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Thread: NW 39th Street LGBTQ District

  1. #26

    Default Re: NW 39th Street GLBiT District

    But enough about that....

    It's a shame it's not a better looking district like say Montrose in Houston.

  2. #27

    Default Re: NW 39th Street GLBiT District

    Or Westport in KC, the Short North in Columbus, Lakeview in Chicago, Royal Oak near Detroit, West Hollywood in LA, or Oak Lawn in Dallas, and on and on...

  3. #28

    Default Re: NW 39th Street GLBiT District

    Though it's not explicitly a gay district, Dilworth in Charlotte is popular with the LGBT community there and it is very, very nice. I wish OKC had something like it.

  4. #29

    Default Re: NW 39th Street GLBiT District

    One thing that has to be done is expectations have to be elevated. People have mentioned Montrose and WeHo, but when I asked one of the owners in the Enclave about what he would like to see done to improve the district, he said to me that he thought the area was already improved enough. I think this is a problem city-wide, as citizens have gotten too used to substandard development. That's a shame, as the gayborhood has a great density of bars (7 - 10 at a time), a hotel, LGBT services, community churches, a restaurant, and even some small-scale retail. It has the bones to become an outstanding late-night district, but its expectations are to remain a dark, seedy corner.

  5. #30

    Default Re: NW 39th Street GLBiT District

    Quote Originally Posted by boitoirich View Post
    One thing that has to be done is expectations have to be elevated. People have mentioned Montrose and WeHo, but when I asked one of the owners in the Enclave about what he would like to see done to improve the district, he said to me that he thought the area was already improved enough. I think this is a problem city-wide, as citizens have gotten too used to substandard development. That's a shame, as the gayborhood has a great density of bars (7 - 10 at a time), a hotel, LGBT services, community churches, a restaurant, and even some small-scale retail. It has the bones to become an outstanding late-night district, but its expectations are to remain a dark, seedy corner.
    I agree with this, especially the bolded part. "Good enough for Oklahoma" as an excuse for substandard development is an issue citywide, not just on 39th. It's why I think its time to move on from 1990 OKC being the standard by which everything is compared. There are people and projects working to up the standard in OKC, with Shadid and the new Western streetscape being a big one that comes to mind, but its a monumental task that can't happen over night or as fast as many of us would like.

    In regards to 39th, I think its important to note that OKC is kind of unique for a city its size in that it actually has a concentrated district focused on LGBT-oriented nightlife. Most small metropolitan areas don't have that. I really think 39th could benefit from getting a makeover similar to Western. A big issue with it is that trying to get it done could be politically explosive.

    I have never been to any of the bars along 39th but for those that frequent the area, are the bars and clubs decent quality despite unsightly appearance from the outside?

  6. Default Re: NW 39th Street GLBiT District

    Isnt there a gay council person or two? why does this streetscape and 39th Street Urban Design standard/expectations have to be politically explosive in 2015 OKC? I think if people got together they could easily make it happen. I'd think it'd be politically explosive for the city to deny or do nothing; if the gay community came forward with a plan for the district. But that's the key - people need to come together with a plan for what they want the city to be.

    Also, I wouldn't call OKC a small metro area. I'd call Spokane or Little Rock small metros. I'd put OKC solidly in the medium sized near 1.4M metro. Even the census bureau doesn't call any metro area pop over 1M, small. ...

    But to BChris's point, I do think it is remarkable that 20+ years ago WHEN OKC WAS A SMALL METRO and had a massive Conservative/NON-Progressive environment that it had a Gay District. I wish that since it is now 20 years later that OKC would do something to pick up its Gay District and make it an integral part of the cityscape.
    Oklahoma City, the RENAISSANCE CITY!

  7. #32

    Default Re: NW 39th Street GLBiT District

    Quote Originally Posted by HOT ROD View Post
    But to BChris's point, I do think it is remarkable that 20+ years ago WHEN OKC WAS A SMALL METRO and had a massive Conservative/NON-Progressive environment that it had a Gay District. I wish that since it is now 20 years later that OKC would do something to pick up its Gay District and make it an integral part of the cityscape.
    It was also remarkable that Angles when new and trying to get established over 30 years ago sued the city for constantly getting raided for no good reasons and won.

