UCO’s new rock school should look at Film Row
By Steve Lackmeyer
November 25, 2008

http://photos.newsok.com/2/showimage/520124/lead620/
Features of the 92-year-old Ford Model T plant at 900 W Main could make it a viable option as a permanent home for UCO’s Academy of Contemporary Music. PHOTO BY STEVE LACKMEYER, THE OKLAHOMAN

To: Scott Booker and Roger Webb
From: Steve Lackmeyer
Re: The School of Rock

Dear Scott and Roger: Let me first say that downtown is eagerly awaiting the arrival of the Oklahoma City branch of the London-based Academy of Contemporary Music. This "school of rock” could end up being a fine legacy for both you. I recognize of course that Scott, as general manager of the Flaming Lips, and Roger, as president of the University of Central Oklahoma, neither of you are lacking for a legacy at this point.

You’re starting off small next year at offices in Bricktown’s Oklahoma Hardware Building, but you’ve not discussed the school’s ultimate potential for drawing up to 1,200 students.

If that happens, and many believe it will, Bricktown will quickly prove to be too small in the long run.


About Film Row
So let me introduce you to what could be Oklahoma City’s next hip urban district — if you have the vision to make it happen: Film Row.
Located along Sheridan Avenue and Main Street between Western and Hudson, this stretch was once an outpost to Hollywood’s biggest studios. Throw in a 92-year-old Ford Model T plant, and you’ve got one great and unique area just looking for an anchor.

With your backgrounds in the arts and education, maybe one or both of you may be familiar with the Savannah College of Art and Design. If not, consider this acclaimed school’s 30-year history as a road map on how to invade and conquer a fading urban area.

The Savannah, Ga., school started out small as well — four staff members, seven faculty members and 71 students. Classes started in the Savannah Volunteer Guards Armory in a less-than-savory part of downtown.

The college now encompasses 60 buildings downtown and boasts an enrollment of roughly 9,000 students.


Ford plant proposal
The old Ford Model T plant is owned by the Fred Jones family, and Fred Jones Hall is an enthusiastic downtown booster who could be an ally in making the plant a permanent home.
Stage Center might be a good start for performance space — and several of the old Film Row buildings have old screening rooms and small auditoriums.

If you need housing, maybe a deal could be done with Tom Hill, the owner of Kimray and the force behind the Character Training Institute that now occupies the old Holiday Inn on the east fringe of Film Row.

And there is no need to worry about parking; ample spaces surround the old Ford plant.

I realize you’ve not solicited my input on your endeavor. So just call me a busybody.


Sincerely,

Steve Lackmeyer

I'd love to see them move to Film Row. I think it'd be healthier overall for them and the city if they moved there. I wonder what would happen to the Old Russia Vodka distillery that is currently in the Fred Jones building, and I SERIOUSLY doubt Tom Hill will give up his CTI property. I think they've been approached before by investors if I'm not mistaken. I'm sure Wayne Coyne is worth a few tens if not hundreds of millions, maybe he can front some money as a philanthropic gesture to the city. A hotel or more residential life (at the current CTI) would revive the Arts District and Film Row.


P.S.: Steve, speaking of Film Row, we need a story update. I thought the city money (bond I think) was in place for the streetscaping a year or two ago, then it got delayed to this summer (I think you did an article). Now what is the status?

Old Russia Vodka Distilleries has firm plans to move out of the Fred Jones building and will have relocated by this spring.

If that is the case, then the Academy should definitely look into it. If not Fred Jones Hall needs to make those into lofts. It's a perfect building for true lofts.

Old Russia Vodka Distilleries has firm plans to move out of the Fred Jones building and will have relocated by this spring.

Where are they going?

I'm sure Wayne Coyne is worth a few tens if not hundreds of millions

The guy isn't poor but I seriously doubt that.

Film row would be cool, but I do kind of like the school in Bricktown. It brings another layer and viability to the district and there is all kinds of empty upper-level space to go around.

I wonder if the powers that be in Bricktown know it's in their best interest not to let this get away from them, if possible.

I not seeing that much potential in terms of existing building stock for film row.

I think the next great urban district in west DT OKC will indeed center on the Fred Jones building, but rather than being between DT and that building. I would suggest that the new district actually exist between the eastern edge of the FJ building and Ellison Ave east to west while still along Sheridan and Main. There are a lot of great one-story buildings in that area with a good density. When the new boulevard goes in, this district will be right next door. Also, I propose a large roundabout on the boulevard at the Classen intersection and extending Exchange Ave into the roundabout to provide easy accesss to the Stockyards.

Like this: Google Maps (http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&t=h&hl=en&msa=0&msid=107022609557984163662.00045c85b18207f1f1105&ll=35.46628,-97.531729&spn=0.008476,0.017231&z=16)

The "powers that be" in Bricktown DEFINITELY know what a big deal this is, and will be working hard to make the best of it. "The best of it," long term, may or may not include a permanent location in Bricktown, no matter how much we want it, or try to keep it. The fact of the matter is that Scott (and I assume the rest of the ACM leadership) envisions this as growing to an amount of square footage that might not be practical in Bricktown in the long term, plus envisions large performance venues and even, potentially, housing.

