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Thread: Founders District

  1. #26

    Default Re: Founders District

    Quote Originally Posted by GoGators View Post
    If These building were preserved, this would have been one of the best Mid Century architectural districts in the entire country. This list of award winning MCM buildings in one small(ish) OKC area is beyond impressive.

    Founders Tower
    Continental Theater
    Founders Bank
    Medical Tower
    Ackerman Building
    Dunn-Reynolds Urology Clinic
    Hilton Inn
    Shoppers World
    Local Federal Savings & Loan building.

    If these buildings were still standing as designed, the Founders district would be an absolute destination location that would draw people from all over.

    Sadly, out of all of those mentioned buildings, only founders tower remains relatively original. Such a shame. I hope this area does well moving forward, but the damage done to the district is practically a death sentence.
    What, you mean people won't come from all over to check out the iconic new paint scheme on the Country Inn & Suites?

    Sarcasm aside, this is still a reasonably important retail/hotel hub for NW OKC. It's never going to reach the vibrancy of the Plaza, but it's good that there's a group of people putting in an effort to beautify the area.

  2. #27

    Default Re: Founders District

    If you built a pair of destination inspiring pedestrian bridge over NWX (one by the Wyndham and near Country Inn @ NW 57th Terr), I think it's right behind the Belle-Isle area for best candidate to retrofit.

    Some smaller buildings might need to come down and some creative walk ways created. The problem is the total investment would easily top $100M and I just think there are better ways to spend $100M in other higher opportunity areas.

  3. Default Re: Founders District

    Quote Originally Posted by GoGators View Post
    the damage done to the district is practically a death sentence.
    Death sentence? Seems a bit hyperbolic, don't you think? Remember, one bit of development that is scheduled to come that could help drive more interest/development in the area is the Bus Rapid Transit that is supposed to have a stop or even a park and ride lot somewhere in the vicinity of NW Expwy and Independence. I would hardly call that plan contributing to a "death sentence" for the area. C'mon.

  4. #29

    Default Re: Founders District

    Quote Originally Posted by Teo9969 View Post
    And what?
    Founders Bank.

    Click image for larger version. 

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  5. #30

    Default Re: Founders District

    Quote Originally Posted by rezman View Post
    Founders Bank.

    Click image for larger version. 

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    Sorry.

    Forgot the "[/sarcasm]"

  6. Default Re: Founders District

    Quote Originally Posted by rezman View Post
    Founders Bank.

    Click image for larger version. 

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    I have seen that photo before and it is just stunning. This, of course, is from the days before it had all of that brick cladding around the outside, which was the first crime committed against this gorgeous building.

  7. #32

    Default Re: Founders District

    Quote Originally Posted by Celebrator View Post
    Death sentence? Seems a bit hyperbolic, don't you think? Remember, one bit of development that is scheduled to come that could help drive more interest/development in the area is the Bus Rapid Transit that is supposed to have a stop or even a park and ride lot somewhere in the vicinity of NW Expwy and Independence. I would hardly call that plan contributing to a "death sentence" for the area. C'mon.
    Of note - the BRT line improvements will redesign the NW Expressway x Independence intersection. NW BRT docs sketch out several concepts for this intersection, varying from a pedestrian bridge to simple crosswalks, and it's unclear exactly how it will turn out as it is still in the planning/engineering phase. Additionally Councilman Cooper and people associated with Maps 4 have suggested that bike lanes along Independence may be in store. The idea here would be to connect Integris and the neighborhoods along Independence to the trails network at Lake Hefner. At any rate, expect that by end of 2023 this critical intersection will have finished construction with some sort of multi-use concept. Currently pedestrian and cyclist infrastructure is literally nonexistent there; it is completely impassable except by car. So this is a big step in the right direction if the city planners pull it off.

