High-rise housing near Duck Pond

[Pete]

I was looking at Skyline Ink's website today and came across a demo video for their visualation services:

Skyline Ink - visualization technology

If you watch the video, you'll see what looks to be a 9-story residential building east of O'Connell's and south of the Duck Pond.

I believe this may be a retirement community, as Boren had mentioned something about this for that site. Anyway, here's some screen captures of that video -- looks very upscale:

[dismayed]

It looks nice, but I can't help to think that a retirement community doesn't mix so well right next to a university like OU.

[Pete]

Actually, this is a new trend to help bring older alums (and their money) back to a university.

It makes sense it terms of keeping older alums attached to the school and more importantly, keeps their donations (and ultimately a portion of their estate) flowing.

That's a great site: across from the Duck Pond, adjacent to the campus, within walking distance of Campus Corner, Reeves Park and the golf course just to the south, and easy access to Highway via Jenkins or Classen. The only downside is that the railroad tracks are quite close.

[traxx]

Wow! Great promo video. I can't really knock on it like I did the one for Lesser Bricktown because David Boren is involved and I haven't seen a product that falls short of the promo. It looks like it'll be pretty upper class from the interior shots.

[Nixon7]

A retirement center? That doesn't make any sense to me in that location?

[John]

Judging from the crowd around the pool, it is going to be student housing. Not too many 'retirement age' people laying around the pool in a bikini.

It is also on the site of the old Parkview housing complex.

[traxx]

I drove by the area this weekend and noticed that the lot had already been cleared and fencing was up around the area. Looks like they plan to get started soon.

[venture]

They've been working on that area for a few months now. Glad to see the old eye sore apartments gone.

[dismayed]

So is it a retirement home or is it general housing?

[John]

So is it a retirement home or is it general housing?

I would assume student housing, since it is replacing student apartments.

OU is lacking in university owned 'upscale' student housing, which many schools offer.

(upscale, meaning nicer than your average cinderblock wall dorm tower)

[soonerliberal]

While OU may be lacking university-owned upscale housing, there is an abundance of private owned upscale apartment complexes close to campus that cater specifically to students (Reserve on Stinson, Crimson Park, etc.).

With the brand new Traditions East and Traditions West university owned apartments, along with the complete renovation of the dorms for the freshman, there simply isn't the need right now for more University housing.

[bombermwc]

Are we sure this is a planned development? Unless someone has seen a sign that says this is being built in the location of the old apartments, it looks like this company was just doing some designing testing to show off what they can do. I thought when I walked by the apartments in the Fall that they said remodel, not a new development....are the apartments gone or did they just finish the demo work to begin internal remodeling?

[ouguy23]

They have pretty much bulldozed Parkview down. President Boren has said he wants something to be built for alumni, so that they can be near campus. People have given proposals as to that dream and I believe both were for highrises. The planned development that we see in this thread is one of the competing proposals.

[bombermwc]

Ah ha. Glad they tored that place down. I walk by that on my way to football games and its always been a pile of crap...even before the school owned it. I couldn't believe they bought it except to get rid of it. Sort of like how the school was (or did, i cant remember) buying up the land where O'Connels is.

It would be very cool to have something big over there, although it would sort of feel out of place in relation to what else is in the area. Maybe spur on some more development in the area?