Downtown Development Overview

[davideinstein]

I've thought about this some more...

Can anyone answer the question as to why there are literally no protected bike lanes in Downtown? We're spending money putting in reverse spaces instead of parallel parking yet a bigger concern and want are bike lanes, right?

[ZYX]

Why does downtown need protected bike lanes? Traffic already travels pretty slowly for the most part. When I ride my bike downtown I can typically at least keep up with the cars.

What downtown does need is more places to park your bike.

[davideinstein]

Why does downtown need protected bike lanes? Traffic already travels pretty slowly for the most part. When I ride my bike downtown I can typically at least keep up with the cars.

What downtown does need is more places to park your bike.

From my perspective it's bike safety for our Downtown location that has bike delivery. All three major incidents the car driver was at fault and I personally feel like protected bike lanes not only add safety but they make the community more aware of cyclist. It also invites people to bring their bike Downtown. I live right off of 4th Street and you would be amazed at the amount of bike riders I see on such a random bike lane that doesn't connect anywhere.

Agree on bike parking. Someone actually stole the bike rack in front of our 5th and Boston location last summer.

[Bamboo World]

The back-in angled spaces have to be wider than the nose-in...

Why?

I guess the back-in angled spaces don't necessarily HAVE to be wider, but it's a good idea when they ARE a bit wider, for a couple of reasons:

1. Some drivers have difficulty backing into the spaces.  I've noticed this on Riverside Drive near Houston Avenue, across from the Spotlight Theater.  Many newer vehicle have back-up cameras which allow the driver to see what's behind the vehicle, including the painted angled lines between stalls.  But most vehicles aren't equipped with back-up cameras, and I think most drivers can't see the painted lines well enough to park evenly between them.  There are about twelve back-in/head-out angled stalls across from the Spotlight.  What I've observed many times when all the spaces are empty is that the first driver to park in one of the stalls will not get the angle correct, probably because the lines can't be seen in the mirrors.  After the first vehicle is parked, the vehicles parked later will generally match the angle of vehicles already parked, more than the painted lines between stalls.  And the spaces usually are not used as efficiently as they could be, especially if they had been designated as nose-in/back-out stalls (because it's easier to see painted stall lines and adjacent vehicles when heading into a space, rather than when backing in).

2. On most vehicles, the rear overhang is greater than the front.  If vehicles are being backed up to a curb with adjacent poles, trees, or other objects, then the placement of stalls will need to be coordinated with the existing locations of objects near the curb.  Otherwise, drivers are more likely to back into them.  So, on many blocks downtown, either the width of back-in/head-out stalls would need to be increased, or some obstacles would need to be relocated.  Nose-in/back-out angled would be a little bit more efficient than back-in/head-out along the curbs of most blocks downtown, I think.

But in either case, angled parking is generally more efficient than parking parallel to the curb.  There are a few low-volume streets downtown, such as Ninth between Boulder and Elgin, Main between Sixth and Tenth, and North Boulder between Cameron and Easton (as mentioned in my earlier post), that are wide enough to have angled parking on both sides of the street. 

[carltonplace]

From my perspective it's bike safety for our Downtown location that has bike delivery. All three major incidents the car driver was at fault and I personally feel like protected bike lanes not only add safety but they make the community more aware of cyclist. It also invites people to bring their bike Downtown. I live right off of 4th Street and you would be amazed at the amount of bike riders I see on such a random bike lane that doesn't connect anywhere.

Agree on bike parking. Someone actually stole the bike rack in front of our 5th and Boston location last summer.

They took the rack? What kind of world do we live in?
Meanwhile Elote has a rack that is not tied down and has been left alone all ten years it has been there except to move from one side of the sidewalk to the other.

This weekend there were hundreds of bikes all over downtown and even with a dedicated bike parking service at Mayfest bikes were locked up to trees, parking signs, utility pipes and bike racks were all full. I saw lots of people just walking their bicycles along with them through the crowds. I love that more and more people are choosing to ride instead of drive.

