Jerry's Artarama (formerly Pier 1)

[Bunty]

ALL the medians and right-of-way are in this condition and always have been.

The City and ODOT have never done anything other than once a month drag a mowing unit across the grassy areas and shred all the trash into tiny pieces.

Somebody should volunteer to keep that area picked up from trash. Somebody volunteers to keep part of the 39th St. area picked up and was featured on KFOR for doing so.

[Pete]

Somebody should volunteer to keep that area picked up from trash. Somebody volunteers to keep part of the 39th St. area picked up and was featured on KFOR for doing so.

OKC is 621 square miles.

5-6 times a week Shine (an OK County-funded group) cleans up the Penn/I-44 intersection. They don't touch the weeds.

But we are talking about literally hundreds of miles of medians and ROW that need maintenance, plus all the sidewalks and crap that accumulates in the streets.

As much as I walk, I see it everywhere I go. Way, way more noticeable than whizzing by in a car.

[Urbanized]

^^^^^^^
And the budget for activities like mowing comes from one place: sales tax. THIS is why OKC is constantly chasing retail to keep it from landing in random areas and bedroom communities just outside of OKC city limits, and this is why densifying our city is so important. Want better mowing? Get more people to live, work and shop within the ACTUAL city of Oklahoma City.

[Pete]

^^^^^^^
And the budget for activities like mowing comes from one place: sales tax. THIS is why OKC is constantly chasing retail to keep it from landing in random areas and bedroom communities just outside of OKC city limits, and this is why densifying our city is so important. Want better mowing? Get more people to live, work and shop within the ACTUAL city of Oklahoma City.

True, but no matter how much sales tax receipts increase, the City does not budget money for this purpose.

I should start taking pictures just on my daily walks. It's beyond appalling and you really notice it if you go and walk in other cities.

Just in the square mile of my neighborhood, there are literally hundreds of examples of high weeds, tons of trash, overgrown sidewalks (all of which were installed in just the last several years), blocked storm drains, graffiti... On and on.

In my six years in this area I have yet to see one street sweeper or anyone tending to weeds. And this is a place where arguably more sales tax is generated than anywhere (Penn Square, Belle Isle Station, Mayfair and soon, Oak).

So multiply all that times 621.

[Urbanized]

I definitely agree that more should be allocated. Just saying it's a huge struggle to get to every priority in a city that has spread itself too thin. The same also definitely happens with other aesthetic and lifestyle elements of the city such as parks. Working out of a pot of money that's never enough.

[soonerguru]

And God help you if you suggest more money be put into beautification. "Progressives" will accuse you of not caring about poor and homeless people. Before them, it was more of a cheapskate utilitarian view from weirdo conservatives who considered beautification a "waste of taxpayers' money."

OKC has been butt ugly for many decades now. It has improved dramatically but there's just this general not giving a shiz mentality here that is very hard to overcome.

I wish more money in MAPS 4 had been put into beautification. You shouldn't have to be filthy rich to live in a beautiful environment. A lot of people I know move other places to live in very modest housing just because they want to be in a beautiful environment. It's not at all hard to understand.

[Pete]

Jerry's is now open at 5517 N. Penn.

[Martin]

Jerry's is now open at 5517 N. Penn.

i drove by saturday morning just after 10am and the parking lot was completely packed.

[Rover]

And God help you if you suggest more money be put into beautification. "Progressives" will accuse you of not caring about poor and homeless people. Before them, it was more of a cheapskate utilitarian view from weirdo conservatives who considered beautification a "waste of taxpayers' money."

OKC has been butt ugly for many decades now. It has improved dramatically but there's just this general not giving a shiz mentality here that is very hard to overcome.

I wish more money in MAPS 4 had been put into beautification. You shouldn't have to be filthy rich to live in a beautiful environment. A lot of people I know move other places to live in very modest housing just because they want to be in a beautiful environment. It's not at all hard to understand.

That’s a pretty broad brush you paint progressives (and conservatives) with. Might surprise you to know the progressives (as well as conservatives) in our neighborhood voluntarily contribute to beautification efforts for common areas, including trash control, landscaping, etc. Shock and surprise, many volunteer to actually physically help. And, my particular street even does more. Most of us are progressive. Your premise is misguided and a misinformed characterization.

The problem here is a general culture, low economic output for the state and cities, low taxes, and generally a low self esteem for the state and city. Lots of people barely have enough to get by now and don’t want to pay any more for anything… schools, city property maintenance, art, etc. Many feel detached from the progress the city has made as they don’t feel like they are a part of it. That creates a general give a s*** attitude by many.