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Thread: Project 180

  1. #226

    Default Re: Project 180

    A drip irrigation system is included in the landscaping plans for Project180. Another important feature included in the Project180 landscaping plans is something called structured soil. Here is a link explaining the importance of this soil in urban environments: http://www.hort.cornell.edu/uhi/outr...c/article.html

  2. #227

    Default Re: Project 180

    Yielding for progress
    Downtown businesses see payoff in the pain of construction zones
    By April Wilkerson

    OKLAHOMA CITY – It’s the price of progress: With several downtown streets closed off or limited because of construction, businesses are dealing with access snags and delivery difficulties.

    But retailers are mostly tolerant about the issues and optimistic for better sales when construction is complete.

    At the Peacock Restaurant near Reno and Walker avenues, owner Jim Pagonis said he’s noticed a decrease in patrons, but his catering business is seeing him through.

    “It’s mainly affected my lunch crowd,” he said, “but it hasn’t affected my catering at all.

    “It’s kind of like a maze here – some people can figure it out and some can’t,” he said.

    Another Reno Avenue business, ABC Office Furniture Center, has kept good access so far because it’s on the south side of the street, and the construction is now on the north side. However, when the construction shifts, the business wants to make sure it remains accessible, said Deena Wall, senior vice president.

    “I’ve seen some drop-off in business, but hopefully we can make that up when everything is done,” she said. “Exposure for us on that lot will be good. You have to go through some painstaking times to get something that I think will be beautiful when it’s completed.”

    Scott’s Printing and Copying on the corner of Hudson and Sheridan avenues is feeling pain because of the Devon utility work nearby. Brad Balding, manager of Scott’s, said he’s lost his customer parking on the east side, and south-side parking isn’t always available. But his main problem has been with deliveries, he said.

    “We have big trucks making deliveries every day, and they have to literally pull out in the middle of the street and unload. It’s a safety hazard,” Balding said.

    He said the business also has started making deliveries to customers that it previously didn’t deliver to so those people don’t have to deal with the hassle downtown.

    At the Courtyard by Marriott on the corner of E.K. Gaylord and Reno, guests don’t have parking issues because there’s an attached garage. But the staff has been making it a point to tell visitors about the construction and how to navigate it when coming and going.

    “The biggest challenge is giving our guests the correct directions to get around downtown, get to the airport and get good access to the hotel,” said Rex Amsler, general manager. “There have been some challenges, but we’ve gotten past it by being proactive and giving people good, solid directions.

    “The city manager’s office has been very helpful in giving us information in a timely manner so we can take action and take good care of our guests,” he said.

    That interaction with businesses is the role of Andrea French, Oklahoma City’s public affairs liaison for Project 180. Some of the construction is because of Project 180, some because of Devon. French sends out a weekly traffic advisory that covers everything important for travel downtown.

    French said she’s also trying to help local businesses by encouraging people to remember them. She’s holding a “happy hour” event at La Luna Mexican Cafe for everyone working on Project 180, something she hopes to do at different businesses periodically. And while the city can’t advertise on behalf of the businesses, it can team with organizations like Downtown OKC Inc. to highlight those that are affected.

    “We want to encourage people to visit those businesses and make a special note to be good patrons and visit more frequently than they normally would because of the construction,” French said. “I think the biggest thing is communication with these property owners and businesses – letting them know when it’s coming and how long it’s going to stay, and making sure they know they have someone they can call anytime there’s an issue.”

    La Luna Mexican Cafe may have said it best with its recent marquee message: “Ouch.” Taeha Hanshaw, head server at the restaurant, said they may change it soon to provide directions on how to find parking through the alley.

    “We get a lot of phone calls during the day asking if we’re open and how to get into the parking lot,” she said.

  3. #228

    Default Re: Project 180

    Quote Originally Posted by Larry OKC View Post
    Steve,

    Thanks for the info...interesting visual comes to mind though...how does Downtown OKC go about maintaining it (do they contract with someone to water the plants daily, etc)? 180 acres (or the streets that go thru them) is a lot of ground to cover (so to speak).

