Opinions on the progress that has been made in the Blue Dome district

[Hoss]

Some of us at the TNF lunch decided that instead of being so combative in our threads, we'd post a positive thread for a change.  Mine will be this.

Since I've moved back to Tulsa in 1994, and have watched the transformation of downtown from deadzone to viable destination, I've felt like the Blue Dome District doesn't get all the attention it deserves.

What are your opinions on the progress, infill and development going on in that area known as the Blue Dome District?

Would you go downtown now as opposed to before?  If not, why not?  If not, what would you change to more entice you downtown.

Please, don't turn this into a pissing contest either.  I want answers, good and bad, but bad answers should come with constructive criticism.

Thanks for playing.

[Conan71]

I started going down there on a regular basis in 2004 to Arnie's with friends from work.  In that time I've seen a total evolution in the area.  At the time I started being a regular it was pretty much Arnie's, the pawn shop, I think the diner was there, and a bunch of fly-by-night night clubs.

What is really cool is all the redevelopment and repurposing in that time is the result of local entrepreneurs and developers.  This has been done without one national tenant to anchor the development.  I like that it's so Tulsa-centric.

[SXSW]

I'm as amazed by Blue Dome's transformation as I am two other "organic" urban districts in Oklahoma that have seen a similar amount of change this past decade: Campus Corner in Norman and Midtown in OKC.  In all three cases the existing building stock has been rehabbed and occupied by (mostly) local businesses.  The next step for Blue Dome and the others will be to start building from the ground up on existing surface parking lots.  It is important that as that happens the building form is urban, built up to the sidewalk, built with lasting materials/large windows, etc.  That next step will be exciting to watch and for real density to begin to happen.

[DowntownDan]

I wish the porn shop would leave.  Such a prime location for such a shady business.  Otherwise, I'm glad to see buildings being rehabed and reutilized.  I would prefer to see every existing building in the district being used (to the extent possible) before new construction.

My opinion of the existing businesses is positive.  I really enjoy the blue dome district and am excited to see it grow.

[custosnox]

I wish the porn shop would leave.  Such a prime location for such a shady business.  Otherwise, I'm glad to see buildings being rehabed and reutilized.  I would prefer to see every existing building in the district being used (to the extent possible) before new construction.

My opinion of the existing businesses is positive.  I really enjoy the blue dome district and am excited to see it grow.

And what is wrong with porn? 

[Conan71]

Ironically, the porn shop has participated in the remodeling craze as well.  At least on the exterior. 

[LandArchPoke]

I wish the porn shop would leave.  Such a prime location for such a shady business.  Otherwise, I'm glad to see buildings being rehabed and reutilized.  I would prefer to see every existing building in the district being used (to the extent possible) before new construction.

My opinion of the existing businesses is positive.  I really enjoy the blue dome district and am excited to see it grow.

I wish they would replace it with Circle Cinema. They could just trade locations and they could just gut the inside of the Midtown Theater I can only imagine the inside has to be pretty bad.

The Blue Dome District has really become a great place, Enso is probably my favorite bar in Tulsa. Hopefully we get more local developers and businesses to go into downtown because I do enjoy how it is (as Conan put it) Tulsa-centric. I would hate to see it ruined if a bunch of national chains moved in. I would rather see those go in Southern dowtown or over by the BOk Center and keep this area more local.

[Hoss]

I wish they would replace it with Circle Cinema. They could just trade locations and they could just gut the inside of the Midtown Theater I can only imagine the inside has to be pretty bad.

The Blue Dome District has really become a great place, Enso is probably my favorite bar in Tulsa. Hopefully we get more local developers and businesses to go into downtown because I do enjoy how it is (as Conan put it) Tulsa-centric. I would hate to see it ruined if a bunch of national chains moved in. I would rather see those go in Southern dowtown or over by the BOk Center and keep this area more local.

I don't see why we can't tie in the Arena District AND the Blue Dome, seeing how close they are, relatively speaking.  Segregating downtown is what stagnated it before.  Talk of doing so now is counterproductive.  My opinion. 

[LandArchPoke]

I don't see why we can't tie in the Arena District AND the Blue Dome, seeing how close they are, relatively speaking.  Segregating downtown is what stagnated it before.  Talk of doing so now is counterproductive.  My opinion. 

What I was trying to say may have not been communicated well then, I don't mean it in a way to segregate downtown. I just enjoy how the Blue Dome is very local and it is becoming something that when people visit Tulsa they can go back and tell everyone about these cool places that you can't find anywhere else.

