Large Downtown Tulsa Movie Theater

[carltonplace]

Thanks for all of the info Blake. Can't wait for Iron Man IV!

[tulsa_fan]

Love it!!!  Will definitely be a patron when it opens!!!! 

[JoeMommaBlake]

Wish this was closer to the action around 2nd & Elgin but could enhance future development to the south.  The KOTV site will be available soon and there's a great Deco industrial building at 4th that is begging to be renovated.  The only real downside is the ugly AT&T building across the street.  Would the main entrance face Elgin?  And will there be a big neon marquee!?

When you think about other entertainment strips, it's not uncommon to see them go for a few blocks. We're really just talking about three blocks away from the Blue Dome District, two blocks from Fassler Hall. Additionally, I'd expect to see infill between The Pearl District and 6th and Elgin and new retail down 5th street in the future. Elgin can be a strip of activity. Once the traffic circle at 11th and Elgin goes in, we're going to have a nice street from 11th all the way to 244 with lots of different things to do.

The biggest issues/development obstacles on that street are the lots at 2nd and Elgin (The Santa Fe lot) and the Baptist Church lot between 4th and 5th. Channel six won't be available for a couple years. The Baptist Church's lot will not likely become anything other than a flat lot for some time. I'd love to try to convince them to lease it long term to a developer who would put retail facing 5th Streets and Elgin Ave with an integrated structured parking lot that the church would use on Sundays. This would help kick start 5th St (Ave.?) development and would infill Elgin nicely.

As for the AT&T building, check this out. http://www.thecoolist.com/when-buildings-come-alive-10-unreal-urban-projection-videos/

I'd also like to see them put an AT&T store in the bottom floor to add some retail.

As for the theater, it will have a huge marquee. I'm big on signage. I think the main entrance would be at 5th and Elgin if it were to go on that spot.

Also, some things are happening with the Coliseum apartments at 7th and Elgin. Elliot bought that and is renovating the building. My guess is that the next to go will be those old houses next door.

Don't forget to think ahead when you guys are envisioning downtown. In many ways, we still pale in comparison to other cities in terms of our scope. There are still tons of infill opportunities, but we have to put key things in key places in order to facilitate long term, big picture growth. More residential is a key component, grocery stores are important, a pharmacy is important. We have great opportunities for new retail. With this being done the way it's being done (several small developers instead of one big one), it's important that we all understand the value of smart growth and cohesive developments. In the end, it will be better. It will be more original and more organic and will have the finger prints of several very different personalities on it.

Not to over-simplify, but it's kinda like playing Sim-City. You don't just go build all the high rise residential and fill it up with people. It doesn't work like that. You have to build your commercial and residential together...piece by piece. If we're smart, we'll start laying the foundation for rail, but right now, there's a much larger demand for shorter distance transit than for commuter rail. A trolley/cable car/improved bus system around downtown/midtown with lines in from north and east tulsa is in much higher demand than anything connecting Jenks to downtown Tulsa. Folks that live in Jenks/Bixby/B.A. aren't sitting at home with no car wishing they could get to downtown Tulsa.

I'd like to see very small strips of really cool transit (think a trolley that loops 5th from the civic center to 5th and Elgin). This would allow 5th street to start to turn into that retail corridor (like 16th St. in Denver). We'll need a parking garage on each end (behind the YMCA lofts and at 5th and Elgin), but if this was done, Kanbar, Snyder, Hawkins, etc could start using their valuable bottom floors for unique retail...connecting what's happening at 5th and Denver to what's happening in the East Village (the park, the church, the movie theater, the lofts on Bill White's old property, and Elgin Ave entertainment). That loop would cover Bartlett square, 5th and Boston (Mod's and Elote and Courtyard Marriot), The Mayo lofts, Mayo hotel, Vandever lofts, YMCA lofts, Aloft Hotel, and interesting future projects like the notorious Tulsa Club. =)

Anyway, those small little strips of unique transit will start to show people the value of additional fixed rail, cable car, bus service... It can't be jammed down their throats. Tulsans like to think they discovered something, not that their government made them like it.

Keep up the good conversation.

[Conan71]

^^^Keep up the great vision, Blake.

[Red Arrow]

A trolley/cable car/improved bus system around downtown/midtown with lines in from north and east tulsa is in much higher demand than anything connecting Jenks to downtown Tulsa. Folks that live in Jenks/Bixby/B.A. aren't sitting at home with no car wishing they could get to downtown Tulsa.

I agree that a downtown circulator system is probably the best first step. Bringing people to downtown by public transit with no way to get around while downtown seems backwards.   A choice of cable car would need to consider the occasions when we get ice and snow.  Keeping the cableway clear could present difficulties.

[OSU]

Am I alright in mentioning that I have a man-crush on Blake...   

