Tulsa West Bank Development

[DowntownDan]

Anyone have any inside info on this?

Developer claims that Tulsa mayor is interfering with plan

By P.J. LASSEK World Staff Writer
Published: 12/1/2010  2:20 AM
Last Modified: 12/1/2010  4:53 AM

Local developer Jerry Gordon claims that Mayor Dewey Bartlett has interfered with Gordon's plans for west bank river development to allow a group from Branson, Mo., to develop the land instead.

Gordon, who initially was involved with the RiverWalk development in Jenks, said he has been working for seven months on a plan that includes the River West Festival Park and the Mid-Continent Concrete plant. Both properties lie directly north of the 21st Street Bridge.

He said he also has negotiated a plan with the owners of the concrete plant to acquire the site and has met with River Parks officials to present his plan.

Gordon's river development plan includes a large entertainment area with restaurants and bars, a plaza, a retail area similar to Pearl Street in Boulder, Colo., and a new amphitheater and common areas.

The development would use wind and solar power and would be designed to give River Parks riverfront space for its festivals, such as Oktoberfest, he said.

Gordon said that when he presented his plan to Bartlett and others in the administration, they expressed excitement. Then recently, when the owner of the concrete plant wanted to meet with the mayor about the plan, Gordon said he was told that the mayor wasn't interested.

"I'm floored that all of a sudden (mayoral Chief of Staff) Terry Simonson has blocked me, saying they are going in a different route and aren't interested in meeting with me or the concrete owners," Gordon said Tuesday.

Simonson told Gordon in an e-mail last week that the mayor is open to conversations with all interested developers, including the group that developed Branson Landing, records show.

The Branson Landing developers have been to Tulsa in previous years seeking to develop the west bank of the Arkansas River near downtown.

"It really makes me mad that people can use for their political gain the ability to squash a plan that not only is great river development but would create a lot of local jobs through the construction process," Gordon said. "I'm a local developer. I hire locally."

He said his plan also would ensure that River Parks is incorporated because "I know the value of it."

The mayor announced last week that the city would seek bids for west bank river development on several parcels, including the festival park and concrete plant, as well as Tulsa West Park and the Public Works facility just south of the 21st Street Bridge.

Bartlett said his meeting with Gordon was "just talk." He said there was no deal or any exclusivity promised to Gordon on developing the area.

Bartlett said seeking bids provides the city the opportunity to shop for the best project from an array of developers. He said Gordon has the right to submit his plan through the bidding process.

During a council committee meeting Tuesday on the bidding process, Councilor Bill Christiansen mentioned Gordon's plan, noting that he's "a local guy, with a local idea," with river development experience.

Gordon, who was not present for the council meeting, and some of the councilors questioned how the city's bidding process could involve private property.

City Economic Development Director Mike Bunney said it could be done by making the situation clear in the request for proposals.

He said the administration will be meeting this week with the owners of the concrete plant to discuss acquisition of the site.

Bunney said the consensus from the many developers who have approached the city on developing the area is that "the concrete plant site needs to be acquired."

Read more from this Tulsa World article at http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?subjectid=334&articleid=20101201_11_A13_Lcldvl930950&archive=yes

[RecycleMichael]

It sounds to me like a guy with a dream doesn't have his financing together. At the same time the city needs to take multiple proposals and other people may have other ideas.

Show me the money that you can get the deal done before I feel sorry for you.

[SXSW]

I still think the Mid-Con plant would be better as a park creating a larger, grander Festival Park on the west bank.  I just don't see a large scale residential or retail district working there, mainly due to the low income neighborhood to the west.  Such a development would also siphon investment in downtown and midtown which I don't want to see happen.  Can this city and developers not just focus on a few select areas instead of spreading everything so thin?  I fear anything built there will turn into another Riverwalk Crossing...

My hope has been for the George Kaiser foundation to buy the concrete plant and announce plans for a larger park.  Such a park, if done right, would be a huge asset for this city.  Much more than some chain stores and cheap apartments, which is what we'd get if Branson Landing Tulsa Edition gets built.

