$38 million development being proposed across from BOK Center

[MacGyver]

BUT, I refuse, REFUSE to get my hopes up.  Remember Gaspar's project? It was also $38,000,000 (exact same number), mixed use, and had structured parking.  It was scuttled for a Hampton Inn with surface parking.  Which also never happened:
http://www.tulsanow.org/forum/index.php?topic=11644.0

I also remember some much hyped project that demanded we move the bus station and tear down Coney Islander.  Which walked away.  Not sure on the details on that one.

I like this one better than Gaspar's (sorry!) because it has a much more holistic feel to it.  Instead of just occupying the block it utilizes the space while leaving open spaces and inviting people to walk through.  I really like the idea presented.

I want to be excited, but I won't let myself.  75% of projects announced as being close to happening never do.  They just fade away.  So I'll be hopeful but just sit and wait on this one too.

A lot of us are suffering from the same Proposal Fatigue.

But this seems to have a different feel.  I don't have any specific knowledge, but I would bet Eggleston has some partners that may be better connected (and possibly funded) than past groups.

MG

[Cats Cats Cats]

Not to be discouraging but if you walked 4 blocks to your car or to work on a day like today in Tulsa, you might as well have taken a shower in your clothes.  Its not even raining out there, it is like walking into a wet sprinkler system head on.  I haven't been to Chicago since I was a kid though so maybe they have it the same.  Do all of those walkers bring a change of clothes to work or do they just have like a lax dress code or something?

Well I think the point was that people in Chicago are smaller and have less surface area to get wet.

[PepePeru]

Not to be discouraging but if you walked 4 blocks to your car or to work on a day like today in Tulsa, you might as well have taken a shower in your clothes.  Its not even raining out there, it is like walking into a wet sprinkler system head on.  I haven't been to Chicago since I was a kid though so maybe they have it the same.  Do all of those walkers bring a change of clothes to work or do they just have like a lax dress code or something?

if you are referring to the mist, bring an umbrella?

if you are referring to the "humidity" we have in Tulsa, sure....

if you get that wet from sweat after walking 4 blocks to work, then its doing you some good.  try parking 8 blocks away the next day.

[SXSW]

TDA should encourage this, even if it means lowering the price of the parcel. I'm with CF though, this is the fifth concept for this site and my hopes of fruition are low. In my mind this is the most important (empty) parcel in the CBD (along with the BOK drive through). The old city hall doesn't have a chance in heck of being developed unless this spot gets the ball rolling.

Message to the TDA: please make any concessions in your power to make this work. Lowering the price can give you leverage to ensure that the development is urban with the proposed underground parking.

Underground parking should be a requirement.

[custosnox]

Not to be discouraging but if you walked 4 blocks to your car or to work on a day like today in Tulsa, you might as well have taken a shower in your clothes.  Its not even raining out there, it is like walking into a wet sprinkler system head on.  I haven't been to Chicago since I was a kid though so maybe they have it the same.  Do all of those walkers bring a change of clothes to work or do they just have like a lax dress code or something?

And I walked from the bus stop to work this morning, which is roughly 5 blocks (math says it's more, time and legs say it's less so splitting the differance), and arrived dry as a bone.  Haven't came in soaked yet and I've been ridding the bus for about two weeks now (and I bet it'll stop raining next week after I get the new car).  And for those days that it does rain, I'm sure I've got an umbrella somewhere.

[JCnOwasso]

Not to be captain obvious, but on a day like yesterday or the week before hand, a simple umbrella can solve most of the problems of getting wet.  I work at 1 w third and park at the structure at 2nd and Boulder.  I know there are still plenty of spaces remaining there and plenty at several other locations.

And judging by the rendering, this will be on the other side of the federal court house, correct? if so it is pretty far from being caddy corner to the jail.  

Pretty neat though.

[we vs us]

Not to be discouraging but if you walked 4 blocks to your car or to work on a day like today in Tulsa, you might as well have taken a shower in your clothes.  Its not even raining out there, it is like walking into a wet sprinkler system head on.  I haven't been to Chicago since I was a kid though so maybe they have it the same.  Do all of those walkers bring a change of clothes to work or do they just have like a lax dress code or something?

