OKLAHOMA CITY | Projects & Construction

[Peerson]

Bricktown Beach

It's that time of year again.
The return of the Bricktown Beach - fast becoming a summer tradition.

From yesterday:



https://twitter.com/_bricktown



https://twitter.com/jeffnap65


A bunch of sand is deposited in a lot in front of the ballpark, and then picnic tables, chairs, a volleyball court and other assorted stuff is plunked down in place.

Here's a few pics from previous summers:



https://theoklahoma100.com/lifestyle/liv...town-beach-returns-for-summer-2017/12199



https://downtownokc.com/bricktown-beach/



https://www.adventureroad.com/destinations/chickasaw-bricktown-ballpark/bricktown-beach/


Ok, not really a beach...
But people get a kick out of it.

[Peerson]

The Oklahoma Humane Society proposes new campus

This would be built on a lot next to the lower section of Scissortail Park.
I-40 divides the park into two sections (connected by a pedestrian bridge over the highway).




Renderings:
















http://www.okctalk.com/content.php?r=572...tious-new-facility-near-Scissortail-Park

[Peerson]

Wheeler District

The Wheeler District is a new mixed-use (largely residential) district being created downtown next to the river in the spot where the old OKC airpark used to be.

It jump started with the installation of the ferris wheel and recreation area by the water front, but quickly followed with new housing units.

The ferris wheel alone is an interesting story - purchased on ebay by Grant Humphreys (son of a former OKC mayor) from Santa Monica.
It was held in storage for several years until development of the land was ready to begin.

Here are some timeline photos:

1-30-2018





6-14-2018







8-26-2018





12-17-2018





1-20-2019





3-11-2019





https://www.okctalk.com/showthread.php?t=21961&page=72
https://www.okctalk.com/showthread.php?t=21961&page=73


In April, there was a site tour:




Closeup of some of the houses under construction:




Some people are already moving in:




Here is the latest activity:



The older building in front is the original airpark terminal building.




It's being converted to a restaurant, bar, and mailroom.




You can still see the original airpark landing strip between rows of houses.

https://www.okctalk.com/showthread.php?t=21961&page=74

website: https://www.wheelerdistrict.com

[Peerson]

Wheeler District grand vision

This is an amendment to the previous post.

There have been several different renderings released over the years about what the Wheeler District would look like and what vision it would take.
The process has been ongoing for quite a while and has evolved over time.

Pete at OKCTalk put together some nice images that summarize the Planned Unit Development application that was submitted in 2016.
It gives a good idea of what kind of master plan is being pursued.
















https://www.okctalk.com/showthread.php?t=21961&page=46


It's very ambitious.

It will take many years to implement all of this, if it does indeed happen.
But the initial phase seems to be well along the way.

[Peerson]

Downtown OKC construction photos

Found some great construction photos shot around the park/convention center/convention hotel area.
These are from March, so not the very latest. But the foggy day ambiance is just too cool.


























Photos are from Andrew Penney Photography
Source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/18284386@N02/page40

[Peerson]

Central Exchange

Several old buildings on NE 6th (next to the rail line) are being renovated.



The three-story warehouse and adjacent two-story garage were built in 1909 and 1911, respectively.

The warehouse was originally a switch house for Pioneer telephone (and later, Southwestern Bell).
It housed the switchboard equipment and operators that handled all calls in Oklahoma City.
The adjacent garage served as parking for the workers.

They have sat unused and empty for years.

Here's a look at the warehouse interior after some cleanup:







https://www.centralexchangeokc.com/gallery

Both buildings are now in the process of receiving a major overhaul and being re-adapted for use as communal space.

The warehouse -- 29,000 sf -- will feature retail & restaurants on the 1st floor, office space on the 2nd and 3rd floors.
The garage -- 13,000 sf -- is being reworked as a food hall.
A pedestrian pathway will be built running between the two, connecting all the way from 6th Street to 7th Street.


Renderings:










The name Central Exchange is a reference to its roots as the Central Oklahoma City telephone exchange.
In the early days, you had to dial 23 (i.e. "CE") to route your call through the downtown switchboards.
It's also a play on words, as it's hoped the area will serve as a meeting and social spot for downtown workers and residents.


