The OKC Economic Development Trust commissioned a study of the downtown Park Avenue corridor.

The study was finalized and I've clipped some of the more interesting parts. Great recommendations regarding Oklahoma Tower, Leadership Square and Robinson Renaissance. I'll clip some more parts and add them later.



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Either this is a precursor to a FNC conversation or a waste of time. I think in 20 years we will be looking at reconnecting Main.

Yes, it wasn't that long ago (mid-80's) that the entire First National arcade was full with great mostly up-scale tenants, most of which fronted on Park: Harold's, Orbach's, Streets, Hallmark, etc.

As far as I know, the arcade is still in disrepair, as the current owners started a renovation project but never finished it.

Until that situation is resolved, it's hard to imagine much progress here, as FNC takes the majority of that street frontage.


Maybe this means the OKC EDT thinks something is going to happen with that property.

One can hope.

Either this is a precursor to a FNC conversation or a waste of time. I think in 20 years we will be looking at reconnecting Main.

I seriously doubt that will happen considering the two parking garages that sit in the path. One just expanded and the other about to undergo expansion. Not to mention the elephant in the room, Devon. Actually, I'd say Devon is more akin to a "Whale in the room" than an elephant.

I really hope something good comes out of this as Park Avenue has such a great sense of place. I feel as if I'm in another city while on that stretch; a retail corridor would be amazing. Plus it already has a few retail tenants if I'm not mistaken. BC Clarks and the woman's shop on Robinson. Does the UMB (City Place?*) building possess any street frontage space for retail? All the other structures seem capable of holding retail on the street. It's definitely possible should the FNC see some real lovin'.

City Place's Park Avenue retail frontage is fully occupied by a UMB Bank location. Technically a retail use.

This is a great step in the right direction. I have long said that downtown needs to unify its retail space under a common plan/management to better compete with suburban retail. Step 1 of any serious plan should be to close the FNC retail arcade and open those businesses directly to the sidewalk.

City Place's Park Avenue retail frontage is fully occupied by a UMB Bank location. Technically a retail use.

Banks, dry cleaners, hair salons and the like are classified as services.

It's an important distinction: Restaurants, services, and retail are all very different animals.

I'm sure this study will focus on retail only.

Yes, it wasn't that long ago (mid-80's) that the entire First National arcade was full with great mostly up-scale tenants, most of which fronted on Park: Harold's, Orbach's, Streets, Hallmark, etc.

As far as I know, the arcade is still in disrepair, as the current owners started a renovation project but never finished it.

Until that situation is resolved, it's hard to imagine much progress here, as FNC takes the majority of that street frontage.


Maybe this means the OKC EDT thinks something is going to happen with that property.

I was in the arcade in December and didn't notice major disrepair. I noticed the crappy finishes, but that was the extent of the bad I saw. There was actually a lovely Christmas tree and a piano up in the Great Banking Hall.

Yeah, most if not all of the open ceiling tiles, torn up walls, etc., have now been closed up. I was there earlier today for lunch.

They had started a big renovation project then stopped it after doing only a very small portion.

I understand that; only saying most if not all of the gaping holes and exposed mechanicals are no longer gaping and exposed.

Just as a side note, why are we studying retail for Park Avenue when I don't think we've ever studied retail for N Broadway or Bricktown? Bricktown even provides an interesting case study bc it had a wave if retail that failed. This is irregular bc normally you'd do a downtown retail study that identifies key nodes w strategies for each, and Park Ave would be one of those.

The low bid on this will probably be around $40k. That happened in Akron where I represented a developer on a retail study task force and these low bid consultants' qualifications were essentially that the husband can do PowerPoint and wife knows her shopping. It really made me wonder why I don't do "consulting"

Getting back to this study, my point is I know downtown retail studies and this is weird. Either something is happening or it's a bad idea. We know the city is looking at a PPP deal for FNC...

I've been wondering why I don't do consulting as well. Especially when you look at their "scoring" and see things that don't make sense. Hey, I can do PowerPoint and shop with the best of them. I'd probably do it for $38,000.

Steve's article on this.

http://www.oklahoman.com/article/3930603?embargo=1


The Oklahoma City Planning Department is set to hire two consultants to assist in an analysis of how to promote and recruit retail along Park Avenue between Harvey Avenue and Broadway, and another to help with redesigning the street as part of the upcoming Project 180 improvement and to work with adjoining property owners.

The Oklahoma City Economic Development Trust agreed Tuesday to pay $40,000 toward the study, with the remaining $40,000 to be paid by Downtown Oklahoma City Inc., The Alliance for Economic Development of Oklahoma City, and the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber.

