Pearl District Canal: Closer to Reality

[dsjeffries]

From the Journal Record,

quote:Tulsa Pearl District canal project enters design stage
April 14, 2008
TULSA – The Pearl District redevelopment project has entered phase two with design and development of a canal system along Sixth Street, to end in a new Tulsa city park near 11th Street and Utica.
The district neighborhood association also is working with city of Tulsa leaders on redesigning two Peoria Avenue intersections, at Sixth and 11th Streets, to encourage and foster more pedestrian traffic.

"We see Sixth Street as the future Cherry Street, very different, very pedestrian friendly," said Jamie Jameson, secretary of the Pearl District Association, developer of The Village at Central Park and a longtime advocate for the neighborhood just east of downtown.

Eight years in the making, the $35 million-plus canal proposal could not only resolve one of Tulsa's last untouched flood plains, but create a pedestrian environment for commercial development through one of the city's often-ignored core neighborhoods.
The first phase was completed in 2006 with the official reopening of the $8 million Centennial Park, a beautiful city park and community center at Sixth and Peoria built around a lake designed to capture flood plain overflow for the Elm Creek Stormwater Basin. The grand design for the Pearl District would connect that park via canals to two other proposed parks to the north and east.

Armed with $2 million in street bond funds, the city of Tulsa Public Works Department is in discussions with landscape architects Alaback Design Associates and Guy Engineering of Tulsa, as well as creative consultant R.D. Flanagan of Flanagan and Associates. All three worked on the Centennial Park project (called Central Park by those in the Pearl District).

While several members of the Pearl District Association have started having preliminary discussions with the contractors, Theron Warlick, a city planner with the city of Tulsa Planning Department, expects the final agreements for these contractors to proceed this spring. They now are under review by the legal department.

Jameson's vision for the Sixth Street canal call for a lane of traffic to run on either side of the waterway, both naturally blending into the traditional sidewalk areas and sustainable green spaces without use of curbs. The urban planner said this would encourage both renewed commercial development and pedestrian interaction while spurring slower traffic speeds.
"Drivers instinctively slow down when they encounter this," he said. "Plus pedestrians feel they have the right to wander around."
Jamison said this would attract everything from apartment and loft operators to retail, restaurant and other entertainment offerings, all without killing vehicle traffic.

"The more congested this gets with pedestrians, the better, as far as we're concerned," he said.
While he appreciated that vision, Warlick cautioned that Jameson's outline marks only one concept under discussion with neighborhood officials. He discouraged getting too specific about these projects before contracts are approved and contractors actually begin their work.

"There's lots of back and forth," he said. "There's many great ideas coming straight from citizens."
The canal's eastern end would flow into a new city park near 11th and Utica, one Warlick said could double the size of Centennial Park, removing several acres of blighted housing.

Another, smaller park would clear away blighted housing for a flood plain holding pond a few blocks north of Centennial Park.
"The concept we're working with now is to have some flood control facilities and around them build back with higher densities," said Warlick. "It should be a very attractive environment."

Long-term plans could lead to an extension of the canal to the University of Tulsa, which would help connect that community to downtown.
"Young people, they recognize that downtown is in the early stages of a transformation," said Jameson, which this canal system would unify and encourage. "And you can't have a healthy downtown without healthy neighborhoods."

On a smaller scale, he sees the same results coming from the $750,000 intersection projects, through engineering and landscape architects Carter Burgess of Tulsa. By improving the crosswalks and landscaping, Jameson expects the projects to not only provide better entryways to the neighborhood, but promote a more sustainable environment.

"It will make it very clear to the motorists that they are entering a pedestrian neighborhood," he said.
Sustainability remains a key factor to Jameson, who has proposed a greenspace agreement with the Oklahoma Department of Transportation to foster native grasses, wildflowers, trees and other beautification steps for about eight acres along State Highway 75 at Seventh and Eighth streets, gateways to downtown Tulsa and the Pearl District.
"What better way to humanize that," he said of the proposal.

With each of these steps, Jameson hopes to see the Indian Nations Council of Governments experiment with form-based codes in place of traditional zoning. Jameson believes adopting form-based codes would further encourage investment in the neighborhood by streamlining the regulatory process.

The Pearl District also is considering applications for Main Street Program participation and LEED accreditation, all to help promote its rejuvenation.

"All are mutually reinforcing, mutually complementary," he said.
These efforts would help turn around a neighborhood that he estimates is only 12-percent owner occupied, far below the estimated 66-percent national average.

