The "this has nothing to do with Tulsa" mega-post

[heironymouspasparagus]

No matter what the state unveils on license plates & identification; people are going to provide their personal critique.  Just hope we can meet with the real ID compliant
regulations.  My understanding is that the state has the information they need to move forward.

That state has had the information they need since real ID started years ago.  The state actively chose NOT to go along with it.  Just one more thing putting us at the bottom of list of good things and top of lists of bad things for the state.  We are proactively chasing Mississippi to the bottom, hoping to beat them every step along the way.

[Laramie]

That state has had the information they need since real ID started years ago.  The state actively chose NOT to go along with it.  Just one more thing putting us at the bottom of list of good things and top of lists of bad things for the state.  We are proactively chasing Mississippi to the bottom, hoping to beat them every step along the way.

                   

                   

[Laramie]

Where tech companies should look to expand

Cheryl Young 9:48 am CST • November 4, 2019

Affordable markets

Oklahoma City and Kansas City lead the list of markets where tech companies should consider locating. These cities rank high in affordability — where typical income earners are spending a relatively smaller share of their income on housing, livability (Kansas City tops the list in this category) and the availability of tech skills.

Link:  https://techcrunch.com/2019/11/04/where-tech-companies-should-look-to-expand/

[Laramie]

Renovations planned at old Midtown dealership

               
The two-story showroom windows at NW 13 and Harvey will be restored as part of redevelopment of the former Walter E. Allen Chrysler Plymouth dealership.  Oklahoman, November 23, 2019 [RENDERINGS BY SKLINE INK]

Renovations are set to move forward that would restore the appearance of the former Walter E. Allen Chrysler Plymouth dealership at NW 13 and Harvey Avenue in Midtown.

Volane Luxury Bus Service between Oklahoma City & Dallas.

               

               --Pics via OKCTalk.forum

Vonlane, markets itself as a 'private jet on wheels', with leather seats, on-demand digital media, free Wi-fi and snacks and on-board crew service, started service in 2014; currently serves Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, and San Antonio, will add service to Oklahoma City in January 2020.

Volane will target travelers and business people in the OKC market who want to use their travel time productively.

Streetcars waive fares for next 7 weekends

               

          Free Weekend Streetcar Rides

Enjoy complimentary fares on the OKC Streetcars on the weekends beginning November 29 through January 5 in celebration of their one year anniversary.

[Laramie]

Interesting article in December 1, Oklahoman on city beautification efforts that would result from MAPS 4 passage.


              $30 million for MAPS 4 would include beautification projects:



Water stains mark the bridges and retaining walls along the Clara Luper Corridor on NE 23 Street in Oklahoma City. MAPS 4 includes funding for proposed beautification projects, including along the east and west entrances to the Clara Luper Corridor. [CHRIS LANDSBERGER/THE OKLAHOMAN]


MAPS 4 includes up to $5 million for potential land acquisition and remediation of the northeast corner of NE 23 Street and Martin Luther King Avenue, home to the former Smart Saver grocery store, which closed in August. [CHRIS LANDSBERGER/THE OKLAHOMAN]


The MAPS 4 proposal for beautification includes significant funding to improve the aesthetics of the currently drab corridor to Will Rogers World Airport along Meridian Avenue. [CHRIS LANDSBERGER/THE OKLAHOMAN]

Source:  Darla Spice, staff writer for the Oklahoman
Sunday, December 1, 2019

Link:  http://digital.newsok.com/Olive/ODN/Oklahoman/default.aspx

[ComeOnBenjals]

Appreciate the OKC news Laramie, lots of good stuff going on down south!

[SXSW]

I rode the OKC streetcar on a recent visit and really enjoyed the experience.  We visited the new Scissortail Park and then got on the streetcar which stops next to it.  Rode it through downtown up to Midtown and checked out the new food hall The Collective.  Walked back through downtown to Scissortail Park with a stop at the Bombing Memorial (still a really somber and powerful place even so many years later).  I would love to see a similar streetcar circulator in downtown Tulsa someday, to connect the different districts.

[Laramie]

Tulsa has a more active & viable downtown retail than OKC.  Our underground metro concourse tunnels killed our visible downtown street life. 

A Tulsa streetcar circular route (similar to Kansas City) in DT would help with people movement who frequent your downtown especially if the routes covered the more popular restaurants & retail. 