[Tulsasaurus Rex]

http://m.tulsaworld.com/news/local/apartment-units-parking-garage-retail-to-come-to-oneok-field/article_44428e51-cd76-5003-8b65-76867f4c88d5.html?mode=jqm

Another new apartment development in downtown Tulsa means some Tulsans could now live within a home run of ONEOK Field.

American Residential Group, a developer of apartment properties that's focused on downtown Tulsa, has announced The View, a 200-unit apartment development that could cost between $25 million and $30 million, immediately south of the downtown ballpark on the southeast corner of Archer Street and Elgin Avenue.

On top of that, The View will have 13,000 square feet of retail on its first floor, and an adjoining five-story parking garage for the use of residents and customers, said Steve Ganzkow, senior vice president at American Residential Group.

He said American Residential has had the site under contract since last summer for due diligence.

"We're convinced there's a strong demand for what we intend to do there."

Ganzkow said the view will be new construction, and the existing buildings on the lot will be torn down.

In addition to the retail and parking components, Ganzkow said The View will stand out due to amenities including a pool, fitness center and clubhouse — all located on the roof.

"We intend to do some things with The View that hasn't been done before in Tulsa," he said.

American Residential has constructed multiple properties in downtown Tulsa, and has currently partnered with Nelson Stowe to build The Edge at East Village, a $26 million, 162-unit apartment development at 215 S. Greenwood. The Edge was previously known as Hartford Commons.

American Residential purchased the property to be used for The View for $3 million from the Tulsa Stadium Trust, which had purchased three properties near ONEOK Field during the ballpark's development to help regulate the area's development.

The property was the last owned by the trust. The trust had also sold the former Gates Hardware building at 216 North Elgin Avenue, which is being converted into a sports bar and brew pub collaboration between Elliot Nelson, head of the McNellie's Group; and Eric Marshall, owner of Marshall Brewing Company.

Additionally, the trust sold the parcel at the southeast corner of Archer Street and Detroit Avenue to Promise Hotels, which will convert it into a 105-room Holiday Inn Express.

Money from the sale of the properties will go toward the continued maintenance and upkeep of ONEOK Field, said Stacy Kymes, chairman of the Tulsa Stadium Trust board of trustees.

Kymes said the trust's strategy for the properties paid off.

"Obviously we wanted to control what would go in there and find suitable uses," he said. "The projects absolutely fit within the master plan."

Kymes said that, thanks to the collaboration of many individuals in the community, the ballpark itself as well as the area around it has surpassed everyone's expectations.

Ganzkow said the retail component of The View was added at the urging of the trust.

"The trust was very interested on having some retail activity that would support their mission to have family-friendly atmosphere," he said.

So the Hartford Commons is now called The Edge at East Village. ugh

[swake]

http://m.tulsaworld.com/news/local/apartment-units-parking-garage-retail-to-come-to-oneok-field/article_44428e51-cd76-5003-8b65-76867f4c88d5.html?mode=jqm

So the Hartford Commons is now called The Edge at East Village. ugh

The Edge, The View, The Metro

Too bad them The The is already taken

[Townsend]

Oklahoma Legislative Panels Pass Bond Plans for 2 Museums

http://publicradiotulsa.org/post/oklahoma-legislative-panels-pass-bond-plans-2-museums

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Separate $25 million bond proposals have been approved by Oklahoma legislative committees to complete the unfinished American Indian Cultural Center and Museum in Oklahoma City and build the proposed Oklahoma Museum of Popular Culture in Tulsa.

The Senate Joint Committee on Appropriations and Budget voted 26-16 Thursday for the plan to complete the American Indian museum. The incomplete structure is on 67 acres along the banks of the Oklahoma River near downtown Oklahoma City.

And the House Joint Committee on Appropriations and Budget voted 16-8 for a separate $25 million bond plan to build the popular culture museum.

