Well I noticed about two weeks ago ground finally broke for Sun Moon Plaza in the Asian District. Several concrete form walls have already gone up. I'll try and take some pics soon. For more information read this old thread and here is a pic as well.

http://www.okctalk.com/okc-metro-area-talk/4814-asian-district-updates-2.html

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a49/DougLoudenback/asian/asian05a.jpg

I noticed this also but took no pics as they seem to be moving at a snail's pace. Maybe it will pick up soon.

The couple days I saw them out there, they were working pretty fast and put walls up overnight. Pretty large crew from what I've seen. I guess time will tell, hopefully Laredo's construction crew is not working on this project.

This thing is garbage.

This thing is garbage.
Why do you say that? The plan, at least, looks pretty good. But you may have other info ...

This thing is garbage.

yeah, why do you say that, and it's way better than what was there before, and it is at least adding more to the "Asian look" of the district. I'd much rather see that than Rent-A-Center or a Taco Mayo.

It's a tilt-up strip mall with a pagoda.

It's a tilt-up strip mall with a pagoda.
Sooo ... what? BTW, it looks like the Rent-A-Center is not going to be included ... at least I've not seen any signs of destruction of that facility.

Yeah, that was my observation too Doug, unfortunately.

Sooo ... what?

I don't know, Doug. Just not too excited about it I guess. Maybe it will turn out better than it's shaping up.

I agree with wsu. Seems like the Asian district has had too many of these slightly dressed up concrete tilt up shopping centers built recently. None of which, up to this point, look all that Asian or have any real character to speak of.

Sooo ... what? BTW, it looks like the Rent-A-Center is not going to be included ... at least I've not seen any signs of destruction of that facility.

It will be part of the new buildings, but they want to stay in operation as long as possible before moving.

It will be part of the new buildings, but they want to stay in operation as long as possible before moving.
Good. Please tell what else you know? :tiphat:

I agree with wsu. Seems like the Asian district has had too many of these slightly dressed up concrete tilt up shopping centers built recently. None of which, up to this point, look all that Asian or have any real character to speak of.

They at least have Asian elements... look a modern Asia... they aren't build recreations of Himeji Castle or the Forbidden City... we can't expect the same.

All I would ask is that they build up to the sidewalk so you can go to multiple stores and restaurants. Some have, most haven't...not sure about this one.

Seems to be coming along now. I am afraid it is probably going to look like a very cheap strip mall. They modified the design quite a bit from what I can tell and they attached the Asian Pagoda thingy to the SE corner of the building instead of having it free standing in the middle of the shopping center.

Steve, do you have any inside scoop on this one yet?

There was poster/sign in front of what I thought was going to be Sun Moon Plaza along 23rd and Western with two views of the photo above... then the same sign was moved to the strip mall being built at Classen and 26th. Now that sign is missing from Classen and 26th (Maybe because it's open now?) So I wonder if there will be two similar projects?

I agree with wsu. Seems like the Asian district has had too many of these slightly dressed up concrete tilt up shopping centers built recently. None of which, up to this point, look all that Asian or have any real character to speak of.

Well I wouldn't say that, I mean, SURELY there's crappy strip mall architecture in Asia as well..what about Haikou, China..that would be where I would go first to find crappy strip mall architecture in Asia because that is OKC's sister city in Asia. And yes, I just looked that up.

Well I wouldn't say that, I mean, SURELY there's crappy strip mall architecture in Asia as well..what about Haikou, China..that would be where I would go first to find crappy strip mall architecture in Asia because that is OKC's sister city in Asia. And yes, I just looked that up.

Apparently "sister cities" aren't determined by similarity. ;)
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/aa/Haikou_skyline_4_-_2009_09_07.jpg

It's in the northside, so by definition it's world-class, right?
:LolLolLol

WOW, If only Okc Urban Renewal could get their hands on that.

Just think of the possiblities, Plazas, Parks, Pastures, Parking Lots....etc.

If we could only get a hold of their 1.3 BILLION people there wouldn't be any room for parks and plazas.

I've traveled and done business in China. I hope people here don't want to use their Communist planned cities as urbanization examples. Outside of some areas architecture and city planning is definitely not exciting.

I've traveled and done business in China. I hope people here don't want to use their Communist planned cities as urbanization examples.

