Omni Hotel

[Dustin]

Yeah, I don't think the Myriad Gardens and Scissortail Park should be separated by highrises. Just personal preference. A plaza park sounds great though!

[stlokc]

^^^^I love this idea. In a similar vein, what about a pedestrian mall with retail and restaurants on the bottom floors and residential/office on the second floor (no higher than three floors). That would be FANTASTIC. So you can walk around whole thing or right down the middle of it where the storefronts would be. You could have landscaping, water features, places for street performances, etc. Can you imagine what a great place that would be to hang out before/after events at the arena! Kind of like a very mini/scaled back version of The Grove in L.A. Either do it on the Ford site or on the Cox site down the line.

I agree with a visual connection between the two parks.

I further agree with the retail/restaurants. As a matter of fact, I think every building (and parking garage!) constructed in the CBD, Bricktown, Midtown etc. should have storefronts on street level, in fact it should be written in code as a requirement.

I would stop short of having it highly programmed with water features etc., because it feels like that would be competing with the gathering spaces in the two parks themselves. I absolutely would not put such features on the Cox site when it is developed. When Cox is developed, it needs to be dense, tall, office or mixed-use buildings that completely fill the block with no "plazas." A true extension of the densest, tallest parts of the CBD. We don't need another new "quasi-entertainment" district competing with Bricktown, Midtown and Film Row. We're doing a great job of that. We need more true urban "city". Just my two cents.

[stlokc]

I would further add, as if it needs to be added, that the Cox site should restore the traditional street grid. Get rid of the superblock.

[Celebrator]

I would further add, as if it needs to be added, that the Cox site should restore the traditional street grid. Get rid of the superblock.

Oh, yeah, I like this idea for the Cox site much better. Have a natural continuation of density is the way to go with that site.

[kevin lee]

A plaza park sounds good in theory but you have to remember who owns this land. I can't see holding on to that priceless piece of land for that long, then developing it into a plaza park. If he does though, it better be the best NYC adaptation of a plaza park in history. If not, he's let a great opportunity pass from all the money he could have made from selling the land at first.

[Laramie]

TMT Development is one of the West Coast's most respected names in real estate development and is recognized as a premier developer of Class A office towers and retail shopping centers throughout the northwest.

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A partial or original street grid would give the site two 2-blocks or a 4-square block section of prime development across from The Peake; keep & reinforce the underground parking. Omni has expressed interest in 1st rights for another hotel development for the Cox site. Entertain ideas for the Cox site now with future plans that will enhance the core. The more 3A+ hotels we have available the more quality conventions we'll be able to attract. How about a mixed-use office & condo luxury high rise residential.

Not looking for Oklahoma City to replace The Peake anytime soon (evaluate 2025); therefore let's keep a possible DT arena replacement site in mind; also require a quarter commitment in funds from the anchor NBA tenant.

The current Peake could be downsized to complement the convention center & hotels if a new arena is needed.

[OKCRT]

I seriously doubt these guys are holding out with plans of a Park Plaza or the like being built on that prime real estate. I would imagine they have in mind buyers that will invest mega $$$$$ in Large tall buildings.

[pw405]

I'm really hoping the old Ford site is put to good use! Anybody ever been to the Santa Monica Promenade? I wonder if making 2nd street pedestrian only would work well here so that you end up with something similar to the Santa Monica Promenade?

Looking at this area in Santa Monica, you have ~500K sq ft with TONS of different things to do & see on foot:



The Ford Site is much bigger, at 650K sq ft:

[OKCRT]

I'm wondering if people would stop parking at this site for games and such if that might spur these guys to find a buyer. I'm not sure how much money they make off parking but it has to be a substantial amount. I usually pay at least $20.00 to park there.

[BG918]

I like the idea of an outdoor shopping complex like in Santa Monica that flows between the gardens and park. I see the Cox site being redeveloped into high density with office and apartment towers, while this site lends itself to more of an attraction IMO.

[Johnb911]

Would rather Harvey be pedestrian-only instead of 2nd street to make a natural walking connection between the two parks. then line that with shops and restaurants and other places to allow people to spend their money.

[BG918]

Would rather Harvey be pedestrian-only instead of 2nd street to make a natural walking connection between the two parks. then line that with shops and restaurants and other places to allow people to spend their money.

