Oklahoma River Development

[CuatrodeMayo]

I imagine it would be difficult to stock considering how often the river is drained.

[Laramie]

If there were fish?

(I know there probably are, but they don't "stock" it right?)

Now with the dams at Western & May Avenues; you would think they could keep a good supply of fish stocked between that area.

I imagine it would be difficult to stock considering how often the river is drained.

Thanks, completely forgot about the river being drained.

"Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.

[Dustin]

OKC whitewater project bids come in high | News OK

[CuatrodeMayo]

Only 3 bids?!

[UnFrSaKn]

OKC whitewater project bids come in high | News OK

[warreng88]

Not banking on it: Little development planned along Oklahoma River for now

By: Molly M. Fleming The Journal Record June 23, 2016

OKLAHOMA CITY – Commercial development along the Oklahoma River is done on a case-by-case basis, said Pat Downes, development director at the Oklahoma City Riverfront Development Authority.

“The city does not actively market its property or its holdings for commercial development,” Downes said.

He said the city has more than 4,000 acres from Lake Overholser to NE 50th Street and Air Depot Boulevard. But only about 7 percent of that land is suitable for intense economic development.

When a developer approaches the city about land use, the company is required to create a positive economic effect such as hiring a certain number of people at a good salary. Previous development projects along the river include the American Indian Cultural Center and Museum, the Dell campus, and the Wheeler District. AICCM construction started in 2006 and work stopped in 2012. Dell opened in 2004. The Wheeler District plan was heard at the Planning Commission in June, and construction will start in 2017.

Part of the activity along the downtown portion of the river is from people on the river trails. But the trail system does not connect to one of the closest districts, Stockyards City.

That could change with the city’s new Bike Walk OKC cycling and walking master plan. The existing bike and walk plan hasn’t been updated in 19 years.

Associate planners John Tankard and Matt Sandidge are working on the Bike Walk OKC plan.

“Anywhere there is an opportunity for connection, that is being addressed,” Tankard said.

Parks and Recreation Public Information Officer Jennifer McClintock said the plan needed to be updated because the city has changed since 1997. She said some areas that were identified as viable trail locations won’t work anymore.

Tankard said the Bike Walk OKC plan is proposing more than 75 miles of trails and hundreds of miles in bicycle lanes. The MAPS 3 sidewalk effort will continue, with a greater emphasis on neighborhoods, he said.

The projects would be funded by bond sale initiatives or future MAPS funding.

“We’re working on a complete bicycle network that works for people of all abilities,” he said.

The new master plan could be approved by the City Council later this fall. It has been heard by the Planning Commission, the traffic commission and the council.

“The response has been overwhelmingly positive,” he said.

While other trails are being discussed, the city hasn’t found the funding for its signage package along existing trails. The entire package is about $2 million. The signs include gateway signs, informational kiosks, directional and regulatory signage, the now-completed West River Trail and the Interstate 44 trail.

McClintock said the city is seeking private donors or sponsors for the sign money. The city would have to approve the sponsorship before a corporate name could go on a sign.

She said getting water stops to the trails is also a challenge.

“We put water fountains where they are really heavily populated so they get a lot of use,” she said. “If you don’t have a lot of people using (a fountain) on a regular basis, you get a lot of stale water in the line and you have to flush it out.”

But the river area is just on the verge of seeing development, said Cathy O’Connor, executive director of the Alliance for Economic Development of Oklahoma City. The Scenic River Overlay Design District includes six sub-districts along the Oklahoma River corridor between S. Meridian Avenue and S. Eastern Avenue.

“As the area develops and we get the boulevard completed, I think we’ll see more and more interest down there,” O’Connor said.

[AP]

John Tankard and Matt Sandidge are working on the Bike Walk OKC plan.

“Anywhere there is an opportunity for connection, that is being addressed,” Tankard said.

S/o to Carless in OKC!

[ChrisHayes]

I'm waiting for something at the intersection of SW 15th and Portland (Riverport Development) to happen. That's a nice tract of land for commercial development

[Plutonic Panda]

http://journalrecord.com/2016/10/12/...l-estate/?ep=1

[Plutonic Panda]

On a side note, I would really like to see the Oklahoma River edges be completely redone. Ger ride of those large ugly white stones and add something more natural. By the Wheeler District I wouldn't mind for a vertical wall like this



perhaps with a different material but would it be possible to have something more natural along the banks for a retaining wall?

[dankrutka]

Honest question, how is a retaining wall more "natural"?

[Plutonic Panda]

Honest question, how is a retaining wall more "natural"?

