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

[OurTulsa]

http://drop.io/hidden/zinp9rd4iwxags9/asset/Z2tmZnJmcTA5MjEwMS1wZGY%253D

I hope they get some good responses - looking forward to seeing ideas tying that whole 31st/Riverside area together with hoods behind and maybe even using Crow Creek to the south to tie in to Brookside. 

They suggest a museum or similar type function for the Blair property or (and I'm intrigued by this) a mixed-use development with an emphasis on residential near the east of the property.  Why not do both?  They also talk about redeveloping the Crow Creek apts. and tying them into the development concept.  Love that!  Throw a smattering of small neighborhood commercial under an apartment building at the corner of 31st/Riverside and pull some narrow streets into a compact new residential neighborhood behind it...nice. 

The Ridgers will start looking for their pitch-forks but I think it can be done so that it adds a ton of value to that neighborhood.

[SXSW]

This would be one of the more significant midtown infill projects since Brooktowne was developed in the 90's.  I will be interested to see the proposals.

The Crow Creek apartments are in too good of a location to be as rundown as they are.  Hopefully any proposal there includes the jogging trail along the creek connecting Peoria (and possibly beyond to Zink Park) to the river trails.

I'll add that I think these properties should be primarily residential.  Keep the Crow Creek apartments as apartments but with higher density and better connections to the river, Crow Creek itself, and Brookside i.e. taller buildings along Riverside.  Dense townhomes closer to Riverside and single family houses to the east on the Blair property with better connections to the existing Maple Ridge neighborhood.  Focus any new large park/museum development on the west bank at the Mid-Con plant/Festival Park.  JMO

[SXSW]

TW article

http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?subjectid=334&articleid=20101017_11_A1_CUTLIN7660

With an Oct. 29 deadline for interested firms to respond with their qualifications to help draft a master plan, the foundation has already fielded 90 inquiries, including 50 which were "team-based" firms both in and out of the country, Stava said.

[Rico]

Quote from the TW article.>
"Levit said project is estimated to be a five- to 10-year effort."


It would seem this would have to be a very long ranged endeavor.
If I remember correctly... one of the terms of the "sale" of the Blair property was that the current owner/resident, could maintain residence and use of the property for the remainder of his life. Dan Buford doesn't look to be ready to make an exit any time soon.
Kind of Ghoulish to be doing this and setting any sort of time line on the start of construction.   

Oh well, there may be a clause that calls for the elimination of the tenant
past a certain date. 

[Conan71]

Rrriiico that's bad....

But a damn good laugh

[sgrizzle]

Quote from the TW article.>
"Levit said project is estimated to be a five- to 10-year effort."


It would seem this would have to be a very long ranged endeavor.
If I remember correctly... one of the terms of the "sale" of the Blair property was that the current owner/resident, could maintain residence and use of the property for the remainder of his life. Dan Buford doesn't look to be ready to make an exit any time soon.
Kind of Ghoulish to be doing this and setting any sort of time line on the start of construction.   

Oh well, there may be a clause that calls for the elimination of the tenant
past a certain date. 

My understanding is that the foundation wasn't going to use the property anytime soon so he was free to stay, but that the invitation was not indefinite. No matter what the plan, the house may still be able to be used as a house for years.

[RecycleMichael]

Oh well, there may be a clause that calls for the elimination of the tenant
past a certain date. 

This sounds like an episode of Scooby Doo.

[waterboy]

I seem to remember when the property changed hands that the foundation said they had no plans for development for a long time. I think that was to defer controversy till it was established that Kaiser is a good guy, that the upgrading of the paths was a wonderful improvement and that any further development would not only be on his dime, but well done. This is a long process that started a couple years ago when one of our posters noticed pink stakes along the Katy path.

I'm not nearly as excited as some of you are. The path behind the Blair mansion is also due for "upgrading" (they've already pulled core samples over there in preparation and I assure you the Parks dept didn't fund it) and has to be considered if the rest of the area from 31st to the mansion is done. That's when the Kaiser Foundation will run into opposition. That path is a quiet, under the radar outlet for the neighborhood, just like the West bank path was once unnoticed except by those wishing to avoid crowds. The rush to satisfy bikers with more wide, smooth high speed bike pikes is not universally appreciated. Some balance would be nice.

