Plaza District

[soonerguru]

soonerguru, Michael moved back to OKC a couple of years ago after a lot of years in the place you mention, the Cincinnati/northern Kentucky area. I’ve had a few conversations with him when running into him at shows, or at places like the Homeland on 18th haha.

You’re right about the rest of them (I think Steven may live in Edmond now, at least the last I heard) and also Matt Duckworth and Nicholas Ley (both drummers) are in OKC. Nick teaches at ACM@UCO. Derek Brown, who you mentioned, is also at ACM as the manager of their business development center. I had a business meeting with Derek just this past week.

I’m not sure where Jake Ingalls (Spaceface) lives,. He’s a Memphis guy, so he might be the lone exception.

These guys are still in OKC and every one of them contributes to the community in some way. We’re fortunate to have them.. And Wayne still lives in Classen-Ten-Penn. I doubt he’ll ever leave. He’s pretty deeply embedded, with a full studio on site among other things.

His across the street neighbor, Tyrone Meade of Chainsaw Kittens and Defenestration fame is in the process of moving back to China, however.

Ahem, Tyson (I know this must be autocorrect).

[Urbanized]

^^^^^^^^^^
HAHAHAHAHAHA yeah, DEFINITELY autocorrect! And too much time has expired for me to go back and change it, I swear sometimes I’d just like to turn autocorrect off.

[Roger S]

I shared this on the EatAroundOKC (Damn I miss Tim's site and actually contributed a few reviews to it) facebook page 11 years ago today.... At that time El Pollo Rico was the only restaurant down there and I was usually the only person in the restaurant.... The area sure has made some huge strides since those days but I still miss this burrito.... It was one of my favorites in town.

[Mott]

I shared this on the EatAroundOKC (Damn I miss Tim's site and actually contributed a few reviews to it) facebook page 11 years ago today.... At that time El Pollo Rico was the only restaurant down there and I was usually the only person in the restaurant.... The area sure has made some huge strides since those days but I still miss this burrito.... It was one of my favorites in town.

We used to go down and eat at a Mexican restaurant also, and really enjoyed it. Been here in Gatewood since ‘94, and the Plaza was empty. He was good, remember getting the special one day, squid bodies stuffed with grapes. Miss that one.

[Pete]

Neon about to get some slick signs:

[OkieBerto]

Here is a little before and after.

Signs are up for three of these little shops and one for 180. Below are the websites for each shop. I like the variety already.
https://www.haas-house.com/
https://moondrakeco.com/
https://boutiquebarokc.com/

[Pete]

^

Thanks!

Such a great little project.

[OkieBerto]

Yesterday I saw a lot of movement on Blackwelder south of the Plaza District. Midwest Wrecking tore down 3 or 4 houses on 12th and Blackwelder. The live/work garage apartments, I believe the Strubles are developing, are close to complete. And then a sign went up on Blackwelder just North of ParkPl. Photo below of sign.

Attachment 16777

Found some renderings on the noblereh.com website.

Attachment 16778 Attachment 16779 Attachment 16780

This location has started to move.

[GoGators]

There is now a nice little corridor of small residential infill development popping up along Blackwelder from 10th to 23rd running directly through the Plaza.

I mapped out the current projects underway along with the (somewhat) recently completed ones to get a visual of how that stretch is developing. I hope we continue to see the area around the Plaza become more and more dense.

[riflesforwatie]

I think another infill project (NW 22 and McKinley) was approved at Council today.

They've also continued to move on the townhomes north of the live/work units at NW 12 and Blackwelder, as well as the townhomes at NW 11 and Ellison.

[GoGators]

^^ I haven’t heard of the project at 22nd and McKinley. Do you know which lot this will be on?

[riflesforwatie]

It will be the southwest corner of NW 22 and McKinley (1600 and 1604 NW 22). It appears to be a 3-story building with 12 units. It's SPUD-1317; here's a link to the related Planning Commission minutes: https://okc.primegov.com/portal/viewer?id=25250&type=2

[GoGators]

^^Thanks. That looks like a great project. Really hope it gets built.

[OkieBerto]

It will be the southwest corner of NW 22 and McKinley (1600 and 1604 NW 22). It appears to be a 3-story building with 12 units. It's SPUD-1317; here's a link to the related Planning Commission minutes: https://okc.primegov.com/portal/viewer?id=25250&type=2

[riflesforwatie]

Blackwelder Cottages (NE corner of N Blackwelder Ave and NW 12) continues to move forward pretty quickly. They have the first one framed in and footings poured for all the houses that will face Blackwelder. It appears to me that they are still working on grading the land for the units behind those.





All four of the Noble REH for-sale units behind (to the west of) Native Land apartments are framed in and two have their windows in, as well. This is called Plaza Rows, if I remember correctly. There are four townhomes at 1709 NW 11. Then they are restoring an existing house at 1715 NW 11, which looks incredible in person, and building a new detached house behind that at 1713 NW 11.





Then across the street at 1138 N Blackwelder the "ModQuad" is framed up, as well. I think these 4 units will be rentals but I am not sure about that.



A couple of blocks away at 1145 and 1151 N Ellison Ave, two lots have been cleared and graded in the last month. It appears to me that they've graded the plot for 5 detached townhomes facing NW 11, as approved by Council, despite the subsequent change in ownership.



