Steelyard

[Ross MacLochness]

Hidden Dragon Yoga is already open at the Steelyard, or at least having classes there if their space isn't finished yet.

[Pete]

Hidden Dragon Yoga is already open at the Steelyard, or at least having classes there if their space isn't finished yet.

I stand corrected! Thanks for the info.

[Pete]

[dankrutka]

Is there plans for a sidewalk between Steelyard and the Hill?

[Thomas Vu]

Hidden Dragon Yoga is already open at the Steelyard, or at least having classes there if their space isn't finished yet.

Open-ish. They are having classes, and they're in a temp space in the courtyard of the steelyard apts.

[Anonymous.]

Is there plans for a sidewalk between Steelyard and the Hill?

I don't think so.... I think it is the same situation as the Deep Deuce aluminum bridge.

[SagerMichael]

I don't think so.... I think it is the same situation as the Deep Deuce aluminum bridge.

Long time stalker, first time poster here... maybe this has already been answered but what’s up with the gap between The Hill and The Steelyard? It’s pretty ugly.

[Johnb911]

Long time stalker, first time poster here... maybe this has already been answered but what’s up with the gap between The Hill and The Steelyard? It’s pretty ugly.

If I had to guess I'd say that's railway right of way, so...it will likely stay that way

[PaddyShack]

The locals use it as free parking...

[baralheia]

If I had to guess I'd say that's railway right of way, so...it will likely stay that way

That's exactly correct. It's owned by Union Pacific, who owns that rail yard directly to the east (the rail facility you see above the highway in Pete's picture). This used to be owned by the Rock Island railroad, and the gap was a corridor for an interchange track that allowed freight cars to pass between the north-south BNSF line and the Rock Island. Since Union Pacific took over that line, they have avoided abandoning this short bit of track; most recently because that line will be necessary for passenger rail connections to Tulsa and/or Shawnee from Santa Fe Station (our intermodal transit hub).

[ShadowStrings]

I wish we could turn it into a park in the meantime.

[jonny d]

I wish we could turn it into a park in the meantime.

Did you miss that no one except the railroad company owns that land?

[ShadowStrings]

Did you miss that no one except the railroad company owns that land?

That's why I said "I wish." It would be nice if the railroad would let us build a simple park until they are ready to use the land.

[rtz]

You could install sod and mow it or landscape it nicer.

[PaddyShack]

But where would everybody park then??

[catch22]

If I had a few thousand to throw away (I don’t) I’d go and buy a few yards of gravel, and a few pallets of pavers and go out in the middle of the night and dig out a make shift sidewalk since the city doesn’t seem interested in it.

[shawnw]

I'm sure the city would if it could

[dankrutka]

I'm sure the city would if it could

Why do you think that? In the areas the city does control, they've failed to build sidewalks connecting these areas. The railroad prevents a sidewalk in that one short stretch of Russell M. Perry, but there's no sidewalk at all on the west side for another block north.

On another note, it's also disappointing that the recently built east sidewalk is not inviting to general pedestrians as it seems to almost be a private sidewalk for Hill residents. I bet most people walk in the street instead of turning in and using the Hill sidewalk.

If I spent half a million dollars on a place in the Hill, or if I was just a resident or regular in Deep Deuce, I'd be complaining that to get to Bricktown I have to walk in the middle of a road with cars. There are possible solutions here and I don't know why this important connecting area has been ignored.

[shawnw]

Because some time back on this forum there was some kind of master plan posted that showed a walking path to the boathouse district from Deep Deuce/Bricktown, which would have covered the particular sidewalkless area we're discussing. That shows that someone at the city is thinking about it at least. I can't remember for the life of me what that thread was called.

[Pete]

Sheridan is now completely open in front of this development.

[Anonymous.]

Looks fantastic. I just don't understand the weird obsession with Juliet balconies here. Living in a condo/apartment with a full balcony in a downtown area is a wonderful perk and I would pay more for one with than without. So why not build them?

[ChrisHayes]

It may have to do with the balconies hovering over sidewalks

[dankrutka]

Looks fantastic. I just don't understand the weird obsession with Juliet balconies here. Living in a condo/apartment with a full balcony in a downtown area is a wonderful perk and I would pay more for one with than without. So why not build them?

I've asked this before. I spent time in Milwaukee the last two summers and seemingly every urban apartment and condo had a huge balcony. Very few do in OKC.

[betts]

Yes, because the city sold it back to them. The railroad has only owned that land and rail for a few short years in the recent past. A bunch of people told the city not to let it go back to the railroad but they were “meh”.

[Pete]

Regarding the clearing of land to the east of the Steelyard, Gary Brooks says they are just clearing it for now but hope to get going on the next phase at then end of 2019.