REI

[PonderInc]

Latest update from Kevin Canfield at the Frontier:

https://www.readfrontier.com/rei/

Sounds like both sides are talking to see if there's a way to prevent a court battle. This is a good thing. Too bad that these conversations can't happen as part of the public process before back room deals are made.  It's unfortunate that you have to have legal resources and ability to fight in court to be taken seriously by this administration.  It would be a lot easier to simply hold inclusive public meetings and actually follow the comprehensive plan and any other small area plans that exist.

Some interesting quotes from former mayor, Terry Young:

"What we hope to do is find a way it can work... that is a catalyst for the rest of the park to be developed as was originally planned in the Arkansas River Corridor Master Plan," Young said.

...Young said the hope is to come up with a plan for the site that "can be a positive thing for the entire park and that translates into a positive thing for the whole river corridor."

It's nice to see that even with an incompetent and disinterested mayor, we still have reservoirs of leadership in the ranks of our retired former mayors...who care enough to fight for what's best for Tulsa.

[Conan71]

Terry has become a friend and trusted mentor over the last year with the Turkey Mountain battle.  I think we missed out on a lot of his common sense leadership due to petty politics.

[Conan71]

I have no idea how this played out yesterday.  Notice that the TPFA filed this agenda about 26 hours prior to the meeting.  The first order of the agenda was to adjourn to executive session.  So much for transparency.

Note agenda item 5 asking the City Council to declare this parcel as abandoned.  Excuse me, but shouldn't that have been done PRIOR to entering into a contract to sell this property?  I also have it on very good word there's never been any sort of an LOI signed between the developer and REI.  Essentially, this Dallas developer is trying to buy the land at a severe discount and if they don't end up with a development anchored by REI, then they can just flip it and make a huge profit on the backs of taxpayers.

[RecycleMichael]

TulsaNow. The new media now.

[LandArchPoke]

I have no idea how this played out yesterday.  Notice that the TPFA filed this agenda about 26 hours prior to the meeting.  The first order of the agenda was to adjourn to executive session.  So much for transparency.

Note agenda item 5 asking the City Council to declare this parcel as abandoned.  Excuse me, but shouldn't that have been done PRIOR to entering into a contract to sell this property?  I also have it on very good word there's never been any sort of an LOI signed between the developer and REI.  Essentially, this Dallas developer is trying to buy the land at a severe discount and if they don't end up with a development anchored by REI, then they can just flip it and make a huge profit on the backs of taxpayers.

You've got to be kidding me... I can only hope the council didn't fall for this. If they deemed the parkland "abandoned" that could put on of the major obstacles of the lawsuit in question. The main premise and strongest cases the plaintiffs have is that the land has not been determined "abandoned" as parkland, which under Oklahoma law means they don't have the authority to sell it. Now, since this was done after the lawsuit was filed, may not hold much weight at this point. I don't see how anyone can determine the land is abandoned when there's volleyball courts that are used a lot... I wonder when this will come public with what was decided?

[davideinstein]

No longer needed, until next month when hundreds of people want to play in their volleyball leagues...

[cannon_fodder]

Gerald Bender is the litigation manager for the City of Tulsa (and a pretty good guy). I thought this land was held in a magic trust over which the City of Tulsa had no authority or control? Why are they seeking litigation advice from the City if... or right, it's a farce.
- - -

Again, I am not objecting to developing this land. But it is premium land and certainly IS used as a park. The citizens deserve to see this done right.

I just heard a Vote Yes River advertisement that said water in the river will help ensure quality development, "not strip malls."  It actually said "NOT STRIP MALLS." But Big Box stores are quality development?

MAYBE - all the talk about modification is really about adding in stipulations and design requirements. Maybe it stipulates REI and other things. Maybe they are trying to hear the voice of the people and reach a decent deal.

But without transparency, we will never know.

[heironymouspasparagus]

Central Park has got to be premium land, too, but I bet you won't see New York doing something this stupid with Central Park.


Ignorance, stupidstition, graft, and corruption.  You're doing fine, Oklahoma...!!

[PonderInc]

I wonder if that meeting was rescheduled...

The Save Helmerich Park people posted on FB about a TPFA meeting on Thurs, March 31 at 4:30 PM (10th floor of City Hall) to discuss the abandonment of part of the park.

The TPFA is not used to public input or scrutiny. Last summer when a few of us showed up to speak out against the proposed development, you could tell it was the first time they'd ever had public comment or participation. 

So... I think it would be very helpful for as many people as possible to show up to oppose this.  It wouldn't be hard to have a standing room only crowd, since there's only seating for about 30 people or so.