[Hoss]

What I was trying to say may have not been communicated well then, I don't mean it in a way to segregate downtown. I just enjoy how the Blue Dome is very local and it is becoming something that when people visit Tulsa they can go back and tell everyone about these cool places that you can't find anywhere else.

Oh, and I don't disagree.  My point is not trying to dictate what businesses go where.  I agree that I like the local business feel of the Blue Dome, and since it is so local-centric (lol) it should draw those types of businesses there (like it already has in leaps and bounds).

While I see the need for parking is always going to be there, I'd like to see the parking either shift more to the subterranean, or a shift to multi-level garages and less of them to coax infill.  I'm curious to see this complex they have slated across the street to the east of the BOK and how that dynamic will attract businesses (if the damn thing ever gets going).

And how about that huge parking lot in the middle of the Blue Dome in between First and Second Street.  Infill!

[mrsgrizzle]

I was speaking with a woman yesterday who moved here from Michigan recently. She remarked that she was very surprised (and happy) to see a city's downtown thriving and coming to life, one where she was not afraid to take her children at any time of day. It made me feel pretty proud of our downtown (as if I'm not already) and I gave her a list of local businesses she and her family should try out. I realized later that my list of great places to visit downtown has grown like crazy over the last few years, and most of those places are in Blue Dome. So, in answer to your question, I'm thrilled with Blue Dome's progression.

[carltonplace]

I'm as amazed by Blue Dome's transformation as I am two other "organic" urban districts in Oklahoma that have seen a similar amount of change this past decade: Campus Corner in Norman and Midtown in OKC.  In all three cases the existing building stock has been rehabbed and occupied by (mostly) local businesses.  The next step for Blue Dome and the others will be to start building from the ground up on existing surface parking lots.  It is important that as that happens the building form is urban, built up to the sidewalk, built with lasting materials/large windows, etc.  That next step will be exciting to watch and for real density to begin to happen.

Completely agree.

[Conan71]

The discussion on parking brings up an ideal location for a garage which could really benefit the Blue Dome and all of north downtown for that matter.  Put a multi-level just to the east of the PAC on the large surface lot there.  The location is ideal. Get on Google Maps or Google Earth and see how much area that garage could serve and how many surface lots in the area could be obsoleted by this one garage.

They could have a sky bridge connecting to the PAC and City Hall.  It's only a five block walk to the BOK Center and many of the major office buildings are all a short walk as well.  Think about it, this lot is a whole square city block.  Put in a five or six story parking garage and you could pretty well take care of the future parking needs of central downtown.  To make it even more attractive, put retail and office on the first floor.  It would vastly increase the value of development on other current surface lots as well as providing less incentive to tear down existing structures for more surface parking in this part of downtown.

That would also allow for new infill projects on other surface lots that ring the area as those lots would no longer be needed.  Add a tram service to points further away including the Brady.

[Townsend]

I'm very pleased with the progress.  Like Conan, I started when Arnie's moved and Kitchell's bouncers roamed the land.

I'd love love love to see the surface parking go away but we need someone to wrench them out of American Parking's cold dead hands.

[Townsend]

The discussion on parking brings up an ideal location for a garage which could really benefit the Blue Dome and all of north downtown for that matter.  Put a multi-level just to the east of the PAC on the large surface lot there.  The location is ideal. Get on Google Maps or Google Earth and see how much area that garage could serve and how many surface lots in the area could be obsoleted by this one garage.

They could have a sky bridge connecting to the PAC and City Hall.  It's only a five block walk to the BOK Center and many of the major office buildings are all a short walk as well.  Think about it, this lot is a whole square city block.  Put in a five or six story parking garage and you could pretty well take care of the future parking needs of central downtown.  To make it even more attractive, put retail and office on the first floor.  It would vastly increase the value of development on other current surface lots as well as providing less incentive to tear down existing structures for more surface parking in this part of downtown.

That would also allow for new infill projects on other surface lots that ring the area as those lots would no longer be needed.  Add a tram service to points further away including the Brady.

We may have to initiate some sort of training program for anyone not used to normal downtowns.  "parking garages are not scary"

I'm not trying to be negative but I have a friend that works downtown and when I ask her to join us...if there's not surface parking, there's no parking...she works down freaking town...(lives in BA).

I think it's more of the Walmart/Target mentality.