Santa Fe Station

[Pete]

Do we really need that parking garage though? I thought the average paring capacity was not critical.

Part of the city's deal with BancFirst and Continental -- to add parking for the people in their building in addition to selling them the Santa Fe Garage.

[PaddyShack]

Part of the city's deal with BancFirst and Continental -- to add parking for the people in their building in addition to selling them the Santa Fe Garage.

I hope they hire more people to fill out the garage!

[shavethewhales]

Awesome news. This will have a huge impact on the feasibility of passenger rail between OKC and Tulsa. Definitely not going to happen anytime soon, but I'm grateful they had the foresight to ensure that it remains a possibility.

[Laramie]

Awesome news. This will have a huge impact on the feasibility of passenger rail between OKC and Tulsa. Definitely not going to happen anytime soon, but I'm grateful they had the foresight to ensure that it remains a possibility.

Which of these do you think will happen first or take priority, the I-35 corridor passenger rail or high speed rail (Texas to Minnesota) or the I-44 rail or high speed rail to Tulsa.

I know there are questions about the tremendous differential costs of regular passenger rail and high speed passenger rail.

Anyone, please feel free to chime in.

[shawnw]

Heartland Flyer extension to Newton
Rail from downtown OKC to downtown Tulsa
High speed rail of any kind in Oklahoma

That's the order I think it will happen in.

[baralheia]

Heartland Flyer extension to Newton
Rail from downtown OKC to downtown Tulsa
High speed rail of any kind in Oklahoma

That's the order I think it will happen in.

That echoes my expectations as well. Even though OKC is in the middle of a federally-designated high speed rail corridor from Tulsa to Ft Worth, I fully expect to see expansion of conventional passenger rail service along this corridor and between OKC and Newton, KS, before high speed rail is realized in Oklahoma.

[DowntownMan]

I hope they hire more people to fill out the garage!

The Santa Fe garage is nearly full on a daily basis at least the first 6 floors that are covered. And I don't believe many BancFirst employees park there yet or have been relocated there yet.
CLR fills up a good chunk of this as I think they have over 700 employees downtown now, plus that doesn't include contractors of theirs who might also be parking there. My guess, CLR ends up utilizing solely SF garage and BancFirst will utilize the new one solely eventually.

[Urban Pioneer]

I would anticipate that the line to Newton would be the first major interstate expansion. The line to Midwest City would probably be the first use of this right-of-way assuming that they don’t due the Reno rapid streetcar alignment.

[shawnw]

You think we'll have rapid streetcar to MWC before Amtrak to KS? I would love that but...

[Urban Pioneer]

I do not. However I do think the RTA is more likely to begin pooling significant funds than the State of Oklahoma. We are already collaborate financially.

[Pete]

Sister cities sign to be installed:

[David]

Neat. Will the arms be pointing some decorative direction or actually at the sister cities?

[PaddyShack]

Are these really our sister cities? And what does that mean?

[Pete]

http://sistercitiesokc.org/

Our Mission
To promote peace through mutual respect, understanding, and cooperation — one individual, one community at a time.

SCI is a nonprofit, citizen diplomacy network that creates and strengthens partnerships between United States and international communities to increase global cooperation at the local level. As an international membership SCI represents, and supports partnerships between US cities, counties, states and similar jurisdictions in other countries.

[jonny d]

Are these really our sister cities? And what does that mean?

Yes they are, and what Pete posted.

[HOT ROD]

I think that's neat and wonderful for downtown and OKC to emphasize it's global importance. Another great location for this (but on a more grande scale) would be at Will Rogers World Airport.

I had long advocated this type of monument be added to the I-35/I-40/I-235 junction area - which is the Interstate/roadway Crossroads of America; this version would have distances to Canada, Mexico, Pacific Ocean (or California), Atlantic Ocean (or N Carolina).

Could OKC implement all 3? Now that'd make a statement about OKC on all modes (foot/rail-downtown, air-WRWA, road-Junction).

[shawnw]

A couple updates from the Santa Fe Station tenants.

Unfortunately, Scissortail Gifts has gone online-only (https://scissortailgifts.com/). I mean, it makes sense because covid, but I hope they can come back. I'm sure this happened long ago but I just noticed.



By contrast, Pinkitzel got rid of their clothing area and installed an ice cream parlor! They told me it had just opened weeks ago.

[Ginkasa]

My family has enjoyed Pinkitzel a few times. We'll have to check out the ice cream section next time we're around.

[Pete]

Jumping Jackalope, which had been next to Sonic in Lower Bricktown, has relocated to a large space between Pinkitzel and the station lobby.

[shawnw]

That's a bummer. This is the space where Scissortail Gifts was pre-pandemic and I was hoping they would come back.

[amocore]

Do we know what will be in the now former Jumpin Jackalope location ?
Is the California Chicken still coming in the old Sonic ?

[Pete]

Do we know what will be in the now former Jumpin Jackalope location ?
Is the California Chicken still coming in the old Sonic ?

Dave's Hot Chicken will be taking both the old Sonic space as well as that formerly occupied by Jumping Jackalope.

[Plutonic Panda]

Dave's Hot Chicken will be taking both the old Sonic space as well as that formerly occupied by Jumping Jackalope.

I was hoping this was related to that. Good deal!