4th Street Experience

[Pete]

$4 million pedestrian way proposed for convention center

On Wednesday, the MAPS 3 Citizen Advisory Board voted to move forward with preliminary plans for a $4 million pedestrian walkway to be constructed between the new convention center, the Omni Hotel and parking garage.

The convention center is on track to open this fall directly east of Scissortail Park. To the immediate north is the Omni which will open in early 2021. A parking garage to serve both is underway just to the east of the hotel.

The following is from a presentation given by Populous, the architects for the convention center:

PROJECT DESCRIPTION
The purpose of the 4th Street Experience is to provide a unique and wonderful pedestrian experience along SW 4th Street between the new MAPS 3 Oklahoma City Convention Center and the new Omni Convention Hotel. This idea originated from feedback from the MAPS 3 Convention Center Subcommittee, who requested that this area be transformed in to something special for pedestrians to experience between the two new buildings. In conjunction with the MAPS 3 project team and the City of Oklahoma City, the 4th Street Experience canopies will be constructed over 4th Street to provide sculptural overhead structures that further enhance the pedestrian feel of this space.

SITE ANALYSIS
The 4th Street Experience will be located along each side of SW 4th Street, between S. Robinson Avenue and S. Broadway Avenue. This portion of SW 4th Street provides a direct connection between the new Convention Center and the new Omni Hotel, both currently under construction. The proposed project will enhance this space with better materials to provide a unique pedestrian experience for convention and hotel customers. The 4th Street Experience canopies will provide another layer of design for pedestrians in this area. A vast number of utilities currently reside below the paved surface of 4th Street, including electrical duct banks, telecommunications, sanitary sewer, and fiber optic cabling. The location of these utilities in relation to the locations of the canopy foundations has been carefully reviewed to avoid conflicts to the degree possible.

SCHEDULE
Pending approval of this Preliminary Report and receipt of authorization to proceed with Task 3A Final Plans, the remainder of design work is expected to continue through March 2020. Once approved, bidding will occur in late Spring of 2020. Construction is anticipated to begin in Summer of 2020 and is estimated to last 9 to 12 months. A more detailed breakdown of this schedule is included in this Preliminary Report. Alternatively, it could be decided that this work is awarded to Flintco, the General Contractor for the Convention Center, via a Change Order. Populous suggests the underground work (foundations, conduit, infrastructure, etc.) be installed by Flintco now so that newly placed improvements won’t have to be removed when the project moves forward.

COST ESTIMATE
A preliminary cost estimate is provided with this report to aid the design team in making cost-related decisions. The cost estimate will continue to be updated after this report in the next phase of work.

DESIGN
The new MAPS 3 Oklahoma City Convention Center and the new Omni Convention Hotel flank each side of SW 4th Street between S. Robinson Avenue and S. Broadway Avenue, creating a space that is relatively narrow in relation to the large, tall buildings on each side. The design team looked at several canopy structures that could be utilized to create a sense of scale with the adjacent buildings. For SW 4th Street, the canopies need to be tall enough to allow for emergency vehicle clearances and everyday traffic. They also need to be slender and light, to not overpower the feeling of the space with the larger buildings on each side.

The canopies need to provide covering, both for shade and weather protection. SW 4th Street is in direct sun during summer days and pedestrian comfort is important for a successful experience. Letting sunlight through to brighten the overall space is also important, especially with landscaping. Finally, creating something iconic and unique to the City planned in the area, is also very important.

The canopies are designed to tie in with the new MAPS 3 Convention Center, as the north facade of the Convention Center exhibit space has the ability to open up and utilize the adjacent pedestrian plaza space. The Convention Center project enhanced the paving and look of SW 4th Street, with the ability to close the street for events or outdoor exhibits. The canopies will provide an additional layer of protection and make this outdoor space more desirable and rentable to convention center
customers.

To feel more connected to the Convention Center, the new canopies will use the same wood panels that are used on the exterior soffits of the Convention Center. The wood panels will be used on the horizontal shade louvers spanning across each canopy. A similar lighting approach will also be used to tie into the look of the Convention Center’s lighting with the ability to provide additional color along SW 4th Street for special events.

SITE PLAN
The layout for the 4th Street Experience canopies was a challenging task. Direct coordination between both the Convention Center project and the Omni Convention Hotel project was crucial in determining the location of each canopy. Multiple utilities currently run east / west down the center of SW 4th Street and on both sides in the right of way. Canopies were located to fit between existing utilities, with the foundations below or to the side of the utilities to avoid having to relocate any of them.

The canopies are organized in two different groups, with a space open in the middle of the groups. This space on the Hotel side is used for a large commercial bus drop off, which includes a recessed curb line. Open space was required to provide access to the bus drop off area and also address vehicle exhaust. The canopies are tall enough to accommodate large commercial buses beneath them.

There are fewer canopies on the Hotel side of SW 4th Street, as the Omni Hotel wanted to maintain views along the west end, and provide access to electrical transformers on the east side. More canopies are on the Convention Center side to work with the large pedestrian plaza space along the north facade of the Convention Center building.

[SOONER8693]

I wish the info on the lighting had been more extensive and specific. Done correctly this could be something really impressive with the lighting.

[TheTravellers]

Brilliant that they finally figured out how to put something in without having to relocate utilities.