They also would help encourage potential contributions to fund their canal visions.
"We think the $2 million that we've already got will leverage $6 million toward the canal installation," said Jameson, although he acknowledged that with steel and concrete inflation, the cost of the project far exceeds that. "It's anybody's guess. It's going to be upwards of $35 million to $45 million. We don't know, because we haven't designed it yet."

Warlick considered the Pearl District discussions a wonderful reminder of how representative government can work.
The original Public Works plan for the Centennial Park flood water basin was to install the equivalent of a giant wash tub, he said, with little thought to the park or neighborhood environment. Inquiries from Pearl District residents like Jameson changed that, helping spur the Sixth Street Task Force and the current development plan.

Warlick expects similar results from ongoing canal talks, such as creating a commercial canal district that still incorporates street traffic.

"If you don't have challenges, you don't get a good design in the end," he said. "Design is about working through challenges."

I'm glad to see this is at least somewhat closer to realization.  When it's completed, this will be a HUGE boon to the area.  That transformation will probably be even more dramatic than what goes on downtown.  I mean, this area is pretty blighted right now, and downtown isn't really blighted...just empty.

I can't wait to see the results.  Go Jamie!

[godboko71]

Can't wait for renders and other information to become available about this project.

[waterboy]

I saw no mention of public mass trans in the story. Is there any effort to blend those efforts in to the Pearl District? There once was a rail trolley that ran down the middle of 6th street from TU to downtown. Resurrecting it would make sense if density is to increase in the area.

[TheArtist]

quote:Originally posted by godboko71

Can't wait for renders and other information to become available about this project.

I am working on it, give me another week or so.lol

[MichaelBates]

I'm happy to read that the Pearl District's flood mitigation plan is finally moving forward.

quote:Originally posted by waterboy

I saw no mention of public mass trans in the story. Is there any effort to blend those efforts in to the Pearl District? There once was a rail trolley that ran down the middle of 6th street from TU to downtown. Resurrecting it would make sense if density is to increase in the area.

A trolley connecting downtown and TU through the Pearl District is a neat idea, but according to When Oklahoma Took the Trolley, the trolley (Tulsa Street Railway) didn't travel 6th Street. The 3rd Street line branched at Madison: One branch went north to 1st Street, east to Lewis, then south to 7th and east to TU. The other branch went south to 5th Street, east to Quincy, then south to 15th.

The Oklahoma Union Railway reached the TU area and the Fairgrounds via 4th Street, Elgin, 11th, Delaware, 13th, and Louisville, with a branch line on St. Louis Ave. to Orcutt (Swan Lake) Park.

[waterboy]

quote:Originally posted by MichaelBates

I'm happy to read that the Pearl District's flood mitigation plan is finally moving forward.

quote:Originally posted by waterboy

I saw no mention of public mass trans in the story. Is there any effort to blend those efforts in to the Pearl District? There once was a rail trolley that ran down the middle of 6th street from TU to downtown. Resurrecting it would make sense if density is to increase in the area.

A trolley connecting downtown and TU through the Pearl District is a neat idea, but according to When Oklahoma Took the Trolley, the trolley (Tulsa Street Railway) didn't travel 6th Street. The 3rd Street line branched at Madison: One branch went north to 1st Street, east to Lewis, then south to 7th and east to TU. The other branch went south to 5th Street, east to Quincy, then south to 15th.

The Oklahoma Union Railway reached the TU area and the Fairgrounds via 4th Street, Elgin, 11th, Delaware, 13th, and Louisville, with a branch line on St. Louis Ave. to Orcutt (Swan Lake) Park.

Another urban myth dispelled. It was passed to me by locals in that area where I grew up. Memories do tend to get fuzzy. Would be an interesting route though.

[godboko71]

quote:Originally posted by TheArtist



I am working on it, give me another week or so.lol

Cool deal can't wait!!!

[Double A]

Paid for with 2 million in street bond funds? No wonder we don't have any money for streets. I am surprised that Councilor Eric "streets first" Gomez will support this.

[TheArtist]

Yea that 2mill will make a dent in the billion dollar amount we need to fix all the streets. Btw, have you gone down 6th street by Poria? The streets and especially the sidewalks there need fixing like many other areas. If your going to have to rip up the streets and sidewalks to fix them anyway... why not do them a bit differently and improve the street so that its not just a place for cars but also pedestrian friendly and hopefully will contribute to improving a blighted area of the city? It will add beauty and liveability to the neighborhood, enhance opportunity, walkability, and help promote businesses that are already in the area.