The retaining wall would be along Wheeler District and the boathouse district to create a more urban feel. However I'm talking about rest of the river with no retaining wall or perhaps some kind of red rock along the river.

[mugofbeer]

I believe I have read the rocks are a great absorber of wave action for the rowers. perhapd a catilevered boardwalk over the rocks for hiking/ biking to hide them yet bring crowds closer

[Snowman]

I believe I have read the rocks are a great absorber of wave action for the rowers. perhapd a catilevered boardwalk over the rocks for hiking/ biking to hide them yet bring crowds closer

OKCBF have even specifically mentioned that the current rip-rap is the ideal material for their purposes. That a strait 2000+ meter section lined with rocks, wide enough for 7 lanes and no current was an amazing gift by the Army Corp and the MAPS project that they never envisioned but other places have spent a fortune to build.

Something similar to what you are describing was done at the boathouses 'boardwalk' though without real cantilevering, which is going to make maintaining it a lot more expensive and prone to increase risk of damage by flood current after heavy storms.

[warreng88]

http://journalrecord.com/2016/10/12/...l-estate/?ep=1

OCCHD pursues mixed-use health center on Oklahoma River

By: Brian Brus The Journal Record October 12, 2016

OKLAHOMA CITY – The north shore of the Oklahoma River near downtown is about to get the first major element in its face-lift, backed by $1.5 million in tax increment finance district funds.

The Oklahoma City/County Health Department asked the City Council this week for the allocation to help develop a $3.8 million mixed-use health center at 420 SW 10th St. The request was unanimously approved with little discussion other than council members’ praise for the project.

Councilwoman Meg Salyer said the Riverside Project – a more formal name has not yet been chosen – was badly needed in the area. According to the city’s Downtown Development Framework guidance document, the landscape between the river and Interstate 40 and between Shields Boulevard and Western Avenue is a patchwork of older residences, industrial sites and large amounts of vacant land.

The city’s Planning Department confirmed Wednesday the only other proposal for developing the area came from the Neighborhood Services Organization about two years ago.

Bob Jamison, senior deputy director of the Health Department, said plans call for 12,500 square feet of mixed-use offices, clinical services and community recreation space. The site is in the 73109 ZIP code, which has some of the worst health indicators in the city, he said. Non-clinical services will include walking trails adjacent to the new MAPS 3 central park as well as smoking cessation, prenatal care and diabetes prevention programs.

Jamison said the department developed the plan with input from several partners: Regional Food Bank, OU Physicians, and the Latino Development Community Agency. He said Wednesday a memorandum of understanding with LDCA regarding a long-term lease of the building was still being worked out and that the parties were not ready yet for a public statement. That document is expected to be finished before the end of October.

City Economic Development Project Manager Brent Bryant said the Health Department submitted its proposal in April. That was reviewed with a recommendation to the city manager before being passed to the Metropolitan Area Projects TIF review committee. The concept clearly fits the intended development, he said.

A TIF district is a mechanism that allows the municipal government to tap into projected future ad valorem and sales tax revenue to pay for infrastructure improvements now. The districts typically target blighted areas that would be difficult to develop without the improvements. The riverside health site falls within the Downtown/MAPS Economic Development Project Plan TIF District.

[dankrutka]

What do they mean by "mixed-use" for this project?

[warreng88]

What do they mean by "mixed-use" for this project?

"12,500 square feet of mixed-use offices, clinical services and community recreation space" sounds like anything can be construed as "mixed-use".

[Pete]

"12,500 square feet of mixed-use offices, clinical services and community recreation space" sounds like anything can be construed as "mixed-use".

Like the bar that claims they have both kinds of music: Country *and* Western.

[dcsooner]

Like the bar that claims they have both kinds of music: Country *and* Western.

I am using that line, too funny

[warreng88]

I know this is an old thread, but since there has always been talk of residential on the river, I came across this in the UrbanLand magazine and wanted to throw it out there.

https://www.dezeen.com/2019/01/14/th...vejle-denmark/

[ChrisHayes]

One spot I'd like to see developed along the river is at Portland and SW 15th. There's been a sign up there for years, but still nothing going on.

[shawnw]

Ski OKC

https://oklahoman.com/article/567702...oklahoma-river

[David]

On one hand, cool!, but on the other, yay another thing at the river for the city to subsidize.

[Pete]

Ski OKC

https://oklahoman.com/article/567702...oklahoma-river

That 'article' was completely lifted from a press release without attribution.

Incredibly unethical.

Compare to the press release here: https://www.okctalk.com/showthread.p...09#post1147609

[SouthOfTheVillage]

Seems the City is hellbent on throwing good money after bad in this “district.”