[heironymouspasparagus]

If it's nicer than the Warren in Moore (currently the nicest theater in the state and packed every weekend) and has a local "Tulsa" Alamo Drafthouse-like vibe then this will be a huge success. 

Short detour here about the Warren in Moore.  Have been there a few times and it is very nice, but very expensive.  Commentary; when I go to a movie, I am not looking for the lights and glitz - I want to see the movie in a clean facility on as big a screen as possible (Warren's is nice - almost a real screen - but not even close to the old Continental theater in Tulsa.)  But if I have to go with the smaller screen and get the dollar movie experience, that is even better.

Now the question at large; do most of you go for the glitz and lights and commotion as a big part of the experience?  Is that stuff as important as watching the movie?

[Townsend]

Short detour here about the Warren in Moore.  Have been there a few times and it is very nice, but very expensive.  Commentary; when I go to a movie, I am not looking for the lights and glitz - I want to see the movie in a clean facility on as big a screen as possible (Warren's is nice - almost a real screen - but not even close to the old Continental theater in Tulsa.)  But if I have to go with the smaller screen and get the dollar movie experience, that is even better.

Now the question at large; do most of you go for the glitz and lights and commotion as a big part of the experience?  Is that stuff as important as watching the movie?

Are you saying that you're not the type of client for this theater?  There are many other theaters you can enjoy if you're not interested in this one.

[heironymouspasparagus]

Are you saying that you're not the type of client for this theater?  There are many other theaters you can enjoy if you're not interested in this one.

Nope, not saying that.  I think it would be cool to have the glitz, just don't care about it enough to pay a huge premium.  Like the Warren - if you have to spend $10 in either place, then it is much better to have the glitter.

Not sure I need dinner served at the seat.

[heironymouspasparagus]

Oh, and no, $1 over AMC is not much of a premium, so would be very interested in this concept.

[Townsend]

Nope, not saying that.  I think it would be cool to have the glitz, just don't care about it enough to pay a huge premium.  Like the Warren - if you have to spend $10 in either place, then it is much better to have the glitter.

Not sure I need dinner served at the seat.

I never go to theaters.  Too comfortable in my house and I can pause it any time to make dinner, pop another beer, etc.  No loud talkers other than my wife and no teens making asses of themselves or uncontrolled kids running around making asses of their parents.

The only thing to get me to a theater is this kind of development.

[heironymouspasparagus]

I never go to theaters.  Too comfortable in my house and I can pause it any time to make dinner, pop another beer, etc.  No loud talkers other than my wife and no teens making asses of themselves or uncontrolled kids running around making asses of their parents.

The only thing to get me to a theater is this kind of development.

I go for the big screen only.  And TV's are getting big enough that I can get one of those, sit close and feel like it is the Continental type experience.  THAT - the big screen - is what gets me to a theater more than most things.

[TheArtist]

  I go for the full experience.
A.  To get out of the house.
B. See some place other than the inside of my house and the usual trip to work, etc. Its more of a special "event" than watching TV.
C. I like walking up to and entering a theater, the lights, the music, seeing the promos for other movies, etc.  
D.  I like being around the people.
E. I like the smell of popcorn and sweets.  
F.  I like the waiting with other people in that large space and that feeling everyone has of expectation and anticipation.
G.  I like that communal experience of hearing everyone laugh, ghasp, be silent, etc. while watching the movie.  
H. I like walking out of the theater, back into the real world. I like the feeling of that transition and of talking with friends about the movie and hearing others talk about it.  

I like the idea Blake has of everyone mingling in the lobby area and then there being an announcement that the show is about to begin.  Having dinner and drinks could also be nice, though my thought would be that it might be nice to make it more of a menu where you can order lots of small dishes that everyone can share, and or really nice versions of the usual movie fare, gourmet popcorn "platter"with 5 or 6 flavors to snack on, several types of really good nachos and made that day pretzels, that are given an interesting twist to the toppings, etc.  I like having lots of different quality cheeses, sauces and jellies, crackers and meats that everyone at a table shares.  Its fun when people say "ooh have you tried this one"  or "try this Italian cheese with the pear sauce on one of those crackers".  Then top it off with some fine wines or another drink.  Regardless of the particular set of ideas, its again about enhancing the social experience by having foods that people share not,,, this person having a burger, the other a chicken sandwich or salad, that just seems boring and the food can risk becoming more of a distraction away from others and the movie.  Just my opinion anyway.      

[Conan71]

Are you saying that you're not the type of client for this theater?  There are many other theaters you can enjoy if you're not interested in this one.

Trying to say he prefers theaters that serve popcorn buckets with a hole in the bottom?

[Townsend]

Trying to say he prefers theaters that serve popcorn buckets with a hole in the bottom?

Crazy but you have to make those yourself.