Producers Coop

[yukong]

There could be a reluctance for individuals to live on a former brownfield. Especially if the housing cost is a premium.

The Steel Yard was a Brownsfield project. It was pretty contaminated itself.

[HOT ROD]

wasn't the dowtnown airport a brownfield as well?

[Martin]

There could be a reluctance for individuals to live on a former brownfield. Especially if the housing cost is a premium.

i think if the site is properly rehabbed, other factors will play more heavily into the success or failure of the project.

also:

[Southsider2]

Something that they can't really change is that it's landlocked by some pretty big psychological boundaries. The highway to the south and the railroad to the west are huge ones but honestly, the Boulevard kind of acts like one as well. Access to this site is very poor and I don't know if there's a viable way to do anything about it.

[yukong]

wasn't the dowtnown airport a brownfield as well?

One of the hangers was a brownsfield cleanup. But not the whole site.

[GoGators]

Something that they can't really change is that it's landlocked by some pretty big psychological boundaries. The highway to the south and the railroad to the west are huge ones but honestly, the Boulevard kind of acts like one as well. Access to this site is very poor and I don't know if there's a viable way to do anything about it.

ODOT seriously hindered this site with the complete failure that is the boulevard. It creates a giant boundary that is on par with the interstate it replaced. complete garbage all the way around.

Auto access to this site is going to be very restricted with extremely limited Ingress & Egress. It is yet one more reason why shoving a giant parking oriented strip mall parking lot "lifestyle center" makes zero sense.

A human scale, walkable area would mitigate this logistical nightmare and could easily take advantage of the close walking proximity to scissortail park, the riverwalk (with easy scenic access to bricktown), and the Oklahoma River,

Or we can all set in a Penn Square Mall at Christmas style traffic situation every single day for the unique opportunity to go to the new "urban" belle isle parking lot.

[Pete]

Right-click to open hi-res version in new tab or window.

[Anonymous.]

I believe the remaining structure here took some major damage over the weekend from a fire.

Just speculation, but Friday night was particularly cold and it would not surprise me if some transients built a fire.

[Pete]

^

That's a fair bet.

I'll get by there and take some photos; hopefully it can be salvaged.

[Oski]

They should work with world class developers, Cordish Companies, or Jamestown, for example, to develop this area.

[HangryHippo]

They should work with world class developers, Cordish Companies, or Jamestown, for example, to develop this area.

Would Cordish even be interested after Lower Bricktown?

[OKC2017]

i passed by on saturday and wondered if the damage was due to a fire or demolition work.

I believe the remaining structure here took some major damage over the weekend from a fire.

Just speculation, but Friday night was particularly cold and it would not surprise me if some transients built a fire.

[stlokc]

I can't believe I'm writing this, but I'm actually OK with it sitting as it is for right now. OKC has a lot of irons in the fire...Bricktown struggling to get some critical mass back of restaurants/nightlife, Midtown hopping along but still in a state where it's got lots of room to grow, same with Automobile Alley and Film Row, we've got Scissortail Park coming to life but lots of available land to the west. The Innovation District, while a different animal altogether, is in play. Cox Center too. I just don't think OKC needs to try to create another "district" a la Cordish that will be in competition. I'm also not entirely sure that these master planned retail/entertainment districts won't start to be dated like malls in the next decade or so. Let's figure out what the "next" thing is and be innovative early with that prime land/location. We don't know what that is yet.

[Pete]

Somebody pointed out that the structure was burning/smolderling in one of my convention center photos.

I've cropped it (taken 1/8) and added another photo from a couple of weeks earlier. Looks pretty bad.

[Mantison]

Has any thought been given, especially with the lack of access and somewhat self contained nature of the area, that the city approach deep pocketed philanthropic types and design a community solution for the homeless / unemployed / transient population? Full on housing, work training, joint venture with staffing companies and aid communities, and make a go at a social construct that we haven't seen since the great depression. Not a "work camp" but a "Relaunch Facility" for those who are in dire need of a second or third chance. Take the opportunity to not just do an "economic development zone", but a Human Development Zone. Sounds kind of flakey and "socialist"... but why not?

[kevin lee]

This land is worth $60+ million. If I'm understanding you correctly, that idea won't happen at this location. This may be the most expensive piece of unused land in all of OKC. But you make a good suggestion, but I doubt anyone jumps on that grenade.

[TheTravellers]

Aren't they trying to get that type of thing ("Relaunch facility") going over on General Pershing Blvd/Main St. where some of those types of entities are already located?

[Laramie]

Have a friend I use to take to North Care https://www.northcare.com/, there are a number of crisis intervention and behavioral modification facilities in the area (General Pershing). It's a sad sight to see with people walking the streets looking like zombies. They can't prescribe many of them take-home prescriptions; they are administered a daily or whatever prescribed dose.

