What is your diamond in the rough?

[warreng88]

My pick would be for 16th Street. I think this could become the next Western (VZD's, The Sip, Will Rogers Theatre, etc.) Thoughts?

[bornhere]

Maybe, but I don't think it's wide enough for that. If it could be commercially developed all the way to Classen, maybe, but that would mean losing some very nice old houses along there.

My diamond in the rough would be Linwood Diagonal. When I was a kid that was a main artery into downtown and now it's a virtually empty five-lane street, lined with a few shotgun houses and old mostly-ratty storefronts. It's close to downtown, offers a view of the skyline and has plenty of room for growth. There's almost nothing there of historic value - a territorial-era house that was one of the city's oldest burned to the ground a few years ago - and almost everything could be razed for a totally modern development.

[jbrown84]

Where is the Linwood Diagonal? I'm only familiar with the Linwood neighborhood at 23rd & Drexel.

[CuatrodeMayo]

Main Street west of the County jail. There is a lot of good building stock already there. It's full of one and two story old buildings. The centerpiece is the old Fred Jones building. It will also be near the new boulevard. I got first dibs tho.

[jbrown84]

Mine is 23rd Street I guess.

[windowphobe]

Linwood Blvd. runs from Virginia to Western, where it becomes NW 5th (eastbound) and 6th (westbound). For the last 30 years or so it's been primarily a light-industrial area. You might infer from its width and its curves at each end that it might have had a streetcar line at one time, which it did. (There was a short northbound spur along Blackwelder as well.) There are homes a block away, mostly from around the time of World War I.

[jbrown84]

Interesting. I've never really noticed that street.

[MikeOKC]

I'm a little worried that the redevelopment of the urban city center is becoming too spread out. Almost a kind of sprawl that keeps a concentration of entertainment, housing and retail out of our grasp. I would like to see a vibrant Bricktown, CBD, Midtown all built up and developed with some density before the sprawl of urban developments water it all down, and that inludes Core 2 Shore. Any thoughts along those lines? Am I the only one worried about this?

[lasomeday]

I am also worried about. I agree with you. I hope that they start building some high rise residential buildings. I hope they start building them in the arts district with cafes and art studios or shops on the first floors.

I think the diamond in the rough is the are between OU Med Center and the Capitol. There are some gorgeous older houses mixed in there. But I am talking about the area to the west of Lincoln between 2-35 and Lincoln.

[jbrown84]

I do somewhat agree that we risk not ever reaching a critical mass if we keep moving on to other areas before we're really "finished". I can kind of see that with Paseo -> Plaza and to some degree Bricktown -> Midtown.

We need to get residential into the historical downtown buildings and start building a better 24-7 streetlife.

[CuatrodeMayo]

Mine is 23rd Street I guess.

I agree.

I think this area is near the tipping point...almost critical mass.

[jbrown84]

I often think about what my "dream projects" would be if I had the cash to be a developer, and I really think more so than 23rd it would really be to put residential in Robinson Renaissance, Court Plaza, Main Place, Hightower, Pioneer Building, etc. With retail on the ground floors of course.

[Oh GAWD the Smell!]

Not that I know much about much in these matters, but I like 23rd for the winner here. That street is just begging to explode into awesomeness.

[Pete]

I'm a little worried that the redevelopment of the urban city center is becoming too spread out. Almost a kind of sprawl that keeps a concentration of entertainment, housing and retail out of our grasp. I would like to see a vibrant Bricktown, CBD, Midtown all built up and developed with some density before the sprawl of urban developments water it all down, and that inludes Core 2 Shore. Any thoughts along those lines? Am I the only one worried about this?

I agree and feel like at least one area needs to develop critical mass before we run in all these different directions. To me, the area between downtown and Midtown is still shockingly bare and undeveloped and Midtown itself still has a long way to go.

Then you throw in Auto Alley, The Paseo, Film Exchange, Farmer's Market, Deep Deuce, The Triangle, OUHSC, C2S, Oklahoma River and on and on... It's great all these areas are showing some life but I'd sure like to see at least one real urban neighborhood fleshed out.

Midtown was getting there but with Banta's exit, even that is in danger of stalling out.

[SoonerLakers]

My diamond in the rough would be Linwood Diagonal.

I totally agree. Linwood is a great street to drive down, at least for skyline views, going east into downtown. (Not to mention it is a great shortcut from NW 10 and Penn). If there was someone with the foresight and $$$$ to develope it and the area south to where the new blvd will be it could enhance the west side of downtown.

[BG918]

The area south of the Capitol to OUHSC is ripe for new development. I would like to see the neighborhood that used to be there before getting wiped out during state building expansion/I-235 construction restored. I'd like to see the streets that were taken out rebuilt to connect to the historic neighborhood to the east of Lincoln and homes rebuilt. I'd also like to see some of those state buildings SW of the Capitol demolished and rebuilt on those massive parking lots by the other state buildings north of the Capitol with parking consolidated in garages. Also the parking lots on the areas north and south of Capitol along Lincoln should be replaced with park space, it would look SO much better.

