You be the judge.

This is an interesting article from downtownguy's blog! www.downtownguy.blogspot.com.

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"Lower Bricktown

Sometimes, it’s interesting to delve back into what was promised, what was envisioned, and what’s been delivered. So let’s go back in time, back when Moshe Tal was just beginning to ponder what a courtroom might look like. Today, we know the area as “Lower Bricktown,” but back in 1998, the property south of Reno Avenue didn’t have a canal flowing through it. It was just an industrial wasteland.



Perkowitz + Ruth Architects made the rounds back then, showing off designs they completed for Torchmark Hogan (now Stonegate Hogan). The designs called for an entertainment center that would revolve around a $30 million, 22-screen Edwards megaplex theater featuring an IMAX 3D component, plus 75,000 to 80,000 square feet of retail and restaurants in phase one, a colorful boulevard with kiosks for retailers, cafes, a high-tech video arcade, a new canal weaving through the complex, and extensive landscaping.
Phase two was promised to include a mid-size hotel and additional retail.
Names of other tenants were not released, but project sources said they had an eye on a high-tech restaurant/entertainment entity that would occupy 40,000 square feet.

So what else did they have to say?

Crafting a Visionary Oasis
"We are crafting what should be a visionary oasis where a diversity of entertainment, retail and commercial elements will attract local residents and visitors to a very special destination," commented Marios Savopoulos, director of design at Perkowitz + Ruth’s Newport Beach office.

Bricktown is the name given to the city’s warehouse district for its predominance of brick buildings. The Bricktown Entertainment Center is being built on 50 acres of vacant land where some of the smaller warehouse buildings once stood but were acquired and demolished by the city over the years. The new center will continue the theme with the liberal use of decorative brick, cobblestone-like pavers, slate accents and textured concrete, and will expand on an already popular community of restaurants in downtown Oklahoma City. According to Randy Hogan of Hogan Property Management, the warehouse district began converting to restaurants and office uses many years ago and now contains a variety of trendy spots such as Spaghetti Warehouse, Abuelo’s, Chilini’s, Bricktown Brewery and Crabtown.

Area Attractions Draw Crowds
Visitors to Bricktown topped 3.6 million in 1997, Hogan said, partly due to the restaurant traffic and partly for a series of events such as the annual Blues Festival and the July 4th celebration, which draws 40,000 to 60,000 people each year. The University of Oklahoma in Norman is a half-hour drive away and provides considerable customer flow on weekends, Hogan said.

At the core of Bricktown Entertainment Center will stand the 134,000-square-foot Edwards Theatres complex framed by two enclosed lobbies * a grand lobby for entrance and tickets, followed by an inner lobby for concessions. The 22 screens will accommodate 6,000 customers in extra-wide seats with state-of-the-art projection and audio equipment. Hogan said Edwards expects to draw 1.5 million viewers annually, adding that he hopes the Bricktown Center will boost the district’s total traffic to between 5 million and 7 million.

The nearest comparable movie theater is a new 20-screen Cinemark Tinseltown about four miles away in the northeast sector of the city, according to David Jones of the Oklahoma City Urban Renewal Authority (OCURA). "There may be an old movie theater closer in, but I don’t think so," Jones said, adding that he considers the Cinemark theater "a bit of a gamble" because there has been little retail development in that area, whereas Bricktown has an established traffic flow.



Phase one, which also will include 75,000 to 80,000 square feet of retail and restaurants, Savopoulos said, is expected to cost about $47 million, including the canal and public amenities. In the second phase will be a mid-size hotel and additional retail, bringing the total project price tag to $120 million. The cost of the hotel alone could be $70 million to $80 million, he said.

TMK/Hogan and Edwards Theatres Circuits Inc. paid $3 million for the land they will use, but the Urban Redevelopment Authority put that $3 million back into development of amenities along the canal. "You could say they got free land," said Stoll.