Visit the area whenever you get the chance; can't really describe the hurt you will see. Will say there are many new structures built within the last decades--adds much to the community.

[TheTravellers]

Have a friend I use to take to North Care https://www.northcare.com/, there are a number of crisis intervention and behavioral modification facilities in the area (General Pershing). It's a sad sight to see with people walking the streets looking like zombies. They can't prescribe many of them take-home prescriptions; they are administered a daily or whatever prescribed dose.

Visit the area whenever you get the chance; can't really describe the hurt you will see. Will say there are many new structures built within the last decades--adds much to the community.

We live at NW 36th/May and drive down that way to get to the CBD, Deep Deuce, Bricktown, etc., and yes, very painful and sad, but like you say, they have built new buildings, and if they can get all the organizations working together in a cohesive whole like they're planning to do (I think Palomar is part of that), it will be a good thing to help alleviate at least some of it.

[Dob Hooligan]

Have a friend I use to take to North Care https://www.northcare.com/, there are a number of crisis intervention and behavioral modification facilities in the area (General Pershing). It's a sad sight to see with people walking the streets looking like zombies. They can't prescribe many of them take-home prescriptions; they are administered a daily or whatever prescribed dose.

Visit the area whenever you get the chance; can't really describe the hurt you will see. Will say there are many new structures built within the last decades--adds much to the community.

Adds to the community when you don't live or work in the area, like I have for almost 40 years. The concentration of psychiatric in patient hospital (with shielded, police and ambulance unloading area); mental health services center; low-barrier homeless shelter (that means no sobriety commitment-the only one in OKC, IIRC); Positive Tomorrows elementary school for homeless children; ReMerge training center for women leaving, or diverting from, the prison system; CityCare homeless housing (with a sober living commitment); ASTEC Charter School; AND the 15 plus acre field belonging to Acme Brick that abuts the Union Pacific right of way (which creates a wooded no man's land) all within 1,000 feet of each other creates a concentration of challenged humanity.

Having said all that...I don't feel any more unsafe or at risk that I was before. Common sense and street smarts have kept me, my property and vehicles safe. And my business is semi-industrial any way.

I get hit up for money at 23rd & Penn or 10th and Portland a lot more than I do at 10th and May.

[HFAA Alum]

I wonder if there's any news to the development of this area. I know the schematics are out there, but has there been any word on the developers of this project, Pete?

[Pete]

I wonder if there's any news to the development of this area. I know the schematics are out there, but has there been any word on the developers of this project, Pete?

Sooner Investments has been involved for a few years now.

They did University Town Center in Norman, Spring Creek in Edmond and Sooner Rose in MWC among others.

At one point, they were pretty far along with some big box retail tenants at the southern edge of this property, but it all fell apart for some reason and now it seems they are back to square one.

There is always the possibility that the soccer stadium lands here which would help kick things off.

[stlokc]

Dear God, I hope we don't see "big box retail tenants" here.

[HFAA Alum]

Thank you for the update. Unfortunate that the pandemic and other circumstances intersected to cause such a setback. Hope they can get those same tenants to reconsider some second thoughts and sell them of the potential income that would help fuel their brand. I'll give it six months before this pandemic swings back under control and the job market will look to open up a little more.

The best thing about OKC is that the cost of living is relatively low and some industries are well-paying. If the casinos around the state are an indication of how much disposable income people have, then they should be willing to see that the possible profit margins would look to be in their favor. OKC isn't exactly small-town, it's got it's own high-end amenities and acquisitions, along with suitable entertainment options being proposed in the area. The soccer stadium would be a hell of a stimulus, if they break ground for it there, that should be the ink to dry on the check that sells them on the location.

A nice high-tech entertainment venue with a few midrise buildings and multi-story clubs with outside views of the skyline, featuring dedicated staging areas for local bands would fuel the music scene. Rooftop pools would give patrons the chance to cool down in the summer while sharing drinks and listening to the music. Lots of areas on ground level would sell clothes and goods, restaurants on the second floors would provide some subtraction of the street noise for a quieter dining experience. Multi-story residential buildings that offer proximity, hotel properties that would fill out a block or two while stacking up to at least ten or fifteen floors would encourage tourism. It would not only add life to the area, but also fill in the skyline a bit more, encouraging more businesses and corporations to locate and build upwards.

Of course I can see that happening only in about fifteen or twenty years, but future generations won't have an excuse to lazily say that there's nothing to do here.

[HangryHippo]

I think the low cost of living thing is overblown. It’s cheap because it’s not desirable, no?