    Much of the Founders District and the adjacent neighborhoods (Roberts-Crest) had sidewalks installed within the past year. What I find odd is that United Founders Blvd is the one street that doesn't have sidewalks, and it's the 'beautified' street. Gorgeous big trees and well-maintained grass... and yet pedestrians have to dodge speeding SUVs to enjoy it. I sincerely hope that there is a grander plan for this street, because it has a lot of potential. Frankly I would love to see it slimmed down to one lane for cars each way, with ample protected pedestrian/cyclist space where the other car lane was. This area does not get a lot of traffic, and I promise you the cars zooming over to Sonic do not appreciate the landscaping. Even better would be to have some sort of infrastructure that let people linger, e.g. benches, public art, food trucks. I do worry that with the On Cue going in where the old bank used to be that this area will go in the opposite direction as this hope I have.

    The biggest issue with calling this a district right now is that it doesn't have things to do for an average person. One thing that would help a lot would be if the Founders Tower offered the top floor as simply a viewing room, maybe with drinks/snacks, but not with the seating of a fancy restaurant. I went there when it was 3Sixty and it was awkward to walk around to get the full view. You'd have to squeeze past people eating a nice dinner. Who wants to do that? I feel like in general Founders Tower is underutilized as the centre of the district. Right now it's a half-empty building that I can't interact with in any way, that doesn't host any events I'm aware of. It has absolutely wonderful views that I can't go see. It's got an empty parking lot, as does most of the District. This area has a lot of potential. But it will take conscientious effort to build it into someplace that fulfills that potential.

  8. #33
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    Default Re: Founders District

    Love the idea of founders tower becoming our defacto public observation deck (even they charged a nominal fee to man it). They could easily still have a small cafe up there while still performing this function. It would be even better if they restore the rotational capabilities. This is the very notion of "Placemaking". There's also plenty of parking for if they went this route.

  9. Default Re: Founders District

    Lady-O, wanted to address some of your comments here. Yes, the area did receive sidewalks last year and trust me, we were in talks with the city quite a bit over sidewalks on United Founders Blvd. First, they only offered sidewalks on ONE side of the street--that was all that was allotted for much of the sidewalks project in the area--strange but true.

    Second, if had selected to put in sidewalks on United Founders Blvd., we would have lost lots of mature landscaping--something property owners who have made big landscaping investments along there were not willing to do--which was fine since they are helping to keep the area nice.

    We proposed a painted bike lane on United Founders for a while, but that proposal was slowed by the city and then was not pursued further by neighborhood volunteers. And since the street is not too busy, as you said, we felt that the extra-wide travel lane provided for reasonably safe passage for bikes and peds along there, and we see walkers up and down there frequently.

    We have also considered benches, etc. both in the medians and off the medians, and there you run into ADA compliance requirements, which again, demands curb cuts and other concrete work that takes away from established landscaped areas and brings in more concrete to an area that already has lots of it. Art installations are a great idea once more funding is available. We are just trying to maintain those public medians to high levels which is a MAJOR annual cost.

    So there is a quick run-down of what we did during that sidewalks expansion.

    We think OnCue will be a great addition to the area and do not anticipate it running things down. They have already responded to be supporters of the District and have contributed financially already (!) to beautification even before they have turned dirt on the site.

    A 501(c)(3) has been formed and an endowment fund at Oklahoma City Community Foundation has been established in order to support beautification efforts in the public spaces in the District in perpetuity. Sounds like you know quite a bit about the neighborhood, do you work or live in Founders District. We have a small, but dedicated group of people are trying really, really, hard to make this area better and better. Trust me, I know. I am one of them.