Ian Colgan, the city’s Urban Redevelopment Division Manager, cautions that recasting Park Avenue as a retail corridor won’t be quick or easy. But he believes the street has the best shot at becoming the retail corridor demanded by locals and visitors. Park Avenue is home to Floral and Hardy Florist, a Thunder team store, B.C. Clark Jewelers, and a gift shop operated by Feed the Children.


Colgan said the Central Business District has failed to develop a new retail corridor despite a growing workforce, several hotels, and venues that include the Myriad Gardens, a library and convention center. Park Avenue, meanwhile, has a string of storefronts at First National Center, City Place Tower, Robinson Renaissance and other buildings that, with upcoming street improvements, can be better promoted as a unified shopping corridor.

Has Ian Colgan been to Automobile Alley??

The low bid on this will probably be around $40k. That happened in Akron where I represented a developer on a retail study task force and these low bid consultants' qualifications were essentially that the husband can do PowerPoint and wife knows her shopping. It really made me wonder why I don't do "consulting"
..

So, it is $80,000, not $40,0000

Oklahoma City seeks to recreate downtown retail corridor on Park Avenue | NewsOK.com (http://m.newsok.com/oklahoma-city-seeks-to-recreate-downtown-retail-corridor-on-park-avenue/article/3930603)
(Mobile version)

Has Ian Colgan been to Automobile Alley??

If AA could fill in its gaps and move some office space off the first floors, it could be a great retail strip. While the surface lots seem to be a liability now, it could help attract some retail that is only interested in new construction. It also seems to me there is opportunity to fill in a lot of the space behind the buildings on the east side with parking.

I think Park Avenue needs retail and it would be a cool place for it, but in a town that thinks it has a parking problem, Park kind of comes off as the most improbable answer to downtown retail.

So, it is $80,000, not $40,0000

That's a lot for a weird little study with the narrowest scope in the history of weird little studies

I wonder if they might consider closing Park between Harvey and Broadway and make it a pedestrian-only corridor. They could put some gateway arches at Harvey, both sides of Robinson, and at Broadway.

I wonder if they might consider closing Park between Harvey and Broadway and make it a pedestrian-only corridor. They could put some gateway arches at Harvey, both sides of Robinson, and at Broadway.

Ummm. No

Then I suggest you stay tuned :).

That's a commonly failed idea from the 80s.

Yeah...haven't been to any city where those pedestrian plaza's of the 80's actually succeeded.

Let's ask Tulsa how theirs worked out.

Well they seem to be working all over Europe. The reason they didn't work in the 80s is because downtowns didn't have a permant population - now they do.

You can't get away from the overriding truth that we need mixed modes to create synergy. A little car, a little bike, a little transit, and people walking, running, sitting, and so on. All of those aspects are equally important.

The problem w today's reality is that in order to create foot traffic you need to incorporate some conveyance through which lots of people arrive. A streetcar mall would work - Calgary, Denver, Buffalo, and Portland have had success w this. Houston and Dallas have LRT that slices through and activates a streetscape. A pedestrian mall would be a joke.

There's a really bad one in Cuyahoga Falls, OH that we're trying to fix but may just walk away from altogether just due to other better opportunities.

Streetcar mall? Either couplets are going to work or they aren't. The whole idea of the couplet is that it would spur pedestrian activity between the two directions of track. If we are saying that it won't work then lets scrap that idea. As for auto traffic, it is surrounded by 2-way streets. I am not talking about a downtown mall - malls in general are dying. I'm talking about a pedestrian promenade 2 blocks long with massive parking garages at both ends (Santa Fe and the public garage next to Oklahoma Tower). Heck, they could even get the Ferris Wheel from Humphries and put it in there. Convert the FNC additions to residential with a hotel in the tower, add outdoor cafes and sidewalk retail and you could really have something.

The City isn't spending 80 large just to get a P180 variation.

They MIGHT work in fully developed pedestrian areas, but to create one artificially hasn't worked. Comparing virtually any European City with the possibility of creating one on Park Ave OKC is totally apples to coconuts.

See Pacific Ave in Dallas...Pedestrian/Light Rail corridor.

They have selected the company to perform this study:

home (http://www.dtownworks.com/Downtown_Works/home.html)

They will be working with this architecture firm out of St. Louis, who will be taking a look at the building stock on Park Ave.:

Kiku Obata & Company (http://kikuobata.com/)

The study has been released.

I posted a bunch of images and info. in the article at the top of the page.

Pretty impressed with the very specific and actionable recommendations they made and it seems like many of their ideas could be implemented in a relatively short period of time.

I really like that.

Road to opportunity: Study suggests ways to improve Park Avenue retail | The Journal Record (http://journalrecord.com/2015/03/24/road-to-opportunity-study-suggests-ways-to-improve-park-avenue-retail-real-estate/)

An update by Steve on the Park Avenue area.

http://m.newsok.com/article/5545021

14550

I thought there was a thread for 200 Park for Her, but couldn't find it. Nevertheless, it's closed somewhat recently. Just art in the windows now.

