RFQ - distributed by Kaiser Foundation for Blair/Crow Creek properties

[Red Arrow]

I don't see it being any worse than the current swoop and dip in the same area, likely better.

Might actually be fun as compared to all the straight roads around here.  That is, unless you are texting or something and the road turns but you fail to notice.

[rdj]

Agreed.  Riverside is nice because it is so direct.  Diverting would cut down its usage.

IMO, that would be a good thing.  Turn it into a scenic drive, rather than a raceway.

[AquaMan]

As long as its used as an expressway into downtown it will always be fast and furious. I have noticed lately though, that its traffic count seems to be declining.

I enjoy the curve and dip but it can be harrowing for large vehicles and seeing that lane of traffic coming at you head on after the dip is a bit creepy, but I've never actually heard of any bad wrecks right there.

A smaller curve would make more sense at that point. One which would be at the level of the bridge and curving slightly to the east. The remaining low area could be part of the new white water park. But, I'm told the utilities, water and sewer pipes etc are a hindrance to that idea.

[Kenosha]

Pretty sure that West 8 was a finalist, but not selected.  That looks like their proposal for the competition.

[Townsend]

http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?subjectid=334&articleid=20120221_11_A1_CUTLIN46753


Tulsans' ideas sought for George Kaiser Family Foundation's proposed park

The George Kaiser Family Foundation wants public input into the creation of a new gathering space on two large tracts of land along the east side of Riverside Drive.

"Because this will be space for all of Tulsa to enjoy, we want the entire community to give us their ideas on what they want to see in their new park," said Jeff Stava, project manager for the foundation's proposal.

The project, estimated to cost between $100 million and $150 million, would stretch from 26th Street to just south of 31st Street.

The land includes the 33.6 acres of the Blair Mansion property at 26th Place and the 21.5-acre tract where the Crow Creek Apartments sit just south of 31st Street. Both properties are owned by the foundation.

As part of the planning process, public meetings will be held at 6 p.m. on March 6 and March 7 at the Center for Creativity on Tulsa Community College's downtown campus.

The public-input sessions will be open-house style for people to engage with members of the project team about the "potential for the site to deliver a unique experience to the community," Stava said.

He said the foundation is soliciting ideas for low-impact activities such as splash pads, tree forts, zip lines, sculpture gardens and nature trails through the wooded area there.

"Great parks in cities have all sorts of these type of activities, many of which we don't have here in our parks," Stava said.

He noted that parks draw people "for all different kinds of reasons, whether it's activities or enjoying the atmosphere of the park itself."

A small parking lot that takes up 4.2 acres sits between the two Kaiser Foundation tracts. Mayor Dewey Bartlett said it has not yet been determined whether that land is owned by the city or jointly by the city and county.

"No matter, from the city's perspective, we need to be very flexible when somebody has made a commitment to embark upon a very visionary development that is beneficial to the public," he said.

Bartlett said that while he will be supportive, the role of the public land will be determined by the foundation's final plans.

Stava said the biggest challenge for the project is unifying the sites not only with each other but also to River Parks on the west side of Riverside Drive.

"You have to be able to get people back and forth fluidly and effortlessly," he said.

He noted that the Midland Valley Trail, formerly a railroad track, sits atop a berm and is a barrier between the Blair property and the publicly owned land. Then 31st Street is a barrier between the public land and the Crow Creek Apartments site.

The most obvious barrier, he said, is Riverside Drive between River Parks and the new gathering spaces.

"This is a big creative challenge," he said. "We're asking the public for its thoughts and ideas on how to unify the sites and what the activities should be on the sites."

The foundation is using Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates, a landscape architecture firm based in Brooklyn, N.Y., to design the project based on the public input.

Stava said the firm specializes in riverfront projects, and he pointed out how it transformed the Hudson River Park, a former industrial waterfront, into a community landscape featuring a boardwalk, a carousel and expansive views of the river.

The firm's staff, Stava said, "are true park builders and focus on the essence of a site."

The foundation selected the firm after narrowing the field from 35 companies that submitted qualification packets. The firm also competed with three others in a competition process, Stava said.

"The Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates have a way of looking at things in a super-creative way. They keep the green green and make it better by weaving together landscaping and trails and all of the activities," he said

Stava said the firm has proven experience in designing "amazing parks in numerous metropolitan areas around the country, and their dedication to creating landscapes that reflect the community in which they're based made them the clear choice for this project."

[sgrizzle]

Started a new thread on it since we have real info:
http://www.tulsanow.org/forum/index.php?topic=18723