Getting rid of a lane of traffic "less road" and promoting walkability will be more cost efficient in the long run. People who can't afford or dont want cars will have another area in which to live,work and shop. Taking a few trips off the road, helps with wear and tear per person. Getting a blighted area to improve brings in more tax dollars. I doubt the people and businesses that are there now pay enough to upkeep the roads there,,, a thriving business and living area will bring in more taxes to pay for those roads in that area. Having a denser, more pedestrian area there will help give alternative transportation like the bus, a boost in ridership. having a "better than average" street will improve quality of life for everyone in the area. An investment worth making imo for many different reasons.

Money is going to have to be spent on that road, sidewalks and for storm water drainage anyway. Do all the work a little differently, add a little extra money and creative thought to do it beautifully. Hopefully some money will also be coming from several different sources. Some extra expenses will be lessened from doing your normal road, water mitigation, pipes, sidewalks, etc. by some money saving features and ideas. "hopefully there will be no curbs or curb cuts to pay for because there wont be any traditional sidewalks or curbs at all".

I will try to do several renderings and hope to be able to post them and get opinions and yes, cost saving ideas. I hope we can take a blighted area and turn it into something wonderful, and with enough smarts and HELPFUL imput do it in a cost efficient manner. I will be looking for the best way to do this in as inexpensive a manner, yet in as quality a manner as possible. And if we can figure out different places to get donations and funds, lets go for it.

[Double A]

quote:Originally posted by TheArtist

Yea that 2mill will make a dent in the billion dollar amount we need to fix all the streets. Btw, have you gone down 6th street by Poria? The streets and especially the sidewalks there need fixing like many other areas. If your going to have to rip up the streets and sidewalks to fix them anyway... why not do them a bit differently and improve the street so that its not just a place for cars but also pedestrian friendly and hopefully will contribute to improving a blighted area of the city? It will add beauty and liveability to the neighborhood, enhance opportunity, walkability, and help promote businesses that are already in the area.

Getting rid of a lane of traffic "less road" and promoting walkability will be more cost efficient in the long run. People who can't afford or dont want cars will have another area in which to live,work and shop. Taking a few trips off the road, helps with wear and tear per person. Getting a blighted area to improve brings in more tax dollars. I doubt the people and businesses that are there now pay enough to upkeep the roads there,,, a thriving business and living area will bring in more taxes to pay for those roads in that area. Having a denser, more pedestrian area there will help give alternative transportation like the bus, a boost in ridership. having a "better than average" street will improve quality of life for everyone in the area. An investment worth making imo for many different reasons.

Money is going to have to be spent on that road, sidewalks and for storm water drainage anyway. Do all the work a little differently, add a little extra money and creative thought to do it beautifully. Hopefully some money will also be coming from several different sources. Some extra expenses will be lessened from doing your normal road, water mitigation, pipes, sidewalks, etc. by some money saving features and ideas. "hopefully there will be no curbs or curb cuts to pay for because there wont be any traditional sidewalks or curbs at all".

I will try to do several renderings and hope to be able to post them and get opinions and yes, cost saving ideas. I hope we can take a blighted area and turn it into something wonderful, and with enough smarts and HELPFUL imput do it in a cost efficient manner. I will be looking for the best way to do this in as inexpensive a manner, yet in as quality a manner as possible. And if we can figure out different places to get donations and funds, lets go for it.

It's the cumulative kill of street money being diverted to pork barrel pet projects that have caused the neglect and deteriorated state of our streets. Here's some helpful input, the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result. If Gomez supports this, he is a hypocrite.

I thought all the money that has already been spent in the area would bring in private investment to alleviate the "blight"?

[TheArtist]

Aaah patience grasshopper. That area is already nicer than it was and is making the city more money than it did. With more to come very soon. Plus we have been down the argument of where the money went for the roads and was there ever enough even if things weren't diverted to flood control or pork. "one mans pork, may be another mans bacon, if he lives in a flood prone area"

But let me put this in a way I perhaps should have done to begin with.

This area is going to see growth regardless. Do you not think it will get more development? That we will not see it pick up and have new businesses?  Do we also not need to redo the roads and sidewalks there? I hear that the city needs to finish some flood mitigating projects for that area as well. For my part, what I would like to see is an exceptional area. Something unique that goes above the ordinary. (I actually find it sad that what they are wanting to do is so unique and exceptional for our city) And not just any ol growth, but a specific type of growth in a specific type of environment. This is not to spur development in my mind, for that area will develope regardless. I do think it will only help however and will encourage and spur a more postitive, productive kind of growth. I doubt it would do the reverse?

