entire block across the street from one of the hottest venues in the US.

Intriguing...

MG

[OurTulsa]

Excellent!  How many residential units are included in this project?

This will instantly add a block of urban fabric back into our city and will go along way to connecting our arena to the core of downtown.  A consistent and active building wall also makes walking interesting so this project could also help quell some complaints about walking to/from parking for arena events as there will now actually be something to engage those individuals en route. 

I think the project, to some degree, helps make our arena/convention center a more attractive option for out-of-town event planners and for those considering attending an event at either place.  It might help answer the question 'what's there to do around the arena after the event?'. 

I'm personally intrigued by the bookstore mention!  The thought of having the ability to walk downtown from my hood to dinner and a bookstore makes me giddy.  RM, how about talking them into a Circle 2 Cinema?  Dinner and a movie downtown: yes!

I'm also glad there was no indication of some sort of sky bridge between the arena and the hotel. 

[OSU]

Also I know most people don't like chain restaurants on this message board, but there is one I would really like to see in this development and that is Buca di Beppo, I'm just hoping this happens and maybe someone connected will read the thread. It's worth a shot.

[Gaspar]

"One Development has offered the authority $1.5 million for its property. It proposes to pay 10 percent up front and the balance within 60 months of a deed transfer."

Does anybody else think 1.5 million seems a bit light for 3/4 of a leveled block next to and arguably on the only develop-able land adjacent to the BOK Center?

I'd love to see some mixed-use urban development happen, but it seems like TDA would be handing over this block to developers that are only fronting $150k.  Helluva deal for the developer - leveraging a pittance into controlling the entire block across the street from one of the hottest venues in the US.

Intriguing...

MG

Yes.  Considering that the city is asking more than that, and the guy (in California) that owns a small piece of the pie is asking more that that just for his little chunk. 

I hope they succeed.  The plan seems similar to an older plan for the site that circulated for years.  I always liked the design.

[sgrizzle]

Also I know most people don't like chain restaurants on this message board, but there is one I would really like to see in this development and that is Buca di Beppo, I'm just hoping this happens and maybe someone connected will read the thread. It's worth a shot.

+1 on the Buca di Beppo suggestion.

[RecycleMichael]

Does anybody else think 1.5 million seems a bit light for 3/4 of a leveled block next to and arguably on the only develop-able land adjacent to the BOK Center?

The TDA only controls a small L shaped corner of the block...1.29 acres that was valued at $1.6 million.

These investors already own the rest of the block.

[Gaspar]

The TDA only controls a small L shaped corner of the block...1.29 acres that was valued at $1.6 million.

These investors already own the rest of the block.

I wonder if they were able to purchase the small chunk where the Towerview apartments were.  That guy wanted 2 million (or close to it) and was willing to hold out.

[Oil Capital]

The TDA only controls a small L shaped corner of the block...1.29 acres that was valued at $1.6 million.

These investors already own the rest of the block.

That "small L shaped corner of the block" is approximately 3/4ths of the block.  These investors control only about 1/8th of the block - the small parcel on the northeast(ish) corner.  The owner of the TowerView property owns the remaining 1/8th of the block.

FWIW, last October, the TDA was demanding $2.4 million for that "small L shaped corner of the block", and turned down an offer of $1.75 million.