I took a bunch of photos of the Town Center the other day and analyzed the MWC Town Center from a new urbanist standpoint (since there is so little to look at in the way of new urbanism in OKC). Here was the post, some MWC folk might be interested in swaying the vote, too.

A Downtown ontheRange: The new urbanism of Midwest City (http://downtownontherange.blogspot.com/2010/06/new-urbanism-of-midwest-city.html)

I took a bunch of photos of the Town Center the other day and analyzed the MWC Town Center from a new urbanist standpoint (since there is so little to look at in the way of new urbanism in OKC). Here was the post, some MWC folk might be interested in swaying the vote, too.

A Downtown ontheRange: The new urbanism of Midwest City (http://downtownontherange.blogspot.com/2010/06/new-urbanism-of-midwest-city.html)

Wow it has been quite a few years since I have been through MWC and I am amazed at this development and very encouraged! Thanks for the post!

It should be noted, that Town Center replaced a similar concept that had just aged. The old development on 29th included simliar smaller scale developments along mid-america. The old development was more of the strip mall, but was also a large player in MWC becoming "America's Model City" as the poster child of civic development. That "old" area (called The Origional Mile) was also part of that. While the homes are old, you can still walk around there at night and not have to worry about getting jumped. It's actually a very safe and quiet area. The MCHS football stadium is a short drive up Lockheed (one of those streets that split off of Mid-America) and the Uptown redevelopment area is just off Key, which connects via Macarthur Drive near Kohls.

The developement continues to grow, but has roots in a very controversial emminent domain case that the city actually retroactively lost. It was a bit shady and served as a guidepost for other cities nationally...it got a lot of attention. The City sold off the hospital. That money went to the hospital trust. That trust invested the money to build it up. Then the city used emminent domain to buy out all the homes and businesses along 29th for the private development. The hospital trust then used that money in developing the area. How the funds transferred around is still a bit shady. It really should have been handled in a MUCH different way. When some residents sued after their homes were taken, they did win. And the city had to pay them for the loss. But hald the development was already there by then, so they were allowed to continue.