Another factor is that Fred Hall is a big supporter of this endeavor. If he pushes for the FJ Manufacturing facility as a long-term solution, that will carry a tremendous amount of weight. And it might very well be the best fit.

The important things for Bricktown to do in this case are to eagerly embrace what the ACM will bring, at least in the short term, leave no stone unturned when examining whether it could be kept in Bricktown, but most importantly create ties that will always keep Bricktown as a PART of what ACM does. Whether that means being continuing to host workshops, providing venues, or even being host to an Bricktown-based, ACM-run music festival remains to be seen. There are lots of opportunities there.

I think it's good to start in Bricktown, as it provides much needed visibility, while also adding some more character and point of interest to BT. I also think there is ample empty space in BT for it to grow, but that may be hard as BT is often hampered by conflicting interests and disjointed vision.

Film row may give them more control over their growth and I think there is a lot more potential over there to grow something more organic and genuine. However, if SCAD is to be the template, then the answer would be to use both districts. SCAD is scattered all over the historic district and, while its sometimes hard to convert the scale from one city to another, I don't think that Film Row is any farther from Bricktown than any two of SCAD's buildings are from each other. Doing it that way could also serve as a way to connect the east and west side of downtown, at least conceptually, especially if students decided to live somewhere in between.

All of downtown is walkable, from Mid-Town to the convention area, from bricktown to the arts district. It's just not that big, but many here seem to think it is. I think to get downtown where it's a truly vibrant area, we will have to kind of tear down the barriers and fill in the gaps between districts (be it physically or just perceptually) and having one organization with a presence in several downtown districts may go a long way to doing this. Obviously public transit beyond looping and unreliable trolleys would help, but I think fostering a feasible and true pedestrian section of town would go even further and ACM or any other organization willing to occupy space in more than one area of town that is still walkable would do a lot to create a more pedestrian culture across all of downtown.

BDP: and having one organization with a presence in several downtown districts may go a long way to doing this.

We do, it's called Urban Neighbors (Home | Urban Neighbors (http://www.urbanneighbors.org)) and Downtown OKC (www.downtownokc.com). I agree the school could have a significant impact on putting downtown on the tipping point of people realizing we DO have a walkable Downtown/MidTown, problem is perception and mentality of laziness we have engrained into citizens in this city for decades. This can not be changed overnight, but it is coming.

I think it's good to start in Bricktown, as it provides much needed visibility, while also adding some more character and point of interest to BT. I also think there is ample empty space in BT for it to grow, but that may be hard as BT is often hampered by conflicting interests and disjointed vision.

Film row may give them more control over their growth and I think there is a lot more potential over there to grow something more organic and genuine. However, if SCAD is to be the template, then the answer would be to use both districts. SCAD is scattered all over the historic district and, while its sometimes hard to convert the scale from one city to another, I don't think that Film Row is any farther from Bricktown than any two of SCAD's buildings are from each other. Doing it that way could also serve as a way to connect the east and west side of downtown, at least conceptually, especially if students decided to live somewhere in between.

All of downtown is walkable, from Mid-Town to the convention area, from bricktown to the arts district. It's just not that big, but many here seem to think it is. I think to get downtown where it's a truly vibrant area, we will have to kind of tear down the barriers and fill in the gaps between districts (be it physically or just perceptually) and having one organization with a presence in several downtown districts may go a long way to doing this. Obviously public transit beyond looping and unreliable trolleys would help, but I think fostering a feasible and true pedestrian section of town would go even further and ACM or any other organization willing to occupy space in more than one area of town that is still walkable would do a lot to create a more pedestrian culture across all of downtown.
You're underestimating the contiguous square footage demands of the long-term ACM vision. No matter how hard Bricktown tries, it will be difficult to provide, say, 100,000 contiguous square feet, performance venues with stages and theater-style seating, and even housing. All on the budget of an educational institution, albeit one with generous supporters.

I agree with you about SCAD, though, and also about breaking down barriers between districts. I think the best shot that Bricktown has to keep at least some of the school in Bricktown is for ACM to embrace that SCAD model. But at the end of the day, the important thing is to keep the school downtown, and the important thing for Bricktown is to forge strong bonds with ACM from the outset so that there will always be a partnership, and an ACM presence in the district.

I like the SCAD idea too. I would think you could start in Bricktown, with plans to grow and ultimately use the Fred Jones Building. The Bricktown location could end up being administrative offices, and perhaps even a small Rock N Roll Museum, which would complement the Banjo Museum.

And I agree, that is a very walkable distance. We do have crazy ideas about walking here in OKC. I would think nothing of walking that far when I lived in Denver, and my kids do it every day in Chicago.

I don't like the idea of using it as administrative offices. You can keep that over in the main building. We want students in Bricktown doing things. You could use the original building as an area where upperclassmen work on capstone projects. So each year, you could have a handful of new music groups basically operating day and night out of that part of the school. The last thing we need in that space is another office that will close at 5 pm.

