OUDaily.com | "Cancer Corner" to fall under university-wide smoking ban (http://oudaily.com/news/2013/sep/24/cancercorner_story/)

Will be interesting to see if they do anything with it.

Seems odd they would purchase it if they didn't have specific plans.

I hope nothing happens to El Chapala....seriously the best Mexican food in Norman. It just opened about 8 months ago, absolutely fantastic.

What else is in there these days? Papa John's? Ratcliffe's books?

What is in the space of the old theater?

What is in the far north end where Mr. Bills was for the longest time?

Mr Bill's was a very good place to me back in the day.

You had to know this would happen.
My bet is on parking at least for a time.
OU has been slowly buying up property’s near campus....
There has got to a bigger strategic plan for all the new land that will unfold over the decades .

Odd. I thought OU had already snarfed up the Village several years ago.

I had my first "legal" beer in Mr. Bill's (and many, many illegal beers). I also ate my weight in breadsticks slathered in melted butter and parmesan cheese in Pinocchio's.

Will be interesting to see if they do anything with it.

Seems odd they would purchase it if they didn't have specific plans.

Not sure what their plans are, but if you bring enough cash, Dave will name it after you...

I noticed today that another house (with one more soon) has been removed from Page Street in Norman.. This is just NE of the Football stadium and is in an area where OU has been slowly buying up properties and turning them in to parking lots. I suspect this will continue until OU owns all of this land.

I noticed today that another house (with one more soon) has been removed from Page Street in Norman.. This is just NE of the Football stadium and is in an area where OU has been slowly buying up properties and turning them in to parking lots. I suspect this will continue until OU owns all of this land.

I wonder what's planned for that area? Surely they're not just going to buy up all that land to turn it into parking?

I wonder what's planned for that area? Surely they're not just going to buy up all that land to turn it into parking?

Several years ago I had heard that OU had thought about building a real basketball arena in this area in part because it would be a much shorter walk for students and fans from OKC / Edmond would be able to used special event trains at a near by commuter rail OU station. I have my doubts that a new arena would ever built and in this location?

But if nothing else, buying up these low rent mostly dilapidated properties that have basically reached the end of their useful life will make the area look better.

Several years ago I had heard that OU had thought about building a real basketball arena in this area in part because it would be a much shorter walk for students and fans from OKC / Edmond would be able to used special event trains at a near by commuter rail OU station. I have my doubts that a new arena would ever built and in this location?

But if nothing else, buying up these low rent mostly dilapidated properties that have basically reached the end of their useful life will make the area look better.

I don't think its anywhere near big enough, especially with it being flanked by the dorms on one side and sororities on the other.

I don't think its anywhere near big enough, especially with it being flanked by the dorms on one side and sororities on the other.

I think you're confused about the area in question. The location NE of the stadium does not have any dorms or sororities.

^ I believe he was referencing the Duck Pond lot which would be plenty big for a new basketball arena.

I think OU wants to control as much land around the campus as they can for current and future uses.

^ I believe he was referencing the Duck Pond lot which would be plenty big for a new basketball arena.

I think OU wants to control as much land around the campus as they can for current and future uses.

The area in question is that I'm talking about is north of the Duck Pond on the north side of Brooks street and east of Jenkins. It's south of the energy center tower and on to the east to the RR tracks.

But almost all the land south of Boyd all the way to HY 9 and from Jenkins on the west and all the way to the RR tracks will likely be a candidate in due time IMHO for an OU buy out.
In the past 12 or so years OU has bought many lots in this area.
I may be wrong but it seems like I heard some place that OU owns several rent homes in this area but uses a property management company to rent them out?

But I'm like you BG918..... OU wants to buy up as much land now for futuer expansions and uses. Seems smart!
Buying the land gradually makes the process less messy and avoids the bad publicity of going though the eminent domain legal battles.
Its also probably cheaper in the long run.

It seems OU originally intended to buy this property in 1999: OU Buys Student Digs | News OK (http://newsok.com/ou-buys-student-digs/article/2646704)

I wonder what happened back then. This time they managed to get the job done: Cleveland County Assessor - Cookies (http://www.clevelandcountyassessor.us/Data.aspx?Account=R0045690)

Several years ago I had heard that OU had thought about building a real basketball arena in this area in part because it would be a much shorter walk for students and fans from OKC / Edmond would be able to used special event trains at a near by commuter rail OU station. I have my doubts that a new arena would ever built and in this location?

But if nothing else, buying up these low rent mostly dilapidated properties that have basically reached the end of their useful life will make the area look better.

AHAHAHAHA oh my gosh 48 just stop. never going to happen.

AHAHAHAHA oh my gosh 48 just stop. never going to happen.
It's not?

I can tell you that since my last post and as of about 2 weeks ago that 2 more houses have been removed from this area..... I can also tell you that OU has conducted a survey with its donor base where they asked if a new arena should be built. In the a section where they ask for commits I indicated that this location was the best location IMHO for the reasons that I have stated on this thread.

Maybe not at my suggested location but with enough new donated money I think a new arena would very likely be built. But without enough donated money it will be as you say “never going to happen”.

Besides that, it never hurts to have a few dream scenarios on a deal like this.

The Duck Pond would be a great location for a new arena at some point. 10,000 seats, more fan and basketball-friendly, 10 min. walking distance to the dorms and Campus Corner, still plenty of parking at the Duck Pond lot and in the stadium garage. OU could also combine an alumni center and sports hall of fame with this new facility. But I think anything like this would be 5-10 years away, though with the team improving each year and going to the NCAA tournament it could be sooner.

The Duck Pond would be a great location for a new arena at some point. 10,000 seats, more fan and basketball-friendly, 10 min. walking distance to the dorms and Campus Corner, still plenty of parking at the Duck Pond lot and in the stadium garage. OU could also combine an alumni center and sports hall of fame with this new facility. But I think anything like this would be 5-10 years away, though with the team improving each year and going to the NCAA tournament it could be sooner.

There just so happens to be a massive field left over by the removal of a bunch of old apartments directly across Lindsay from the duck pond...awesome location if they chose to put it there.