Another East Village Proposal

[Kenosha]

So, in review, Kevin Stephen's, Ross Group's, and Land Legacy's projects were selected. 

Maybe I should get into the future predicting bidness. 

That Chuck Tollefsen dude sounds pissed.

[dsjeffries]

So, in review, Kevin Stephen's, Ross Group's, and Land Legacy's projects were selected.  

Maybe I should get into the future predicting bidness.  

That Chuck Tollefsen dude sounds pissed.

I'd be pissed, too. I think the project was compelling and had several great elements. And while I like the idea of a LEED-certified building, what else does the Ross Group's project include? More surface parking. Their rationale? It'll help during Drillers games. That is a lame excuse, and especially for a company that's touting LEED. What's so green about a LEED building that requires a sea of surface parking?

Formaation's Tollefsen: "We brought forth a master plan that is consistent with the downtown master plan" created under former Mayor Kathy Taylor's administration, he said. "Our plan had entertainment and retail, which generates sales tax, and it connected the two biggest investments downtown, the BOK Center and ONEOK Field ballpark."

In addition to the entertainment and retail portions, it also included important, variably-priced residential units. What's more, they were willing to work the Land Legacy and Ross Group projects into their plan. Imagine that, people working together!

TDA needs to either be abolished or have its members replaced with people who actually want downtown to prosper, instead of squatting on land for 40 years and making sound developers jump through their hoops of fire.

That said, I'd like to see Land Legacy's plans. It would be great to have residential buildings outline the park(s).

I feel another letter to the editor coming.

[Kenosha]

It was a compelling project, just like the last 3 east village projects were compelling.  Unfortunately, this guy is even less capable of pulling it off than the last three groups.  

At some point you have to merge your visionary stuff with the reality stuff.  

[TheArtist]

Of course I would love to see the larger project go through, but I suppose it was the financing question that made them seem the less likely bet.  And as we have seen, its the steady progression of smaller projects that have been the key to making things happen in downtown. But no, I do not like the "LEED" project taking up those plots of land for parking.  Its wrong for it unnecessarily gives up city property that could go to other developments, and is absurd to boot.

[Conan71]

Of course I would love to see the larger project go through, but I suppose it was the financing question that made them seem the less likely bet.  And as we have seen, its the steady progression of smaller projects that have been the key to making things happen in downtown. But no, I do not like the "LEED" project taking up those plots of land for parking.  Its wrong for it unnecessarily gives up city property that could go to other developments, and is absurd to boot.

I guess to make the lemonaide- they can always build a building on those parking lots when the true value of downtown land is realized a lot easier than tearing something down and building up.  I hate to see more surface parking too, but with the way this fine little Banana Republic operates (channeling Friendly Bear) it's the only way I know not to let the frustration make my head explode.

[SXSW]

The plus side to the Ross project is that it involves constructing a new building that fronts Greenwood with surface parking behind (to the east) as well as on the lot to the north, according to what they presented.  Not an ideal situation but not horrible either, and those lots could be redeveloped in the future.  It would be much harder to do if, for instance, they were simply renovating the existing city building with its parking lot on Greenwood.  This will help reinforce the 'street wall' of buildings that exist north of the tracks.

[DTowner]

Put another grand plan for down town on the trash heap.  I'm having trouble mustering up much emotion one way or the other given the lack of polished detail this plan offered and its apparent reliance on government loans/bonds/financing.  In the current climate, such financing did not seem very realistic.

While these large scale comprehensive mixed use developments always garner a lot of attention (when announced), the steady progress of down town continues to be carried on the back of smaller organic developments.  Maybe it will be better in the end not to have one of these large faux old areas with "Village" on the end of its name, but it sure would be a good indication down town revitalization has reached some sort of critical mass if one of these comprehensive plans actually came to fruition - if only to soften my cynical view of each new announcement of yet another such plan.

[DowntownDan]

I like the idea of the large urban park.  If done right, it might spur some private development around the park.  I won't hold my breath though.  I give this a 30% chance of actually happening, and even less of a chance that it will happen in the next 5 years.  Seems things take an eternity to get done downtown.  How long ago was the Tribune Lofts II supposed to start?  The Mathews Warehouse renovation?  First Street Lofts?  I could go on and on.  Seems the BOK and OneOk Field were the only things built as planned in a timely fashion.

