Yeah you won't be getting that
Yeah you won't be getting that
I think the answer falls somewhere between your thoughts and mine and Rover's. I think it is a basic supply and demand kind of thing. If there is only 1,000 rooms and occupancy is at 85%, then people will definitely build more hotels, but if there are 2,500 rooms and occupancy is at 75% with 1,500 more under construction, I would think it would be wise to make sure the demand is there before building more hotels. The problem is the process for getting a hotel built is much longer than the actual construction, there are plans, financing, engineering, city ordinances, etc. So, when someone breaks ground on a new hotel, it had already been in the work for 12-18 months, if not more.
I was just driving on I-40 past this area and thinking how much of an eyesore it is at such a gateway to the city. Not sure this is much better, but it's better than junkyards.
Don't Edmond My Downtown
Construction has started, and the foundation has been poured. Apologies for the poor picture; I will attempt to get a better one soon.
The construction just to the west of this project is for mini-storage.
YEAH!! Just what we need, another storage facility!
Maybe if we're lucky, there is a high end rendering of semi-clear shrubs and hipsters walking in front of the storage facility out there.
Storage facilities are easy money....like surface parking. However, when the land becomes more valuable, it is easy to clear and build. In this case, it may be awhile.
The Candelwood is now open for business and the 2nd hotel, a Best Western, is already under construction.
Pete, aside from the Best Western, what are the other hotels under construction for this site? I remember reading that there were 3 or 4 planned, but didn't know if plans had changed, or if the brands had been revealed.
Oddly enough, I actually kind of dig this area. Having a storage facility that close to Bricktown and DD is a pretty good idea, and I love that these 4 hotels will be clustered together. Waaaay better use of that land then what it was. I'm happy with the density of this development.
When I went by there, that Candlewood seemed pretty full.
While I wish they'd done that, I don't think it's that pressing a concern. The picture above (post #36) shows how big a barrier the interstate is between Bricktown and these hotels. Sure, you can walk there, but it's definitely not comfortable. If downtown-esque street design spreads east, I'd bet it happens north of this long before it happens on Reno. Somewhere between 4th and 10th will probably happen first. Maybe I'm wrong, but I think we've got at least 15 years before there's any move for that in this area. Maybe 20+ years.
I'm not a big fan of building a bunch of cheap crap in areas near downtown. We will eventually expand to that area, and it would definitely be nice if these places had been built with foresight of how downtown will grow. This development fills me with indifference. But I also think that by the time the economics support pushing downtown east into this area, by then it won't be that big a deal to just tear these suckers down. These are fine as a placeholder for whatever good thing eventually gets built here.
I don't have a lot of high hopes for most of OKCs development. Where big bucks are spent is one thing, but here, this could have EASILY been a really crappy development. Imagine pitched roofs on each hotel, only two stories, and each one being further and further down Reno. Think the Sleep Inn on Broadway in Edmond.
So the fact that these are clustered and dense, and presumably moderately urban is, sadly, surprising given the area. I'll take the few negatives to get this little block of decent hotels.
Here is the plan for the Best Western (Building B under construction) and the rest of the development.
Are there any plans by the city for fully connected sidewalks extending along Reno west into Bricktown? Based on the site design and pictures it looks like they're in place along the front of this development as well as a small stretch in front of the storage facility, but given the interchange I can only assume there won't be much else being built between there and Lincoln going north.
In Google Maps I see a sidewalk stretching most of the way along the south side of Reno from the west including over the railroad, but it would be nice to have it on the north side of the road too. Maybe just over to the southbound Lincoln intersection to connect to the crosswalk to nowhere that currently exists? That would give a sidewalk connection to both Bricktown and the boathouse district, which would be a win for both districts and the hotels.
Don't know kind of seems like a good walk to the new convention center and a Thunder game. I guess street cars will help that some.
This is the Comfort Inn that just opened about a half mile further east on Reno.
Would be good to see some pedestrian improvements from this area to Bricktown. Like a double wide sidewalk with plenty of lights under the bridge.
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