The River District

[TUalum0982]

I didn't see a thread on the first page or two but I was on the creek turnpike East Bound and noticed they have already started construction on the the new river district project in Jenks.  Anyone have any new news on shops, stores that are going to be in there?

On another note, on the news last night they discussed phase 2 of the Riverwalk and announced that a Lewis and Clark outfitters which they touted as an upscale Bass Pro Shop.

[sgrizzle]

RW Phase2:
http://tulsanow.org/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=9542

No tenants have been listed for the river district and I believe the earthwork portion is supposed to take a year.

[TUalum0982]

quote:Originally posted by sgrizzle

RW Phase2:
http://tulsanow.org/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=9542

No tenants have been listed for the river district and I believe the earthwork portion is supposed to take a year.

I saw that thread after I posted, my bad.  A year you say? WOW.  That's nuts.  Maybe within the next few months they will announce some tenants.

[swake]

Here's the web site for the River District:
http://www.okriverdistrict.com/

Marketing brochure:
http://www.okriverdistrict.com/brochure.html



Notice now there's no baseball stadium, but there is a DAM.

This is the best outcome for everyone, the Drillers go downtown and the river is filled for all the development down south in Tulsa and Jenks.

[waterboy]

Looks cool enough. Curious that there are no piers, no docks, no ferries, no activities shown on the river lake that the dam creates. I would have thought that the smaller existing lake would be an interesting connection to the river as well.

[Conan71]

quote:Originally posted by waterboy

Looks cool enough. Curious that there are no piers, no docks, no ferries, no activities shown on the river lake that the dam creates. I would have thought that the smaller existing lake would be an interesting connection to the river as well.

Weren't there supposed to be piers, ferry's, and all sorts of water activity in the original concepts for Zink Lake?

[brunoflipper]

quote:Originally posted by waterboy

Looks cool enough. Curious that there are no piers, no docks, no ferries, no activities shown on the river lake that the dam creates. I would have thought that the smaller existing lake would be an interesting connection to the river as well.

look closer, the lake shows what appears to be boats and docks

[waterboy]

quote:Originally posted by brunoflipper

quote:Originally posted by waterboy

Looks cool enough. Curious that there are no piers, no docks, no ferries, no activities shown on the river lake that the dam creates. I would have thought that the smaller existing lake would be an interesting connection to the river as well.

look closer, the lake shows what appears to be boats and docks

Yes, I see them on the smaller existing lake, but it shows no connection to the river (downstream side of the dam). Probably because it might necessitate some sort of lock/dam to keep the existing lake from draining into the river in low level situations.  However, the existing lake doesn't need much of a pier if it doesn't connect to the river as pretty much paddle boats is all it will accomodate. Maybe that's all they envision for watercraft. I thought I remembered that the dam would have been farther downstream so that the existing lake would connect and provide a safe harbor away from the current.

It shows nothing on the new lake formed by the dam other than some steps leading from a fountain area. I guess that would be a ferry port.

Zink lake was supposed to have all those things as well. It didn't take long for the reality of this river to sink in for them. Deja vu.

[TheArtist]

From what I recall from the more detailed plans, nothing in the River District faces the river. Everthing is more centered around the central square and the lake.

[sgrizzle]

quote:Originally posted by swake

Here's the web site for the River District:
http://www.okriverdistrict.com/

Marketing brochure:
http://www.okriverdistrict.com/brochure.html



Notice now there's no baseball stadium, but there is a DAM.

This is the best outcome for everyone, the Drillers go downtown and the river is filled for all the development down south in Tulsa and Jenks.

The dam on the left is existing. the one on the right is further south than the v2025 stuff we've seen before.
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=&ie=UTF8&ll=36.01035,-95.959611&spn=0.011994,0.021822&t=h&z=16

[waterboy]

quote:Originally posted by TheArtist

From what I recall from the more detailed plans, nothing in the River District faces the river. Everthing is more centered around the central square and the lake.

No problem there. Just lamenting the lack of connectibility that I had been told would be included. Looks like it ignores how that springboarded development and sponsorship on the Oklahoma river.

The little lake may be all they need. Some paddle boats, some alfresco dining and a few small kayaks. but then, why build the dam? What is its purpose for this development?

[swake]

quote:Originally posted by sgrizzle

quote:Originally posted by swake

Here's the web site for the River District:
http://www.okriverdistrict.com/

Marketing brochure:
http://www.okriverdistrict.com/brochure.html



Notice now there's no baseball stadium, but there is a DAM.

This is the best outcome for everyone, the Drillers go downtown and the river is filled for all the development down south in Tulsa and Jenks.

The dam on the left is existing. the one on the right is further south than the v2025 stuff we've seen before.
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=&ie=UTF8&ll=36.01035,-95.959611&spn=0.011994,0.021822&t=h&z=16

Hmm, that's true.

If so, I'm not sure how realistic that is for a dam location. I've been told by Jenks officials that the dam there can't be located south of the Polecat creek outflow, there's just too much water coming out of there. Maybe that has been addressed. Maybe the location is more hopeful than realistic.

[waterboy]

All it would take is make a connection to Polecat Creek somewhere across that south border of the existing lake where the railroad runs. That would allow for downstream small watercraft usage but protected from the main river. Then add some sort of dock/pier by the fountain area where they show steps. The steps aren't going to be sufficient for docking a ferry or anything else really.

[Vision 2025]

Presently the approximate dam location is as shown in those renderings and has been coordinated with the River District Development team.  The proposed alignment being studied is at approximately 105th (+/-) Street South however the structure will likely be more perpendicular with the channel than appears in the rendering and may be shifted a bit as engineering studies dictate.  

There are comments in this thread about Polecat Creek which are incorrect; PC enters the River below (South of) the dam site (always has in the plans to the best of my knowledge).  This is primarily due to the silt loading in that stream which would be a significant maintenance issue (slow the water down in the creek as it enters the lake and the silt drops out in the creek bed and plugs the channel).  Plus, having such a tributary join into a lake would project the lake level back up-stream (in the tributary) and effectively raises the water elevation of the creek (which can be a great idea) however that also increases the frequency of the tributary being at flood elevation(s) which can cause other difficulties.  

I believe the River District has an alternate plan to address on site and local storm water runoff which in the master plan site concept rendering was accomplished by a combination drainage channel/inter-lake access canal.  

Lastly the notion that the River District only faces inward appears incorrect from what I have reviewed (although I see differences in these renderings from those previously released) as the sites along the river will have tremendous views and there will be considerable access along the river but not everything can be on the river at this site, hence the development feature concept further inland.

Hope that helps,

Kirby Crowe

[ARGUS]

There needs to be a river access boat ramp to the Arkansas River! I am shocked that the Oklahoma Aquarium din not put one in..............yes some of us have shallow draft boats (air boats, go-devils, hover-craft)capable of navigating this river.
There is an abundance of wildlife in there to see and sport fish.
I once had access to a dirt ramp that put in at Jenks and spent several nice afternoons showing friends Tulsa and Jenks from the river.