Judging by the current state of this section...

[Hawkins]

Our city economy is really in the pooper.

Wow. Nothing but a church expansion and some city owned stuff has been discussed lately. Terrible.

How many businesses did we lose in '09? I'd wager a lot.

[SXSW]

Unfortunately that is the case in just about every U.S. city...one of the reasons the design and construction industries have taken one of the biggest hits during this recession.

[JoeMommaBlake]

Downtown in early 2010.... Boomtown Tee's, Dust Bowl, The Max Retropub, Hey Mambo, Lee's Bike's, Back Alley Blues and BBQ, Another un-named bar, and rumors of a new running store by Lee's. Additionally, there are some new things coming by the ballpark and more developments on the horizon (two significant ones) in the BOK area, and around 5th and Elgin. There are more than a couple loft projects in the works and don't forget about the hotel in the Atlas building, the Convention Center remodel, and a new baseball stadium.

In the last few months we've seen several things open as well: Yokozuna, Zarbo's Greek Grill, Hunt Club, New YMCA, that camping store, etc...

Seems to me like there's a decent amount of "Development & New Business" happening. . . and that's just inside the IDL.

Maybe this new business just isn't compelling enough to merit the attention of the forum. What can we do to amp up the interest and excitement?

[waterboy]

Well, something needs to amp up the interest. My wife and I wanted to enjoy the downtown experience on Saturday night, so we drove over to Hunt Club around 6;30-7pm. She has this problem with eating somewhere that has no other patrons. She says we might as well eat at home in the kitchen. There were no customers anywhere north of the tracks in the Brady district. A little bit at Spaghetti Warehouse and the Mexican restaurant but nothing else anywhere.

We drove back over the tracks to Blue Dome area and there was more traffic, particularly at Joe Momma's and Guapo's but we weren't in the mood so we headed to McNellies which had a good crowd. There was nothing going on at the Arena, nothing at Cain's, the Performing Arts Center didn't seem to have much activity either.

I know that the clubs get busier as the night gets later. But not everyone is into the music scene. Our impression was that a lot of downtown right now is hype. Spin, whatever. Its about to happen, but its wrong to set expectations too high.

[TheArtist]

   Lets see,,,, there is also the Lorton PAC at TU which is coming along nicely.  Going to be an impressive addition to the campus.  By me is the new OU Tulsa Library that is just starting. Then of course the Riverwalk Phase 2 with all the new apartments going in.  They have started the first building that will be a part of the Jenks Main Street development. The large medical college building across the river near downtown is starting to wrap up. New Rivers Edge restaurant should be starting soon. That Brookside, infill, office development across from Wild Oats is still adding new structures. Wolfgang Pucks is also moving along on Brookside. There has been a spate of small hotels going in around the 71st corridor, 2 under contstruction right now another one finishing up right now further south along with the new hospital expansion out there. Oodles of apartments have been going in between 71st and 81st on Mingo, and a lot of them going in near Tulsa Hills, and a hotel over there, and some medical expansion. New nice looking retirement/nursing home facility expansion going in off 31st between Harvard and Yale.  Just some stuff I can think of right off.   Not a lot of large, glamorous stuff, but there are a smattering of things in several parts of town.  And there are a number of things in the planning stages, and some in a "hold" stage which could get announced or even started towards the end of the year.

[Conan71]

[TheArtist]

Well, something needs to amp up the interest. My wife and I wanted to enjoy the downtown experience on Saturday night, so we drove over to Hunt Club around 6;30-7pm. She has this problem with eating somewhere that has no other patrons. She says we might as well eat at home in the kitchen. There were no customers anywhere north of the tracks in the Brady district. A little bit at Spaghetti Warehouse and the Mexican restaurant but nothing else anywhere.

We drove back over the tracks to Blue Dome area and there was more traffic, particularly at Joe Momma's and Guapo's but we weren't in the mood so we headed to McNellies which had a good crowd. There was nothing going on at the Arena, nothing at Cain's, the Performing Arts Center didn't seem to have much activity either.

