City's arts district begins efforts to transform into a destination

By Steve Lackmeyer
The Oklahoman

The light strings remain up and lit along the rooftop at 500 W Main, but it's not because the residents are procrastinating at taking down their Christmas decorations.

In the Quarter
The Arts district, which will be marketed as the Arts Quarter, is home to the following organizations, businesses, housing and attractions:

Myriad Gardens
Oklahoma City Museum of Art
Stage Center
Ronald J. Norick Downtown Library
Civic Center Music Hall
Allied Arts
Oklahoma City National Memorial and Museum
American Choral Directors Association
Sycamore Square
The Montgomery
Museum Cafe
Abraham's Downtown Grill
La Luna
Peacock Restaurant
Trattoria Il Centro

Instead, the lights at The Montgomery are part of an emerging effort by area businesses to promote west downtown Oklahoma City as the "Arts Quarter" -- an area they hope will become a year-around destination similar to nearby Bricktown.

"We're poised really well," said Charles Dodson, vice president for Gardner Properties, which owns The Montgomery. "The Arts Quarter has all the venues already in it, doing and producing things -- and we don't need to attract a venue to make it happen."

Dodson said the area needs to "toot our own horn" and stand out as a district.

Fellow organizer Kathy Bridges thinks the lights will be just the start of creating that image.

Currently, the lights exist at the Montgomery and the Oklahoma City Museum of Arts. Rooftop lighting also is planned for the future Legacy Summit at Arts Central, which Bridges' employer, Mike Henderson, will build this year at NE 4 and Walker.

"The lighting will be a big part of it -- to have people drive though and know, 'We're in the arts district,'" Bridges said. "We're looking to brand it, to make it more of a destination."

Bridges and Dodson say future steps will include adding outdoor art, benches that are "unusual and fun," flags and new district signage.

They also want to add more events to a district that already is home to downtown's biggest annual draw -- the Festival of the Arts.

Bridges and Dodson also know they have some "negatives" to overcome, including the area's proximity to homeless shelters and transients who gravitate around the Union Bus Station. They hope to increase law enforcement and find ways to add to security in the area.

The two also say they don't want to detract from previous efforts to promote the area as the "arts district," which includes district signs created by Downtown Oklahoma City Inc. They say their efforts are intended to enhance work already done.

"We're just babies, and we're just getting started," Bridges said. "But it's very exciting."

I really think this area has a lot of potential to be one of the most vibrant and colorful areas of downtown with more of a local feel to compliment bricktown's more commercial and tourist vibe.

As discussed on another thread, it's too bad Henderson and OCURA are stunting its growth by constantly delaying the major residential development Henderson has planned.

Excellent post!! I can't wait until the Arts Quarter really starts to take off and stand on its own and compliment the more touristy Bricktown.

I agree with the comments above...

It's a very smart move by the property and business owners in that area and is a real grass-roots movement. Nice to see that sort of thing happening as not everything has to be driven by the government.

The Arts Quarter... I like that. Has a trendy, yet unique ring to it.

I think the Arts Quarter should be a subset of the larger Arts District.

The Quarter should include the area immediately surrounding the OKC Art Museum and City Hall (where the Art Deco buildings are). This would be indicative of the high concentration of "Art" in that quarter.

The bulk of the rest of the Arts district is not really Art at all, but instead are parks and the memorial and so far away from the quarter - that I think separating the two (or at least having the quarter being the epicentre of the Arts District) would definitely indicate OKC's high position in fine arts and theatre.

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Oklahoma City, RENAISSANCE CITY!

Is that anything like the French Quarter? Yup, that's right....let's make those Hornets feel right at home! LOL!

Seriously, I'm glad to see the Arts District moving along. I only wish we could build a wall between the Arts District and the homeless shelters/county jail.

What do you think this is? Israel?

I agree!