KTUL: Drillers moving downtown?

[tim huntzinger]

KTUL: Are Drillers moving downtown?

'It may not look like much now. Just some parking lots and old abandoned buildings.
But the area around 6th and Elgin is about to change. In fact -- a development group out of Washington, DC has been eyeing this Eastern edge of Downtown Tulsa and has some pretty big plans to bring new life to the area.
It involves a 14 block development -- with 800 units of upscale living -- 3 hotels -- office space -- AND -- an 8000-seat baseball stadium -- a new home for The Tulsa Drillers.
Chuck Lamson is Driller's owner.
"It would give us additional exposure and would bring more people out a new stadium new excitement and all that."
Developing this Eastern edge of  Downtown Tulsa would help fill in the gap with other revitalization projects and Driller's Stadium will make a STRONG anchor.
Lamson says a move from Midtown to Downtown would be a win-win.
Good for Tulsa AND good for the team.
"I would hope it would help the momentum of downtown Tulsa and I think it would improve the entire community of Tulsa."

Huh? Is this the same development ya'll been talking about going bankrupt? Why does KTUL not discuss that important fact?

[YoungTulsan]

I don't know why on earth KTUL is posting that like it is a new story.  There has been an UPDATE to the ongoing saga, which is that it looks like Global (the DC developer mentioned in the KTUL story) seems to be purchasing more properties so the worries of them being broke or dropping the deal are less today than they were a few days ago.  The only problem now is that the other guy (Williams from Claremore, who pretty much flat out admits his plan is to put a Walmart there) is also purchasing properties.  Both plans need all of the property in that district.  Check the east end thread and the TW article from today (I think)

[robbyfoxxxx]

I've learned to not believe anything about construction in Tulsa unless I see the bulldozers!

[Rico]

quote:Originally posted by robbyfoxxxx

I've learned to not believe anything about construction in Tulsa unless I see the bulldozers!

Yea.... Dozers..!




Demo Time.....!

[}:)]

[Porky]

lol.......get'er done Rico! [}:)]

[jdb]

Problem is the Whirld has no big brains anymore and is merely slinging out the same greasy hash.

So no, it's not de juvu, or new promise kinda hoped for, nor some ode to LSD.

Bonus points for recalling who was before Decso but long after AECOM , or, -GASP! - do I have that backwards? Could I be transforming into an old grumpy person, again!?!?

(sip)

"In fact -- a development group out of Washington, DC has been eyeing this Eastern edge of Downtown Tulsa and has some pretty big plans to bring new life to the area. ".

"Eyeing" and "big plans", well who hasn't been doing that? Tell us how much hard, cash these people have put on the block, and to whom!

What are we, mice?!?!?

May statement of the night:

"Investiagtive Urnalism: well, pee on that!"
jdb

I have desert coyotes howling on the back deck and reverberating into my ears, which sprouts hair upon my back and urges me to say mean things to ordinary, passive, pleasant type people.

[cannon_fodder]

Too bad these asshats couldnt work together and make something twice as spectacular. There is plenty of farrow land in downtown Tulsa that they dont have to fight over it!  What about all the empty lots just East of the dome, or the much discussed block next to BOk?  Or the sprawling empty lots everywhere?

I hope they figure this out.  I'd be content with any new development as long a they dont start a fight and cause both of them to drop the whole deal.

[bacjz00]

A-freaking-men to that!

[jdb]

It just looks like "plenty of fallow land" but largely we have five different mouth's, with many missing teeth and developers want entire blocks - no eyesore's in sight.

Real deal is a population that is unwiling to live DT. But the demise of cheap gasoline will correct that, jdb

THIS JUST IN:

Ranger's DVD demoted to AAA, Oklahoma.
This might help attendance, eh?

[perspicuity85]

quote:Originally posted by jdb
Real deal is a population that is unwiling to live DT. But the demise of cheap gasoline will correct that, jdb

Population will change their minds if/when all the downtown projects come to fruition.  Think of downtown as a product.  New product features and trendy marketing shifts the demand for the product in the postive direction.

[Rico]

quote:Originally posted by perspicuity85

quote:Originally posted by jdb
Real deal is a population that is unwiling to live DT. But the demise of cheap gasoline will correct that, jdb

Population will change their minds if/when all the downtown projects come to fruition.  Think of downtown as a product.  New product features and trendy marketing shifts the demand for the product in the postive direction.

"postive direction"

Well; if the population waits until all projects are complete....

I'm afraid, all they can hope for, is that they have enough cash in their pockets to be tourists in the Downtown area...


Marketing a life style...? Interesting...

[AVERAGE JOE]

quote:Originally posted by jdb

Real deal is a population that is unwiling to live DT. But the demise of cheap gasoline will correct that, jdb

So if that's the case, why is occupancy high at the downtown housing units? And what of the market study that called for the creation of hundreds more units because of the underserved demand?

I think there's a segment of the Tulsa population who would LOVE to live downtown. The reason they don't is that there's noplace for them to live.

I know I'm oversimplying it a great deal, jdb. But we have a supply problem, not a demand problem, where downtown housing is concerned.

[jdb]

I do the same, AJ: however, why do we habitually see "move in special" banners on the rental buidlings in such a high demand market?

Guess I am a snob, I look more at the number of people buying buildings and moving in, not just a handfull of renters, whom move in and move out, to gauge an area's market.

Tell me, jdb

[TheArtist]

Living downtown isnt just about having the places to live.  In our instance it would definitely help if there were more apartments.  But what is missing is apartments or condos in an area of downtown that resembles a living urban neighborhood.

To me downtown still just doesn't feel or look like a place I, or many others that I know, would like to live in. But parts of it are getting there.  

Yes I know you can argue, well if they dont move down there and build or refurbish old buildings....  But most of the people I know would decide to live downtown and would like to live downtown if they drove through parts of it and thought, oh, this is nice I would like to live here. In other words their needs to be a "neighborhood" for them to see, a street or area for them to imagine living in.  

For the most part the core of downtown still looks like a bunch of office buildings, parking lots, abandoned run down structures, with no thriving streets of shops, store fronts, a grocery store, etc. There are fits and starts here and there with lots of potential.  Everyone sees the potential, but they arent developers and entrepreneurs. They are just people who would love to move in and start enjoying their lives. Other wise they will just move or stay in the place or city they live in now.  

Even my friends who live in and around OKC's downtown live in urban type apartments and condos that a developer built not a building that they themselves converted. Friends in Dallas, the same thing.

Many people would like to live downtown, its just that they arent the "pioneer"  or "lets convert this old building in the middle of a sea of other run down buildings and parking lots into our home" types.  They want a ready made environment, or one thats obviously on its way, or they will not bother.

Right now even many of the main streets around the likes of the Philtowere lofts are torn up messes. No trees, no light posts, no benches, just holes in the ground and piles of rubble.  Its a brave soul that takes a chance down there now, someone who really believes and or wants to live in an urban environment.  And thank goodness for them.

Downtown can get there. Some day "lots of potential" will turn into actual, visible, "oh wow I like this".

[USRufnex]

quote:Originally posted by Rico

"postive direction"

Well; if the population waits until all projects are complete....

I'm afraid, all they can hope for, is that they have enough cash in their pockets to be tourists in the Downtown area...


Marketing a life style...? Interesting...

Gee, Rico... you've just described why most Tulsans from those "other" parts of the city won't vote a plugged nickel for "downtown only" projects...

Downtown subsidized housing for the rich is not a very popular idea here in east Tulsa.

And we fear that when your Utica Square-clone downtown TIF projects are complete, we will not be welcome.

We are TULSANS, not tourists...