Main Street Arcade

[UnFrSaKn]

Steve posted a photo on Twitter showing the ugly paint is now gone, showing the red brick. Already looks better.

[traxx]

Steve posted a photo on Twitter showing the ugly paint is now gone, showing the red brick. Already looks better.

https://twitter.com/stevelackmeyer/s...438593/photo/1

[Pete]

Love this building!

And know David Wanzer & Co. will do a fantastic job.

[jccouger]

This doesn't get enough pub. IMO this and 21c are the best 2 projects currently underway in OKC. Hard to argue against the steelyard though.

[Pete]

[betts]

This looks great, but I can't wait to see the pink stacked stone go too.

[UnFrSaKn]

How is it that smaller projects like this spend the time and effort for restoration yet $100+ million dollar projects would rather demolish what is there and build new?

[ChrisHayes]

How is it that smaller projects like this spend the time and effort for restoration yet $100+ million dollar projects would rather demolish what is there and build new?

You answered your own question. Smaller projects can integrate old buildings into it by refurbishing. New projects, especially large scale ones can integrate old buildings but often times it's cheaper to demolish.

[traxx]

Zoowee mama! That looks fan-freakin-tastic.

[betts]

Amazing we didn't tear this one down too. We're going to have these great districts around downtown and a dead CBD.

[catch22]

Amazing we didn't tear this one down too. We're going to have these great districts around downtown and a dead CBD.

And that's how it'll be. Ive given up on the CBD. Let the oilmen play with their CBD. The things going on in virtually every other district are contributing to our urban revival more than Devon and Co.

[OkieNate]

The Devon vilification is growing old. Did they drop the ball on this one? 100% yes, but come on...I guess you miss that bland disgusting parking garage they replaced with a world class sky scraper, not to mention the charitable contribution they make for this city and state. Once again not saying what they are doing on the preftakes block is acceptable, but its private property for a private entity being paid for without assistance. Time to move on.

This main street arcade looks SO amazing though! Love this!

[jccouger]

Okc has currently been going through a Renaissance of refurbishment of old buildings, which has led to great districts. Does anybody have any idea in #s how many more buildings in okc could possibly still receive a "star treatment"? Ugly ducklings in the city that could turn in to beautiful swans. We've got to be getting close to the end at least around downtown.

[UnFrSaKn]

January 15 2015

https://www.flickr.com/photos/willia...7649899630649/

[UnFrSaKn]

[Plutonic Panda]

Amazing we didn't tear this one down too. We're going to have these great districts around downtown and a dead CBD.

That's hilarious. I just walked down there and it was full of life today. IT IS A BUSINESS DISTRICT btw.

[metro]

That's hilarious. I just walked down there and it was full of life today. IT IS A BUSINESS DISTRICT btw.

and at night it's dead........

[Plutonic Panda]

and at night it's dead........

Yeah, a lot of CBD's are like that. Same thing with a suburban office complex. There are tons of small districts that aren't dead. I don't see the big deal about the central business district loosing activity after 10.

[SouthsideSooner]

It won't be because all these parking spaces will open up after 5 and its in a great spot on the streetcar southern loop for park and ride. It will mean a lot more to the success of the streetcar than Santa fe Station, when the only real reason to go there is if you're taking the streetcar to get on the Heartland Flyer...

I love Santa Fe station and the plans as a transit hub but if you leave out what will always be the preferred option of travel for the masses, You're going to greatly limit it...

[betts]

Yeah, a lot of CBD's are like that. Same thing with a suburban office complex. There are tons of small districts that aren't dead. I don't see the big deal about the central business district loosing activity after 10.

While it's not the end of the world, it's just a shame because it didn't have to be that way. I see this as the PEI plan of this millenium. We've torn down almost every vintage building left in the CBD as well as the Stage Center. And we're replacing them with a bunch of glass boxes with no interaction with the street or pedestrians. I just don't see empty at night as a good thing personally.

[jccouger]

While it's not the end of the world, it's just a shame because it didn't have to be that way. I see this as the PEI plan of this millenium. We've torn down almost every vintage building left in the CBD as well as the Stage Center. And we're replacing them with a bunch of glass boxes with no interaction with the street or pedestrians. I just don't see empty at night as a good thing personally.

And at a time when our states economy is very fragile. There is no guarantee any of these buildings get built.

[Pete]

Having no life in the CBD after work hour matters because:

1. You have a decent amount of people staying in hotels in and near the district (which is only going to increase) and it gives visitors a very bad impression.

2. It's creates a big black hole, barrier and lost opportunity to fuel the other districts.

3. Tens of thousands of people who work in the district generally just get in their car and leave after work instead of staying, spending money, creating life.

[betts]

Having no life in the CBD after work hour manages because:

1. You have a decent amount of people staying in hotels in and near the district (which is only going to increase) and it gives visitors a very bad impression.

2. It's creates a big black hole, barrier and lost opportunity to fuel the other districts.

3. Tens of thousands of people who work in the district generally just get in their car and leave after work instead of staying, spending money, creating life.

The best thing about last night, besides the fact that I got to eat with friends at what many are now calling B-10 (Broadway 10), is that when I looked around the restaurant I saw that well over 50% of the people in it were likely residents of Edmond, Quail Creek and Nichols Hills. It was a Thursday night, there was no big event downtown and people were either staying downtown (unlikely because of all the older women there) or coming back downtown to have dinner. That's a sea change that I've not experienced at any other restaurant in OKC, including Red Prime or any other the other better restaurants downtown. It's easy to get to, Broadway is an inviting street without blank glass walls and the food is excellent. Places like it change attitudes. Just wait until they can eat there and take the streetcar to a Thunder game or the Civic Center. Maybe we are getting closer to downtown being a destination for a lot of people again, not just the millenials who mainly live there.

[Pete]

^

Good Egg's dinner business at Kitchen no. 324 is picking up, and that's another good sign.

[PhiAlpha]

Having no life in the CBD after work hour matters because:

1. You have a decent amount of people staying in hotels in and near the district (which is only going to increase) and it gives visitors a very bad impression.

2. It's creates a big black hole, barrier and lost opportunity to fuel the other districts.

3. Tens of thousands of people who work in the district generally just get in their car and leave after work instead of staying, spending money, creating life.

The First National Center sized hole smack dab in the middle of the CBD along with the empty Dowell Center down the street aren't helping things. If First National can become a living and breathing part of the CBD again as a mixed use development and Dowell was converted to residential, I think the street life would greatly improve.