City council has set a January deadline for final development contracts to be executed, and groundbreaking will follow, according to Stoll. The final choice by the city council of TMK/Hogan was "a very controversial selection," Stoll said. The developer had been selected already, when a competing proposal from another local firm forced a showdown. A council vote to reconsider the developer selection ended in a 5-4 vote in favor of TMK/Hogan last May. Wounds from that battle are "healing," said Stoll.

"This is our first entertainment center," Hogan said. "We’re fairly active in retail in the area," he said, noting that his firm represents Home Depot in the Oklahoma City area and is developing a waterfront restaurant on nearby Lake Hefner. Torchmark developed Rancho LaQuinta Country Club in LaQuinta, California, where the "Skins" game is played, and Liberty Park, a 2,500 acre upscale planned community in Vestavia Hills, Alabama, outside Birmingham. The development includes retail and office complexes of a traditional nature.

Management and leasing will be handled by TMK/Hogan and financing is not yet settled, Hogan said. "We have a couple of options, with letters of intent. We’ll start on that next month." Groundbreaking for the Edwards Theater is scheduled for April, 1999, and the grand opening is set for April, 2000.

Personally, I was never thrilled about the original Bricktown Entertainment Center designs. It was too Spanish, too out of place in what is an old warehouse district.

So what happened?

Moshe Tal, whose own plans for the area were rejected by Urban Renewal and the Oklahoma City Council, sued. And he sued. And sued.

Edwards Theaters went bankrupt.

And for awhile, it seemed as if nothing would ever happen.

So what did we end up with?

Certainly, no IMAX. But IMAX isn’t the big deal we thought it would be. And the 16-screen Harkins Theater we did get features a CineCapri, which is in itself very impressive.

Is the design better? You be the judge?



True to his word, Hogan still included a fountain and plaza at the center of what we now call Lower Bricktown.
Still, some of the architecture doesn’t look much different than that being built along Memorial Road or in Edmond:

The crowds don’t seem to mind. Toby Keith’s I Love this Bar and Grill is looking good for an opening this summer. And construction of a $35 million hotel should start soon. But if you visit www.lowerbricktown.com, you’ll quickly discover that only three building pad sites remain to be built in Lower Bricktown. Will Hogan take the easy way out, just building more restaurants and offices? Or will he go for something exciting, a Dave and Busters, or a bookstore, or a second music hall or entertainment themed operation that would compliment Toby Keiths? Will Hogan give us a second hotel, or dare we hope, retail and housing?

The next few months ought to tell us what’s to come.

- The Downtown Guy
www.downtownguy.blogspot.com"

Hmm....looks like Hogan didn't stick with his original plans. The original pics show two story building, with a 2nd floor side walk, similar to that on the North canal. That obviously never happened.

Also, he originally promised a Dick Clark's American Bandstand Grill. That never happened. Then a Jamaba Juice. That never happened. Then a Sega Gameworks. That never happened.

I admit, I like the smaller, but still large theater. And we probably didn't need an IMAX, as we already have an IWERKS at Omniplex, that doesn't do too well.

I always thought a 22 screen theater was a little large for an urban area.

Moshe Tal's plan wasn't much more urban though. It included a mall the size of Crossroads and Quail Springs combined! to be realistic, I doubt we could've supported another mall, at least as large as he was proposing!

I do think Hogan needs to consider developing more sites on the canal. Let's get rid of these surface lots, and make Lower Bricktown more dense.

I think what we have now is considerably better than those renderings, First of all, they remind me of something straight out of dallas or houston. And second of all, they definatly wouldn't have mixed with the original bricktown concept. What we have now is unique and provokes curiosity from passers by on the highway. I think if someone from Dallas, L.A.,Kansas City, or one of the many other large metros passed by and saw another "town center". they would just keep passing by. Now I am not saying a town center is negative, just the kind shown in that rendering. The Triangle needless to say will be an amazing "town center" unique from many other metros. But all I am saying is I have been to plenty of cities with the type of developments shown above. They amazed me when I was about 7 years old, but now they just bore me to tears. And to me they have been so overdone that they look tacky. I consider them "urban eyesores", but that might be a little harsh. What I like about how Lower bricktown has turned out, is that it is like a painting, we have the main concept illustrated, now all we need to do is fill it in with the vibrant color. Lower bricktown has huge potential, let's just hope Hogan finishes the job right.