Well, you know, you think ahead.  Bring an umbrella, bring a jacket, bring a hat.  Some people have boots.  It's part of the landscape and you learn to deal with it.  But here you're walking at most a couple hundred yards from your vehicle to the front door of the office/mall/your home, so there's virtually no reason to get suited up.  

I used to carry a pretty nice leather messenger bag to work, and it carried lots of important items for my commute, including, but not limited to:  my mp3 player, my umbrella, a cheapo rain pancho, CTA cards, a variety of newspapers and books and magazine.  The messenger bag was unremarkable and necessary in Chicago. I still carry it here, but I get lots of good natured ribbing about my "man bag" or "murse."  Tulsan's think it's an affectation because it's mostly unnecessary here; in Chicago, it used to be a necessity.

[brianh]

Well, you know, you think ahead.  Bring an umbrella, bring a jacket, bring a hat.  Some people have boots.  It's part of the landscape and you learn to deal with it.  But here you're walking at most a couple hundred yards from your vehicle to the front door of the office/mall/your home, so there's virtually no reason to get suited up.  

I used to carry a pretty nice leather messenger bag to work, and it carried lots of important items for my commute, including, but not limited to:  my mp3 player, my umbrella, a cheapo rain pancho, CTA cards, a variety of newspapers and books and magazine.  The messenger bag was unremarkable and necessary in Chicago. I still carry it here, but I get lots of good natured ribbing about my "man bag" or "murse."  Tulsan's think it's an affectation because it's mostly unnecessary here; in Chicago, it used to be a necessity.

I was just agitated to get soaked today actually, so my post is a little biased.  I did bring an umbrella and the rain was going sideways because I have to walk down boulder, which has like a giant wind tunnel.  Mostly dry by now though.

[titan43112]

if you get that wet from sweat after walking 4 blocks to work, then its doing you some good.  try parking 8 blocks away the next day.

It just occured to me that maybe some of the people downtown whom I had assumed were homeless may actually have been regular office workers that had to walk 10+ blocks in the rain to get to work. Hope they packed a razor in their travel bag for a shave once they get there.

[FOTD]

A virtual nobody is putting up $150,000 to get this development going?

City better be careful here.....

[Hoss]

A virtual nobody is putting up $150,000 to get this development going?

City better be careful here.....

I wouldn't say a virtual nobody, since the head of the group was the same gentleman who oversaw the construction process of the new arena.

[FOTD]

I wouldn't say a virtual nobody, since the head of the group was the same gentleman who oversaw the construction process of the new arena.

In that case, the city better insist on underground parking. And no more complaining about walking!

[rwarn17588]

I see this going to section eight housing within a decade.

That's the dumbest statement I've read on this board in a long time. The dumbest, in fact, since some doofus (who's no longer here, I think) said that Cesar Pelli was a "hack."

[nathanm]

Not to be discouraging but if you walked 4 blocks to your car or to work on a day like today in Tulsa, you might as well have taken a shower in your clothes.  Its not even raining out there, it is like walking into a wet sprinkler system head on.  I haven't been to Chicago since I was a kid though so maybe they have it the same.  Do all of those walkers bring a change of clothes to work or do they just have like a lax dress code or something?

They have these wonderful things called 'hats' and 'overcoats' and 'umbrellas.' And when it's really bad, such that your face and hands get wet despite the aforementioned products, there are these great inventions called 'towels.'

[Oil Capital]

As for the tract of land.  It was being offered for a similar price to previous developers.  The TDA's goal is to acquire land and dispose of it to facilitate development.   Not to land grab and hold it to make money.  Make a few bucks to aid in future TDA goals, but apparently they are not selling it for that much below market or someone would have grabbed it up already and started something.

As I said above, it was offered for $2.4 million to the previous developers.  I would not call that a "similar" price to $1.5 million.  Also, as I mentioned above, the TDA previously turned down an offer of $1.75 million.  Will they now accept an offer of $1.5 million?  (This is all according to the Tulsa World, so take it for what it's worth, but I've never seen or heard anyone quibble with it)