[TheTed]

I still think the Mid-Con plant would be better as a park creating a larger, grander Festival Park on the west bank.  I just don't see a large scale residential or retail district working there, mainly due to the low income neighborhood to the west.  Such a development would also siphon investment in downtown and midtown which I don't want to see happen.  Can this city and developers not just focus on a few select areas instead of spreading everything so thin?  I fear anything built there will turn into another Riverwalk Crossing...

My hope has been for the George Kaiser foundation to buy the concrete plant and announce plans for a larger park.  Such a park, if done right, would be a huge asset for this city.  Much more than some chain stores and cheap apartments, which is what we'd get if Branson Landing Tulsa Edition gets built.

Agree. I don't see the need for river development. It's great the way it is. We need to focus our development on something near the river that's, except for a few pockets, not great right now: downtown.

We need to become more like Memphis: concentrated development, and less like St. Louis, a city of neighborhoods. From a visitor's point of view, most prefer Memphis just because everything is there in one area.

Whereas St. Louis probably has more great stuff, but it's spread out so much that visitors can't and don't see most of it: Soulard, the Central West End, Washington Avenue, Midtown Alley, Delmar, etc., etc., etc.

[Gaspar]

This is not a surprise.  You should have been able to see this coming from about 220 miles away. . . 

People have been trying for years to get the developers of Branson Landing to come and develop the West bank.  Every developer tries to compare their great river development "concept" to Branson Landing.  I can't count how many times I've heard "Just like Branson Landing."   I can only imagine how many development consultants have tried to stake an interest in attracting the Branson Landing group to Tulsa.  I wonder how many times the Chamber has schmoozed the concept with them?

It seems that as soon as Jerry presented his design to the city, and made it public, someone decided to use is as fodder to try and stimulate "their deal" with the Branson folks.  I'm just surprised that Jerry didn't anticipate this.  When it comes to river development, the city is enemy territory, because all of the players involved have been entertained by other interests on this subject at one time or another.

"Hey, that's a great idea!  Thanks for all the hard work.  Do you mind if I keep a copy of this?  We'll be in touch."

Jerry should have been aware or someone should have made him aware of this.  His best option would have been to approach the Branson Landing folks and say "I want to do this WITH you."  Less money, but less headache, and far more than a 2% chance of it happening.

[SXSW]

I'd rather see more development in Riverview near the 21st St. bridge.  Lots of redevelopment potential along Denver from Riverside to 16th, and in the areas further east toward Boulder and Main north of Veterans Park. 

[Conan71]

SXSW's idea is closest to my own for that land.

Whatever the case, I don't want the city to be on the hook for $20mm, $50mm or whatever the concrete plant owners think the property is worth now.  I notice the "owners" of the plant are not identified in the story.  Does anyone know who does own that property now?  I'd heard at one point that Roger Hardesty sold Mid-Continent Concrete but did not sell the property to the new owners.  I've also heard it rumored that the Warrens or Kaiser had already bought the property (heavy emphasis on "rumored") during The Channels era.  If Gordon, Branson Landing, or some other developer wants the concrete plant, let them purchase it themselves.  

Didn't the city claim, in making their case for the purchase of the Borg Cube, that they would divest themselves of certain properties including the M & E yard and engineering facility south of 21st St.?  That's a nice parcel with the exception of the refinery at the south end of it.

In any case, whomever develops there has to realize the low-income apartments will likely not be going anywhere soon since the ones on the north side of 21st have just undergone a heavy facelift.  I can't imagine the city having the kind of money laying around they would need to move several hundred units of low income housing somewhere else to satisfy a developer.

I rather like the under-developed nature of our Riverparks.  We don't have to be just like Austin, San Antonio, or our stepmother at the other end of the Turner.  I still would love to see Elm Creek uncovered through the Maple Ridge/SoBo area and develop along it.  That's the kind of waterway development that would make better sense.

[SXSW]

SXSW's idea is closest to my own for that land.

