Film Row is starting to take shape. Several new tenants have moved into the area, and demo/renovation is starting on the Film Exchange. I believe the city's streetscape project is finally scheduled to star early fall. There is a new article on the district in the Journal Record but it is only for paid members. If you have member access to JR online, please post the article.

Film Row? where and what is it?

metro, unless the JR says it's okay to post the article, doing so would be against this site's TOS regarding posting copyrighted material without the owner's consent.

Mid, as you know okctalk has permission from Oklahoman, JR & OKC Business to repost

I am working with a guy that recently moved his office down there from north OKC. It's still a little rundown and rough around the edges but has loads of potential, especially being on Sheridan just a few blocks from the Devon complex. If they ever get a streetcar running down Sheridan from Film Row to Bricktown it would really jumpstart development in that part of downtown. When is the streetscape project supposed to begin and what is the timeline?

As I mentioned, it's supposed to finally start this fall and be done by spring. The article I read a few weeks ago had more specifics but I can't remember where I saw it. Anyhow, I noticed an article on it in the JR yesterday but it's only available to online members, which I am not. OKC Talk does have permission to repost from the JR as I understand it, so if someone can repost, please do.

found this if it helps -

http://www.filmrowokc.com/FilmExchange.swf


FilmRow Productions, OKC

Journal Record (Oklahoma City, OK)
Copyright 2008 Dolan Media Newswires

August 15, 2008

Oklahoma City's blighted Film Row getting ready for its close-up.

Kelley Chambers

A group of designers, engineers and architects are not only promoting the revitalization of Oklahoma City's blighted Film Row , but also moving their offices there. The area was a bustling center of activity in its prime beginning in the 1920s, with buildings owned by every major movie studio, but fell into decline beginning in the 1960s when studios no longer needed regional film exchanges to distribute reels of film to theaters. Film Row is defined mainly as the 600 and 700 blocks of West Sheridan Avenue, just a stone's throw from the Civic Center and art museum. Many of the art-deco buildings remain, and several were purchased by Chip Fudge in 2005, with plans to bring Film Row back as a bustling center of activity on the west side of downtown.

David Wanzer, with J3 Architecture and one of the first to see the potential in Film Row, did extensive historic research and sold Fudge on his vision. David took the time to find out all the history of the area, Fudge said. It was a compelling story, and it was the last quadrant of downtown that hadn't been bought up. Three buildings have been renovated so far. When the building at 628 W. Sheridan Ave. was renovated for another tenant, who did not end up moving in, Wanzer jumped at the chance to move his offices from the Deep Deuce area on the northeast side of downtown. He was soon joined by three other companies looking for office space.

In February, J3, Task Design, Butzer-Gardner and Obelisk Engineering all set up shop in the 5,400-square-foot building, with their office space on the second floor. But private investment alone would not be enough to revitalize the area. Wanzer and Fudge had a vision for a streetscape and began pursuing tax increment financing dollars. Progress was slow, but last year the district had some major victories. Nine buildings in the area were added the National Register of Historic Places. The area also received TIF money to the tune of about $600,000, with an additional $1.9 million from a city general obligation bond. We couldn't start work until we got all the TIF dollars in place, Fudge said.

Brett Hamm, president of Downtown OKC Inc., described Fudge as a visionary who saw tremendous potential on that side of downtown. Hamm said that area will only continue to grow, especially with plans by Devon Energy to build a skyscraper just a few blocks to the east of Film Row. Film Row has been below most people's radar but is about to be much more recognized following the streetscapes and the companies moving in, Hamm said. It's a hidden gem in downtown. Wanzer said that if all goes as planned the streetscape would be completed by the time the Festival of the Arts rolls around next spring. Plans call for streets and sidewalks inlaid with designs of spotlights and film reels. In September, the Film Row streetscape plan will come before the Downtown Design Review Committee. Hans Butzer, co-director of Butzer-Gardner, said the streetscape is one thing that will help put Film Row on the map. A lot of people now are aware of Film Row and sense that there is an energy, but I'm not sure enough has happened visually yet for people to make a beeline for the area, he said. 'We're confident when the streetscapes begin, and with the continued renovations, it's going to be obvious that some serious stuff is going on down here. One major project under way is the renovation of the Film Exchange building at 700 W. Sheridan Ave. The 22,000-square-foot building was built in 1930 and will likely be used for retail, restaurant or art gallery space. Wanzer called the Film Exchange building the keystone of the area. The renovations are under way, he said. Once people start to see activity in that building, they'll really start to notice Film Row.

Though the project has already taken a long time and will surely take several more years of work, Fudge said he is pleased. It is a lot slower than I ever anticipated, he said. But it's been a really fun project, and we're happy with the three buildings we've finished to date The current tenants at the 628 W. Sheridan Ave. building may not stay in that space for the long run, but all said they were committed to keeping their offices on Film Row. My first thought was that it seemed so far out there, Butzer said. But after we moved in, it became more obvious that David had led me to the new frontier in downtown Oklahoma City.

Learning About Film Row and the Film Exchange

There are stacks of drywall thathave been placed on the roof of the Film Exchange building... maybe the inside is getting attention?

http://www.newsok.com/film-rows-deve...financial-news

Film Row’s developer sees Oklahoma City district coming into focus
Oklahoman
BY STEVE LACKMEYER
Published: March 25, 2009

The IAO Gallery, once the urban pioneer along a blighted stretch of Broadway, is leaving the revitalized Automobile Alley to once again anchor an up and coming district: Film Row.

"They will be urban pioneers again, and we’re thrilled to have them,” said developer Chip Fudge, who is renovating the gallery’s future home at 706 W Sheridan. "The building they’re in was boarded up and the area had similar challenges to what we’re facing now.”