Anyway, it's really impressive to see the upward change in density in this small area.

[Canoe]

Blackwelder Cottages (NE corner of N Blackwelder Ave and NW 12) continues to move forward pretty quickly. They have the first one framed in and footings poured for all the houses that will face Blackwelder. It appears to me that they are still working on grading the land for the units behind those.





All four of the Noble REH for-sale units behind (to the west of) Native Land apartments are framed in and two have their windows in, as well. This is called Plaza Rows, if I remember correctly. There are four townhomes at 1709 NW 11. Then they are restoring an existing house at 1715 NW 11, which looks incredible in person, and building a new detached house behind that at 1713 NW 11.





Then across the street at 1138 N Blackwelder the "ModQuad" is framed up, as well. I think these 4 units will be rentals but I am not sure about that.



A couple of blocks away at 1145 and 1151 N Ellison Ave, two lots have been cleared and graded in the last month. It appears to me that they've graded the plot for 5 detached townhomes facing NW 11, as approved by Council, despite the subsequent change in ownership.



Anyway, it's really impressive to see the upward change in density in this small area.

I just wanted tonthanknyou for the report. I'll have to swing by and see the construction south of NW 16th.

[OkieBerto]

New Art in front of The Mule. This replaces the tree that was lost during the Ice Storm. This was done by Don Narcomey, https://www.narcomey.net/public-art

[OkieBerto]

.

The Strubles look to be adding some more live/workspaces. I think these will be in the space in front of the parking that exists behind the garage live/work spaces. Couldn't find it on their website, but this sign is up.

[warreng88]

Looks like the house (I use that word loosely) that is just east of the Up Down bar and the other two multi family properties is for sale. Total of 7,000 sf lot, 1,191 house. It was originally listed for $300,000 at the end of January, went up to $325,000 four days later and on 2/9, went up to $435,000. 1617 NW 16th street.

To call it a hoarder house is an understatement.

[soonerguru]

Looks like the house (I use that word loosely) that is just east of the Up Down bar and the other two multi family properties is for sale. Total of 7,000 sf lot, 1,191 house. It was originally listed for $300,000 at the end of January, went up to $325,000 four days later and on 2/9, went up to $435,000. 1617 NW 16th street.

To call it a hoarder house is an understatement.

Yes, it is a total eyesore. It appears whoever bought it to flip has just thrown tons of junk into the front yard. What a welcoming sight to the Plaza District! Someone needs to alert the city as this is surely a code violation.

[GoGators]

Yes, it is a total eyesore. It appears whoever bought it to flip has just thrown tons of junk into the front yard. What a welcoming sight to the Plaza District! Someone needs to alert the city as this is surely a code violation.

That property has been like that for years. There are no flippers involved. I was very glad to see this one finally come up for sale. It’s a great lot.

[Lafferty Daniel]

Yeah there are no flippers involved. Last time it was bought/sold was in 2002 for $22,000. And it's also really sad that there are people out there that live like this.

https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/1...1847277_zpid/?

[Jeepnokc]

That property has been like that for years. There are no flippers involved. I was very glad to see this one finally come up for sale. It’s a great lot.

Bizarre pricing as far as huge increases in price. Currently at $365 a square. Pretty steep for non renovated house in that area when looking at comps. Maybe I am underestimating the value of being on 16th street.

[GoGators]

Bizarre pricing as far as huge increases in price. Currently at $365 a square. Pretty steep for non renovated house in that area when looking at comps. Maybe I am underestimating the value of being on 16th street.

Yea I have no idea what they are doing with the rapid price fluctuations. The house condition is irrelevant as the value is the lot and I’m positive whoever buys will immediately tear the house down. The vacant lot where “the district” is now being constructed sold last year for 250k so I suppose their original ask of 300k is plausible. Not sure why they listed it at 300k and almost immediately increased the price to 435k. It could mean they aren’t actually serious about selling which would be a shame because getting rid of that eyesore and adding another mixed use type building on that property would be absolutely huge for the plaza.

[warreng88]

Yea I have no idea what they are doing with the rapid price fluctuations. The house condition is irrelevant as the value is the lot and I’m positive whoever buys will immediately tear the house down. The vacant lot where “the district” is now being constructed sold last year for 250k so I suppose their original ask of 300k is plausible. Not sure why they listed it at 300k and almost immediately increased the price to 435k. It could mean they aren’t actually serious about selling which would be a shame because getting rid of that eyesore and adding another mixed use type building on that property would be absolutely huge for the plaza.

Yeah, I don't see any project being feasible at that price and that size. That's like Nichols Hills numbers for the lots. But then you could build a house and sell it for $2-3MM. The only comp that would come close would be the house on 16th and Douglas that sold for $1.1MM in late 2020. But that is on a slightly larger lot and facing east as well as south, so the ingress/egress is easier.

FYI, I remember back in 2009, the house at 1409 NW 16th (just a block east of this) sold for $142,000 at $47/sf. I was looking at that house as it was larger than our house, but my wife didn't love the idea of living on 16th Street. She actually worked in the Plaza District at the time and didn't want to be that close to her work either. The house sold in 2017 for $244,667 and is currently valued at $425,000, which is about $143/sf. I would bet, depending on the condition, it could be sold for $450,000 or higher.