New Parking Facility in Brady District

[Townsend]

The grapevine told me that the NW corner of Main and Cameron is being turned into a surface parking lot for now, being administered as a pay lot by a vendor. 

Two steps forward and two steps back...

[cannon_fodder]

I hear ya', but it was essentially a non-public surface parking lot for the last how many decades anyway?  So this is marginal improvement.  And way better than throwing up a generic parking garage that kills that corner forever.

I'd  love to see a developer buy up the corner, or even the entire frontage on Cameron, and the City build a garage one lot north - buried in the middle of the block or actually off of Boulder, and allow other buildings to front Main Street al the way up to Inner Circle and Cains.  Everyone wins!

[Tulsan]

This is moving forward.  The zoning was just changed from light industrial to CBD (mixed use).  http://www.tulsaplanning.org/tmapc/cases/Z-7612.pdf

As a reminder, the Tulsa Parking Authority had put out an RFP through Hunden Strategic Partners: https://tulsaworld.com/business/tulsa-parking-authority-eyes-mixed-used-development-on-north-boulder/article_51b28859-a71a-5c92-999f-50e6095eb1b3.html.

I don't remember where I saw it, but they got four viable responses, and are moving forward with the winning proposal.  I'm speculating that the zoning change indicates we may hear something soon. 

[LandArchPoke]

Anyone have any info on this?

Was there ever an actual announcement on which developer was picked?

[Tulsan]

Anyone have any info on this?

Was there ever an actual announcement on which developer was picked?

No, they never said. Tulsa Parking Authority, which was managing the RFP process, has since been folded into the Tulsa Authority for Economic Opportunity ("TAEO").  At one of the last meetings of the Tulsa Parking Authority before it was dissolved, they were looking at going under contract with a shell named "WPA Development, LLC."  https://www.cityoftulsa.org/apps/COTDisplayDocument/?DocumentType=Agenda&DocumentIdentifiers=23685.  I can't find anything on this entity.  Title to the land itself has been transferred from TPA to TAEO. Nothing else indicates whether there's been a final contract with the developer.  Once possibility is that the transfer of the project between agencies has delayed the project.  But as recently as six months ago the process was in its final stages prior to contract.... hopefully it gets over the finish line. 

TAEO's agendas can be found here if you're ever curious what the movers and shakers downtown are discussing this month: https://www.cityoftulsa.org/government/meeting-agendas/.  For some reason they don't post meeting minutes on the web.

[Tulsan]

https://tulsaworld.com/business/local/51-million-development-in-tulsa-arts-district-would-turn-parking-lot-into-hotel-apartments/article_76065fb0-db9a-11ec-8914-bf81228529b1.html

An Oklahoma City developer proposes to convert a downtown Tulsa parking lot into roughly a $51 million project anchored by a four-star hotel, apartments and parking garage.

The developers plan to sink roughly $26 million into the 90-room boutique hotel, $15 million into 88 apartments and $10 million into the 200-space parking garage, Wanzer said. A total of 20,000 square feet of retail space also is part of the project.

[ComeOnBenjals]

Very cool development just north of The Hunt Club. Takes away an ugly surface lot. I like the initial design, especially the apartments.

[shavethewhales]

With the exception of the god-awful externals of the apartment section, AWESOME! The corner building with the "pub" space is especially awesome. Love that they are keeping the character of the street going while also fitting in some ultra-modern architecture. The apartments need to be revisited though, because that looks awful.

Also... and this is going to sound bad on an urbanist forum, but I wish the parking structure was bigger. There's a tremendous need for parking here with all the stuff that goes on in the arts district and Cain's, and then you add on 88 apartments as well, and they really aren't adding any parking here with this huge development. It's like they need to add on a second garage to the north after they build this...

[swake]

I don't love the building on top the parking garage, but it's much better than just a garage. The other building is great.

[SXSW]

Yeah the whole building should look more like the hotel.  That is a big hole to fill so I'm glad to see this one progressing.

[LandArchPoke]

I don't mind the design difference. I like seeing a little variety.

My biggest concern is the window size on the multifamily, the multi and hotel almost need to be flipped into the opposite buildings in terms of how it's designed. If they don't make the windows bigger on the multi building those units are going to dark and struggle longterm, they also will not be taking advantage of the views either which is puzzling.

The garage and building above it give me Miami-ish vibes and I don't hate it, especially if it's light up well at night.

Hotel brand will be Arrive, seems to fit well in that location too. Architect's site: https://www.chrispardodesign.com/arrive-tulsa

[dbacksfan 2.0]

Could always build apartments out of shipping containers to help foster affordable housing.

https://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/news/ida-on-mckinley-is-tallest-shipping-container-tower-in-north-america-13693917

[ComeOnBenjals]

^ I like the sustainability idea, but that thing is incredible ugly. Won't age very well either.

[LandArchPoke]

^ I like the sustainability idea, but that thing is incredible ugly. Won't age very well either.

You generally get better cost savings, energy efficiency, etc. from just regular modular construction. Essentially the same thing. The containers can be really difficult to get wiring and insulation done properly, but really the main premise of the idea is stackable and fast construction given you can do most everything offsite somewhere in a warehouse. Plus standardizing the layouts/size, finishes, etc. allows you to build out the modular stuff faster too in the warehouse through replication. 

Good example of this on an affordable housing scale is Pacific Park in Brooklyn next to the Barclays Center. Believe it is still the tallest modular building, at least in the US.

Architect's site w/ project details:
https://www.shoparc.com/projects/b2/

Another article:
https://ny.curbed.com/2016/11/15/13642438/461-dean-pacific-park-barlcays-model-units

Picture of the project:



Much better quality, similar or better cost and time savings as well to shipping container construction.

[shavethewhales]

I don't mind the design difference. I like seeing a little variety.

My biggest concern is the window size on the multifamily, the multi and hotel almost need to be flipped into the opposite buildings in terms of how it's designed. If they don't make the windows bigger on the multi building those units are going to dark and struggle longterm, they also will not be taking advantage of the views either which is puzzling.

The garage and building above it give me Miami-ish vibes and I don't hate it, especially if it's light up well at night.

...

Yes, the more I look at it the less I'd want to live in one despite the awesome location. The windows suck and the balconies are weird. It does indeed look like something from Miami, but like late 70's/80's Miami when everyone was too coked up to care about taste or practicality too much and just wanted something "different".

It's just odd that they did so well on the Arrive hotel and some other aspects and then made these choices for the apartments. Really hope the design is revised based on feedback.