State lawmakers have rejected funding for both proposals in past years. Both projects are contingent on matching dollars from the private sector.

If both proposals come up for a vote, I'd recommend the Tulsa legislators suggest voting on the Oklahoma Museum of Popular Culture in Tulsa first.

[Conan71]

From my perspective it's bike safety for our Downtown location that has bike delivery. All three major incidents the car driver was at fault and I personally feel like protected bike lanes not only add safety but they make the community more aware of cyclist. It also invites people to bring their bike Downtown. I live right off of 4th Street and you would be amazed at the amount of bike riders I see on such a random bike lane that doesn't connect anywhere.

Agree on bike parking. Someone actually stole the bike rack in front of our 5th and Boston location last summer.

What do you envision for protected bike lanes? 

The main problem I see with them is they give some riders a heightened sense of security they really don't have, especially at intersections and turn-ins with parking lots or garages.

[davideinstein]

What do you envision for protected bike lanes? 

The main problem I see with them is they give some riders a heightened sense of security they really don't have, especially at intersections and turn-ins with parking lots or garages.

In Downtown I'd like to see two lane roads with parallel parking as a buffer to the bike lane until an intersection. At the intersection I'd like us to mimic what they are doing in Salt Lake City in the article below.

ttp://www.citylab.com/commute/2015/05/why-salt-lake-city-chose-to-build-the-first-protected-intersection-for-bicycling-in-the-us/392702/

[Townsend]

Popular Culture Museum Plan Fails in Oklahoma Senate

http://publicradiotulsa.org/post/popular-culture-museum-plan-fails-oklahoma-senate

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — A $25 million bond proposal for a planned popular culture museum in Tulsa fell one vote short of passage after a state senator said he mistakenly pressed the wrong button on his desk.

Republican Sen. Bryce Marlatt of Woodward says he was attempting to summon a legislative page Monday but mistakenly voted "no" just as the gavel fell on the vote for the bond issue.

The author of the bill, Republican Senate President Pro Tem Brian Bingman of Sapulpa used a procedural motion that will allow him to reconsider the vote on Tuesday. Marlatt says he intends to vote to yes.

The proposal is a divisive one for many members of the Republican caucus who oppose further bond debt.

This is generally where I make fun of someone not understanding how buttons work but I'll just say I hope it moves forward today.

[AdamsHall]

Too bad them The The is already taken

The The is one of my favorites.

[BKDotCom]

Popular Culture Museum Passes State Senate

http://www.newson6.com/story/29102949/pop-culture-museum-plan-clears-oklahoma-senate-on-second-try

The bill now heads to the House, where there is considerable opposition from members of the Republican majority.

[heironymouspasparagus]

From my perspective it's bike safety for our Downtown location that has bike delivery. All three major incidents the car driver was at fault and I personally feel like protected bike lanes not only add safety but they make the community more aware of cyclist. It also invites people to bring their bike Downtown. I live right off of 4th Street and you would be amazed at the amount of bike riders I see on such a random bike lane that doesn't connect anywhere.

Agree on bike parking. Someone actually stole the bike rack in front of our 5th and Boston location last summer.

Gonna be tough to get people to pay attention.  Lived at 11th and Pittsburg for a few years and rode my bike downtown, going up to 4th, then west.  Even then (40 years or so ago??) there was enough traffic that it was dangerous.  Had to keep the bike in the back of the building where I worked downtown.  Got room in back of your store for the bikes?

Later moved jobs to east 15th and house in BA - at that time could ride a bike up 145th to 11th and west to Yale area then south.  Not much traffic then.  Would be suicide today.

Amazing someone would steal a rack.  How did they do that?  Was it easy as turning a wrench?  Or cutters of some sort?

[rdj]

What do you envision for protected bike lanes? 

The main problem I see with them is they give some riders a heightened sense of security they really don't have, especially at intersections and turn-ins with parking lots or garages.

Agree completely.  Dedicated bike lanes are going away in many cities.