  10. #35

    Default Re: Founders District

    Quote Originally Posted by Celebrator View Post
    Lady-O, wanted to address some of your comments here. Yes, the area did receive sidewalks last year and trust me, we were in talks with the city quite a bit over sidewalks on United Founders Blvd. First, they only offered sidewalks on ONE side of the street--that was all that was allotted for much of the sidewalks project in the area--strange but true.
    ...
    Actually, it's not that strange. Every sidewalk I've seen the city put in over the past 5-6 (or more) years has only been on one side of the street - both on major thoroughfares and on neighborhood streets (and over the years, I've seen them put in from NW 164th down to south of Reno and from MacArthur over to MLK). I'm assuming their thinking is that one side having sidewalks is sufficient, as people can just cross the street to get to a sidewalk if there's not one on the side they're walking on, so why spend double the money and time unnecessarily. I agree with that sentiment, I'd rather have double the miles of sidewalks than one on both sides of a street.

  11. #36
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    Default Re: Founders District

    Everything is "reasonably safe" until someone gets hurt. I get it. And thanks for your efforts. But....

  12. #37

    Default Re: Founders District

    Quote Originally Posted by Celebrator View Post
    other concrete work that takes away from established landscaped areas and brings in more concrete to an area that already has lots of it
    I totally understand where you're coming from here, as a person who walks the Founders District on almost a daily basis (I live in a nearby neighborhood). The real dream would be to remove one of the lanes for cars and building the pedestrian infrastructure without having to infringe on the developed landscaping. You can see in my extremely professional rendering below


    United Founders Blvd is the closest thing we in nearby neighborhoods have to a park, without crossing a major arterial. Which is why it seems very important to me that it not just be for automobiles in the long run. And why I appreciate the work you all are doing very much! From what you're saying, it seems that working with the city has been part of the struggle.

    Regarding the OnCue, I'm glad that they're responsive and I do recognize that the area could use a gas station other than the 711 on NW Expwy. My concern is as a pedestrian on specifically on that street. Gas stations tend to not ameliorate restricted pedestrian/cyclist access.

    For cycling, I actually think NW 59th street would be a better candidate for bike lanes, as it has street-light access to the Belle Isle neighborhood (and school and library).

  13. #38

    Default Re: Founders District

    Thanks for the insights into the streetscape decisions, Celebrator. I have to disagree that the wider lanes make things safer for pedestrians and cyclists, however. If anything, wider lanes encourage drivers to go faster than they otherwise would, which actually acts to increase the danger to pedestrians and cyclists. In fairness, there are probably hundreds of blocks across Oklahoma City that present a greater dangerous to pedestrians and cyclists, most of which don't have any advocates for improvement, so the Founders District is lucky to have you. (In fact, as I type this, I'm seeing that a cyclist was seriously injured at NW 18 and Classen earlier today, just a couple blocks away from where a cyclist was killed at NW 16 and Classen last year.)

  14. Default Re: Founders District

    Quote Originally Posted by lady_o View Post
    . The real dream would be to remove one of the lanes for cars and building the pedestrian infrastructure without having to infringe on the developed landscaping.
    That would a nice way to handle it, but that was not on offer from the city. We are constantly looking for ways to improve aesthetics and safety and will do whatever we can to actually see these ideas through. It is VERY HARD though to solicit time and money from people here, it seems, so everything we want to do takes literally years to pull off. It's not for lack of trying though. Glad you enjoy walking our neighborhood, though, that's great to hear.

  15. #40

    Default Re: Founders District


  16. Default Re: Founders District

    Quote Originally Posted by lady_o View Post
    Great shot--never have seen that one. However, I disagree with the tweet, though, I think that photo is earlier than 1972. I would have guessed more like 1967. Man do those medians on United Founders Blvd. look different today.

  17. #42

    Default Re: Founders District

    County Assessor shows the former Hilton Inn Northwest being built in 1972. Although it seemed to me that the area was more built up by then. Maybe the aerial photo is playing mind games on us.

  18. #43

    Default Re: Founders District

    Noticed the building next to Daystar was being demo’d today. Click image for larger version. 

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  19. Default Re: Founders District

    New annex being added on to existing Daystar building.

  20. #45

    Default Re: Founders District

    I took this one on Sunday.


  21. Default Re: Founders District

    That's a beauty, Pete. It was a spectacular day. And I am hoping this bout of rain will help green up things even more.

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