[Kenosha]

Per the above comments, my two cents.  When I think about developing downtown, and I think about the deliverables that appeal to me; authenticity, true urbanism, local services, neighborhood-relevant retail.  What tends to turn me off to the larger scaled, multi-block development concepts (in a downtown area) is the difficulty those developments have in delivering that.  You can clearly think of successful developments that have merged local and national retail (Utica Square.), but they are few and far between.  Utica Square didn't pop out of the ground like it is today either.

I digress. 

The pace of development downtown is frustrating certainly, and we all want it to hit that tipping point...but before it does hit that tipping point, I personally feel that we need a few more well established, independent, local offerings.  The only way I know how to garner that type of local investment is by way of the tortoise, and not the hare.  The development equivalent of the Slow Food Movement.   The Slow City movement, maybe.    The idea behind the Slow Food movement is what?  Real food, grown locally, designed to maintain local food traditions.  The opposite of fast food: processed into foodstuffs designed for mass consumption. 

Same with good development:  small, locally funded...locally invested, supportive of unique, creative concepts.  Diverse architecture, diverse functions... designed to maintain and create local traditions.  The opposite of large, uniform buildings, forced architecture, formulaic uses...

I am not saying that is what Formaation was proposing.  What I am saying is that that scale of development...is very hard to control.  There are pressures to find tenants, LOTS of tenants. Compromises are made, quality suffers.

Anyway...I think the TDA may have made the right decision here.  Bringing jobs downtown is good.  My understanding is that the Ross Group's decision to be downtown was employee driven.  They wanted to be down there.  Those are potential residents, the way I see it.  And Land Legacy's proposal is a no brainer...a urban park..open space to develop around.  I love it.

[SXSW]

Urban Tulsa article about Micha Alexander's developments in this area, which he has been working to slowly develop around his business.  An excerpt:

As Micha Alexander sees it, the development of his neighborhood around E. Third Street and Lansing Avenue in the East Village is quickly becoming his life's work.

"Yeah, it's turning out to be like that," he said. "In 2003, when I first came down here, I was 23. I thought I'd just buy up everything and build it. Now, I'll be 30 in June, and I'm just getting started."

The district Alexander has built or renovated one building at a time that welcomes its latest addition this week, when he holds an open house from 4pm-8pm Friday, May 21 for The Bend, a two-condominium development he's built at 814 E. Third St.

The one-bedroom, two-story units may be small -- they're both sized at approximately 1,000 square feet -- but they boast a sleek, ultra-modern design and numerous high-end features that are designed to appeal to buyers looking for something different.

http://www.urbantulsa.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A30424

[sgrizzle]

The one-bedroom, two-story units may be small -- they're both sized at approximately 1,000 square feet -- but they boast a sleek, ultra-modern design and numerous high-end features that are designed to appeal to buyers looking for something different.

That's not different. That's like saying a girl dressed in all black with purple hair working at hot topic is unusual.

Every downtown property being developed has "high-end features"

Give me something with a toaster oven and formica, please.

[Rico]

That's not different. That's like saying a girl dressed in all black with purple hair working at hot topic is unusual.

Every downtown property being developed has "high-end features"

Give me something with a toaster oven and formica, please.

Now you are talking..! a lean-to in shanty town..

Paradiso por deux.

[TheArtist]

Instead of referring to my neighborhood as something like the usual fancy "Richland Heights" or whatnot, when I pull into my neighborhood I say "Aaaah, good to be back in good ol Poverty Gulch!" 

[Kenosha]

That's not different. That's like saying a girl dressed in all black with purple hair working at hot topic is unusual.

Every downtown property being developed has "high-end features"

Give me something with a toaster oven and formica, please.

That is funny, Scott.  I am totally with you.  Stainless Steel appliances are pretty much the standard now, which is what passes for "high end" around here....amiryte?

[DTowner]

Article in today's T.World says TDA voted to enter into negotiations with Formaation LLC to sale the property at 2nd & Greenwood (the Hartford Building site).  Developer claims the multiphase project will start with a $74 million loft and retail development project.  As always with any announcement involving TDA and/or east end development - I will believe it when I see dirt being moved.

http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?subjectid=11&articleid=20110217_11_A7_Anambi501616