(PROJECT) A Gathering Place For Tulsa

[SXSW]

SXSW I got the chance to go to a preview day last weekend, 1) I agree that the light pole are a little distracting in the "new growth" areas where there are less mature trees, but in the play ground area where they were able to save the existing mature trees, you don't even notice them. I'm guess is that when they new areas mature they will not be noticeable.

2&3) They currently have the River parks trail fenced (I assumed that they had reopened it) and that is why you haven't seen any pics from that side. When you are at the park preview you cant get over there.

4) The restaurant in the boat house (which looks amazing) is still under construction and I don't see it getting finished by the opening. there is a more buffet/cafeteria style cafe in the first floor of the lodge that looks much closer to being completed. Both were closed on the preview day and were being worked on. At the preview day that I was at they had a large number of food trucks available for food and beverage, so I would assume if nothing else they would have that for opening weekend.

Thanks for the clarification.  I just saw a picture like this and it was really jarring.

[heironymouspasparagus]

Nice!   Gonna have to go visit.

[patric]

I agree that the light pole are a little distracting in the "new growth" areas where there are less mature trees, but in the play ground area where they were able to save the existing mature trees, you don't even notice them. I'm guess is that when they new areas mature they will not be noticeable.

If you want better control over what is illuminated, you need to put the lights where they are needed, as opposed to saturating the area with floodlighting and hoping enough spills where you want it.  Its a far better design than many of our parks, which at times resemble a fair midway.  Aiming floodlights along the horizon lacks any sort of understanding of how lighting works with human vision.
Im not fond of a forest of poles either but I understand the trees will act as vegetative screening as they grow.

Im guessing much of the new lighting is networked so they can curfew them and better manage energy.  I wish there was more information available about that.

[SXSW]

With the first phase wrapping up I hope we can soon get more details on the second and third phases.  From what I've heard Phase 2 will include the new Children's Museum, park space where the project offices/laydown area has been located over by 31st and the new pedestrian bridge/Zink Dam improvements done by the city.  Phase 3 is the redevelopment of the Crow Creek Apartments.  Still hoping a Crow Creek trail to Brookside is included in one of the future phases.

[Hoss]

With the first phase wrapping up I hope we can soon get more details on the second and third phases.  From what I've heard Phase 2 will include the new Children's Museum, park space where the project offices/laydown area has been located over by 31st and the new pedestrian bridge/Zink Dam improvements done by the city.  Phase 3 is the redevelopment of the Crow Creek Apartments.  Still hoping a Crow Creek trail to Brookside is included in one of the future phases.

My brother is working for the electrical firm who is doing the Museum.  He said it's a HUGE project.

[Conan71]

Thanks for the clarification.  I just saw a picture like this and it was really jarring.

I wish I could have gotten a pic of the cell tower hidden amongst conifers next to I-25 just north of Colorado Springs yesterday.  I know it's there from being up there 20 years ago so I have to look a bit hard to find it but they did a good job of playing "Christmas tree" with the cell tower.  I suspect that could be done with light poles as well.

[SXSW]

My brother is working for the electrical firm who is doing the Museum.  He said it's a HUGE project.

Saw this in the TW, it does look impressive.  Per the article construction starts next year. 



More Phase II info:

Plenty is in store for Gathering Place's encore, namely the Tulsa Children's Museum Discovery Lab.  Discovery Lab's location on Museum Hill will serve as a focal point on the park's southern side.

It will encompass 50,000 square feet, including a 20,000-square-foot exhibit hall split into galleries, said Ray Vandiver, the museum's executive director. Also part of the facility will be five classrooms incorporated into Tulsa Public Schools' STEM Center, a $4.5 million TPS bond project.

The estimated cost of building the facility and exhibits is about $35 million, Vandiver said.

But beyond those plans, developers want to evaluate Phase I before filling in Phase II.

Possibilities for the 33.5-acre second phase, to be located on the southeast corner of 31st Street and Riverside Drive, include a flat, open lawn and an area for rock climbing. Construction on the museum could start by 2019, with work on the remaining elements beginning between 2020-22, Stava said.

[rebound]

Just did the neighborhood sneak peek last night at TGPFT.   Holy cow, that place is amazing.  I was prepared to be underwhelmed, but was blown away.  It's going to be a crown-jewel type of thing for Tulsa.

[Weatherdemon]

Just did the neighborhood sneak peek last night at TGPFT.   Holy cow, that place is amazing.  I was prepared to be underwhelmed, but was blown away.  It's going to be a crown-jewel type of thing for Tulsa.

Yea, pretty much my exact thoughts when my family and I went through it last week.

We were in awe and not everything was open yet!

[AngieB]

Yea, pretty much my exact thoughts when my family and I went through it last week.

We were in awe and not everything was open yet!

I don't think everything is open even now! It's gonna come down to the wire.

This place defies description. I had seen all the drone footage, all the photos, I thought I knew what it was going to be. Wrong. It is truly magical. It's another world.

[rebound]

I don't think everything is open even now! It's gonna come down to the wire.

This place defies description. I had seen all the drone footage, all the photos, I thought I knew what it was going to be. Wrong. It is truly magical. It's another world.

They did confirm Tuesday that the plan was to have beer available this weekend.   

[SXSW]

I don't think everything is open even now! It's gonna come down to the wire.

This place defies description. I had seen all the drone footage, all the photos, I thought I knew what it was going to be. Wrong. It is truly magical. It's another world.

From what I've seen they have done a good job with landscaping and planting new mature trees, and keeping a lot of the existing ones.  It was a big field though so a lot of it is new, and will take a few years to really mature.  It still seems like it doesn't integrate the river enough but could be because that part isn't finished.  Really interested in seeing the boardwalk/trail through the wetlands area by the Crow Creek inlet.  Having the pedestrian bridge open again when they rebuild it will be huge.

[patric]

From what I've seen they have done a good job with landscaping and planting new mature trees, and keeping a lot of the existing ones.  It was a big field though so a lot of it is new, and will take a few years to really mature.  It still seems like it doesn't integrate the river enough but could be because that part isn't finished.  Really interested in seeing the boardwalk/trail through the wetlands area by the Crow Creek inlet.  Having the pedestrian bridge open again when they rebuild it will be huge.

What better to compliment a wetlands ecosystem than a laser light show.




/facepalm

[rebound]

That lightshow is just temporary.  It's a little garish for my tastes, but given the overall level of achievement shown so far, I'm willing to let this slight style misstep slide.

[rebound]

Hey though, regarding the actual wetlands,  they have a pretty cool thing going on there.   They are using the wetlands as a natural filtering system for the lake water, and continuously circulating the water up and through the wetlands and back down into the lake.  It's a pretty neat setup, and very eco-friendly at the same time.