That has to be the most rediculous thing I've ever heard. Not attacking you...but I just think this is a little out there. First of all, I don't believe anyone from L.A. or Dallas is going to be too impressed with anything in Bricktown at the time for two reasons, they already have similar developments, and theirs are much larger than Bricktown is right now. Also, if you think the original plan, the one in the rendering, is boring compared to what has been built in the recent past, then something is wrong. Lower Bricktown, with the Harkins(a joke as far as a nice theatre goes) and the buildings that Earl's and Nothing but Noodles are in don't even match the quality of most of the buildings along 71st st. in Tulsa or Penn Ave. Do this for me, go into the Harkin's and just walk around, then go into the Cinemark in Tulsa and you will see what I am talking about...It's like comparing a Ford to a Jaguar.

What makes me the maddest about Bricktown is it is like they aren't learning anything. The Harkin's was a mistake, and now, even though Toby Keith's is going to be an interesting place, it fits in with the whole Bricktown theme worse than the suburban theater.

Maybe the city will get it right with the Triangle District...I can actually see this turning into something awesome of the next few years.

One last thing, don't get me wrong, I enjoy going to Bricktown. Upper Bricktown reminds me of something I would be doing on vacation, but as you walk down the canal towards lower Bricktown, it reminds me of the new Stonewood Hills development in B.A. except Stonewood Hills is going to be better planned and nicer.

This is just a shot in the dark but here goes.......I think that maybe, just maybe Nuclear 2525 lives in Tulsa.

Another case of jealous little brother syndrome.

Actually I live in neither city. I live in Norman at the moment and when I'm not in Norman I am in Muskogee. I spend equal amounts in both cities and have no bias. If you read my posts on http://tulsanow.org/forum/default.asp?CAT_ID=2, you will see that I have good and bad opinions of both cities. My opinion of Tulsa is that is is 10 years behind OKC and is trying to copy it too much. My opinion of OKC is that it has the potential to have some very unique things, but when OKC's famed development does not equal the quality of suburban 71st st. in Tulsa, there are some problems with it.

Out of all the people on this forum, I would say that I am one of the least bias.

I wouldn't get too high on yourself yet, you're obviously a little delirious because OKC has a long way to go to be a city that another city is jealous of.

Anyway, had to respond to the attack, I won't be posting anymore attacks on anyone...just had to get that off of my chest because I knew that someone on this forum wouldn't be able to handle the hard truth. I apologize to everyone that is a little more sensible about this matter.

Ok, I actually live in Los Angeles(Long Beach) and agree that any comparison of OKC to LA or these other mega urban centers is very pre mature. I found some of your posts on Tulsanow.org and you are indeed unbiased and quite fair. It seems that I was too hasty in assuming something that wasn't correct. Unfortunately, I do quite often find OKC bashing being done by residents of Tulsa and though everyone is entitled to their opinion, I don't see any justification for the rival- like (and almost fuedish) type of mudslinging that goes back and forth between the two cities and it obviously rubs me the wrong way. Again, I apologize for the incorrect assumption.

Actually, the posts of yours that I was able to peruse were quite informative and researched. Keep it up.

Hey, nuclear2525! Long time no see. I used to post as TStorm on the TulsaNow forum. Anyway, nice to see you posting on our forum, and although I agree with you on the quality of development in Lower Bricktown, I will stress that the fountain plaza by the canal fronting the theater is awesome, and something I've wanted to see for a long time.

Another point I wanted to stress, nuclear2525, is that despite the disagreements over want has happened in Lower Bricktown, it is impressing out-of-towners. I've spoken to many people visiting from out of town, from friends and family to acquaintances, who have enjoyed Bass Pro AND Harkins. Indeed, a couple confessed they've seen nicer developments, but they were impressed to see so much activity in the entertainment district.

