Update on DOKC BID district
Main Street: Some question rush over downtown plans
BY STEVE LACKMEYER
Published: May 5, 2009
The idea of hiring Denver consultant Brad Segal last summer to begin work on renewing downtown’s business improvement district seemed odd at the time.
When will we see more retail stores along the Bricktown Canal?
After all, it coincided with the resignation of Brett Hamm as president of Downtown Oklahoma City Inc. and its board was set on doing its first national search for a replacement.
What was the rush? The current district’s term doesn’t expire until 2011 and the Downtown Oklahoma City Inc. president is tasked with overseeing all the operations that include marketing, street cleaning, event management and various improvements.
At the time David Rainbolt, board chairman, said he had no worries about the timing of Segal’s work and hiring a replacement for Hamm.
That replacement, Jane Jenkins, started work in March and she’s been running ever since. She can’t answer why the rush, other than to mention that Segal’s contract is set to expire soon. But she adds that is not the reason why the organization is trying to get a plan completed this summer so it can be submitted to the Oklahoma City Council for approval.
The plan envisions increased assessments and potential additions along Broadway and in the Film Row district. The plan includes adding an economic development person who would be working with the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber and the Oklahoma City Planning Department to crunch data on housing, retail demand and other needs as determined.
Jenkins can’t fully explain how this new position would be kept busy on a full-time basis, but assures the person won’t be duplicating services provided by the chamber or planning department.
I’m told the plan is a work in progress, though Jenkins wants a final draft ready for Segal’s return to Oklahoma City next month.
Again I ask, what’s the rush? So far, no one can really explain it to me.
But I do know that not everyone is happy with how this district renewal process is proceeding. Multiple parties in Bricktown and Automobile Alley — downtown’s two liveliest districts — are not happy about being pressed to decide everything within the next month or so.
Past experience shows rushing leads to mistakes, long-lasting bitterness and regret. If there is an upside to this rush, so far no one is saying what it might be.
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