Ugh.

That is a highly visible corner.

Hate to lose retail, especially retail that looks great from the street. That said this particular place always seemed to be a bit of a reach for me demographically, especially after hearing feedback from women who work downtown and who are avid shoppers. Retail in general but especially independent retail simply has to be market driven rather than based on trying to force a retail type on a location where it doesn't have much of a constituency. Everything I've heard about this place is that it was excellent and lovely, yet missed the existing market.

Regarding the corner, the moment the streetcar begins running it becomes infinitely more marketable, and when FNC opens, look out. I'd expect something good on that corner at some point.

I had heard that 200 Park for Her was essentially a hobby for a wealthy retiree, and never really made any money to speak of. Perhaps the owner just decided to more completely retire.

I had heard that 200 Park for Her was essentially a hobby for a wealthy retiree, and never really made any money to speak of. Perhaps the owner just decided to more completely retire.

The sign says they are moving to NW 142nd and May.

The sign says they are moving to NW 142nd and May.
If so, they will probably do very well. Much closer to the target demo of that store. I never got the location. Store was incredibly nice to look at though. That part is definitely a loss.

Specialty stores have a very hard time in this city anyway, especially higher priced ones. And, we don't have the population downtown, nor the shopping inertia to get a H&M, Zara, or Uniqlo downtown (and no real space for something like these). These are stores that would appeal to the general working population downtown. Very thin market for the very high end.

Journal Record reporting Stella Nova is planning a new location on the SW corner of Robinson & Park in space last occupied by the clothing store.

Stella Nova coming to Park and Robinson

By: Molly M. Fleming The Journal Record June 1, 2018

OKLAHOMA CITY – One of the most prominent corners in downtown will have a new tenant by fall.

Irish Realty founder John Kennedy is bringing his coffee shop concept, Stella Nova, to the Robinson Renaissance building. The shop will fill the entire 3,000 square feet at the southwest corner of Park and Robinson avenues.

Construction will start in two weeks. Kennedy said he expects to open by September. Stella Nova will have an entrance from each street.

Newmark Grubb Levy Strange Beffort retail broker Vicki Knotts handles the leasing at the Robinson Renaissance building, which is owned by the state Commissioners of the Land Office.

The space was last occupied by 200 Park for Her. Knotts said she started getting calls about the space before the clothing store closed. Banks were interested in the site, but she sought a retailer. That became a challenge as well because the building has a food court in its basement, so a potential restaurant couldn’t compete with those tenants.

“(The space) could have been anything,” she said. “(The owner and I) had to vet them very well when they came in the door.”

Kennedy said he didn’t initially have plans to bring Stella Nova downtown. This will be the third location. The other stores are at 4716 N. Western Ave. and 1415 W. Main St. in Norman.

When the corner site became available, Kennedy said he had to consider it. He worked with Irish Realty’s Kelli Lay and Lacy Young on the concept as well.

“I think Park and Robinson is still the epicenter of downtown,” he said. “I love that location.”

Kennedy has a long history with the building. His grandfather once had a doctor’s office on the 12th floor. Irish Realty’s first office was on the sixth floor. His mother worked at the Russell Stover Candy Co. store that was once in the exact space where his coffee shop will open.

“This is good luck,” he said.

Stella Nova offers specialty blended, locally roasted coffee, and fresh baked goods. Local artists have their work on display on the wall. An art piece from the Chickasaw Nation’s Exhibit C art museum hangs in each location as well.

Kennedy said he likes the other coffee shops in downtown, so he thinks this will complement the scene. Stella Nova will be isolated from the other central business district shops. Clarity is at Main Street and Hudson Avenue, and Coffee Slingers in on Broadway Avenue in Automobile Alley.

“The convenience of our location will be helpful,” he said. “It’s better for people to have choices. When I go out to eat, I don’t eat the same restaurant every time. I don’t see us as competitors. I think we’re enlarging the coffee market in Oklahoma City.”

Knotts said Kennedy was the right tenant because he has an established concept, which is doing well at his other locations. The Park and Robinson location could be the start of a nationwide concept, she said. He has good financial support as well.

“We’re excited to have him,” she said.

^^^^^^^^
Kennedy also once owned First National Center across the street - which he donated to Feed The Children (https://newsok.com/article/5422722/ownership-of-downtown-oklahoma-city-landmark-is-in-dispute) - and still owns Main Street Parking Garage (which was originally the attached parking for FNC but parted off during the FTC donation.

^

And dumping that building as a tax write-off and separating it from the parking is pretty much responsible for that building going into a deep freeze for decades.


Kennedy also has a strange relationship with Chesapeake as some sort of advising broker where none of their properties are ever listed on the open market and tend to be sold to only select people.