[PhiAlpha]

Awesome! Much cooler than a sterile skybridge

[David]

Will this close 4th Street off from normal traffic? Based on the street plan view picture it looks like that might be the case, but I want to confirm.

[Pete]

^

I believe this section will be closed to regular traffic but that they can still pull vehicles in there for setup and events.

[OKC Guy]

Love the concept not the $4,000,000 cost estimate seems pricy to me for canopies.

Interesting how they had to work with OMNI due to sight lines and found a compromise

[Canoe]

Love the concept not the $4,000,000 cost estimate seems pricy to me for canopies.

Interesting how they had to work with OMNI due to sight lines and found a compromise

You are right the cost seems high. For 4 million I hope to see some cool lighting.

[shawnw]

For four million I want an LED adorned hand to high five me as I walk down this corridor.....

[Anonymous.]

I, too, don't understand how this is $4MM. Especially considering it doesn't even provide full shade, they are slatted...

[Plutonic Panda]

I still hope they build a sky bridge too. They look cool and can provide an extra amenities during bad weather making our convention center top class all around. That said I am excited for this development.

[Pete]

I still hope they build a sky bridge too. They look cool and can provide an extra amenities during bad weather making our convention center top class all around. That said I am excited for this development.

The only skybridge is between the convention center and the garage.

Omni has already killed a skybridge -- it's been decided.

[Plutonic Panda]

The only skybridge is between the convention center and the garage.

Omni has already killed a skybridge -- it's been decided.

Were they going to have pay for it or was it offered from the city?

[Pete]

Were they going to have pay for it or was it offered from the city?

I believe the city was going to pay for it.

Omni wants people on the street to patronize their coffee shop and restaurants.

[Plutonic Panda]

I believe the city was going to pay for it.

Omni wants people on the street to patronize their coffee shop and restaurants.

I appreciate a good street experience but I appreciate even more being given the option of having a protected sky bridge or tunnel that the majority of cities have connecting hotels like this to convention centers. I just feel like this is a very weird move on Omni's part. Oh well...

I have to wonder if this was due to OKC having low foot traffic in general and by forcing people on the street it increases foot traffic making storefronts more viable.

[TheTravellers]

So how many feet is it from the Omni entrances/exits to the CC entrances/exits? I guess I should look at the other threads, but maybe someone here knows off the top of their head?

[Pete]

So how many feet is it from the Omni entrances/exits to the CC entrances/exits? I guess I should look at the other threads, but maybe someone here knows off the top of their head?

I'd guess 25 to 30 feet.

[TheTravellers]

I'd guess 25 to 30 feet.

Doesn't seem too far to walk outside. Yes, during a thunderstorm or ice, it may suck a little bit, but people should be able to handle it without a skybridge... Maybe I'm jaded 'cos I've lived here, Chicago, and Seattle, and had to walk quite a lot in horrible weather.

[bombermwc]

It's good as an option, l but i would prefer a skybridge. When i go to a convention, it is more convenient to not have to go through the piles of people in a lobby when going between the structures. And i dont want to have to run across with traffic when it's butt-cold/windy/rainy/etc. Rolling a suitcase between the buildings for event materials doesn't seem like a big deal to us, but to vendors running a trade show, it's a big deal. This plan is a pergola at best, so the rain won't be blocked, only the sun will partially be blocked. It's better than nothing, but 4 million is bonkers for this. The majority of people come from their upper floor and would just go to the skybridge floor instead of the lobby. And you've got a 50/50 chance of coming out on your floor at the CC too depending on your meeting.

Again, it's fine as an option, but i'd prefer the bridge myself.

[Plutonic Panda]

Again, it's fine as an option, but i'd prefer the bridge myself.

I think many people would. For some reason I have a feeling they will revisit a sky-bridge idea in the future.

[Pete]

[bombermwc]

I almost question why the sites didn't work better together to more formally connect the buildings so there was a ground level indoor connector. With as much street connectivity as each building has, why bother adding 4th in there at all? Trucks won't be using it (or they better dang shouldn't be given the 4 million in pergolas we're putting in). Did they just want to create some sort of 2-lane pseudo plaza on purpose? If so,...um...why?

With all the places ive been for conventions all over this country, that connected type is the best. Getting out to explore isn't what I'm there for and generally don't have time for anything other than maybe going to dinner somewhere once or twice. So anything the hotel/CC can do to keep me from having to pay to get an uber/taxi/etc, the better. And hopefully that will improve with more options developing around the CC soon.

[Pete]

Omni didn't want a direct connection.

They want people on the street so their various shops and restaurants are patronized.

[gopokes88]

I, too, don't understand how this is $4MM. Especially considering it doesn't even provide full shade, they are slatted...

Well,

Engineering (not cheap, don’t want them to fall over in 6 months)
Materials (steel isn’t cheap)
Labor (GC, welders, electricians, etc.)

None of those are cheap.

[Laramie]

Well,

Engineering (not cheap, don’t want them to fall over in 6 months)
Materials (steel isn’t cheap)
Labor (GC, welders, electricians, etc.)

None of those are cheap.

OKC will have to exercise vigilance with wrapping up the final touches on the convention center, Omni & Garage.

As MAPS 4 is crafted for priority construction, the bridge connection, demolition of the Cox Convention Center and expansion of the Garage will be revisited.