Again, thank you for sharing your opinion, nuclear2525. We'll keep you posted on new and exciting developments in Bricktown, The Triangle, The Hill, and Western Avenue.

I apologize too. I have been blamed for being negative on the Tulsa Now Forum and that rubbed me the wrong way. I try to keep my posts as unbias as possible because bias posts don't get us anywhere.

okcpulse, I do agree with you that the fountain plaza area is great. One thing I think OKC is doing great most of downtown and Bricktown, is keeping it clean. After visiting downtown Dallas and the West End several times, I have decided that I could care less to go back because it always looked dirty and I always felt like I needed a shower after I left. So as long as OKC can keep this up then I will continue to enjoy it.

I enjoy both of these as well, I just wish they wouldn't have been able to build the style of building they did. To me Edwards Cinema, from the picture, even though it is much larger, looks more urban and would have fit MUCH better downtown...still not the perfect cinema, but would've looked better than the Harkin's. Harkin's is enjoyable, just not what I wanted for a nice urban theater.

I am sorry for offending you. I am not saying everyone must feel this way. just that if it were me those would be and are my feelings. Everyone is different though. but all the same i am very happy with lower Bricktown and bricktown as a whole. Either way it is unique to other metros and gives me a sense of pride in my city.

Hogan was a poor choice to begin with. His projects look like something you'd see in Edmond. The Bass Pro doesn't belong there, it never fit in with the "Urban Warehouse Theme" in Bricktown. ( An REI in a building that resembled an old warehouse... now that would've been cool.) I liked the idea of the theatre, and the Harkins isn't bad. But aesthetically, it doesn't fit in with the area either. Nothin' But Noodles and Earl's Ribs.... C'mon! Couldn't he have shot for something that we DON'T already have in Oklahoma? (i.e. Cheesecake Factory, California Pizza Kitchen, Buca di Bepo)? Oh and there is nothing I find "scenic" about a canal lined here and there with parking lots. Thank you Mr. Hogan for creating a lil' piece of surburbia smack dab in the middle of Bricktown! What's next Mr. Hogan, a Wal-Mart? I wouldn't be surprised.

Another thing, I noticed that someone is building a 3 story building with retail and lofts right next to the Harkin's on the river. I read that it is going to have a TOTAL of only 6 lofts. Is this a joke? I realize that any housing downtown is good, but 6 is not enough. Most people that want to live in something like this want to live around people. Why can't the developer go up a few more stories and maybe squeeze 30-40 lofts into the plan?

Maybe it will be ok...Downtownguys blog mentioned that there was going to be some major announcements about housing along the canal and in Bricktown in the near future...I wonder what they will be!

I hate to be pessimistic about downtown and Bricktown, but I have to agree with you somewhat about Hogan's development. Many here will remember that I wasn't hip on Hogan's plan from the beginning. I always thought he was an inexperienced developer, whose primary focus was managing office space, and who had no experience putting together an entertainment district. I predicted that Lower Bricktown would follow the same path as East Wharf. Well, I suppose in a way, I was right. East Wharf is nowhere near what many of us had hoped for. But, I guess that's a whole other topic. The point is, Lower Bricktown is nowhere near what we had hoped for.

Just looking at Moshe Tal/David Cordish's plans makes you wonder if maybe that team could've done better. I know, I know...he was a sue happy psycho without any financing. Looking at his own commercial property pretty much tells you his story. His plan looked gorgious on paper, but I doubt he would've gotten very far with it.

But, something to consider....does Hogan really have all that much financing to back him up either? He couldn't even find the money to finance the Bass Pro Shop....instead, he had to beg City Hall for the money. But, I suppose a suburban development is better than a mound of dirt...or is it?

To summarize, I wish I could say that Hogan's development was unexpected, but it really wasn't.

My only hope was that when Edwards Theaters was pulled off of the plan, OCURA would reconsider Hogan. The city discussed reopening the development for proposals. Unfortunately, that idea was defeated 5-4 by our city council. In the end OCURA gave Hogan deadlines, but those deadlines were always altered to meet Hogan's needs, thus they were somewhat of a joke.