    Also, what exactly is a "business improvement district" work? Is it like a TIF district (where they use borrowed money that is eventually paid back with the increased property taxes)
    Here's a link to information about the Business Improvement Districts. It's kind of like an extra property tax. Since I live in one, I get assessed annually, although the existence of the district is up for review from time to time. I think I paid about $90 last year.

    http://www.okc.gov/Planning/b_i_d/index.html

  4. #229

    Default Re: Project 180

    Oklahoma City restaurant operators question whether fine dining will work at the Myriad Gardens (Oklahoman, 10/15/10)
    One of two restaurants planned as part of a makeover of the Myriad Gardens is being eliminated due to cost concerns.
    ...

    When the $34 million Myriad Gardens makeover, part of Project 180, was first designed, plans called for a 1,500-square-foot cafe by a children's play area, and for a 6,000-square-foot restaurant next to an outdoor ice skating rink.

    The Devon Implementation Committee, which is guiding the project, approved converting the cafe into a pavilion.
    full story by Steve, here: http://www.newsok.com/oklahoma-city-...ad_story_title

    A few questions immdiately come to mind:

    1) Thought this was fully funded and now things are being cut because of "costs"?

    2) Thought construction cost etc were down because of the economy etc?

    3) Are we going to have a repeat with MAPS 3 projects (also "fully funded") that we had with the original MAPS?

  5. Default Re: Project 180

    I am now ashamed of Project 180. This is just wrong to terminate the cafe. Do they expect people to actually cookout their meals near the pavilion?! The cafe would've brought in so much money from tourists and regulars.

  6. #231

    Default Re: Project 180

    The downtown streets are a mess right now. I am a vendor that's works downtown and goes to many different buildings during the day. Why do they have to have so many streets torn up at once? Wouldn't it make more sense to combine your efferts on 1 or 2 and completes those quickly and move on to the next? It's almost impossible now to get back on I-40 going West. They have streets torn up from the Ford Center to the Memorial.

  7. Default Re: Project 180

    Quote Originally Posted by metro View Post
    bomber, Project 180 wasn't planned until well after the times you mentioned. If Devon wants to give the city $120+ million dollars and pay it 20 years early to renovate our downtown, who cares about the inconvenience it causes for 2 months to Reno in front of the Ford Center. I question if you and Thunder even understand what Project 180 is and will do for us. Must be a MWC thing.
    Wow metro, that wasn't the point of the question. But thanks for being so rude about it.

    If you had read the question, you would have seen that the question WAS, why are they tearing it up yet again? How many times have we seen the ENTIRE road pulled up between the arenas in the last few years? I can for sure count at least 3. I'm not talking just putting in a pipe under the road. I'm talking digging up the entire street. Yes, one time they repaved, then added pavers, then did something else. It's one project after another that continues to re-do the same little strip. And with so much traffic using that as a connector to bricktown, it is INCREDIBLY frustrating to not be able to use that road so often. You head up one block and you'll see what kind of a traffic issue it causes because the north side of the Cox Center is 2 lanes...not 4. So now all of the traffic flow is squeezed in while we all sit and wait for someone to be able to turn left into a parking garage as they fight oncoming traffic.

    But I don't know, I'm just a person with mwc in my handle. I couldn't possibly live in OKC or anything. I couldn't possible have an interest in someone wasting money raised off taxes. Nah, i'm just some moron.

    I'm all in favor of the TIF, but I'm also not going to put Devon on some pedstal because of it. They get plenty out of this as well. The area around their HQ gets to be the snazziest looking part of the city because of this. Why didn't they get the TIF started before their new building plans? So don't try and make them into some amazing gift to humanity either. While Nichols is supportive of the city, he's also getting something big out of this.