I see a group of people getting together and wanting the area in which they live and own businesses trying to create something above the ordinary. In a way this is a "preemtive strike". Setting the type of developoment landscape before the development occurs. We say we want to create beautiful, attractive, walkable, safe, urban, districts for the people of this city, for people who enjoy, or even need, such places. Wouldnt it be less expensive in the long run to do certain things now, while its all going to have to be torn up and redone anyway?  Why try to go back in and create this "landscape" if you will, after you redo it one way and also have it likely developed on in a way that will also make it all the more difficult and expensive? You may not be able to do it later, or certainly wont be able to do it as cheaply.  And again, much needs to be done and redone regardless.

Yes it may cost more. BUT if we ever want something of this type for our city,,,, Now while the roads and sidewalks need redoing, now in an area with depressed property values yet situated in an area ripe with potential, now while the water problems are being addressed, now while there is a group of people living in the area that are in agreement to do something like this, NOW is the best time to do it. Not later, not after money has been spent and the roads and sidewalks are done, not after the holes have been dug and pipes laid under the streets, not in another area where there is not going to be the need for "holes/retention ponds" and pipes or ditches, not in an area that is already redeveloped and far more expensive and distruptive to redo. Its the perfect place to do something like this, and the perfect time.

[Conan71]

Between this post and Kenosha's on Crow Creek, I'm a fan.  That's what stream development should be about right now and it doesn't siphon off huge amounts of$$.

If anything, for the Pearl, it should raise property taxes and sales taxes when it's all said and done.  At the scale of the project I think it's a great idea.  If it were something much larger and over-sold, wouldn't like it so much.

[Double A]

quote:Originally posted by TheArtist

Aaah patience grasshopper. That area is already nicer than it was and is making the city more money than it did. With more to come very soon. Plus we have been down the argument of where the money went for the roads and was there ever enough even if things weren't diverted to flood control or pork. "one mans pork, may be another mans bacon, if he lives in a flood prone area"

But let me put this in a way I perhaps should have done to begin with.

This area is going to see growth regardless. Do you not think it will get more development? That we will not see it pick up and have new businesses?  Do we also not need to redo the roads and sidewalks there? I hear that the city needs to finish some flood mitigating projects for that area as well. For my part, what I would like to see is an exceptional area. Something unique that goes above the ordinary. (I actually find it sad that what they are wanting to do is so unique and exceptional for our city) And not just any ol growth, but a specific type of growth in a specific type of environment. This is not to spur development in my mind, for that area will develope regardless. I do think it will only help however and will encourage and spur a more postitive, productive kind of growth. I doubt it would do the reverse?

I see a group of people getting together and wanting the area in which they live and own businesses trying to create something above the ordinary. In a way this is a "preemtive strike". Setting the type of developoment landscape before the development occurs. We say we want to create beautiful, attractive, walkable, safe, urban, districts for the people of this city, for people who enjoy, or even need, such places. Wouldnt it be less expensive in the long run to do certain things now, while its all going to have to be torn up and redone anyway?  Why try to go back in and create this "landscape" if you will, after you redo it one way and also have it likely developed on in a way that will also make it all the more difficult and expensive? You may not be able to do it later, or certainly wont be able to do it as cheaply.  And again, much needs to be done and redone regardless.

Yes it may cost more. BUT if we ever want something of this type for our city,,,, Now while the roads and sidewalks need redoing, now in an area with depressed property values yet situated in an area ripe with potential, now while the water problems are being addressed, now while there is a group of people living in the area that are in agreement to do something like this, NOW is the best time to do it. Not later, not after money has been spent and the roads and sidewalks are done, not after the holes have been dug and pipes laid under the streets, not in another area where there is not going to be the need for "holes/retention ponds" and pipes or ditches, not in an area that is already redeveloped and far more expensive and distruptive to redo. Its the perfect place to do something like this, and the perfect time.

That's a pretty little highly speculative picture you paint there, but it still doesn't justify diverting street money away to pay for it. Once again, where is the private investment that was promised to follow when the original money was spent in that area? Where is the return on that investment? Where is all the retail that was going to follow? Where are all the developers?

[TheArtist]

quote:Originally posted by Double A

quote:Originally posted by TheArtist

Aaah patience grasshopper. That area is already nicer than it was and is making the city more money than it did. With more to come very soon. Plus we have been down the argument of where the money went for the roads and was there ever enough even if things weren't diverted to flood control or pork. "one mans pork, may be another mans bacon, if he lives in a flood prone area"

But let me put this in a way I perhaps should have done to begin with.