[Laramie]

Update pics on two hotel projects


Embassy Suites, N. W. Expressway, OKC


Omni Hotel & DT Convention Center in background.
Pics courtesy OKC Talk Forum.

[Laramie]

Addition pics of Omni Oklahoma City courtesy of OKC Talk forum:  https://www.okctalk.com/showthread.php?t=35905&page=112

Feel free to join or follow the discussion in the above link provided.

[Laramie]

  

                                                             

                            Ambitious OKC MAPS 4, December 10th Initiative vote will determine
                            $978 million in community, neighborhood and City core related needs.  

                   Human needs community  

                      Diversion Hub ($17 million)
                      Family Justice Center operated by Palomar ($38 million)
                      Mental Health and Addiction ($40 million)
                      Parks ($140 million)
                      Youth Centers ($110 million)

                    Neighborhoods

                       Freedom Center and Clara Luper Civil Rights Center ($25 million)
                       Innovation District ($71 million)
                       Senior Wellness Centers ($30 million)
                       Sidewalks, bike lanes, trails and streetlights ($87 million)

                     City core needs

                       Animal Shelter ($38 million)
                       Beautification ($30 million)
                       Chesapeake Energy Arena and related facilities ($115 million)
                       Fairgrounds Coliseum ($63 million)
                       Homelessness ($50 million)
                       Multipurpose Stadium ($37 million)
                       Transit ($87 million)




                       
The Diversion Hub is a comprehensive, one-stop network dedicated to assisting justice-involved individuals in Oklahoma City by harnessing the power of multiple support agencies through combined and synchronized services.



                       
One of the MAPS 4 proposed projects is the Clara Luper Civil Rights Center of Oklahoma City. The Civil Rights Center would be at the Freedom Center located at 2609 N Martin Luther King Avenue.



                         
Backers of the proposed 10,000 seat starter expandable stadium are calling for it to be centrally located, with a design that makes it equipped to handle multiple types of events. It would become the new home of USL OKC Energy FC–which currently plays at Taft Stadium–while also hosting other soccer matches, high school football, rugby, festivals, concerts, and more.


Tuesday, December 10, Oklahoma City voters will decide $978 million MAPS 4 projects initiative.


                               

                                           
     

[Laramie]

                                  

                                       
                                    The new Scissortail Park sits west of the Chesapeake Arena and the Convention Center Complex
                                       
                                     The convention center facade facing west, can be seen from Scissortail Park
                                       

                                                             Oklahoma City Convention Center Complex:

                    Consists of the 17 story 605 room Omni Oklahoma City (center), 5 story, 133 room Fairfield Inn & Suites (lower left), the main convention center with a
                    200,000-square-foot exhibit hall, 45,000-square-foot meeting space, 30,000-square-foot ballroom; will make 738 rooms available on site for convention goers .
                    The 20,000-seat Chesapeake Energy Arena (right) is apart of the convention center complex.  Drone pic: Courtesy of OKCTalk.com

                    OKCTalk.com reports that the Fairfield Inn & Suites is being furnished as of Friday, December 6.  Omni will have room on the complex for future
                    expansion or to add an additional hotel.

[D-TownTulsan]

Man. I'm trying to get what POPULOUS was going for with the form of this building. Can't really justify this one with the ol' scissor tail flycatcher go-by!

[swake]

Man. I'm trying to get what POPULOUS was going for with the form of this building. Can't really justify this one with the ol' scissor tail flycatcher go-by!

I like it. The hotel is very meh.

[Laramie]

                      Oklahoma City voters approved MAPS 4, A $978 million 16 projects initiative.


              The 16 MAPS 4 projects are:

                            Parks ($140 million)
                            Youth Centers ($110 million)
                            Senior Wellness Centers ($30 million)
                            Mental Health and Addiction ($40 million)
                            Family Justice Center operated by Palomar ($38 million)
                            Transit ($87 million)
                            Sidewalks, bike lanes, trails and streetlights ($87 million)
                            Homelessness ($50 million)
                            Chesapeake Energy Arena and related facilities ($115 million)
                            Animal Shelter ($38 million)
                            Fairgrounds Coliseum ($63 million)
                            Diversion Hub ($17 million)
                           Innovation District ($71 million)
                           Freedom Center and Clara Luper Civil Rights Center ($25 million)
                           Beautification ($30 million)
                           Multipurpose Stadium ($37 million)

Voters approve MAPS 4 in a landslide:  https://journalrecord.com/2019/12/10/voters-approve-maps-4-in-a-landslide/