Could we have done better than Hogan? Certainly. But, you have to remember, back when Hogan was first chosen, the idea of having a suburban development in Bricktown was actually a sight for sore eyes. Having a movie theater surrounded with restaurants in Bricktown was a dream! We didn't have as high expectations as we do now. That was before the ballpark was even completed.
In my opinion, the city should've delayed seeking a developer until after the ballpark and canal were built....that would've given some time for the renaissance movement to develop. Now, the whole country knows about the renaissance in Bricktown. Just think of how many developers would be interested in developing an entertainment district in Bricktown today.

Okay, I commented on the developer, I'd like to comment more on the development itself.

Lower Bricktown has turned out to be a typical suburban development. The movie theater doesn't look much different from Cinemark Tinsletown or Regal Crossroads 16. The two smaller restaurant buildings are low, one story buildings you'd find in a local strip mall, like Quail Springs Marketplace or Westgate Marketplace.
The Bass Pro Shop looks like a suburban style sporting goods store, with a sea of parking out front.

Personally, I think the original proposed pictures looked better. I'll admit the Edwards Theater was too large for a downtown area, but it did look more urban. Also, the restuarant buildings at least had a canal and street level, matching some buildings in North Bricktown.

In all truth though, I was never in favor of a large multiscreen movie theater in Bricktown. Mega multiscreen movie theaters are for the suburbs. If a movie theater was going to be built, I would've rather seen a smaller theater that was very upscale and offered a full dinner with the movie, complete with a full bar.

I also would have much rather seen buildings more like those on the North Canal, warehouse style buildings with multiple floors, filled with restaurants, shops, and loft apartments. Also, a few high rise hotels like those found on the San Antonion Riverwalk would have been nice. Something more dense than the development we have now.

Instead of surface parking, I envisioned parking garages. Obviously if Hogan had the financial backing he claimed, he would have the money to build such garages, and profit from them.

You have to remember, this is the guy that claimed he had the financial backing to "build every square inch of the project and lease it back." Yet, he couldn't even come up with his own financing for Bass Pro!

Anyways, I guess surface parking right on the canal is my main concern. That ugly sea of parking coming right up to the canal just east of Sonic is an eyesore. So is the large lot behind the waterfall. Looks like nothing is changing on the south canal either. A new lot is being built near the canal south of I-40.

Hopefully in due time, as demand for space increases in Bricktown, the shorter buildings willl be replaced with taller buildings. This may take a long long time though.

who knows though...From what downtown guy said on his blog, maybe more dense buildings are coming...all is not lost yet.

There's still a possiblity for a residential tower or a high rise hotel (it's been mentioned by Hogan several times) just west of the retail/restaurant complex planned for property near the theater.

Bricktown is everything we were promised, and more. We did not get it perfect, it did not come when it was promised to have came, but when it got here in full stide, it was more than we expected. OKC has taken this concept by the handful and made it a star attraction. Just think, now we are bored w/ amazingly austentatious retail, and moving on to urban housing of our own. We currently have MAJOR plans, three contenders for one site and as I believe, an entirely differant thing that is simillar. Soon, Downtown may, just may, recieve a new skyscraper, and OKC will be back on EVERYONE'S map as being a great, booming place to be, live, and visit.

Check out http://www.lowerbricktown.com and you can see plans for the whole of Lower Bricktown. There is even a rendering of that retail/restaurant/residential building next to Harkins. Somewhat underwhelming in my opinion.

Hopefully spending in LB will remain strong and merit more development on top of these uses. I remember downtownguy mentioning that we ought to consider these buildings (especially the Sonic/NBN, Marble Slab/Earl's) to be placeholders. Personally , I can enjoy what's there now, but until we get a bookstore or some type of daytime activity that gets people to spend more time there (Bass Pro can only do so much), LB will not be all it can be. The longer people stay, the more money they'll spend.