Whatever the case, I don't want the city to be on the hook for $20mm, $50mm or whatever the concrete plant owners think the property is worth now.  I notice the "owners" of the plant are not identified in the story.  Does anyone know who does own that property now?  I'd heard at one point that Roger Hardesty sold Mid-Continent Concrete but did not sell the property to the new owners.  I've also heard it rumored that the Warrens or Kaiser had already bought the property (heavy emphasis on "rumored") during The Channels era.  If Gordon, Branson Landing, or some other developer wants the concrete plant, let them purchase it themselves.  

Didn't the city claim, in making their case for the purchase of the Borg Cube, that they would divest themselves of certain properties including the M & E yard and engineering facility south of 21st St.?  That's a nice parcel with the exception of the refinery at the south end of it.

In any case, whomever develops there has to realize the low-income apartments will likely not be going anywhere soon since the ones on the north side of 21st have just undergone a heavy facelift.  I can't imagine the city having the kind of money laying around they would need to move several hundred units of low income housing somewhere else to satisfy a developer.

I rather like the under-developed nature of our Riverparks.  We don't have to be just like Austin, San Antonio, or our stepmother at the other end of the Turner.  I still would love to see Elm Creek uncovered through the Maple Ridge/SoBo area and develop along it.  That's the kind of waterway development that would make better sense.

Conan, that is exactly what I'm thinking.  And I'm with you on Elm Creek, and would rather see the money spent there where the infrastructure is already in place.

While we don't have to be like Austin, what they are doing with Waller Creek through downtown is a good model for us to follow with Elm Creek if we can get it uncovered first.  Keep the riverfront natural with parks, trees, a larger amphitheater, maybe a cafe on the west bank that could be combined with a new boathouse, and more trails/open space.  And then develop the existing urban areas next to the river in Riverview/Uptown/Sobo along Elm Creek.  If you were going to live in new high density apartments near the river would you want to be next to low income housing and oil refineries or next to Maple Ridge?

[waterboy]

Add me to the list Conan. Although I do think we are capable of doing both river development and Downtown at the same time. THe seeds for downtown have been sown and are growing. I can't say the same for the river. THe dams are not seeds they are the irrigation system. They have shown no success for leveraging development.

I'm in for Elm Creek and believe it could identify the area beyond housing additions.,

[Conan71]

Waterboy, agreed.  Uncovering Elm Creek on the East End could also be a good hook for development in that area.  What's the street behind Boston in the 17th to 18th area? Baltimore? That could be a cool re-development opportunity with a waterway through there.

[waterboy]

I think you mean Cincinnati between 15th and 17th? That is built over a creek and tends to hold water. The other area might be the street from the Spirit Bank parking lot over to behind the old Gastro Pub.

[Conan71]

I think you mean Cincinnati between 15th and 17th? That is built over a creek and tends to hold water. The other area might be the street from the Spirit Bank parking lot over to behind the old Gastro Pub.

The overlay drawing SXSW had put on the original tributary development thread made the alignment look like it came down the west side of Boston rather than the east at 18th.  I need to see the overall view again from Centennial Park to the river.

[waterboy]

There were lots of little "veins" to that Elm Creek artery.

[SXSW]

Waterboy, agreed.  Uncovering Elm Creek on the East End could also be a good hook for development in that area.  What's the street behind Boston in the 17th to 18th area? Baltimore? That could be a cool re-development opportunity with a waterway through there.

The south end of Baltimore would work at 18th but it starts to slope as you move north of 17th.  Drive or ride a bike down 15th from Peoria to Main.  You'll start going down near Madison and the creekbed is near where Cincinnati is now and then you'll go back up just west of Boston with a pretty decent slope from Boston to Main.  The same thing happens as you go south on Baltimore, Main and Boulder and east/west on 18th because you are going down into the Elm Creek valley.  It may be problematic (and prohibitively expensive) to unearth it along its entire path but maybe in a few select areas like through Veterans Park.

[Gaspar]

Let the character assassination begin!