If the city/state ever decides to redo the elevated portion of I-235 from 13th to 23rd I'd like to see it built below-grade (like the portion south of 13th) so as to better connect what could be a new neighborhood on the eastside of the highway (west of Lincoln, north of 13th, and south of 23rd) to the existing urban neighborhoods of Heritage Hills/Mesta Park to the west. Denser development could take place along Broadway from 13th to 23rd and act as a commercial corridor in the neighborhood. Add a commuter rail stop near 23rd or at 21st (which could connect Mesta Park all the way to Lincoln and the Capitol steps) and now we're talking...

I also think the Broadway corridor in general will be a big area someday from the Ford Center/Reno (assuming the Cox is torn down after the new conv. center is built on the blvd.) all the way to 23rd. Also the 10th and potentially the 13th street corridors connecting OUHSC to Midtown, with the light rail line.

[CuatrodeMayo]

I would even propose removing the portion of I-235 from the new construction all the way to I-40 and replacing it with a boulevard.

[zrfdude]

I would even propose removing the portion of I-235 from the new construction all the way to I-40 and replacing it with a boulevard.

I'm assuming you're replacing it with another highway somewhere else? Otherwise, I think that would be disaster, and make the 4:30 cluster f--- completely unbearable. And I like the view from atop the elevated 235

[Millie]

I'd like to see redevelopment along Lincoln, from 23rd street going north. Some retail, maybe some nice lunch places. The location is good- proximity to state offices, OU hospital, etc. but the street is lined with really ugly buildings and dying fast food restaurants.

[BG918]

I'm assuming you're replacing it with another highway somewhere else? Otherwise, I think that would be disaster, and make the 4:30 cluster f--- completely unbearable. And I like the view from atop the elevated 235

I like the view too. But I'd sacrifice the view for a highway that is better for connecting the neighborhoods around it instead of acting as a barrier. I'd want to see 16th, 18th, 21st and of course 23rd go over 235 and the existing neighborhood grid in Lincoln Terrace restored on the westside of Lincoln. Linking two of the most beautiful historic neighborhoods in OKC, Heritage Hills/Mesta Park and Lincoln Terrace, would be great for central OKC and there would be new homes for those that don't want to fix up older ones but still want to live in the inner city. The new neighborhood could be built around 89'er Park all the way from 13th to 23rd.

[metro]

I'd like to see redevelopment along Lincoln, from 23rd street going north. Some retail, maybe some nice lunch places. The location is good- proximity to state offices, OU hospital, etc. but the street is lined with really ugly buildings and dying fast food restaurants.

I agree Lincoln Blvd from 23rd North has real potential. We need more state offices to relocate back to this area and build nice buildings. I'm not sure how far it got, but I know there was a proposal or bill earlier this year to mandate all new state buildings be LEED certified. Anyhow this area needs some upscale restaurancts, shops and nightclubs. It really has TONS of potential, especially with the nice boulevard leading up to the capitol. We also need some more high density housing for politicos and young professionals. It could really be a hip yuppie hangout like DC if executed properly..

[okcustu]

If only the plaza had a signature restaurant it would get more people down there; they also need signs from Classen and Penn.
My diamond in the rough would be the Paseo, there is a workable amount of undeveloped land, and plenty of older homes that could be restored. They also need better signage, it at least grabs you off the street, but it's very confusing once you turn off 23rd street.

[BG918]

If only the plaza had a signature restaurant it would get more people down there; they also need signs from Classen and Penn.
My diamond in the rough would be the Paseo, there is a workable amount of undeveloped land, and plenty of older homes that could be restored. They also need better signage, it at least grabs you off the street, but it's very confusing once you turn off 23rd street.

True, but that's a lot of its charm too. I know it took me awhile to find the first few times.

I'll also say Nichols Hills just because we don't know what Aubrey McClendon is planning to do with NH Plaza but it could be something really upscale and a destination like Utica Square in Tulsa. I could see some of the most expensive shopping in OKC going there along with some great restaurants and hopefully a Whole Foods Market. The possibilities with that whole area from NH Plaza along Western to I-44 and east to the tracks on top of that hill (potential commuter rail TOD) are exciting and with billions of dollars potentially behind it, well...

[jbrown84]

True, but that's a lot of its charm too. I know it took me awhile to find the first few times.

I agree. For the longest time, I had no idea where it was.

[Platemaker]

If only the plaza had a signature restaurant it would get more people down there; they also need signs from Classen and Penn.

They also have a neighborhood instigator that is leaving a bad taste in the mouths of some property owners. Turns out a few business that have set up in the Plaza have been, for lack of a better word, terrorized by someone or someones. This includes nasty notes about how the "rich" people are taking over the neighborhood and bricks thrown through windows (in the case of Plaza Java Cafe).