City Jail

[Pete]

This was tabled today; will come up again in 2 weeks.

It's JoBeth Hamon's ward and like James Cooper and First Christian, only learned about the plans when she saw it on the agenda which isn't even given to the council members until Friday afternoon.

[TheTravellers]

This was tabled today; will come up again in 2 weeks.

It's JoBeth Hamon's ward and like James Cooper and First Christian, only learned about the plans when she saw it on the agenda which isn't even given to the council members until Friday afternoon.

Seriously, again? Guess the new councilpeople have an uphill battle ahead of them WRT "that's the way it's always been done" around here...

[Mr. Blue Sky]

Arrogance is the word that comes to mind.
Only saw it on the agenda?
The city needs to at least pretend we’re a democratic (small d, of course) municipality.

[BoulderSooner]

Arrogance is the word that comes to mind.
Only saw it on the agenda?
The city needs to at least pretend we’re a democratic (small d, of course) municipality.

what the council is the oversight of the city goverment ... they dont "run" the city ..

[Pete]

what the council is the oversight of the city goverment ... they dont "run" the city ..

Yet, people in economic development say over and over again, "We don't set policy, City Council does."

[BoulderSooner]

Yet, people in economic development say over and over again, "We don't set policy, City Council does."

policy yes ... day to day operation no ...

and i know that is symanatics ...


but like it or not demoing the jail is not seen as controversial to most in the city govt or to many of the public ... and we will see in a few weeks the thoughts of the horseshoe ...

[dankrutka]

Forget all of those buildings. It’s easy to say that when it isn’t your money.

This is such a silly take. By this standard, cities would preserve no buildings if there weren't an immediate economic interest. You would have let the Skirvin be torn down if parking was proposed? Please. There is a common good in preservation that precedes immediate economic interests. There's absolutely no reason this historic building should be torn down for any reason, much less parking.

[hoya]

Forget all of those buildings. It’s easy to say that when it isn’t your money.

Well, it's city owned property, so actually it is my money.

[GoGators]

This is such a silly take. By this standard, cities would preserve no buildings if there weren't an immediate economic interest. You would have let the Skirvin be torn down if parking was proposed? Please. There is a common good in preservation that precedes immediate economic interests. There's absolutely no reason this historic building should be torn down for any reason, much less parking.

I believe Plutonic Panda was saying this sarcastically in regards to post #26.

[Plutonic Panda]

^^^ yes, I was being sarcastic

[dankrutka]

^^^ yes, I was being sarcastic

Okay, thanks for the clarification. I was surprised by the post. My apologies. Context is important and I missed it.

[DallasOkie086]

What a terrible location for most businesses. My only though would be to turn it into a museum and events hall. Take down two or three floors to create the necessary space and the police can have their balls and stuff there. It would be wildly expensive but after 5 -10 years maybe people start using it enough to pay for itself.

[Plutonic Panda]

Okay, thanks for the clarification. I was surprised by the post. My apologies. Context is important and I missed it.

Sorry I should have added the /sarc. It’s easily lost online.

[shawnw]

it's the arts district, so something arts, or maybe that children's museum we didn't get for stage center... I mean, children don't need tall ceilings....

[TheTravellers]

it's the arts district, so something arts, or maybe that children's museum we didn't get for stage center... I mean, children don't need tall ceilings....

Sounds like fun, a bunch of kids running around unsupervised because no adults can fit on the floors.

[bombermwc]

That's what i was just thinking. OK, granted its 6'10", not flat 6'. But you still have to put lights and HVAC in that, which would mean ducking (haha hvac, duct...) around that gear.

[Dob Hooligan]

Swap with the Police Union for some of the surface lot space they own in the area. Union can use it for their FOP Hall and expanded support services for officers. City could partner with union on parking garage development in the area. As a show of cooperation and good faith following the change of leadership in OKCP.

[HOT ROD]

OMG, that sounds wonderful Dob.

How do we get them to negotiate and compromise? Because I totally am fine with the old police hq and court complexes coming down to become a parking garage but the jail should remain for reuse.

Should we notify the mayor of these ideas?

[Jeepnokc]

Swap with the Police Union for some of the surface lot space they own in the area. Union can use it for their FOP Hall and expanded support services for officers. City could partner with union on parking garage development in the area. As a show of cooperation and good faith following the change of leadership in OKCP.

FOP just built new building on Agnew.

[Dob Hooligan]

^^^

As impossible as my idea would be to pull off, I think that is just one of the problems. I think it must violate a dozen state laws, city ordinances, labor and management rules, and who knows what else. It would be a very heavy lift. But, it is driven by a desire for all involved to make money and save one building.

[rezman]

Also, instead of costing the taxpayers, repurposing it would put it on the tax rolls.

[Pete]

After being deferred, the approval of demolition is back on the council agenda for next Tuesday:

On April 10, 2018 (Item VII.AI.), City Council approved a resolution to conditionally designate Allied Redevelopment L.L.C. as a potential and conditional redeveloper of the Jail Facility described above, subject to the final determination and approval of the Mayor and Council. The Resolution authorized and directed the City Manager or his designee(s) to conduct negotiations with the conditionally designated redeveloper for a period of ninety (90) days in an attempt to reach an agreement as to development plans, financing arrangements, price contingencies, and other terms and conditions, and if satisfactory, present an economic development contract to the Mayor and Council for review for the sale of land and the redevelopment of the Jail Facility. Allied Redevelopment L.L.C. was not able to reach an agreement with the City Manager or his designee(s) as of May 1st, 2019 and Allied Redevelopment L.L.C. did not meet the requirement to have a proposal ready to submit to Council within the 90 day period.

The construction of the new Municipal Courts Building and the new Oklahoma City Police Headquarters caused the loss of at least 235 parking spaces for the City’s public safety campus. There is a critical need for parking to support the City’s five-building public safety campus, consisting of the Communications/911 Center, Municipal Court/Criminal Justice Center, Police Headquarters, Police Property Facility and Police Forensic Laboratories. The demolition of the old Police HQ Building, the old Courts Building and Jail Facility would provide an estimated 166 additional surface parking spaces. Funding has been set aside to demolish the no longer needed structures.

City staff, based on its analysis of the structures and the demonstrated need for additional parking for the expanding public safety campus, is ready to proceed with demolition of the former Police HQ Building, the Jail Facility, and the old Court Building. Based on experience, it is very likely the City will realize significant savings through bidding all three demolition projects through the same competitive bidding process.

[dankrutka]

Oklahoma City: The city with no history.

[Bellaboo]

Oklahoma City: The city with no history.

You need to read 'Boom Town' by Sam Anderson.

[dankrutka]

You need to read 'Boom Town' by Sam Anderson.

I have read it (it’s a good albeit very incomplete book — notice the complete absence of Indigenous people’s as one example) and I taught Oklahoma History back in the day. My point isn’t that OKC has no history, but that it tears historic buildings down more carelessly than any other city.