I know that the clubs get busier as the night gets later. But not everyone is into the music scene. Our impression was that a lot of downtown right now is hype. Spin, whatever. Its about to happen, but its wrong to set expectations too high.

  Dont know where or what the Hunt Club is...?   Hmm, not sure what the hype/spin is your referring to.  If you have been downtown in the last several years, you pretty much should know what to expect. Plus, some weekends will be busier or slower than others.  

[Conan71]

  Dont know where or what the Hunt Club is...?   Hmm, not sure what the hype/spin is your referring to.  If you have been downtown in the last several years, you pretty much should know what to expect. Plus, some weekends will be busier or slower than others.  

SW corner of Main & Cameron, it was the White Rabbit Deli for a few months, then was dark for about six months.  Hunt Club has been there since the first of July last year.  Good menu, nice owners and wait staff, one of my regular haunts.  They get busy early on show nights, rest of the time it gets rolling after 9pm.

[JoeMommaBlake]

When Joe Momma's was on its way, there was a multiple page thread discussing its arrival. People were excited and there was a buzz about it. Little had come in the few months before it and the Dilly Deli came not long after, with similar buzz. Now we've got several new things coming, some of which are unique concepts - the exact type of entertainment options people have been asking for, and the buzz is not nearly as strong.

My worry is that the general citizenry had expectations that things would happen faster than they are and that they are now disenfranchised with downtown development. The ball is rolling, just perhaps not fast enough? From my perspective (am I that cat in the photo?), the exact types of things are happening that we all want to see. The ballpark is as (if not more) important than the BOK for downtown as it brings at least 5000 people downtown almost 1/3 of the year. The residential development is also important. The primary reason that downtown is not yet an option for national chains (they aren't all evil) is lack of rooftops. More people living downtown means a more appealing development opportunity for the big time developers needed to really put us on the map.

I don't think it's that there's nothing happening. I think it's that most of what there is to say has already been said in past threads. We've been talking about this for a while. People are tired of waiting. We just want to drive down there right now and have it feel like it should - like a place full of energy and excitement and options.

In the restaurant industry January is typically one of those "slow" months that we have to endure. Without things going on downtown, many downtown restaurants may not be as full as they are in the summer months. I'll tell you this...and I think it's telling. Joe Momma's is having its best sales month ever, literally. That's without a DFest, Blue Dome Festival, Tulsa Tough, or St. Patrick's Day. Furthermore, there's been almost nothing at the BOK in January and only a short run of Legally Blonde at the PAC. I think interest is growing in downtown and that more people are looking there as a place to go for dinner. The Tulsa advocates on this forum have played a role in fueling the fires of interest for downtown over the years. I'd encourage you all to get excited again. The changes that you're hoping for are imminent. This summer will look very different from any summer before. Baseball, bowling, arcade fun, retail, residential, and a new Mardi Gras jazz party... all coming very soon.

So someone start some threads on these new businesses and we'll round up their proprietors to log on and answer questions.

[joiei]

Well, something needs to amp up the interest. My wife and I wanted to enjoy the downtown experience on Saturday night, so we drove over to Hunt Club around 6;30-7pm. She has this problem with eating somewhere that has no other patrons. She says we might as well eat at home in the kitchen. There were no customers anywhere north of the tracks in the Brady district. A little bit at Spaghetti Warehouse and the Mexican restaurant but nothing else anywhere.

We drove back over the tracks to Blue Dome area and there was more traffic, particularly at Joe Momma's and Guapo's but we weren't in the mood so we headed to McNellies which had a good crowd. There was nothing going on at the Arena, nothing at Cain's, the Performing Arts Center didn't seem to have much activity either.

I know that the clubs get busier as the night gets later. But not everyone is into the music scene. Our impression was that a lot of downtown right now is hype. Spin, whatever. Its about to happen, but its wrong to set expectations too high.

The Symphony played Saturday night.    Maybe you were just out and about at too early an hour. 

[ARGUS]

take a happy pill Hawkins

[Conan71]

When Joe Momma's was on its way, there was a multiple page thread discussing its arrival. People were excited and there was a buzz about it. Little had come in the few months before it and the Dilly Deli came not long after, with similar buzz. Now we've got several new things coming, some of which are unique concepts - the exact type of entertainment options people have been asking for, and the buzz is not nearly as strong.