Yes, they love their empty plazas ... look at how lively Olympic plaza is in Beijing these days ... this pic is less than a year old.

http://m.ammoth.us/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/empty-birds-nest.jpg

But ... I see another one in our future too, maybe not with the Sun Moon Plaza per se, just sayin':

http://www.rogersmarvel.com/images/Sandridge/SandridgeUnveiled_RMA_copyrighted.jpg

Hey, don't pick on SandRidge. They did put the cheap-looking, cheesy Thunder banner atop their building, so everything's cool.

You can please some of the people, some of the time---but you can't please all of the people, all of the time.

And then you can also piss mostly everyone off and show zero regard for what everyone generally wants for downtown..

All I would ask is that they build up to the sidewalk so you can go to multiple stores and restaurants. Some have, most haven't...not sure about this one.

..and how bout building a light rail in the district to connect Little Saigon to the rest of OKC once a light rail system gets developed. They could call it the Orient Express.

They at least have Asian elements... look a modern Asia... they aren't build recreations of Himeji Castle or the Forbidden City... we can't expect the same.

why would they build those in OKC to begin with? Little Saigon is chiefly Vietnamese,... not Japanese, Chinese, or any other Asian ethnicity.

Except nobody has called it Little Saigon since 1990.

Nice article about the Okc Asian District.

http://www.okc.biz/article/11-24-2010/Asian_District_improvements_renovations_just_keep_ rolling_on.aspx


Asian District improvements, renovations just keep rolling on
Pamela A. Grady
11.24.2010

During the past two decades, Oklahoma City’s Asian District, which stretches along Classen Boulevard between NW 23 and NW 30 streets, has undergone numerous transformations.

Many buildings in the area have changed ownership time and time again as residents and business owners continue to invest in the community. Some structures have undergone major renovations, while other dilapidated buildings have been torn down, with new buildings constructed in their place...........read more...........

Glorifying the good and the bad. The bad being that a lot of the development in the Asian District has been pretty emblematic of a city that doesn't encourage dense, cool development.

hopefully the district continues to thrive in the future. W/O any major asian immigrations on the horizon, the strength of the community will depend on the kids of these people deciding to live and interact in the area, and not take their talents elsewhere.

Not to completely disregard how far this district has come, but the city has put millions into cleaning up this area and in return has only seen a few "asian style" strip malls for new development. With future demolition for another strip mall coming soon, 30th and Classen.

It's seems like another example of how this city as a whole keeps missing the mark. After reading the Okc Asian District Plan, http://www.okc.gov/planning/documents/asian%20district%20plan.pdf , written in Oct 2005, the plan looks very good but once again the execution is average.

It seems like Okc.gov held up to it's end of the plan, but private developers haven't completely lived up to theirs, and are constantly trying to degrade their new developments, with only a few exceptions.

My question is, Why does this happen regularly? Or does Okc need to face the facts.

Developers don't like the city trying to tell them what to do or how to build, even though city planners likely have the community's best interest in mind.

If at all possible, the time is now for putting an end to bait and switch tactics by developers.

Developers don't like the city trying to tell them what to do or how to build, even though city planners likely have the community's best interest in mind.

How could that be, when surely city planners trying to tell developers what to do are part of the Obama-Pelosi-UN cartel? It's all a big conspiracy out to get us.

I don't want to say the Asian District is a joke, because the city has done a really good job with the streetscape, and there are a few really good developments. The Super Cao Nguyen Market thing is pretty awesome. There are other good things. I think Sun Moon Plaza will eventually be a +, even though the building materials certainly seem pretty shoddy, but that's almost too much to ask for.

In other cases you almost cringe to see another development happen in there. This isn't supposed to be a recreation of Houston's Little Saigon area, which is waaaay out in the burbs. This is 3 miles from downtown, about as inner city as it gets. This was an opportunity given to them. The city didn't have to do that streetscape. OKC rarely does, it must have taken a lot to compel them to invest in Classen.

It's the only nice part of Classen (streetscape-wise) and it has the worst development of anywhere along Classen.

The Asian District needs to do something with housing and making this area that people choose to live. The neighborhoods on both sides of Classen between 23rd and 36th are a little sketchy. Once again we have another example of Okc having a good place to visit but not a great place to live, being the Asian District.

