Hill, The

[okclee]

I just think that the location deserved much more.

The townhomes themselves look good, but I think it was a bad location for them and too many of the same (157 units). That location should have had something taller, 10 to 12 stories. Oh well, it is what it is, maybe someday it will be completed.

[BG918]

I just think that the location deserved much more.

The townhomes themselves look good, but I think it was a bad location for them and too many of the same (157 units). That location should have had something taller, 10 to 12 stories. Oh well, it is what it is, maybe someday it will be completed.

Still plenty of room in the Triangle for taller, denser developments in the future. All of the area roughly north of 4th to 10th is practically a blank slate with great views and sandwiched in between downtown, Bricktown, and OUHSC.

[sdsooners]

I don't know the correct terminology but I believe there is an ordinance preventing anything over 4 stories (or a certain height) from being built in the area around Deep Deuce. A local developer said that is why Central Avenue Villas and the Lofts aren't taller.

[metro]

Also known as height restriction

[BDP]

What's going on with this "development". It looks like it hasn't been touched in a year.

[Steve]

Um, yep ....

[BDP]

Ha. Thanks for the update.

At what point can we send the members of OCURA out to finish the thing or tear it down?

[Steve]

What - was my last comment too wordy?
Nobody is eager to take the next painful step ...

[OKCMallen]

What - was my last comment too wordy?
Nobody is eager to take the next painful step ...

Surely it's not demo?

[Steve]

Alright...
Here's what I know...
Folks involved with all this say the buildings, while open, are not beyond saving, sealing up and completing. But the rest of the hill - well, not sure anyone is eager to sit down and have a talk with Mr. Canfield... time will tell....

[jbrown84]

What a disaster.

[MGE1977]

Am I this far removed from the urban culture of OKC? Is this really an option for people?

I remember picking up a flier for these during another project's construction (as we toured it with the fire department) expecting to find that they were in the 150's to 180's considering most were no bigger than 2200 sq. I was shocked when they stickered at like twice that for that square footage. These seem even more outrageous.

I am relenting on my stance on MIII, willing to go forward, can we as a city afford this? I am asking this sincerely, as one who is quite truthfully afraid of money. What is the collective opinion? How many of these can we sustain?

I hate to see property like these founder.

[okcmomentum]

Maybe if they would have priced them around the $100/sqft range they would have had more success. But $200/sqft and higher?!?!? Seems a bit outrageous to me. Especially for OKC.

[Thundercitizen]

Perhaps it's the Boon Pickens philosophy of pricing.

[betts]

I think the Hill's prices were the highest of any of the downtown residences, although I'm not completely sure about that. The problems I saw with it, as opposed to the others, was that the townhouses in the Hill development felt the most like a house, and looked the least urban. Most people who want to live downtown want something that looks or feels a bit different from a suburban home. Also, they're the closest to the highway, and have the least attractive view of downtown/Bricktown.

[jbrown84]

Am I this far removed from the urban culture of OKC? Is this really an option for people?

We were all doubtful from the beginning. Like betts said, it was one of the priciest and least attractive from an urban living standpoint.

OKC Urban Renewal Authority had better options, but they chose this one.

[John]

OKC Urban Renewal Authority had better options, but they chose this one.

...and the disaster that is Overholser Green!

OCURA has a great track record!

[MGE1977]

We were all doubtful from the beginning. Like betts said, it was one of the priciest and least attractive from an urban living standpoint.

OKC Urban Renewal Authority had better options, but they chose this one.

Gaw-ley. That's a whole lotta space, big prospect, I just can't see the return. I know that I'm way past hip, I just don't see it.

I really liked what Deep Duece did, I even like the apartments on the riverwalk, was this a stab at the Thunder salaries that are now obviously a part of urban planning?

As one poster put it, construction looks to have slowed, can this guy back out? If so is the area saveable, or is it totally committed?

I look at this as an Albuquerque native who has seen too much building for the future without planning for the future and as a fireman who sees a lot of fireload in those structures. Each day of vacancy increases the odds of arson.

[betts]

If it were me, I'd either finish them and rent them, or drop the prices to the point they would sell. There is almost always a price at which houses/apartments/whatever sell. I have no idea about the finances of the owner. It would seem to me that he would have outrageous interest payments, if he's got a significant amount of debt. But, I haven't heard they've gone back to the bank, so maybe he doesn't need the money. Dunno.

[shane453]

...and the disaster that is Overholser Green!

OCURA has a great track record!

Luckily Overholser Green is not yet under construction... plenty of time to rethink it based on what we learned from the Hill, and what we can learn by comparing the Hill as a real estate disaster with Park Harvey, Legacy, Lofts at Maywood as really big wins... Smaller and cheaper sells and rents better than luxury. Target the young people.

[Spartan]

I think we're unfairly targeting Overholser Green, which actually had a lot of people signed to units before it couldn't get off the ground.

I think to compare Overholser Green to The Hill is an insult.. to compare anything to The Hill is an insult. What a disaster. This project could not have gone any worse.

[MGE1977]

If it were me, I'd either finish them and rent them, or drop the prices to the point they would sell. There is almost always a price at which houses/apartments/whatever sell. I have no idea about the finances of the owner. It would seem to me that he would have outrageous interest payments, if he's got a significant amount of debt. But, I haven't heard they've gone back to the bank, so maybe he doesn't need the money. Dunno.

That seems to be the only reasonable thing, lower the prices. Sheesh, I would have to sell my unicorn just to live there as it now stands. You cannot possibly make 3600 square feet max. living space worth 500,000 dollars in okc. Just doesn't compute.

[betts]

Oh, there are plenty of places in OKC and Edmond where that would be the price, or more, for that sort of square footage. In a lot of cities it can be more expensive to live downtown than in outlying areas or the suburbs. I just don't see the Hill as being that interesting or unique. But I am sure there is a price at which they would sell, just don't know if the owner would be willing to find the price.

[MGE1977]

Oh, there are plenty of places in OKC and Edmond where that would be the price, or more, for that sort of square footage. In a lot of cities it can be more expensive to live downtown than in outlying areas or the suburbs. I just don't see the Hill as being that interesting or unique. But I am sure there is a price at which they would sell, just don't know if the owner would be willing to find the price.

I am not aware of such places. Not without a yard, and community and such.

I know that there are small demographics of this city to whom money is no object and the communities of which I am aware stay full of them. I just don't think that buying a new property in the vicinity of downtown is worth that dough, especially since you are buying absolutely no history with the property.

I really don't know if we are this Big Time, that's what I am getting at.

[betts]

Downtown is risky. But, there's some reward to the risk. It's fun. It's easy to walk everywhere. It feels more like you're living in a big city than anywhere else in town, and some people don't really want a yard.