Press release:
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The Nova Project Information
Design Team:
Client: Elevated Railway Development, LLC
Architect: Allford Hall Monaghan Morris
Historic Consultant : Rosin Preservation
Structural Engineer: Wallace Engineering
Civil Engineer: Johnson & Associates Inc
MEP Engineer: HP Engineering, Inc
General Contractor: CORD Construction Services, LLC
Timeline:
Anticipated Construction Completion Q4 2022
Project Information:
The Nova is a mixed use development in Automobile Alley located directly adjacent to the BNSF railroad tracks with frontages on NW 6th and NW 7th. The 66,000 sqft scheme will restore the historic Chevrolet Motor Company Building and adjacent structure to provide spacious downtown loft apartments, secure parking, retail space and a rooftop urban greenhouse.
The south buildings are comprised of 2 structures. The Chevrolet Motor Company Building, located at 1 NW 6th Street, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, was built in 1926. The 3 story industrial brick building is a contributing resource to the Automobile Alley Historic District. Chevrolet occupied this building until 1954. The team is working with SHPO/NPS to obtain Historic Tax Credits to bring life back to this historically significant building.
The ground floor of the south building is approximately 19,000 sf of ‘white boxed’ future retail that is slated to become grocery, bar and bodega, while 20 generous for lease apartments are built on levels 02 and 03. Level 02 west facing apartments have generous walk out balconies with views downtown.
While the north building is outside the historic boundaries, it is still essential to the success of the development. New 2 story retail space will be built to activate NE 7th street while the balance of the existing ground floor will be utilized for parking. Atop the existing north building will be a 10,000sf urban greenhouse that will grow produce for distribution to local markets and restaurants.
Linking the north and south buildings is a hardworking external core which solves access and fire egress for both buildings and acts as front door for the apartments.
The development is enhanced with landscaping and improved parking surfaces to support the future retail.
Architectural Quotes:
Quotes from Wade Scaramucci, Director, AHMM Architects
“We see this project as a continuation of our previous work in Automobile Alley, stitching together both new and old buildings - as well as carefully designed outdoors spaces – to create meaningful places to live, work and play.”
“We have worked closely with the State Historic Preservation Office to develop a strategy to rehabilitate the historic building while still creating a modern, intentional and meaningful place for the citizens of Oklahoma City.”
“This project is an exciting example of real mixed use – it is comprised of housing, retail, office as well as the Downtowns first urban agricultural farm”.
Development Quotes:
“We are excited to share what we have been working on the last year and a half. Bringing the first full-service grocery concept to the urban core of OKC and integrating that with beautiful residences and an urban farm has been a daunting task. Fortunately, our team is as good as it gets, full of professionals who understand the scope of what we are trying to do, the reasons behind it, and who have the expertise to help us pull it off. The support of the Alliance and the Chamber has been incredible and immensely helpful in bringing this project together. AHMM, indispensable as always.” - Brandon Lodge, owner and development partner
“We cannot wait to share more about the plans for our grocery concept in the coming months. The historic Chevrolet building provides the perfect backdrop to a unique shopping experience. We have partnered with Urban Agrarian - in a full grocery market concept we’re calling Urban Agrarian: a Bar, Eatery, and Bodega - to significantly expand their current operation, footprint, and product offering. I met Matt and Chelsey years ago and was instantly drawn to their mission and passion. Doing this project with them is just the beginning.” - Jerry Roca, owner and development partner
“The partnership with Urban Agrarian is a critical piece of what we are trying to accomplish and what we are trying to say through our projects: namely, that our national food system is broken and the time to fix it is now. We are not food secure. We are vulnerable, and in large part our vulnerability lies in the centralization of our food production and distribution. Covid shined a spotlight on a problem that’s been lurking in the shadows for decades. Urban Agrarian and their mission to support and be a distribution hub for local farmers and producers is the exact business model to help us decentralize and close the loop in order to become more food secure community by community.” - Brandon Lodge, owner and development partner
“Our rooftop farm will be productive and will partly supply of the produce sold in all Urban Agrarian locations, among other outlets. It will be profitable. We believe urban farming is a critical part of the multi-faceted solution to our national food problem and we believe if it cannot be done profitably then it is not a viable solution. But it can also be such fun and very experiential.” - Patrick Myers, owner and development partner
“We think our glowing glass box will be beautiful at night. We will have a two-story bar that will be contained within the greenhouse structure - separate climates but with the rooftop farm and the city skyline beyond as the backdrop. We want to reconnect people to their food, reconnect urban to rural, cause people to wonder where their food comes from and ask why they should care - and we think we can have a lot of fun doing that.” - Patrick Myers, owner and development partner
“A neighborhood market selling locally sourced products is one of my favorite memories of my childhood in Mexico. It is so important to know where our food comes from and to support the people who grow it for us. It is healthy for the body and good for the soul. I want to bring that to OKC. We were meant to be connected to, not removed from, nature. That connection to the land and people who feed us offers real wisdom we often miss out on in this culture.” - Jerry Roca, owner and development partner
“Our industrial lofts will be a different product offering than what is currently available in the downtown market. We’ll be sharing more details in the coming months, but they will feature 12’ foot ceilings, large industrial windows, separate walk-in showers and bathtubs, walk-in closets, and chef-worthy kitchens - of course these will be directly above what we think is a wonderfully unique amenity, Urban Agrarian - a Bar, Eatery, and Bodega.” - Brandon Lodge, owner and development partner