Bingo, Harvey as a pedestrian promenade is a must. In these types of mixed-use developments you typically can't have retail/restaurants on every side but Harvey is important as is Robinson and the Boulevard. It's a very complicated site but also probably the most important one to get right for downtown's future. Give the OU urban design studio or IQC a crack at it if they haven't already.

[Pete]

In planning documents, that corridor from north of Devon, through the Myriad Gardens and down to Sciccsortail Park has been labeled the "Harvey Spine". Devon's architects talked about it in great detail for the placement of their atrium and it was addressed once again when the city was planning to put the convention center on the REHCO lots.

The idea was that from the Devon atrium the spine would run all the way to the OK River, which is more or less part of the Scissortail and Skydance bridge plan.

In fact, REHCO attempted to close all those streets and the city denied them.

However, I'm not sure the existing design review and planning documents can specifically restrict keeping it open to pedestrians. The city can certainl deny street closures though and I'm sure they have the right to create a pedestrian path with or without the road staying open.

[catch22]

It’s City owner ROW. Just close Harvey down for cars and make it a pedestrian and cycle only street.

[Ross MacLochness]

In planning documents, that corridor from north of Devon, through the Myriad Gardens and down to Sciccsortail Park has been labeled the "Harvey Spine". Devon's architects talked about it in great detail for the placement of their atrium and it was addressed once again when the city was planning to put the convention center on the REHCO lots.

The idea was that from the Devon atrium the spine would run all the way to the OK River, which is more or less part of the Scissortail and Skydance bridge plan.
.

"Let's create a spine that runs all the way through the middle of downtown. You know what would be cool? WHat's that? Let's build our atrium right in the middle of it so that people have to go an entire block around our massive complex to continue on down the spine. Sound's like a great Idea, Just like how we built our massive complex right in the middle of main street, forcing people to go an entire plock out of their way when they travel east/west! Purrrrrfect! High Five!!"

[shawnw]

I actually like the atrium in the middle and getting to walk through it... EXCEPT when they have it closed to the public, which really chaps me.

[Bellaboo]

"Let's create a spine that runs all the way through the middle of downtown. You know what would be cool? WHat's that? Let's build our atrium right in the middle of it so that people have to go an entire block around our massive complex to continue on down the spine. Sound's like a great Idea, Just like how we built our massive complex right in the middle of main street, forcing people to go an entire plock out of their way when they travel east/west! Purrrrrfect! High Five!!"

They built their complex on an existing parking garage.

[Ross MacLochness]

^^^ I know.. Just poking fun. But that garage was demoed so they (devon and City of OKC) could have restored the grid if they reeeally wanted to.

[ChrisHayes]

I personally like the idea of turning the old Ford lot into something to blend in the two parks. I'd love it to be developed into mid or high rise buildings, but at the same time I don't want something like that separating the parks.

[d-usa]

If it was one master development, I would love to see those four blocks developed as one comprehensive project. The main goal would be to turn Harvey pedestrian, and turn that street and surrounding area into a big petestrian plaza. Big promenade down the middle, lots of open areas for restaurants, shops that can have some merchandise spill into the promenade, fountains, mini-stages. If you are looking down Harvey from either park it should be a funnel shape of development. Mid rise buildings on Robinson and Hudson, maybe residential, and then smaller commercial buildings closer towards Harvey. So when you look down the skyline amost funnels you down the promenade from one park to the next. I would close down 2nd as well, or maybe use them as entrances to underground parking and delivery access for shops and performances.

[Plutonic Panda]

I personally like the idea of turning the old Ford lot into something to blend in the two parks. I'd love it to be developed into mid or high rise buildings, but at the same time I don't want something like that separating the parks.

You’re not implying it has to be one or the other?

I would think a pedestrian paseo would be an obvious part of this development. It would be a really special place and better be dense with the entire buildings right up against the walkways and roads. If this is proposed without a pedestrian paseo what a fail. I also hope they don’t propose two skyscrapers with a large podiums and a cookie cutter plaza style walkway in the middle of them.

[BG918]

Some kind of tie in with the Thunder would be cool here. Similar to Ballpark Village next to Busch Stadium if you’ve ever been to a Cardinals game in St Louis. Or Power + Light District in Kansas City.

[Pete]

[kevin lee]

Are they repainting the roof at Chesapeake Arena?

[shawnw]

Steve is posting from the Omni ground breaking this morning...