Owasso's figured it out, why can't we?

[Johnboy976]

I believe this speaks for itself:

http://www.kotv.com/news/local/story/?id=139673

[TURobY]

Eh, people were saying the same thing about Broken Arrow 20 years ago. Nothing new to see here.

[sgrizzle]

Owasso has nothing unique, has worse traffic flow than 71st and gets everything worth having after Tulsa has it.

The only think Tulsa dropped the ball on was annexing more of north tulsa and getting this built south of owasso in the tulsa city limits.

[carltonplace]

Good for Owasso! They are becoming blander and blander every day. Welcome to anyplace USA.

[Conan71]

We figured it out a long time ago, they are just now catching up.

Welcome to the over-saturation of retail in Tulsa County.

[Breadburner]

quote:Originally posted by Johnboy976

I believe this speaks for itself:

http://www.kotv.com/news/local/story/?id=139673

I guess this means you live there....

[Renaissance]

Oh man, JC Penney AND Olive Garden!  Sure wish Tulsa could figure out that magic retail touch!  []

[tulsa1603]

quote:Originally posted by Johnboy976

I believe this speaks for itself:

http://www.kotv.com/news/local/story/?id=139673

The new Owasso = 71st Street part II, but not as pretty, and with worse traffic planning.  We joke about Tulsa having no architectural or landscape standards - but try Owasso on for size.  Yikes.

And I am allowed to make fun of Owasso because i was raised there.

[cannon_fodder]

First, I believe Owasso is doing well for itself.  However, it is following the Scottsdale path and just getting strip malls and chains in between cooker cutter subdivisions and new stop lights.  Anytown USA is an apt description.  

The reason they are getting retail is because they are getting population.  That's what Tulsa needs to figure out.  So long as it is easy to develop housing in Tulsa those areas will get new retail also (South Tulsa).  If denser development catches on in Midtown areas more retail will rise to fill the demand.

Not a hard equation.  The cheap living in Owasso is certainly luring some away from Tulsa.  Which is taking the new retail with them.  Which is too bad if you ask me as there is nothing to see or do in Owasso that I couldn't do in 300 other cities in America.  Just not want I want and in the long run I think others will realize that as well.

[dbacks fan]

quote:Originally posted by cannon_fodder

First, I believe Owasso is doing well for itself.  However, it is following the Scottsdale path and just getting strip malls and chains in between cooker cutter subdivisions and new stop lights.  Anytown USA is an apt description.  

The reason they are getting retail is because they are getting population.  That's what Tulsa needs to figure out.  So long as it is easy to develop housing in Tulsa those areas will get new retail also (South Tulsa).  If denser development catches on in Midtown areas more retail will rise to fill the demand.

Not a hard equation.  The cheap living in Owasso is certainly luring some away from Tulsa.  Which is taking the new retail with them.  Which is too bad if you ask me as there is nothing to see or do in Owasso that I couldn't do in 300 other cities in America.  Just not want I want and in the long run I think others will realize that as well.

cf, what part of Scottsdale are you refering to?

[PonderInc]

When the thread mentioned something that Owasso has figured out, I thought it was going to be about fully-shielded, efficient lighting.  The last time I was up there at night, I thought: "Wow, even Owasso has good light fixtures/shielded lighting."  Since most of Owasso is surface parking, you really notice if the parking lots have good lights.  And a lot of them do!  As far as urban design goes, it might be the one thing the Owasso developers have done right!

[cannon_fodder]

dbacks fan, I've only been there one time... but ironically I believe it was the area near the stadium.  My sister in law lived there.  It seemed to be condo, strip mall, sub division, strip mall, apartment complex - repeat.  I was only in town 2 days for a baby shower, but that is my impression of most of Phoenix (or really, most "new" cities that grew so quickly).

Again, it was very nice, clean and safe.  It had neat restaurants and shops.  Just the overall feel reminded me of any other "new" area I had been to.

I presume there is an "old town" or other cool area, sorry to generalize.  I could as easily of used suburban Chicago, Des Moines, or most of newer suburbs of Los Angeles - or Owasso.  Probably the same thing everyone said about Midtown Tulsa in the 1930's.

[dbacks fan]

quote:Originally posted by cannon_fodder

dbacks fan, I've only been there one time... but ironically I believe it was the area near the stadium.  My sister in law lived there.  It seemed to be condo, strip mall, sub division, strip mall, apartment complex - repeat.  I was only in town 2 days for a baby shower, but that is my impression of most of Phoenix (or really, most "new" cities that grew so quickly).

Again, it was very nice, clean and safe.  It had neat restaurants and shops.  Just the overall feel reminded me of any other "new" area I had been to.

I presume there is an "old town" or other cool area, sorry to generalize.  I could as easily of used suburban Chicago, Des Moines, or most of newer suburbs of Los Angeles - or Owasso.  Probably the same thing everyone said about Midtown Tulsa in the 1930's.

By stadium I think you are refering to ASU. Yes that is the older part of Scottsdale and yeah it's strip mall, condo subdivision. It is a nice area for an older part of Scottsdale. North Scottsdale, about 6 miles from where I live in north Phoenix is turning into it's own version of Rodeo Drive. Here are the links to two areas of mixed shopping, residential and entertainment that is being built. Don't think I will be buying a condo there any time soon.

http://www.onescottsdaleproject.com/

http://www.citynorthaz.com/

If you ever get a chance to come back to the Valley, let me know, I can recommend some place to go.

Back on topic, it looks as if they have gotten part of it right but it sounds like the growth has been faster than the infrastructure could grow. I haven't been to Tulsa in about 3 years, but a friend of mine was just out for a 25 year class reunion for Owasso HS. He told me how much it had grown and that it now has traffic problems that it did not used to. It's true in a way, "If you build it, they will come". I can remember back in the 80's when the people in Owasso, and more so Collinsville wanted more shopping there so they would not have to drive all the way to Woodland Hills.

[Conan71]

Dback- I made my first visit to the Phoenix area this week last year and I liked it pretty well.  Looks like there's lots of affluence in the area.

What is the main attraction for new people moving there?  Principal industries which are hiring, etc?

[Johnboy976]

quote:Originally posted by Breadburner

quote:Originally posted by Johnboy976

I believe this speaks for itself:

http://www.kotv.com/news/local/story/?id=139673

I guess this means you live there....

Never lived there, and besides, I was just trying to start a thread on what we can do to improve the city... not that Owasso is actually doing well. I simply used the title to get people here.