I think we should use this as an opportunity. Members of this forum have put together a long list of pie in the sky desires for downtown and here is a pie in the sky plan to pin them to. We should pick a few of our favorites and get them included on the ballot. At least that way they are out there for future more sensible plans.
My wants:
Additional Revenue streams for downtown housing
A parking sollution that frees up the surface parking lots in the blue dome and next to the PAC/City Hall for development.
A downtown circulator
Cathedral Square
I like the juvenile justice center the county is working on. If we can get kids on the right track early we can reduce our crime rate. That’s a big plus. It also rejuvenates a really decrepit part of downtown with few prospects for improvement. This should be a county project.
I actually support the deal closing fund. I will qualify that with I think such funds should be made illegal at the federal level, I hate the very idea of such funds being used to win business. But, if such funds are being used by other cities we need to be able to compete.
I support infrastructure improvements to the airport aerospace facilities, but not tenant specific tools.
I would like to see some money for the river. Take the $25 million from the state, the $9 million from Jenks and some of the city of Tulsa money to fix the Zink dam and build the 106th St dam. See if the Creek Nation/River Spirit Casino will contribute as well. When the federal money finally does come do the Sand Springs dam and riverbank improvements.
Downtown/Midtown circulator trolleys. We can start with busses but have them run at night and on weekends and be much more frequent. Connect Cherry Street, Utica, Brookside, downtown, the OSU campuses, TU and TCC downtown.
The Cathedral Square park idea on the south side of downtown in the square block from 8th to 9th from Main to Boulder with a public parking garage for TCC and the churches 8th to 9th from Main to Boston. Have the school and churches give up most of their seas of mostly unused parking in exchange for free use of the garage. The school can use it during the day and the churches on Sunday. At night they can share the garage. Give away the huge surface lot sites to developers with the best and most urban plans that will build housing including some lower cost housing for students. Incorporate housing and street level retail into the garage. The churches get more and bettered secured parking and more area residents as potential church goers. The school gets more secured parking and housing for students. They both get a nearby park, and a more urban and inviting environment. If this could get rid of 4 or 5 square blocks of parking it would remake the south side of downtown.
Another downtown housing fund, but larger this time, say 20 million. Set at least half of it aside for building rehabs and conversions. No one project can get more than 10% of the money.
The East Village park on the east side of downtown with a permanent city owned downtown indoor/outdoor year round farmers market where vendors can rent stall space for reasonable rates.
The John Hope Franklin Race Riot Museum completed and endowed and given to the national park service
Funding for the POP Museum with the related public parking garage for the Blue Dome district.
If the Jazz Hall of Fame is failing have it incorporated into the POP and repurpose the Depot. The Depot is probably better suited to the Deco Museum anyway.
The Route 66 Museum completed