Someone commented that the buildings in Lower Bricktown are worse than those on Memorial Rd. I ate at Sonic in Bricktown today and took a closer look at the buildings. I disagree with the assessment I mentioned in my first statement. Although the building aren't as large as I had hoped, they do at least fit in with the "Brick"town decor. The Sonic Building, the Sonic Restaurant/NBN building, and the Earls/Marble Slab building are all covered mostly in brick. That's better than the concrete pre-fab and concrete block buildings on Memorial Rd.

I took a closer look at the theater. Sure, it isn't brick, but it is quite colorful. It isn't dull appearing like AMC, Regal 16, and Tinsletown.
I'll admit, the building could've been constructed in a more urban manner, with parking underneath, but it isn't a bad start in an area that had very little just 2 to 3 years ago.

One thing we have to consider....Rome wasn't built in a day. Neither will Lower Bricktown.

10-20 years from now, I think Bricktown will look completely different than it does today. I'd imagine the smaller buildings will be gone, replaced by taller buildings due to demand. I'll imagine that parking problems will still be an issue, but surface lots will disappear as development continues.

Things could be worse. At least the theater was built right on the canal. It could've been separated from the canal by a sea of concrete like Bass Pro. Instead, parking is next to and behind the theater.

There are still a few sites to develop....

1. The site between the theater and Toby Keith's.
2. A site just southwest of Bass Pro on the canal
3. The site Luke mentioned.
4. The Hammons Hotel site (hopefully that will still be a fine development)

And don't forget land available on the north canal, and empty warehouses still on the north canal.

I notice they're doing a lot of work on the canal south of I-40. Is there any further development planned over there, or is it supposed to remain a "park" type atmosphere?

For now, it will remain a park type atmosphere. Development may spread south as demand warrants, but original plans actually called for leaving the south canal a park, to distinguish it from the rustle and bustle of urban life on the north canal. Carl Sullivan actually supports keeping it a park-like setting. I suppose this is one issue he and disagree on. I'd like to see some development on the south canal, although not as dense as on the north canal and middle segment.

In regards to the work you are seeing on the south canal, they're building a larger parking lot for the boat house and for activities around Regatta Park and along the south canal.

IMO, Lower Bricktown is a decent effort considering the early stage of retail/office development of the area.

Development of new/changing areas is a bit of chicken and the egg. Someone has to be first movers and demonstrate certain things can be done successfully before others will follow. Same logic applies to Bass Pro.

I never got the impression we had legions of sophisticated, experienced developers lining up for these projects. You had to know it would take a local group that was at least partly driven by the love and knowledge of OKC.

There are still huge amounts of property to be developed in and around Bricktown, so I'm not going to worry too much about Lower Bricktown in itself, other than that is acheives enough success to pave the way for more projects.


Bricktown was in serious, desperate need of something other than restaurants and Stonegate Hogan delivered Harkins at one of the worst times ever for movie theater chains. It's not just Edwards... Most of them are having terrible problems for various reasons. I give the developers credit for reworking things when their original tenant fell through.


If and when the area really takes off, all the properties now in place will ultimately be put to their highest and best use. But for now, I'm happy to see almost any new development as it serves to maintain momentum and continue to draw interest of other developers.

What we really need are developers from outside OKC to be drawn in, and that hasnt' really happened yet and won't until the area demonstrates it can maintain diversified uses.

Great post Malibu Sooner.

Rome wasn't built in a day...

Okay that was a little cheesey

I have seen people on other forums actually tell me, "OK. Bricktown is marginal. It is not enough to base the claim of a great downtown on."

Oh, but it is! No other US city has anything like it!

Oh, and there is more that we base the claim of a great downtown on... first off, extremely high occupancy rates are one, some of the highest of the larger US cities. The MAPS projects that gave the Arts District a facelift... the parades we hold in downtown OKC--the fact that light rail may be coming (I saw an old like on NewsOK's website that clarifies what Tom Elmore was saying earlier, that it was planned to be a part of MAPS, but never came to fruition) and the Bombing Memorial. That and the new Oklahoma River, the nearby state capital, and midtown neighbrhoods as well, support the fact that WE have a great downtown!