This area is going to see growth regardless. Do you not think it will get more development? That we will not see it pick up and have new businesses?  Do we also not need to redo the roads and sidewalks there? I hear that the city needs to finish some flood mitigating projects for that area as well. For my part, what I would like to see is an exceptional area. Something unique that goes above the ordinary. (I actually find it sad that what they are wanting to do is so unique and exceptional for our city) And not just any ol growth, but a specific type of growth in a specific type of environment. This is not to spur development in my mind, for that area will develope regardless. I do think it will only help however and will encourage and spur a more postitive, productive kind of growth. I doubt it would do the reverse?

I see a group of people getting together and wanting the area in which they live and own businesses trying to create something above the ordinary. In a way this is a "preemtive strike". Setting the type of developoment landscape before the development occurs. We say we want to create beautiful, attractive, walkable, safe, urban, districts for the people of this city, for people who enjoy, or even need, such places. Wouldnt it be less expensive in the long run to do certain things now, while its all going to have to be torn up and redone anyway?  Why try to go back in and create this "landscape" if you will, after you redo it one way and also have it likely developed on in a way that will also make it all the more difficult and expensive? You may not be able to do it later, or certainly wont be able to do it as cheaply.  And again, much needs to be done and redone regardless.

Yes it may cost more. BUT if we ever want something of this type for our city,,,, Now while the roads and sidewalks need redoing, now in an area with depressed property values yet situated in an area ripe with potential, now while the water problems are being addressed, now while there is a group of people living in the area that are in agreement to do something like this, NOW is the best time to do it. Not later, not after money has been spent and the roads and sidewalks are done, not after the holes have been dug and pipes laid under the streets, not in another area where there is not going to be the need for "holes/retention ponds" and pipes or ditches, not in an area that is already redeveloped and far more expensive and distruptive to redo. Its the perfect place to do something like this, and the perfect time.

That's a pretty little highly speculative picture you paint there, but it still doesn't justify diverting street money away to pay for it. Once again, where is the private investment that was promised to follow when the original money was spent in that area? Where is the return on that investment? Where is all the retail that was going to follow? Where are all the developers?

You could say that about a looot of streets and water retention projects. And zeesh these things take a little time. Goodness they just barely got the first phase "the central or centennial park" done literally a matter of months ago. I have noticed several businesses there on Peoria sprucing up and a new one getting ready on the corner of 11th and Peoria. There is a new architectural firm that has recently announced it is to move in there on 6th. Not to mention the areas push to have new buildings of brick have made the area look quite nice. Heck just the park itself is very nice and I see a lot of people out there every day I have been working in the new Central Center. That is an improvement to the city no matter how you look at it. Parks cost money, retention ponds cost money, both are important imo. Of course you can holler that any money used for any other things other than roads is money "diverted" from the roads. It doesnt have to be an either or thing. We should and will fix the roads and hopefully when we do that and fix the flooding problems in the area we will also do more.

And give it some time to redevelop over there. It will take years, even decades, not months and doing it exceptionally well, above average, will be worth it. I would say that in about 15 years you will see a very different area that will only continue to improve. And by laying the foundations for something wonderful now, while the opportunity is there, when we are redoing the streets and sidewalks anyway, while we need to address the flooding problems anyway... We will be very grateful and proud of the descisions to do something a step above.

And ya know what? The roads may be fixed by then lol. Or we may still be arguing and fussing about how bad they are BUT regardless there will be one more area that we will be proud of, that works, that is beautiful, another Woodward Park like area, another Cherry Street/Utica Square type area. Actually a very unique area, but again, one thats still wonderful.

It seems we have always had some crappy roads. I have been looking at old pics of Tulsa on the Beryl Ford collection. Good lawd the roads in most of those old photos look abysmal. But still they managed to create some very nice and useful; areas, public buildings, parks, etc. during those times. I am glad they did. I dont think it would have made the economy of the city better if they had used the money on potholes instead. I dont think it would have made the quality of life and opportunities that much better if they had filled in potholes instead. I would rather drive on crappy roads to some place worth going to than smooth roads to no where. Frankly I would rather BE some place nice rather than driving on something nice. I think that if we had been doing more of this stuff all along we wouldn't be in the fix we are in with the roads.

Again that saying... If you plan for people and places you get people and places. If you plan for cars and traffic you get cars and traffic.

[FOTD]

What Jerry Maguire said....