On the south side of 29th, there are alot of mobile homes with boards on the windows. I also heard that the trailer park right there at 29th and Douglas is closing in November. Has anyone heard of any development that might be happening there?

Hopefully it will just dissapear. It's not exactlly prime real estate or anything.

Actually, the southside of that area faces I-40. And there are a number of areas on Douglas that are being developed.:beaten_fi

From what I remember, the City of Midwest City bought most of that property a few years ago with the intention of annexing it to MWC. It is valuable land and MWC was trying to ensure that any future development would put sales tax dollars in MWC's coffers and not OKC's.

Imagine all the highway frontage you would have along I-40. Something needs to happen with it and i'd be happy to see those trailer parks gone. It would add a lot more to the front of midwest city other than just what you see for a mile along I-40.

Believe it or not, the hospital authority owned it last time I checked...could be different now.

Here's a quick rundown of some things that were going to happen. At one time, Integris wanted to build a hospital on that South of 29th parcel. At that time MCRH didn't want that to happen, so the MCMH group bought the land and thus cut that one off. Then later, Wal-Mart wanted to use that as a possible site for a Super Center. It's out of the city of MWC (OKC does still own it, NOT MWC), so MWC couldn't complain about it. I don't really know the reasons why that plan got scrapped. I think at that point, they were trying to cut some costs and just add on to the old one at Reno and Midwest...then MWC shot their proposal down because of parking lot restrictions.

It's a lot of private residential land...especially after you get past Post. And if you check out a google map of the area, I-40 frontage is anywhere from 1/2 to a full mile away from any major road most of the way bewteen Douglas and Choctaw Rd. So if anyone was to develop, they would have to buy up all that residential piece by piece in a long battle with folks that have lived there since the land run, and then convince OKC to build a road to it. Remember that there isn't a frontage road out there either...just private dirt roads around their properties.

I know the feeling, my great great grandparents owned the land that is now the south area of tinker's runway as part of a czech community down there. Even had family buried out there and were dug up and moved to worley cemetery on post road. The farmer who sold the land to the founder of midwest city was my great grandfathers friend.

Even though that land is rough and needs ground studies and everything you can imagine from the epa, it would still be a great investment to see it add to the quality of life in midwest city. Just imagine everyone just a few miles east of shawnee who drive all the way to okc/mwc to shop. There would be a lot of money in sales tax to pay for whatever would have to be done to get it going.

I assume you are talking about NORTH of the runway?

As i've heard it put, it was the land south of 29th that was purchased for the "Air Depot" and the land north of 29th was later purchased to build a city, aka "The Original Mile". You can also find all the information on it in a book at the MWC Library called "People and Places of Midwest City" it's an old black book, yellow lettering on the front, probably about 80 - 120 pages.

I'll have to go find that. We all hear stories growing up about parts of the city's history, but it would be fun to read it for real.

It really was sad when Bill Atkinson died. It sort of felt like part of the city left with him. His family is still in the area though...really nice folks. It would be interesting to see what his take on MWC would be at this point. He didnt live to see much development on 29th. I'd enjoy hearing his take on the cost/benefit. You know how much of a planner he was...just look at "America's Model City" in the origional mile. I don't know of anywhere else in OK that had that distinction.

No. The Original Mile was unique not only for Oklahoma but for much of the world. A masterplanned new city is not very common in history.

Just the way the roads where planned were unique enough that it was safe for families and really was an ideal city for others to follow. I'd still like to see a sign placed somewhere like we did stating "America's Model City".

@bomber, you may shoot me, I just found the book I was talking about, I guess I didn't return it to the library....

You can also still visit the homestead of Bill Atkinson at 10th and Midwest Blvd and take a tour. You'll have to call ahead of time and set an appointment, but it's very interesting to see how Bill thought things out in a visual perspective. At last that I knew, there was a lot of construction going in over there.

I heard through the grapevine that the trailer park behind Denny's is requesting everyone to move out by November. The RV business is moving also. I'm telling you. Something is fixing to happen.

Probably. The city owns them.

How far back does Griffin own over there?

all that property being discussed here has one slight flaw. It is in the city limits of Oklahoma CITY.
Doesn't matter that MW City or the hospital trust bought it.
For that to become MWC, it takes a petition drive of the residents and property owners with I believe 80 % signing up to request a VOTE of Annexation.
That petition would have to be presented to the city of OKLAHOMA CITY and all of OKLAHOMA CITY would have to vote to allow that area to DE-ANNEX from Oklahoma City.
Then the city of MIDWEST CITY would have to vote to accept the petition and vote results and then the citizens of MIDWEST CITY would have to vote to approve the annexation.
Now for those of you who like history lessons. There was an effort about 12 years ago for a portion of that very area to deannex from Oklahoma. The petition drive either failed or Oklahoma City did not call an election because its not in Oklahoma CIties intrest to EVER let that I-40 frontage to go to any one else.[URL="http://www2.lsb.state.ok.us/tsrs/queryannex[/URL]

Oklahoma statue Title 11 Sec.21 has several sections relating to annexation and those have to be followed for an annexation to be lawful. Just because a community wants it, another community doesn't have to give it.
Hope this helps:tiphat:

Thanks for the history lesson Redskin70

Now, let's start a petition drive. Who's with me? I'm willing to do a door to door, i don't mind. Just like working for the Census.

Do we want it to be part of MWC? It's not exactlly fine land there...there are some pretty shady places in the area once you pass about a 1/4 mile east of Douglas.

I am interested at what's happening there with the RV area. I wonder if the car lot or the RV sales place is expanding or if it's something new?

Perhaps we'll get a frontage road? I don't know.

I want the whole area.