Many of us visit this area for various reasons (restaurants, shopping, grocery, offices space) but how many of us really would want to live in this area?

The Asian District needs to do something with housing and making this area that people choose to live. The neighborhoods on both sides of Classen between 23rd and 36th are a little sketchy. Once again we have another example of Okc having a good place to visit but not a great place to live, being the Asian District.

Many of us visit this area for various reasons (restaurants, shopping, grocery, offices space) but how many of us really would want to live in this area?

What would you suggest that they do? Is the Asian District an entity that it able to make decisions about the housing areas surrounding it?

OKC's asian population really is relatively small for a"district". Area really needs greater population of asian citizens to truly become a district. OKC as a whole needs a more diverse populous to become a interesting city with multiple cultural options

The Asian District needs to do something with housing and making this area that people choose to live. The neighborhoods on both sides of Classen between 23rd and 36th are a little sketchy. Once again we have another example of Okc having a good place to visit but not a great place to live, being the Asian District.

Many of us visit this area for various reasons (restaurants, shopping, grocery, offices space) but how many of us really would want to live in this area?
Maybe some of the small apartment buildings need to be remodeled into single family homes.

OKC's asian population really is relatively small for a"district". Area really needs greater population of asian citizens to truly become a district. OKC as a whole needs a more diverse populous to become a interesting city with multiple cultural options

OKC actually has a significant history of Vietnamese immigration. And a significant Vietnamese population.

In fact, dcsooner, Oklahoma City's Vietnamese/Southeast Asian community is quite well known. A few years ago, National Geographic did a profile of Little Saigon as part of their Zip Code snapshots. You can find it online here...

http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0303/feature6/index.html

In fact, dcsooner, Oklahoma City's Vietnamese/Southeast Asian community is quite well known. A few years ago, National Geographic did a profile of Little Saigon as part of their Zip Code snapshots. You can find it online here...

http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0303/feature6/index.html

Interesting article. I've been to see the old doc a few times. One of the questions on the patient questionnaire is "you want shot?"

I'd agree that it's housing. The area has some really awesome homes in it, and some really bad ones. The Paseo is just down the road with an equal issue. Unfortunately, unless you want to start tearing down homes, you don't really get much of an option to change...and who/how does it get decided that one house goes but another can stay?

I'd agree that it's housing. The area has some really awesome homes in it, and some really bad ones. The Paseo is just down the road with an equal issue. Unfortunately, unless you want to start tearing down homes, you don't really get much of an option to change...and who/how does it get decided that one house goes but another can stay?

Well that's not how neighborhood improvement is carried out anyway.

The neighborhoods on both sides of Classen between 23rd and 36th are a little sketchy. Once again we have another example of Okc having a good place to visit but not a great place to live


I live in the area. It is a great place to live for a 20 or 30 something year old with no kids. No crime, good neighbors. Just west of Edgemere park is a great place to live if you are in your 20s/30s or retired. Obviously if I had kids I would move to Edmond or far NW OKC however since I have no kids this area is perfect. It is diverse ethnically and near many good restaurants.

I cant say the same for the neighborhoods west of Western Ave, they get shady quick as you head toward Penn. I would say anything west of western is cool, however east of western gets ghetto until you get to Nichols hills on the north or mesta park on the south.

I live in the area. It is a great place to live for a 20 or 30 something year old with no kids. No crime, good neighbors. Just west of Edgemere park is a great place to live if you are in your 20s/30s or retired. Obviously if I had kids I would move to Edmond or far NW OKC however since I have no kids this area is perfect. It is diverse ethnically and near many good restaurants.


By the way, are you missing a black, stray cat in your neighborhood off NW 26th and Classen since last month? If so, don't worry. I made friends with him, grabbed him, took him to a vet to have him fixed, checked and vaccinated. He's mine now. His picture is below:
http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn185/stillwatertownie/IMG_2383.jpg

You probably saved him from being dinner in the Asian District.