We do, it's called Urban Neighbors (Home | Urban Neighbors) and Downtown OKC (Downtown OKC > Home (http://www.downtownokc.com)).

Those organizations have offices in multiple districts downtown? I didn't know that. How many do they employ?


You're underestimating the contiguous square footage demands of the long-term ACM vision.

Yes, if they need 100,000 square feet of contiguous space, then I was way off. I can't really imagine what that would be used for, though. I was thinking of 100,000 square foot, but more in terms of a studios here, a class rooms there, offices up there, and some performance/practice space mixed in through downtown. I could easily see them having a performance department in one building, production in another, maybe an academics center (business and law mainly), an administrative building, and a building for individual practice studios. In fact, I think there are great advantages to a performance school to not be all in one building.

While we have already mentioned SCAD, I am pretty sure Berklee (probably the closest American equivalent) is in several buildings as well. Is ACM in London all in one building?

Berklee also has classes in the Boston Architectural College building during the day, most of its classes are in the late afternoon/evening since it is a work/study based architecture program.

I like the idea of spreading it across Bricktown and Film Row. It could be a good catalyst for a streetcar along Sheridan.

I'm a bit worried though about the proximity to the City Rescue Mission. Would you send your 18 year old to a school who's primary facility is a block from a massive homeless shelter swarming with panhandlers, drug dealers, and crime? You only need to go to the McDonalds at Classen and Sheridan to see the effects on the immediate area.

I'd love to see them move to Film Row. I think it'd be healthier overall for them and the city if they moved there. I wonder what would happen to the Old Russia Vodka distillery that is currently in the Fred Jones building, and I SERIOUSLY doubt Tom Hill will give up his CTI property. I think they've been approached before by investors if I'm not mistaken. I'm sure Wayne Coyne is worth a few tens if not hundreds of millions, maybe he can front some money as a philanthropic gesture to the city. A hotel or more residential life (at the current CTI) would revive the Arts District and Film Row.


P.S.: Steve, speaking of Film Row, we need a story update. I thought the city money (bond I think) was in place for the streetscaping a year or two ago, then it got delayed to this summer (I think you did an article). Now what is the status?

why does one of the few artist that have made it from here.. have to fork the money, and I doubt he is worth that anyways..? Why cant some of these even filthier rich oil people fork the money up and get behind something really good for the city?

I say leave film row to the real artists and small business owners who were run out of bricktown by brewer in the 80's..to pave the way for the mainstream. Can there not be any cool district left that doesnt get jumped on by the mainstream?

Remember, Deep Elum is cool because it was left to it's own devices to grow and prosper for years before 'investors' and mainstream took it over.

If you really want to nitpick, Deep Ellum is not cool anymore.

well, I don't know on the money side of the sheet, but there is that delightful soon to be auctioned space across from the ballpark and on the canal. Perhaps a multi, multi floor facility for the School would look quite fetching on that empty corner?

UCO can't even afford to fix up Old North to make it safe to enter. You think they're in a position to buy Bricktown real estate?

No, but there are those who are, and while they may not care one fig about a bldg on campus proper wasting away in whiteflightville, they may be music lovers and BT fans.
Do they exist? Unknown. Might they exist? Sure, ergo I dream of what ight come to pass, as my son dreams of new opportunities which might open as he departs high ina couple of years.

That building on campus is one of the oldest in the state.

In fact, it housed the state's first institution of higher learning :)

But yeah, you're probably right.

I like the idea of spreading it across Bricktown and Film Row. It could be a good catalyst for a streetcar along Sheridan.

I'm a bit worried though about the proximity to the City Rescue Mission. Would you send your 18 year old to a school who's primary facility is a block from a massive homeless shelter swarming with panhandlers, drug dealers, and crime? You only need to go to the McDonalds at Classen and Sheridan to see the effects on the immediate area.

Georgetown Law is located next door to the largest homeless shelter in the nation.

Actually.. putting musicians near drug dealers makes economic sense :)

If you really want to nitpick, Deep Ellum is not cool anymore.

right, I agree with that.

Would you send your 18 year old to a school who's primary facility is a block from a massive homeless shelter swarming with panhandlers, drug dealers, and crime?

Well, to be fair, there are a lot of schools that are in less than desirable area of town... strangely, it more often than not seems to be the private ones.

That's not to say that it shouldn't be a concern. What's funny is that students usually don't mind so much as their usually less jaded than their parents, but really the biggest risk of being by the mission is probably getting hit by an ambulance.


Actually.. putting musicians near drug dealers makes economic sense

That's funny... unfortunately. ;)

Georgetown Law is located next door to the largest homeless shelter in the nation.

Well there's a bit of difference between a graduate school and one aimed at undergrad-aged individuals. I would argue there is also a different mindset about such situations in the urban areas on the east coast than there is in the midwest and plains, the areas we are most likely to recruit from.