I certainly don't mind the wellness centers having some attention focused on them. I know there were a lot of people who felt the city wasn't really committed to them and just threw them onto the ballot to get senior citizens to vote for MAPS. But, I would hate for them to receive the focus and early money collected for MAPS just to prove a point. If we are going to get started on them early, I think it would be a mistake to build more than one. Don't build the first on the north side simply because that's where the pro-MAPS voters are. Build one on the south side to show the voters there that they are getting some benefit from MAPS, and see what kind of utilization patterns there are. See which parts of the facility are more popular and which ones sit empty. That way, further centers could potentially be modified, if we find they're not used as the planners planned.
Too expensive and difficult from a design standpoint to make it fit into Bricktown is my guess. It would require A LOT of brick and windows.
I'm glad to hear the park will be OPENING in 2012 and not just beginning constuction.. (The northern section of it anyways)
Based on timeline, it will be a while before we see the big projects completed:
http://www.newsok.com/oklahoma-city-...rticle/3553618
AT A GLANCE
Proposed timeline for MAPS 3 projects
Architectural Design Group's Mike Mize presented Oklahoma City Council members with a preliminary timeline for completion of the eight MAPS 3 projects. The proposal is a draft and likely will change. Budget figures include construction costs plus items such as land acquisition, planning and consulting fees.
Convention center
Budget: $280 million
Construction: From late 2018 to mid-2021
Downtown park
Budget: $130 million
Construction: Upper park (near downtown) from beginning 2013 to late 2014; Lower park (near Oklahoma River) from early 2018 to early 2019
Modern streetcar/transit hub
Budget: $130 million
Construction: Procurement and construction of phase 1 from mid-2013 to early 2016; Construction of hub and phase 2 from mid-2016 to mid-2018
Oklahoma River improvements
Budget: $60 million
Construction: Windscreen and lighting from beginning to end 2012; Scoreboard and grandstand from late 2014 to early 2016; Terrace, landscaping and white-water park from late 2017 to end 2018
State fairgrounds improvements
Budget: $60 million
Construction: From beginning 2015 to early 2017
Wellness centers
Budget: $50 million
Construction: Center 1 from early 2013 to mid-2014; Center 2 from mid-2015 to late 2016; Center 3 from late 2016 to end 2017; Center 4 from early 2018 to mid-2019
Trails improvements
Budget: $40 million
Construction: In four phases from mid-2012 to late 2015
Sidewalks
Budget: $10 million
Construction: In four phases from mid-2012 to early 2016
This list and timeline is a little depressing. I would almost rather not know this info.
I had been looking forward to me doing some Okc white water rafting, but it seems I should be looking more toward me using the senior aquatics.
I wonder if there are priority corridors as to where the sidewalks will go? I know there is a trails master plan...
Sid, what could you tell us?
My daughter is in the 3rd grade, when the new CC is completed, she will have graduated high school, gosh thats a long time!
Based on the info, its seems like they are starting the least expensive projects first, which in my opinion, it should be vice versa:
1. Convention Center
2. Street Car
3. Park.....
as this implementation plan was just a draft, the order can change, lets hope so!
True, but not unusual. MAPS & MAPS for Kids had similar long term completion cycles (10 to 12 years). Even pointed out a time or 2 in the campaign. We are seeing slightly earlier progress since some projects (or more accurately sub-projects) are closer to being 'shovel ready" than previous ones. But still odd that Sidewalks, the least expensive (6 weeks of the MAPS 3 tax) is going to be done over such a long, phased approach. Understand they have to identify and not duplicate sidewalks that are already funded through bond issues and Project 180 type things...
They said breaking it into 4 phases will allow the use of local contractors. It's really difficult to expand your workforce fourfold that quickly and who would want to do that for just one contract? If the locals don't, that will necessitate using outside contractors, which raises the cost.
^^^
I am all for using local contractors and using keeping as much of the MAPS 3 money "in house", but the timeline on the sidewalks seems overly stretched out. And it appears some on the Council are thinking the same thing.
duplicate posting
If we're going to shift a project forward this would be the one, but remember, you have to move something back to make this shift.
My concern is the possibility of slowing the work on an enginering study for the streetcar that may adversely affect our chances at federal matching grants.
True, but even if all the other projects get shifted back (if the sidewalks get moved forward) you are only talking about 6 WEEKS of MAPS 3 money TOTAL. Theoretically, we already have the money collected and in hand to start/finish this project (and understand they haven't even identified where they are going, avoiding duplication of work done thru bond issue, Project 180 etc). I do understand that the slippery slope factor exists and if they get moved up, another project wants to be moved, and another and another...
Hard to believe that 6 weeks could be that critical to another project but not sure what deadlines are for federal funding etc.
I can be corrected if I'm wrong, but I don't believe our engineering study is required for federal funding. Rather it is the environmental study AA needs to obtain that is required.
Only the AA is required to apply for federal funding, but we're only one of many cities applying for this. The fact that we have matching funds available will be a large factor in helping our application, but in anything involving politics, logically following the rules doesn't insure success. That's why I worry that an untimely wait on an engineering study could impact our chances.
The Oklahoman reported another improvement in sales tax collections--about 9% above last year's collections.
http://newsok.com/oklahoma-city-gets...rticle/3555792
What does this mean for MAPS 3?
Specifically, does the city issue public, detailed reports of the amount collected from the M3 tax? I'd like to see the monthly progress versus estimates, too.
Several months ago I suggested the city post something online similar to those thermometer boards United Way uses to show how close they are to their goal. I think it would be fun, helpful, and informative if we could see how close we are getting to $777 million over the next few years.
Either way, the improvement in sales tax collection bodes well for M3. Let's hope it continues.
It can only be good news for MAPS 3. Even with the bottom of the barrel starting point, presuming the City's avg growth rate, worked out to almost exactly the $777M projection. The 9% over last years collections is about double what their projection numbers had (IIRC). Granted, that is 1 months worth and not for the whole year, but again, think collections have exceeded previous year by roughly the same percentages. One thing the Mayor mentioned is the City is excellent at long range tax collections. He mentioned that MAPS for Kids, was within $2M of the projections (didn't say if it was over or under), but it was an incredibly close percentage wise. Would be absolutely thrilled if they could get their cost projections at the same percentage. The original MAPS exceeded by 47.75%. The City's average with bond issue projects is 8% over. Yet with MAPS 3 we are only budgeting 2.2% for cost over runs ($17M). We are already behind with the $40M "mistake" made with the Trails element.
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