I've had more than one cop tell me the Asian District is one of the safer areas to live. Fewer burglaries and robberies at the business establishments as well. These people work for a living as it's part of their culture to work hard and not expect government handouts. They say certain criminal elements that terrorize Oklahoma City stay away from the Asian District. The Asians aren't intimidated by the gangsta ways of these groups and don't put up with it. Those gangstas also know most all of the business people in the AD are ARMED and aren't afraid to defend themselves. One officer said he worked in two divisions and the difference was startling: for every one call in the Asian District there are dozens and dozens in the Lyrewood area alone. Two cultures, two outcomes.

Well, the Asian District is not a ghetto, it just has some streets that are still rundown, and a main corridor that has had some disappointing development mixed in with awesome development. Lyrewood is a ghetto. And the south side would be more like the Asian District if people would leave the Latinos alone. Very similarly strong cultural values.

I live in the area. It is a great place to live for a 20 or 30 something year old with no kids. No crime, good neighbors. Just west of Edgemere park is a great place to live if you are in your 20s/30s or retired. Obviously if I had kids I would move to Edmond or far NW OKC however since I have no kids this area is perfect. It is diverse ethnically and near many good restaurants.

I cant say the same for the neighborhoods west of Western Ave, they get shady quick as you head toward Penn. I would say anything west of western is cool, however east of western gets ghetto until you get to Nichols hills on the north or mesta park on the south.

East of Western is ghetto? That's Crown Heights/Edgemere Park.

I lived in the Asian district for a long time and never had any problems. I have tons of friends that live all over that area. Bunches of my friends are all about some pho and are regulars at the restaurants. Greenhouse and prohibition room seem to be thriving and we average 400 people every Wednesday at kamp's... so there's starting to be some nightlife there as well.
But I agree with you, Spartan, in regard to them tearing down interesting, old brick buildings and slapping up cheap, EIFS covered ones.

This is the oddest thread about the "Asian District" I've ever seen on here. Nothing but drivel.

And the south side would be more like the Asian District if people would leave the Latinos alone. Very similarly strong cultural values.

So incredibly true.

Sun Moon Plaza is finally picking up some steam again, looks like Rent A Center will move in and be torn down soon. Also, T-Mobile is moving in to the round rotunda like suite on the SE corner of the complex.

Originally Posted by Spartan
And the south side would be more like the Asian District if people would leave the Latinos alone. Very similarly strong cultural values.

Spartan,
What are you referencing to when indicating the Latino businesspeople haven't been left alone? Have they tried to create a district and invest like the Asian district but some people or groups are stopping them?

So incredibly true.

I would hope I could be forgiven if I suggest that the industriousness and entreprenuerial vigor on display in most Asian immigrant communities has not been evident to quite the same degree in most of America's latino communities. I'm not sure what "cultural values" are being referred to by Spartan, but I suspect it has more to do with some romantic conception of family life than with the values that drive people to achieve and produce. There is no conspiracy to prevent development on the south side of Oklahoma City.

There's a ton of Latino business development in OKC. It may not be as noticeable because it's more spread out, but it's definitely happening.

Spartan,
What are you referencing to when indicating the Latino businesspeople haven't been left alone? Have they tried to create a district and invest like the Asian district but some people or groups are stopping them?

A business is not just reliant on good business owners, but it's reliant on the target demographic as well. HB 1804 caused a very marked decline (some experienced 30-50% decline immediately, and I don't know if that's been recovered, but there's been a little recession since then) in business in most Latino-owned businesses of the southside. If the legislature is successful in more Latino community-killing pieces of legislation (like Randy Terrill's new proposed "Arizona-Plus," if he can pull it off while under indictment), then obviously that's even worse for business. I don't want to get political at all, but it's hard to not note the ramifications these and other things have for revitalizing the Latino part of OKC.

And this isn't directed at you Rover, but at a few others, that I won't respond to purely political replies...

And this isn't directed at you Rover, but at a few others, that I won't respond to purely political replies...

Thanks for your explanation. I didn't take it as a personal response. I just thought I had missed something, but now you have clarified.

Regardless of the politics, it would seem to be wise for the Latino community to focus on a fairly compact area as the center of their community and develop from that point out. I would assume Capital Hill to have the most potential to do that. That way, regardless of political action and consequences, the core will stand and development radiate from there and the question will be "how far". If the Latino business community can come together that is something they can build on, but if their efforts are scattered over a wide area with disjointed agendae then the kinds of population degradation will undermine any ethnic oriented efforts.