Downtown Development Overview

[Bamboo World]

And now another proposal for the half block on the west side of Elgin between Mathew B. Reconciliation Way and Archer Street:



Tulsa World article

News on 6 link

Fox 23 News link

[godboko71]

And now another proposal for the half block on the west side of Elgin between Mathew B. Reconciliation Way and Archer Street:


Tulsa World article

News on 6 link

Fox 23 News link

I would rather this site for this proposed commercial development than the OKPOP Museum and people get over the fact the other land OKPOP could use is owned by BOK. I would stipulate that if this commercial development project could not be shovel ready within a year that TDA could withdraw the sale of land to this developer and pursue new proposals.

[TheArtist]

I think it would be a good spot for the Ok Pop museum.

If I am thinking "long term/where would I put stuff if I could plan out things"...

1.  It would be nice to have a couple of attraction type things in one area to maximize future parking and transit stops.  
2.  Retail right across from the ballpark, well I would not put a shop there for the ballpark is a dead zone most of the time and I would rather have my shop/restaurant across from more shopping/restaurants.
3.  Combining the above two.  By having both attractions in the same area if you strategically place parking structures, say only a block or two away and THEN that connecting corridor has shops along it, THEN that would help the retail.  And having both there would maximize use of a transit stop being nearby, and retail being nearby as well.

Just to give an example.  I noticed in London that often you would see, say a large museum, near a main transit stop.  Between the transit stop and the museum/attractions, would be a retail corridor.

Which of all of that came first, who knows.  But the basic "logic" of it still worked on many levels.

People would hopefully go to an actual retail corridor in the area regardless, but by having the ballpark and museum nearby, and with parking and transit also appropriately placed, that would help the retail corridor be much stronger lively and vital.  

But this is Tulsa so lets watch and see how they screw up all those opportunities.

Having said that though, there would likely be little harm done if the office/retail development went in there.  It just won't be any big deal and the retail, if there is any after a while, would likely struggle and be lackluster.  But, the development would still add at least "something" to the area and  someplace else downtown will work out for the OK Pop.

I wish we would work on nurturing/planning "pedestrian flows" downtown as much as we plan development/infrastructure around "traffic flows".  I would love for us to figure out how to create a "pedestrian highway" downtown by placing the optimal "things" in the right spots. I wonder if the TDA is even thinking about this? 

[SXSW]

Something mixed-use would be better for this site.  Hopefully the final design has more brick.  BOK is going to donate their parking lot, why turn them down?

[dsjeffries]

Something mixed-use would be better for this site.  Hopefully the final design has more brick.  BOK is going to donate their parking lot, why turn them down?

"It became problematic because the owner, Bank of Oklahoma Financial, offered to donate the land if slots in the project's planned parking garage were reserved for BOK, whose controlling stockholder is George Kaiser. This created legal and political difficulties OHS and GKFF want to avoid." (Tulsa World)

[cannon_fodder]

Rumor has it OK Pop is also considering the lot across from 46 Bar, directly south of the Brady Theater. That would serve as a neat bookend to Brady and bring the surrounding empty/under used buildings under pressure to develop sooner rather than later.  The lot across from the Ballpark is already under pressure to develop sooner.

I have no strong opinion on any of the three sites for the OK Pop, but I think the original BOK location would be best for the reasons mentioned above. Let commercial interests take advantage of the Ballpark traffic. The museum is a draw unto itself.

That said, I think OK Pop gets the nod on this land over the new development. It isn't shovel ready and needs a 40% pre-sale/lease before it can start. That's a lot unless there is already an anchor lined up. So TDA locks up the land, then sits and hopes the deal happens. The Museum is funded and ready to rock. Just based on that, I think the TDA gives it to the Museum.

[SXSW]

Does anyone have a rendering or site plan for the museum on this site?  The only one I've ever seen is the red one with the massive video board and Leon Russell. 

[cannon_fodder]

Does anyone have a rendering or site plan for the museum on this site?  The only one I've ever seen is the red one with the massive video board and Leon Russell. 

[Townsend]

Sweet God...seriously?

[erfalf]

Sweet God...seriously?

This literally went through my head when I saw it.

[Ibanez]

Sponsored by Lego?

[Hoss]

Sweet God...seriously?

Agreed.  That.Is.Horrific.

This is the view I'm used to and like.

[ZYX]

That is a gorgeous building. It would look great in the abundance of skyline pictures taken from seats in the ballpark.

[Hoss]

That is a gorgeous building. It would look great in the abundance of skyline pictures taken from seats in the ballpark.

To each their own, but I cannot agree with that assessment.

[cbs]

If OKPOP turns out like that rendering I'm predicting all-out brawls in the streets over whether it's the most beautiful building ever vs an absolute disgrace.

I'll be stuck in the middle.