The area around the new crosstown highway. Will there be substantial new development?

[coov23]

I would like to see the area have new buildings and nicer looking quality of businesses than the old beaten up warehouses that it seems to go by. What are you guys hearing and what are your thoughts on this?

[Spartan]

It likely won't be quality development. BUT I think we can negotiate just tearing it all down, that work? :-D

[Rover]

I doubt much at all will happen until the old 40 comes down and the blvd. put in place and new traffic patterns are established and documented.

[edcrunk]

Are you familiar with Core 2 Shore?

[Skyline]

As the great Oklahoman Will Rogers once said...."If you don't like a building in Oklahoma wait a minute and they'll tear it down".

j/k

[Spartan]

I doubt much at all will happen until the old 40 comes down and the blvd. put in place and new traffic patterns are established and documented.

I just hope we can get a little more done in terms of development in more established, more promising areas, before the C2S drum hits a fever pitch.

[Just the facts]

I would like to see the area have new buildings and nicer looking quality of businesses than the old beaten up warehouses that it seems to go by. What are you guys hearing and what are your thoughts on this?

Yes - but it will be inspite of the new I-40, not because of it. Just look across OKC and see what kind of development the existing I-40 attracts.

[Spartan]

Cheesy outlet malls!!!!

[MDot]

Yes - but it will be inspite of the new I-40, not because of it. Just look across OKC and see what kind of development the existing I-40 attracts.

This. Even through downtown (currently) there is nothing but warehouses, except for the stretch that goes through lower Bricktown and that's just on the north side, the south side still has the Co-op mill although they're trying to get out of that area; not to complain about that too much because they are building up that area pretty nicely.

[MDot]

Cheesy outlet malls!!!!

Lol.

[Skyline]

Let me outline the process of how this development will go:

1) Investors buy up all of the available buildings and land, if they haven't already.
2) Investors board up all existing buildings and tear down a few in the process.
3) Investors start paving open areas for "cash only" parking lots.
4) Investors put for sale signs on boarded buildings at ridiculously high prices.
5) City steps in to build a canal extension, sports stadium, streetcar route, and all new landscaping throughout the area.
6) City negotiates deal for a mega-type-store, giving away millions of tax payers dollars as an incentive.
7) Investors laugh all the way to the bank, as they build strip mall shopping and more cash-cow-parking lots.

There are more steps in the process but I think you get the idea. haha.

j/k

[G.Walker]

I would like to see the area have new buildings and nicer looking quality of businesses than the old beaten up warehouses that it seems to go by. What are you guys hearing and what are your thoughts on this?

Sure, but it will start in a specific section then spread, but it will take some time. I would suspect housing development to start around the new park sooner then we think, and then it will spread south closer to the new crosstown. North of the new crosstown near new park and south of crosstown near Boathouse Row is probably our best bet is seeing substantial development. South and West of the crosstown will take some time.

[Just the facts]

Cheesy outlet malls!!!!

At best.

[Thunder]

Are you familiar with Core 2 Shore?

Most are familiar with the project, but unfortunately, that project will never come. However, a similar project may give rise, the 'Core to 40', which is the most accurate statement it can be. Or it may be modified to 'Core over 40 to Shore' depending on the city and/or citizens' preference.

The Skydance bridge will connect the Core to the future Central Grand Park currently in the planning stages. No one know when the groundwork will begin. As for other areas nearby, most of us are hoping it will give way to much higher mix-use business/residential buildings in the form of skyscrapers much higher than what OKC mostly have. This ranges from skyscraper apartments with retails the first few floors, hotels, skyscrapers of future company headquarters, large attractions, the famous Ferris Wheel from California, a new convention center, and possibly state-of-the-art NFL football arena if OKC decides to take a huge investment risk in order to attract a new team or start one from scratch. So many potentials out there, but knowing OKC, we may see more thrift stores, shelters for the bums, pawn shops, and auto dealerships. It depends on the people the citizens decide to elect into office positions.

[G.Walker]

I hope they do some good urban development along the river. I can't wait to see Wal-Mart Supercenter, JC Penny, Ross, Whataburger and IHOP, and nice surface parking lots!

[Thunder]

I hope they do some good urban development along the river. I can't wait to see Wal-Mart Supercenter, JC Penny, Ross, Whataburger, Hooters and IHOP, and nice surface parking lots!

Classic American Dream

[rcjunkie]

It likely won't be quality development. BUT I think we can negotiate just tearing it all down, that work? :-D

Spartan, your always so upbeat and positive about OKC, what would we do without your advice.

[oneforone]

Honestly, I don't see anything like that moving in down there. If anything it will probably be what already exists up and down Reno leading into downtown. Sure you will see a few new fast food and casual dining restaurants maybe a few new hotels but, I don't expect very much retail outside of commercial supply houses and service providers. You might also see a commercial truck dealership or car rental lots.

[rcjunkie]

Cheesy outlet malls!!!!

Followed by more OKCTALK trolls that hate/despise everything OKC does.

[Bellaboo]

This board is full of negative Nancy's.

[Just the facts]

The biggest obstacle to the area is the new I-40 itself. Even depressed it is wide and probably too wide. Freeways (along with railroad tracks) make a physical and psychological barrier that is hard to overcome. This is true even the densest of city which is why Boston had to bury their downtown freeways while New York City and San Francisco removed entire downtown freeways. Oddly enough, Cities have found that after freeways were removed traffic in the area actually improved.

Knowing what I know now, I would have preferred that I-40 between I-44 and I-35 be removed completely and I-40 realigned to replace I-240 through South OKC.

[rcjunkie]

The biggest obstacle to the area is the new I-40 itself. Even depressed it is wide and probably too wide. Freeways (along with railroad tracks) make a physical and psychological barrier that is hard to overcome. This is true even the densest of city which is why Boston had to bury their downtown freeways while New York City and San Francisco removed entire downtown freeways. Oddly enough, Cities have found that after freeways were removed traffic in the area actually improved.

Knowing what I know now, I would have preferred that I-40 between I-44 and I-35 be removed completely and I-40 realigned to replace I-240 through South OKC.

So you would just moved what you consider an obstacle further South, how does that make sense.

[Just the facts]

So you would just moved what you consider an obstacle further South, how does that make sense.

Knowing then what I know now, I wouldn't have built the new I-40 at all. I would have rebranded I-240 as I-40 and taken the current I-40 out between I-44 and I-35 and replaced it with the original street grid. The stretch known as Ticker Diagonal would then be rebranded I-240. Thus routing nearly all interstate traffic away from downtown.

[rcjunkie]

Knowing then what I know now, I wouldn't have built the new I-40 at all. I would have rebranded I-240 as I-40 and taken the current I-40 out between I-44 and I-35 and replaced it with the original street grid.

And what would you do about the 3--4 hours traffic jams.

[Rover]

I don't know of a single city in the US, or worldwide for that matter, that has eliminated main highways leading to the city. To move it so far away is laughable and totally impractical, not to mention would never happen. What JTF indicated about Boston cost billions and didn't reroute, just submerged. To compare the transit requirements and infrastructure to these cities is total apples to oranges. Eliminating I 40 or rerouting 10 miles away from downtown isn't a serios or practical option, IMHO.