My worry is that the general citizenry had expectations that things would happen faster than they are and that they are now disenfranchised with downtown development. The ball is rolling, just perhaps not fast enough? From my perspective (am I that cat in the photo?), the exact types of things are happening that we all want to see. The ballpark is as (if not more) important than the BOK for downtown as it brings at least 5000 people downtown almost 1/3 of the year. The residential development is also important. The primary reason that downtown is not yet an option for national chains (they aren't all evil) is lack of rooftops. More people living downtown means a more appealing development opportunity for the big time developers needed to really put us on the map.

I don't think it's that there's nothing happening. I think it's that most of what there is to say has already been said in past threads. We've been talking about this for a while. People are tired of waiting. We just want to drive down there right now and have it feel like it should - like a place full of energy and excitement and options.

In the restaurant industry January is typically one of those "slow" months that we have to endure. Without things going on downtown, many downtown restaurants may not be as full as they are in the summer months. I'll tell you this...and I think it's telling. Joe Momma's is having its best sales month ever, literally. That's without a DFest, Blue Dome Festival, Tulsa Tough, or St. Patrick's Day. Furthermore, there's been almost nothing at the BOK in January and only a short run of Legally Blonde at the PAC. I think interest is growing in downtown and that more people are looking there as a place to go for dinner. The Tulsa advocates on this forum have played a role in fueling the fires of interest for downtown over the years. I'd encourage you all to get excited again. The changes that you're hoping for are imminent. This summer will look very different from any summer before. Baseball, bowling, arcade fun, retail, residential, and a new Mardi Gras jazz party... all coming very soon.

So someone start some threads on these new businesses and we'll round up their proprietors to log on and answer questions.

Blake, I don't think it's lack of interest in development, take a look at traffic on this site or at leasts new posts and there's simply not a lot going on with TNF at the moment, there are perhaps 10 people who are active on a regular basis here.  I expect it will pick up as mid-term elections get closer.  It certainly takes a bad case of myopia to not see there are great things taking place downtown.

[Hoss]

Need to edit that photo, Coco...

It should read:

Optimist:  Drinks Marshall Beer (any)
Pessimist:  Buys beer from local convenience store (Oklahoma).

[Cats Cats Cats]

what are Dust Bowl & The Max Retropub and where are the going?

[FOTD]

Well, something needs to amp up the interest. My wife and I wanted to enjoy the downtown experience on Saturday night, so we drove over to Hunt Club around 6;30-7pm. She has this problem with eating somewhere that has no other patrons. She says we might as well eat at home in the kitchen. There were no customers anywhere north of the tracks in the Brady district. A little bit at Spaghetti Warehouse and the Mexican restaurant but nothing else anywhere.

We drove back over the tracks to Blue Dome area and there was more traffic, particularly at Joe Momma's and Guapo's but we weren't in the mood so we headed to McNellies which had a good crowd. There was nothing going on at the Arena, nothing at Cain's, the Performing Arts Center didn't seem to have much activity either.

I know that the clubs get busier as the night gets later. But not everyone is into the music scene. Our impression was that a lot of downtown right now is hype. Spin, whatever. Its about to happen, but its wrong to set expectations too high.

The local music scene is off the tracks....either the casinos have derailed the venues or the venues are out of touch with the rest the town. Last night we wanted to go hear B. Hass (JFJO) sitting in with the Dead Kenny G's at Eclipse. But, despite the word being 8-12, upon entering found out it was scheduled now for 10 or 10:30 TO 2.  Do they not realize the town is worker bees and not dense with late nighters?

Tooled around Fryday to the Brookside area....all the restaurants were busy (don't know why) and the bars were sparsely occupied at 9. 18th and Boston was so so....same on 15th.

Mid town has more bars and restaurants than actual patrons....so, why would downtown be busy? Nobody lives there and the real action is at Hard Rock and Riverspirit Harrahs...

If downtown were to be saved through entertainment, the city should have made a deal to put the casinos down there...oh well.