  8. #233

    Default Re: Project 180

    Quote Originally Posted by Wishbone View Post
    The downtown streets are a mess right now. I am a vendor that's works downtown and goes to many different buildings during the day. Why do they have to have so many streets torn up at once? Wouldn't it make more sense to combine your efferts on 1 or 2 and completes those quickly and move on to the next? It's almost impossible now to get back on I-40 going West. They have streets torn up from the Ford Center to the Memorial.
    Maybe they named it Project 180 because everytime you start to go somewhere, you need to do a 180 and go back the way you came?

  9. #234

    Default Re: Project 180

    Quote Originally Posted by Larry OKC View Post
    Oklahoma City restaurant operators question whether fine dining will work at the Myriad Gardens (Oklahoman, 10/15/10)


    full story by Steve, here: http://www.newsok.com/oklahoma-city-...ad_story_title

    A few questions immdiately come to mind:

    1) Thought this was fully funded and now things are being cut because of "costs"?

    2) Thought construction cost etc were down because of the economy etc?

    3) Are we going to have a repeat with MAPS 3 projects (also "fully funded") that we had with the original MAPS?
    Considering it's PRIVATELY funded and being paid 20 years in advance, we shouldn't complain for a desperately needed makeover.
    Quote Originally Posted by Thunder View Post
    I am now ashamed of Project 180. This is just wrong to terminate the cafe. Do they expect people to actually cookout their meals near the pavilion?! The cafe would've brought in so much money from tourists and regulars.
    Your trolling is getting old. Start making educated responses.

  10. #235

    Default Re: Project 180

    Like any renovation project, the worst part is when everything is torn up and you can't tell what the end result will be. But in time it comes together and the finished product will knock your socks off.

  11. #236

    Default Re: Project 180

    This is so characteristic of how government approaches a problem: Hire an out-of-town consultant (who has probably never even run or worked in a restaurant) so if the concept fails there is someone to blame. What does Lackmeyer do? He finds a handful of local people who have succeeded and failed here, running everything from white tablecloth restaurants to taco trucks. Their opinion: Don’t go upscale.

    Hopefully bigger brains will stop this nonsense, fire the consultant and negotiate a discounted fee, and ask Lackmeyer for his reporter’s notes.

  12. #237

    Default Re: Project 180

    Quote Originally Posted by OKCTalker View Post
    This is so characteristic of how government approaches a problem: Hire an out-of-town consultant (who has probably never even run or worked in a restaurant) so if the concept fails there is someone to blame. What does Lackmeyer do? He finds a handful of local people who have succeeded and failed here, running everything from white tablecloth restaurants to taco trucks. Their opinion: Don’t go upscale.

    Hopefully bigger brains will stop this nonsense, fire the consultant and negotiate a discounted fee, and ask Lackmeyer for his reporter’s notes.
    Why are you blaming the government here? This is Devon's deal. Talk to Larry Nichols.

  13. #238

    Default Re: Project 180

    Quote Originally Posted by OKCTalker View Post
    This is so characteristic of how government approaches a problem: Hire an out-of-town consultant (who has probably never even run or worked in a restaurant) so if the concept fails there is someone to blame. What does Lackmeyer do? He finds a handful of local people who have succeeded and failed here, running everything from white tablecloth restaurants to taco trucks. Their opinion: Don’t go upscale.

    Hopefully bigger brains will stop this nonsense, fire the consultant and negotiate a discounted fee, and ask Lackmeyer for his reporter’s notes.
    The only thing I found of interest is that all the upscale owners quoted said don't do it, it won't work - meanwhile - they are doing it and succeeding. Me thinks I hear a little Academy Sports in their voice. If a fast-food place was being brought in I am sure the local fast-food places would be opposed as well.