    Surely, the biggest investment mistake ever made in the OKC gay community was trying to turn another cheap hotel up the street into a Habana about 10 years ago, calling it the Hollywood Hotel. It offered nothing remarkably better than the Habana and eventually closed. Considering the success of the Boom bar built in the gay district several years ago, the money that went into the hotel should have been spent there, instead. It's permanently closed but still listed on the Internet: Hollywood Hotel And Suites - Oklahoma City Oklahoma

  8. #33

    Default Re: NW 39th Street GLBiT District

    Quote Originally Posted by Bunty View Post
    It was also remarkable that Angles when new and trying to get established over 30 years ago sued the city for constantly getting raided for no good reasons and won.

    Surely, the biggest investment mistake ever made in the OKC gay community was trying to turn another cheap hotel up the street into a Habana about 10 years ago, calling it the Hollywood Hotel. It offered nothing remarkably better than the Habana and eventually closed. Considering the success of the Boom bar built in the gay district several years ago, the money that went into the hotel should have been spent there, instead. The hotel is permanently closed but still listed on the Internet: Hollywood Hotel And Suites - Oklahoma City Oklahoma
    Bunty, not only is that hotel closed, it has been completely torn down.

  9. #34

    Default Re: NW 39th Street GLBiT District

    Quote Originally Posted by ljbab728 View Post
    Bunty, not only is that hotel closed, it has been completely torn down.
    What a waste. I heard it was at least partly torn down. If I'm right, a good amount of money had gone into remodeling some of the rooms.

  10. #35

    Default Re: NW 39th Street GLBiT District

    Quote Originally Posted by Bunty View Post
    Like I said, what a waste.
    This will be going in that location.

    OKCTalk - WinCo closes on 39th & Portland location

  11. #36

    Default Re: NW 39th Street GLBiT District

    Quote Originally Posted by ljbab728 View Post
    This will be going in that location.

    OKCTalk - WinCo closes on 39th & Portland location
    Then maybe former owners made up what they lost.

  12. #37

    Default Re: NW 39th Street GLBiT District

    I believe they sold long ago and then it was tore down. they were a couple from Palm springs as I remember and the place was a dump. the "bars' they opened in it were also dumps and basically they put a bar in some of the old ballrooms and called it a bar. I remember when they opened a "piano bar" and me and some friends thought we would go check it out and try to support a new business. It was a room adjacent to the restaurant with a Piano in it and a couple of tables. no bar and no wait staff. you were welcome to get a drink at the bar in the restaurant and bring it in there if you wished. lol it was a joke. glad the whole place was dozed and looking forward to Winco.

  13. #38

  14. #39

    Default Re: NW 39th Street GLBiT District

    I have only been over there once other than driving through, but the area seemed pretty run down and it would be nice to see it improve. Hopefully they are successful but the area will struggle from being so disconnected from the rest of OKC's urban fabric. If it was at 39th and Western it would have a lot easier time. What the area really needs is a large mixed-use development with residential to jump start it and get people living there. Things like a coffee shop and a drug store won't be able to survive without a customer base to draw from. They had a coffee shop, Beans and Leaves (A friend of mine a couple of years ago was part of OKC Improv and he invited me to see his group perform there), but if I am not mistaking it is gone now. Homeland also used to be there but it closed as well.

  15. #40

    Default Re: NW 39th Street GLBiT District

    I haven't been down there in a while myself, but recent Google Maps Street View imagery shows that the old Homeland was taken over by Goodwill, and it looks busier than I ever remember Homeland being. Looking at the rest of the Gayborhood, though, I do agree it looks empty and run down. That said, there are some good bones to work with here - some investment in the district, like building some mixed-use residential in the empty space between Phoenix Rising and the car repair shop on the corner of 39th and Penn would go a long way at jump-starting the area. Truth be told, I'd love to see that car repair shop be included in the redevelopment too. Imagine how awesome that would be during Pride to have an apartment overlooking the festivities! Only drawback I could see would be traffic getting out of there if you had to leave. Maybe see if the apartment complex directly south would allow residents to leave through their parking lot. But yeah.

    Combine that with something like a good restaurant or three to draw in people from the neighborhood to the immediate south, and that would definitely be a good start to revitalizing the Gayborhood.

  16. #41
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    Default Re: NW 39th Street GLBiT District

    I have been in that goodwill more often than I ever went into homeland there because my teenager wants to shop there....