[Red Arrow]

I seem to remember when the property changed hands that the foundation said they had no plans for development for a long time. I think that was to defer controversy till it was established that Kaiser is a good guy, that the upgrading of the paths was a wonderful improvement and that any further development would not only be on his dime, but well done. This is a long process that started a couple years ago when one of our posters noticed pink stakes along the Katy path.

I thought the Pedestrian Bridge and connecting paths were from the Midland Valley RR. 

[waterboy]

That could be. Perhaps the bridge was built by the Midland Valley RR. We always called it the Katy path around here until the last few years because when I first moved in the MK&T railroad operated along that path. It is now owned by the Tulsa Parks dept. because the River Parks did not want to take on the responsibility of upkeep. Parks doesn't have the funding the RPA and Kaiser Foundation have. Look for that path to be "donated" to the RPA or the foundation. Then they can do as they wish without interference from pesky taxpayers.

And here's what they should do: excavate the path beginning at 18th and Boston to where it approaches the river by the Blair Mansion. The path is already pretty level. Strengthen the sides, add a bike/running path on each side, pump in water and run watercraft in your new 6ft deep canal that empties into the river. Once the changes are made to the Zink low water dam to allow linkage between Zink lake and the new Jenks lake, you can run ferry trips to the Casino and Riverwalk from the bars at 18th and Boston with a stop at the "Shoppes at Blair Mansion".

Visionary eh?

[Red Arrow]

And here's what they should do: excavate the path beginning at 18th and Boston to where it approaches the river by the Blair Mansion. The path is already pretty level. Strengthen the sides, add a bike/running path on each side, pump in water and run watercraft in your new 6ft deep canal that empties into the river. Once the changes are made to the Zink low water dam to allow linkage between Zink lake and the new Jenks lake, you can run ferry trips to the Casino and Riverwalk from the bars at 18th and Boston with a stop at the "Shoppes at Blair Mansion".

Visionary eh?

Could make for some interesting U-tube videos.

Could you keep enough flow to keep the water from becoming stagnant?

[YoungTulsan]

I seem to remember when the property changed hands that the foundation said they had no plans for development for a long time. I think that was to defer controversy till it was established that Kaiser is a good guy, that the upgrading of the paths was a wonderful improvement and that any further development would not only be on his dime, but well done. This is a long process that started a couple years ago when one of our posters noticed pink stakes along the Katy path.

Even if he was going full speed ahead without some sort of calculated delay for PR purposes, a project the scope of which is proposed here is going to take a decade to pull off in the snail's pace of development in Tulsa.

[waterboy]

Could make for some interesting U-tube videos.

Could you keep enough flow to keep the water from becoming stagnant?

Yeah, it has a gentle slope towards the river. I would pump water from the Blair Fountains area up to points at 18th and 26th to create a gentle current. Adding some automatic gates to open or close depending on water levels could manage the flow. That is similar to how OKC operates their canal and river.

I propose this rather tongue in cheek. I doubt anyone could get Maple Ridge to sign off on it even though eventually it would skyrocket the home values nearby.

[waterboy]

Even if he was going full speed ahead without some sort of calculated delay for PR purposes, a project the scope of which is proposed here is going to take a decade to pull off in the snail's pace of development in Tulsa.

Foundations and city's are in it for the long haul. Its not PR, its just the way it has to happen because there can be no real innovative change like this without a Kaiser, Warren or Chesapeake to spearhead it. They take out the politics and the tax complainers.

[Conan71]

Yeah, it has a gentle slope towards the river. I would pump water from the Blair Fountains area up to points at 18th and 26th to create a gentle current. Adding some automatic gates to open or close depending on water levels could manage the flow. That is similar to how OKC operates their canal and river.

I propose this rather tongue in cheek. I doubt anyone could get Maple Ridge to sign off on it even though eventually it would skyrocket the home values nearby.

Hey there might be a use for Bell's old log flume ride cars/boats whatever they are called, afterall.