Main Street Arcade

[Pete]

At the Mayor's Development Roundtable this morning David Wanzer said they will starting leasing this building next month with renovations to begin later in the year.

[Plutonic Panda]

I know this might be an amateur question here, but is there any chance they'd restore it into an arcade? How cool would it be to have a classic arcade of this size? I don't know of any like it around.

[catch22]

I know this might be an amateur question here, but is there any chance they'd restore it into an arcade? How cool would it be to have a classic arcade of this size? I don't know of any like it around.

While I think it's a cool idea, (and someone correct me if I'm wrong) "Arcade" is the architectural style of the building, not what it's use was in the past. (it could have been both though)

[Pete]

While I think it's a cool idea, (and someone correct me if I'm wrong) "Arcade" is the architectural style of the building, not what it's use was in the past. (it could have been both though)

Right, "arcade" is an architectural term similar to colonnade or galleria.

The name has to do with that, not because there was ever an arcade of any type as an occupant.

[Plutonic Panda]

While I think it's a cool idea, (and someone correct me if I'm wrong) "Arcade" is the architectural style of the building, not what it's use was in the past. (it could have been both though)

Oh, I didn't know that. Thanks for the heads up though.

[OKCisOK4me]

"arcade 1731, from It. arcata "arch of a bridge," from arco "arc," from L. arcus (see arc). Applied to passages formed by a succession of arches, avenues of trees, and ultimately to any covered avenue, especially one lined with shops (1731) or amusements"

I like the use of it with reference to "avenue of trees".


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[ljbab728]

Steve's update.

http://www.oklahoman.com/article/4844771?embargo=1

Attorney John Michael Williams still remembers drives downtown when he was a child and his mother would point out the Main Street Arcade building as a one-time source of pride.

Decades later, developer and designer David Wanzer is hoping to restore the building to its original glory and intent – offices upstairs and a collection of retail shops on the first floor. A nomination is being submitted to add the building, opened in 1923, to the National Register of Historic Places. With pre-leasing to start this summer and a year of renovations to begin in the winter, he hopes the building will open by late 2015.

This includes a very interesting video interview with David Wanzer.

[Pete]

This project continues to move towards redevelopment.

Today, David Wanzer told me they are finalizing their budget and pricing for lease space and hope to begin actively marketing very soon.

At the same time, they have been finalizing plans for the renovation.

One issue is there is zero parking associated with this building and since there is 14,000 square feet of office space on the 2nd level, that is an issue for potential tenants. So, they are working on trying to secure dedicated parking in the immediate area.


Can't wait to see the plans and for work to start on this project. It's going to be special.

[rlewis]

Pete,

I wonder with all of the trouble at the Rise, are the Flashback Retropub folks looking at this property again? I remember it being a finalist for that business at one time.

Also, I would think that once the Main Street garage is finished, that a lot of the demand for parking lots around the property would diminish. The developer would likely be able to negotiate with the city for use of their lots at that point. It's a shame that when they redid Main Street that they didn't leave enough room for angled parking in front of the property.

[Pete]

^

Main Street Garage will be full the day it opens, so that won't provide any relief for the office tenants. There is a lot of street parking for the retail patrons.

When I talked to FlashBack a week ago, they really wanted to stay in Uptown. They may have to expand their search; they would fit in almost any of the urban districts.

[metro]

Saw some workers here on Friday, not sure if they're starting or if scoping out the place just yet, but the building looks more active than it has been.

[Pete]

They have yet to submit design plans for renovation but that should happen sometime soon.

[ljbab728]

Steve's update.

http://www.oklahoman.com/article/5353685?embargo=1

Decades of paint, a “modern” facade added in the 1960s, and other indignities suffered by the Main Street Arcade will be removed over the next few weeks as developer David Wanzer begins work to bring it back to its roots as a retail and office hub.

Such changes will allow for up to 11 retail tenants to open on the 13,505-square-foot first floor. Wanzer also is negotiating a lease with a restaurant group to anchor the east corner of the building. He hopes to attract a single office tenant to occupy the 16,257-square-foot second floor.

[skanaly]

Love the renderings!

[jccouger]

Woah. This is amazing. Can't believe it hasn't gotten more attention. Don't think it will have any problem attracting tenants.

[jccouger]

Renovation of an Oklahoma City downtown retail hub will strip away 'improvements' | NewsOK.com

[LakeEffect]

Renovation of an Oklahoma City downtown retail hub will strip away 'improvements' | NewsOK.com

They even rendered a Sid Burgess look-alike into the image.

[soonerguru]

Renovation of an Oklahoma City downtown retail hub will strip away 'improvements' | NewsOK.com

Beautiful.

[Pete]

Here are some detailed renderings:

[warreng88]

From Steve's chat:

Bob - 11:35 a.m. Can the Arcade Building project be successful without some additional parking in the area. Parking there is very tight right now.

Steve Lackmeyer - 11:35 a.m. Yes. Because we will soon hear of a garage to be built nearby.

Pete, any idea what he is talking about? The parking lot to the south and west is the police parking lot and my wife said they have no plans to do anything with that in the future. It could be the large lot south of this, but I have no knowledge of who owns that. Once the new Municipal building is built, the old one is set to be torn down, I believe. Maybe that is where it would go?

[Pete]

Yes, the police department owns a small surface lot to the east of the Arcade and west of Grace Cleaners.

They are planning to do a small parking structure with retail/office on the ground floor.

[Pete]

Here is the site:

[warreng88]

Yes, the police department owns a small surface lot to the east of the Arcade and west of Grace Cleaners.

They are planning to do a small parking structure with retail/office on the ground floor.

When you say small, how many stories are you talking about? Five?

[Pete]

When you say small, how many stories are you talking about? Five?

The police lot is only .5 acres; for comparison the 123 Garage in Auto Alley is .64.

I suspect it will be similar in size: 3 to 5 stories.

[OkieNate]

Fingers crossed for an Einstein Bagel! This would be a perfect place for one!