  17. #42

    Default Re: NW 39th Street GLBiT District

    It would be nice to clear off that run down car wash east of the Boom and build new businesses. In that same neighborhood, what's that going in where Coit's used to be?

  18. #43

    Default Re: NW 39th Street GLBiT District

    Ready to be disappointed?

    A car wash. :/

    It is business, and people making money is a good thing, but damnit that was Coit's!

  19. #44
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    Default Re: NW 39th Street GLBiT District

    That Coit's had a quality food product issue. Use to stop there all the time upon leaving the Belle Isle area.

    You want to kill a fast food restaurant--food quality will do it.

  20. #45

    Default Re: NW 39th Street GLBiT District

    I didn't get a pic but noticed this weekend the addition of "39th District" signs on light poles through the area. was out at Pride concert Friday night and then the parade on Sunday. What a great turn out and friendly positive environment. I have to say I have never seen such positive coverage of Pride before in OKC. I noticed every news station doing stories on it all weekend long and some broadcasting from 39th during the concert and giving viewers information as to times of parade and what streets were closed. I can remember when the most we would get in a blurb on Sunday night news where they showed a quick picture of the craziest looking person they could find in the parade. The OKCPD did a great job patrolling in the biggest presence at the festival and parade I had ever seen. Not only were they there in force but they were engaging and friendly which is a departure from attitudes in other years. I saw officers offering to take pics for people, Taking pics with people and just generally being friendly to people. It was refreshing and a great experience.

  21. #46
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    Default Re: NW 39th Street GLBiT District

    Really impressed with the growth of the OKC Gay Pride events this past weekend along with the TV media coverage. Decided to take some notes...


    Got to witness, many of my favorite female vocals in person; Evelyn 'Champagne' King, Anita Ward and Martha Wash sing some of their favorites and bring the house down with 'It's Raining Men.' The energy of these old school girls were impressive.

    She's no drag queen...
    We have a young rising Oklahoma star named IESHIA who has taken OKC by Storm. This young lady and her group opened the festivities. She's very high energy & talented, you will be hearing more on her in the future.

    The crowd was huge; there were an enormous amount of 'straights' among the attendees to witness this impressive event. To think we have a paper right here in Oklahoma called the 'Galy or Galy Oklahoman' that's distributed throughout Oklahoma, Kansas, Arkansas & Missouri (regional) speaks well of the voices that will not be silenced; sorry Daily Oklahoman but you will get over it.

    It did rain on the OKC Pride Parade; there is plenty of support for 'gay rights' in Oklahoma. This struggle has reminded me of the struggles that many of us (minorities, blacks) encountered in the late 60s & early 70s.

    Orlando wasn't forgotten. It was evident throughout this past weekend's festivities that Oklahoma City stood with & for the victims. This fight is real; 'Everybody's Got The Right Love...'

    These events had a cross-section of multicultural Oklahoma like you've never seen; every race, creed, color and some religions were represented. Whites, Blacks, Latinos, Hispanics, Europeans, Indians, Asians and all combinations of mixed races (melting pot) were there in unison.

    Mary Arbuckle from Other Options (OKC) was a very impressive MC, worker; this young lady rolled her sleeves up and really went to work. Oklahoma City has an impressive community with plenty of support for the 39th Street Strip Bar scene.

    Martha Wash formerly of 'Two Tons of Fun' commented about how massive this event has grown. The community effort & support is another a feature and feather in the cap to further cement OKC's Big League City status.

  22. #47

    Default Re: NW 39th Street GLBiT District

    I was at the corner of 39th and Classen during the parade, and a female OCPD officer caught my disbelieving stare toward the protesters on the corner. She said, "pay no attention to them, you won't be able to hear them anyway when the parade starts." All the officers near us were very friendly and helpful. It was nice to see. I was impressed with the events and the turnout this year.

  23. Default Re: NW 39th Street GLBiT District

    very nice to see Oklahoma City embrace all of its citizens and communities!! Sign of a true, big city.
    Oklahoma City, the RENAISSANCE CITY!

  24. #49

    Default Re: NW 39th Street GLBiT District

    39th Street teaser...
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Click image for larger version. 

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  25. #50

    Default Re: NW 39th Street GLBiT District

    Quote Originally Posted by Platemaker View Post
    39th Street teaser...
    I might have missed this, but what are these plans from? When would any of this be happening? That said, I love the trees and new intersections/crosswalks.

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