<rant> The whole process has sucked.  Dooey and his administration are short-sighted and oblivious to the value of park land and its potential to create long-term benefits for the city.  (The value will not be found by selling it off.)  Quality of life matters.  It's how cities compete. Tulsa has not prioritized investment in the park system for many years.  (Not counting GKFF.) Still, this does not justify selling off / destroying park land for all future generations to come. Long after everyone's forgotten Dooey Jr was ever mayor, our parks will continue to be enjoyed by generations of Tulsans.  Hopefully the next mayor will understand the importance of fully-funded, well-designed and thoughtfully programmed parks.  GKFF can't do it all.  The city of Tulsa has a responsibility to protect and enhance the park system.

We have to do more than just hire cops and fill potholes if we want to compete as a city.  Dooey doesn't get this.  I think some of the younger generation is starting to wise up. (Those that haven't already left for other cities that have been investing in quality of life for decades.) </end rant>

[patric]

The whole process has sucked.  Dooey and his administration are short-sighted and oblivious to the value of park land and its potential to create long-term benefits for the city.  (The value will not be found by selling it off.)  Quality of life matters.  It's how cities compete. Tulsa has not prioritized investment in the park system for many years.  (Not counting GKFF.) Still, this does not justify selling off / destroying park land for all future generations to come. Long after everyone's forgotten Dooey Jr was ever mayor, our parks will continue to be enjoyed by generations of Tulsans.  Hopefully the next mayor will understand the importance of fully-funded, well-designed and thoughtfully programmed parks.  GKFF can't do it all.  The city of Tulsa has a responsibility to protect and enhance the park system.

Its good to see local media showing all the public utilization that this "abandoned" park is getting:
http://www.fox23.com/news/city-council-continues-debating-plans-for-helmerich-park/180282498

[cannon_fodder]

The meeting to discuss the proposal to ask the City to abandon the non-park was canceled and rescheduled for yesterday. When it was canceled again. The state reason is the need to prepare additional documents.

No new meeting was scheduled, the next scheduled meeting is the end of April. Presumably they schedule a special meeting with the minimal statutory notice possible and then immediately break for executive session because transparency and openness.

[Conan71]

Presumably they schedule a special meeting with the minimal statutory notice possible and then immediately break for executive session because transparency and openness.

[Townsend]

Tulsa board extends deal with potential 71st and Riverside developer

http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/government/tulsa-board-extends-deal-with-potential-st-and-riverside-developer/article_d7fdefab-1766-51c1-b15b-cd1a13bd06a0.html

Tulsa residents pleaded again on Thursday for a Tulsa authority to end its pursuit of a sale of riverside property designed to lure the outdoors store REI to Oklahoma.

The comments came from residents during a Tulsa Public Facilities Authority special meeting where authority members amended the deal with developers to extend its lifespan.

The deal was set to expire Friday after two extension options had been exhausted. Thursday's amendment extends the deal through Aug. 15 with two 60-day extension options.

Opponents to the development have long stood against any development that would reduce the footprint of Helmerich Park at the southwest corner of 71st Street and Riverside Parkway on the east bank of the Arkansas River. The city is currently defending a lawsuit from the group.

Thursday's action extends the city's ability to finalize the agreement to sell the property past an April sunset written into the deal with developers.

Opponents directed their comments at an agenda item for a former meeting.

One item on the agenda for that recent meeting called for the authority to consider "abandoning" the park property, which opponents had been saying was the proper and public way for the land to change hands.

"You do not have the authority to sell this park," Herb Beattie, a local activist and opponent of the development, told the authority members. "Go through the proper steps of disposition of the park land."

Former Mayor Terry Young, who leads the opposition, said the former agenda item shows the authority's acknowledgement that the deal was incorrectly pursued from the outset.

"That was an admission that the city owns it or they wouldn't have been asking the city to do that," Young said.

If pursued through that path, Young said the land would be up for auction or through sealed bid, which he would support.

The development, currently dubbed "Riverside Parkway Development," would have a total of 52,250 square feet of retail and restaurant space, according to a flier posted online by project representative CBRE/UCR.

The site plan indicates that a 27,000-square-foot building would be built roughly in the center of the development, with a 12,000-square-foot building earmarked for retail and restaurants to the east.

The 7,000-square-foot building to the south is slated to be a restaurant, while a 6,250-square-foot building to the north has no specific purpose indicated on the site plan.

Although REI — Recreational Equipment Inc. — is not mentioned on the flier, an artist's rendering of the anchor building shows dark slats on its exterior walls and a wooden awning supported by angled posts, which strongly resembles REI's Dallas building. In the rendering, the building sports a "Riverfront Sports" sign.

[Stone]

http://m.tulsaworld.com/homepagelatest/controversial-development-at-helmerich-park-gets-tweaks-in-response-to/article_10898162-a60f-5d4c-8afe-4208b914572c.html?mode=jqm

[swake]

The developer out of Dallas is doing some PR work trying to look reasonable:

http://www.newson6.com/story/31787900/texas-based-developer-talks-vision-for-helmerich-park