  14. Default Re: Project 180

    Why is anyone complaining about the torn up streets in the first place? Did you think they were going to wave a magic wand and they'd all be instantly fixed? Get a grip. Someone also says ALL the streets are torn up at once? Negative, they actually are concentrating on certain segments to speed up the process. I know for a fact the streets are NOT torn up all the way from Reno to the Memorial. I suggest some of you go to the Project 180 facebook page and check out all the information and photos over there to get a better understanding of the project. It's full of information and links to the Makeover Magazines. I think you all would enjoy it.

  15. #240

    Default Re: Project 180

    Sooner – We both technically stand corrected. Digging deeper, however, the committee consists of Jim Couch, JoeVan Bullard, Larry Nichols, Mark Beffort and Bill Bell. But staff makes the recommendations, and from what I’ve found, they have government or chamber backgrounds. These aren’t people who understand how the private sector works. Their common understanding is meetings, memos, Gantt charts and the Abilene Paradox, and the most important thing to them is not getting fired. In this instance, I’ll venture that none has ever fronted the money for a restaurant, worked in the front of a restaurant, or signed the front side of somebody’s paycheck. As for Parrot, Paul, Mathis, Johnson and Lower, their common understanding is how to successfully turn bank debt and investor equity into products that Oklahomans will stand in line for, while bearing 100% of the downside risk if it fails.

    “Manask…has assured the city a fine dining restaurant is the appropriate pick for the region and the gardens.” Easy to say when you’re collecting a big fee, have no downside risk and live 1,000+ miles away.

  16. #241

    Default Re: Project 180

    Quote Originally Posted by metro View Post
    Your trolling is getting old. Start making educated responses.
    I'm with you 100% on this metro! Thunder if your so ashamed of our Devon Tower and Project 180, why don't you just move elsewhere?

  17. #242

    Default Re: Project 180

    @OKCTalk - I understand the hesitation of relying on consultants that look to New York City, Chicago , etc (that is how we ended up with Sandridge Commons) but to say that the Chamber of Commerce doesn't know how private buiness is run is 100% crazy. The Chamber of Commerce IS private business.

  18. #243

    Default Re: Project 180

    Just walked most of downtown and am very excited about the entire project, as it's badly needed.

    Most the sidewalks and streets are in rough shape. The unifying design will make a huge difference.

  19. Default Re: Project 180

    Pete, you're in town?

  20. Default Re: Project 180

    Still curious about this whole thing. I'll probably be doing more digging next week.

  21. #246

    Default Re: Project 180

    Quote Originally Posted by Architect2010 View Post
    Why is anyone complaining about the torn up streets in the first place? Did you think they were going to wave a magic wand and they'd all be instantly fixed? Get a grip. Someone also says ALL the streets are torn up at once? Negative, they actually are concentrating on certain segments to speed up the process.
    It's not like this is an unusual process. Didn't anyone notice all of the months that you almost couldn't drive between the North and South side of OKC unless you were on the freeway because of all of the road closings for work on the new I40?

  22. Default Re: Project 180

    I guess not ljbab. People like to selectively criticize and it really irks me.

  23. Default Re: Project 180

    Quote Originally Posted by therondo View Post
    I'm with you 100% on this metro! Thunder if your so ashamed of our Devon Tower and Project 180, why don't you just move elsewhere?
    Not ashamed of the Devon Tower. A bit disappointed with Project 180, but I am not the only one. Many others here is the same. Lets see.... People would like a bigger park than current proposed size. A pavilion will not bring in income (bet its free to use) while a cafe will bring in income from tourists and regulars. It is quite surprising how Metro lashed out at my opinion.

  24. #249

    Default Re: Project 180

    I'm sure you'll be getting a big park with MAPS3.

  25. #250

    Default Re: Project 180

    Quote Originally Posted by Architect2010 View Post
    I guess not ljbab. People like to selectively criticize and it really irks me.
    I work near the intersection of 63rd and MacArthur and a couple of years ago it was completely reconstructed. It wasn't convenient for about 6 months but we all survived and it is worth it today. All progress comes with inconveniences.

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