Fudge and designer David Wanzer, leaders of the Film Row redevelopment effort, see the leap being taken by the gallery as part of a growing revival for the stretch of Sheridan Avenue just west of the Myriad Gardens.

During the area’s heyday it was one of 35 film distribution centers across the country, home to branches of Paramount, RKO and 20th Century Fox.

"This is a very forgotten history,” said Wanzer, who admits the public is better aware of the area’s more recent past as a skid row.

Fudge and Wanzer say the area’s future is looking even better with the city spending up to $2.8 million on a streetscape starting this summer that is intended to mirror the sort of makeover done along Automobile Alley a decade ago. Tuesday, Fudge and Wanzer hosted a neighborhood meeting where property owners gave a positive response to joining downtown’s business improvement district.


‘Interest generated’
If a majority of property owners agree to joining the district, Film Row’s streetscape would be assured ongoing upkeep with remaining assessment funds paying for security, marketing or other needs.
Royden Freeland, who opened his ICM operations along Film Row in 1950, said Tuesday’s gathering showed a remarkable amount of community unity. Freeland was among those who expressed an interest in pursuing joining the business improvement district.

"I don’t expect a lot of activity down here anytime soon,” Freeland said. "But there seems to be interest generated, which I find refreshing especially in this economy.”

Freeland credited Fudge with bringing the neighborhood together and praised redevelopment efforts to date, which include renovations that lured in design firms, a mortgage company and other businesses.

Freeland said he is encouraged enough by the progress that he is looking at making improvements to a parking lot and building facades along Sheridan. Fudge, meanwhile, said the gallery renovation will be followed by another building rehabilitation that become home to Wanzer’s firm, and eventually, renovation of the former Hart building into a home for Fudge’s company, Claims Management Resources.

Freeland and Fudge agree that last year’s announcement of a 54-story Devon world headquarters to be built at Sheridan and Hudson avenues also boosted Film Row’s long-term fortunes.

"We get to look brilliant because we bought all this property up before Devon tower was announced,” Fudge said. "But really, it was dumb luck.”


An upcoming streetscape of Film Row will include logos from some of the movie studios that once had screening and distribution offices along the stretch of W Sheridan Avenue. Rendering by Skyline Ink


Several properties along Film Row have been renovated the past couple years, including this stretch at Sheridan and Dewey Avenues. Photo by Steve Lackmeyer, the oklahoman


Chip Fudge Developer of the Film Exchange Building in Film Row

Good for Film Row, I guess, and glad to see IAO making the best of it as they can. I heard it wasn't their idea to move, but when the building they're in, (ask who owns it) got sold out from under them well before their lease was up, what else could they do but move where their landlord wanted them to? Hope this doesn't hurt them. With upcoming construction and the mess, this struggling but important arts organization may not make it.

I think this would be a great location for an Urban Outfitters. I don't think they'd go in there without more retail, but they love locations like this with street parking and the kind of feel this has.

I disagree betts, I think it'd be much more appropriate for UO along Automobile Alley, specifically in the building on the NW corner of 10th and Broadway, although the building on the NE corner would also work. This area is much more of a major corridor and has and will continue to see retail along this route. It's also closer to more housing units and more visible. Not many people are and will drive through Film Row for quite awhile. Even after Devon is built (4 years out or so), even that will be somewhat of a walk and probably out of the norm. I think it needs to go in AutoAlley or dare I say Bricktown would be the second best choice.

I think IAO will be fine. I don't know anything about them being forced out of their current location. They certainly aren't being forced to be a pioneer again. They could have easily gone to another A-Alley building if they wanted to.

I'm glad they're working on it! I used to drive Sheridan a lot several years ago and drive past all the abandoned/boarded up buildings. When I was in Oklahoma City just a few weeks ago (I'm at OSU right now) I saw some new places put in since I've been gone! I'm glad the area will probably be revitalized in the near future.

With rental rates on A-Alley going for $12/sft, ie $6K a month, that not feasible for many small non profit organizations like IAO, which has struggled financially since it's early days.

Agreed. Automobile alley and the visibility there would be great for UO. Also agreed about Sheridan. It looks like a lot of these early businesses are things like mortgage companies, finance, a lot of daytime occupants. Sheridan will be very vacant at night unless some restaurants or bars come in. A retail store would be on their own after business hours. Plus there's still the elephant in the room, the current clientele of the Mission around the corner and that Sheridan is a corridor for a lot of transient people.

So are you saying they were getting a special low rate on their rent where they were?

Lower, sure. That's no secret. IAO went to AA after being across from Stage center back when AA still someones good idea, but mostly empty. A favorable rent from a sympathetic and business savy landlord, is what made that possible. Over the years, IAO's rent has increased along with AA's development. It still didn't keep pace with rising rents. Rents on AA now are out of IAO's reach. The point I 'm making is that they couldn't stay on AA if they wanted to. They're moving to an undeveloped area, in order to keep their current rent for a little longer, but it will go up, just as it has in the past. IMO, they will help contribute to that area. And, when development has outpaced their budget, IAO will have to move again. I'm an infrequent visitor to their current gallery, but frankly don't see myself continuing in their next locale.

I'm looking forward to their new locale!

Me, too, Metro. I don't think there is much downside to this.

UO would be a destination store. In other words, I don't think an inconvenient location would really stand in the way of them doing a lot of business. The businessman in me says that there's a really good shot they'd opt for the extremely low rents to be found in Film Row if there's even the slightest chance they could do the same volume.

Urban likes grungier rows of older buildings for their stores. American Apparel tends to go in in similar locations and stores. I've always been surprised there isn't an UO in Norman, but if they have no plans for one, people will drive to go to one.

i would think urban outfitters would do better on western or along 23rd once things start shaping up there. a lot of their target clientelle live in those neighborhoods.