View Full Version : downtownguy's Monday blog



Patrick
11-15-2004, 09:02 PM
Okay, that's it....I have to post downtownguy's blog from today....it covered a lot of ground.

Enjoy! By the way, you can catch his blog daily at www.downtownguy.blogspot.com.

His past entries are there as well. Take a look.

-----------
Monday, November 15, 2004
"Three Steps Forward, One Step Back
Don't be too disappointed by the story in the Sunday Oklahoman about the likely demise of "The Factory" residential high rise in Bricktown. And don't get too concerned about the delays in the Bricktown Embassy Suites.

Maybe I was among those who early on thought The Factory was a real deal - that it was more than just developers looking for some free publicity to lure some investors into a pie in the sky dream. But as months went on, I joined the ranks of those convinced it wouldn't happen. Sure enough...

John Q. Hammons, on the other hand, has always been a guy who does what he says he'll do - though it's always on his own time schedule. Sometimes that means he runs behind - sometimes it means he will have built seven stories of a hotel (The Renassaince) before actually buying the land it sits on.

One of downtown's wisest wise men asked me recently where I think downtown is heading. I'm not saying this to brag. I'm not worthy of this huge compliment. I'm kind of like Chaucey Gardner in this real life stage set - lucky enough to stumble through at the right moment, enjoying an inside look at what's really going on - "being there."

So how do I respond? Another wise man once described Oklahoma City history as a series of cycles. And if you think about it, that makes sense. So we're in a good cycle right now. A very good cycle right now.

A billionaire developer is running a few months behind in building a $35 million downtown hotel. Better a few months behind than not having a project at all. Same could be said about the Skirvin renovation - just getting to this point is a major accomplishment for a city.

What seemed impossible a few years ago is happening. If you read www.okcbusiness.com today, you saw a story about a clothing store coming to Bricktown. Construction is so so so close to starting on the $26 million Legacy Summit at Arts Central residences at Northwest 4th and Walker Avenue. And more housing is coming - oh yes - more housing is definitely, absolutely coming.

My first thought, responding to the wise man, was to suggest that our biggest challenges are now the smaller problems that never seem to get addressed. The Marion Hotel, with all of its potential, is more of an eyesore than ever at Northwest 11th and Broadway. And why can't the former Bolen Olds building at Northwest 13th (now an office furniture store) be stripped of the torn up vinyl signs and cleaned up a bit? Why can't we put an end to the zoning violations that exist on Northwest 10th between Broadway and Saint Anthony Hospital?

At one point, I might have also mentioned the desolate no mans land of wasted industrial buildings and abandoned parking lots that cover just a few small blocks but act as a barrier between OU Medical Center, Deep Deuce, Bricktown and the Central Business District.

A planned OKC Town Center, if it happens, will clean up much of that area. Let's hope for the best on that.

The big things are being addressed, I concluded. Now, somehow, the smaller annoyances need to be hit before this current wave of prosperity subsides.

Of course, I don't know it all. The wise man didn't disagree with what I said. But a big, big, big problem remains ahead of us. And it must be addressed soon...

The East Coast owners of the First National Bank Building insist everything is fine with downtown's most important landmark. The mayor seems swayed by that - but others say something must be done - soon.

- The Downtown Guy
www.downtownguy.blogspot.com "

Spartan
10-31-2006, 12:04 AM
I was wondering if there was a way we could chronicle all of his posts on that blog of his...it would be nice to have a file on those.

Patrick
10-31-2006, 03:44 PM
I was wondering if there was a way we could chronicle all of his posts on that blog of his...it would be nice to have a file on those.

He lost the site when he decided to close it, and we've lost all of the information.

Spartan
10-31-2006, 03:51 PM
Yes but how many of his posts have we posted on here...?