Project location:



https://www.okctalk.com/showthread.php?t=43990


Some recent construction photos:







https://www.okctalk.com/showthread.php?t=43990&page=2








https://twitter.com/buildwithlingo

website: https://www.centralexchangeokc.com

[Peerson]

Parlor OKC

New food hall to be opened in Automobile Alley



http://www.parlorokc.com

(note: photo above is of the Kansas City location)


This is an adjunct to the previous post.
Parlor OKC will be the first tenant of the Central Exchange development. They will occupy the two-story garage building.



https://www.centralexchangeokc.com/gallery


From the (November) press release:

Parlor OKC is a 13,000-square-foot food hall with two bars featuring local craft beer and house-created artisanal cocktails, along with multiple kitchens operated by local and regional chefs.
It will contain approximately 350 seats, including multiple lounge areas and a rooftop patio.
Parlor will begin curating kitchen concepts by the end of 2018 and plans to open its doors to the public in early summer 2019.

Parlor OKC is modeled after Parlor KC, which opened in Kansas City, MO earlier this year.
Both are operated by the Meriwether Companies of Boulder, CO.

https://www.okctalk.com/showthread.php?t=44698

Scheduled to open this summer.

website: http://www.parlorokc.com

[delts145]

I'm really enjoying your posts Peerson! Keep up the great work.

Love those homes being created in the planned district on the former air strip. That is going to be a very popular place to live. Great bygone ambiance to the street fronts.

[Peerson]

Originally Posted by delts145

I'm really enjoying your posts Peerson! Keep up the great work.

Love those homes being created in the planned district on the former air strip. That is going to be a very popular place to live. Great bygone ambiance to the street fronts.

Thanks mucho

I agree. I don't think they'll have any trouble selling those homes.
A number of them have been sold, and people are already moving in.

The Oklahoman (local news media) has posted a nice video about the district with interviews of some of the new residents.
You might find it interesting.

• Video Link

[NYC2ATX]

Originally Posted by Peerson

Your first sentence is very well put. "quietly writing itself" -- that's an excellent way to phrase the situation. Perhaps a little too quietly. That's why I decided to put some posts on this forum.

As for the "pulling one's self up by the bootstraps" aspect, it's both a blessing and a curse. I admit to getting a bit jealous when I see some other city hit the magical "it" status which is followed by out-of-town developers showing up in droves year after year with mountains of cash. Though it is fascinating to watch.

Despite that, OKC is doing fine. There's definitely a kind of excitement in the air with all the movement and plans. I'm intrigued by it.

Ditto to delts' comment and cheers on your keeping the thread active! Especially for interested parties like myself that are not close by.

I think the smartest thing that OKC is doing right now is investing in civic projects designed to create destinations within downtown and in nearby areas that further new development can coalesce around. From the Skydance Bridge, the new parks and the boathouses, to relocating I-40 south and constructing a streetcar system, these are foundational projects that will improve the development landscape for that elusive out-of-town money. Fortunately, there are a handful of "it" cities in neighboring states that will eventually start pricing people out and over to "undiscovered" gems like OKC. All in due time.

Also, the Wheeler District is fantastic. The planning and architecture are way beyond what you normally see in an adolescent, car-dependent plains city, and if it turns out looking anything close to what is depicted in the renderings, it's going to be a huge asset to the city. Perhaps it will draw more folks to south side of the river and to the Stockyards area.

[Peerson]

^ By jove, you know a lot about what's going on in OKC. I'm surprised... and impressed.

As to how the Wheeler District will turn out... only time will tell. It's already progressed farther and faster than I thought it would at this point. The Humphreys do seem well connected. Blair, who led the charrette, is a member of ULI (Urban Land Institute) and is a firm advocate of urbanist principles. I think it may very well all come to pass.

[Peerson]

Dwellings at SoSA

Downtwon condominium project to (ultimately) consist of 14 housing units








The project is being built in two phases -- seven homes per phase.
The first phase is complete.



https://www.okctalk.com/showthread.php?t=40656&page=8


Seven more condos will be built on the south section of the plot after the already finished units are sold.
Apparently, this is close to happening.


There are some good photos of one of the completed units at their facebook page:

























https://www.facebook.com/pg/thedwellingsatsosa/posts

Edit: I want to add a note that I forgot to include when I first posted this.
These units are not connected. That is, this is not one building that is sub-divided into 7 units.
They are completely separate buildings that are placed closely together.

[Peerson]

The Big Friendly brewery and taproom

The Big Friendly is a mobile beer taproom that's been operating in OKC out of a converted school bus.





They frequently set up shop at the ferris wheel in the newly formed Wheeler District to cater events.











https://twitter.com/WheelerWheelOKC


They have decided to set up a permanent presence in Wheeler by building a new brewery and taproom.

news blurb: http://newsok.com/article/5631574/big-friendly-brewery-tap-room-to-open-at-wheeler

Rendering:




This will be located by the old terminal building which itself is being renovated into a restaurant, bar, and mailroom.



https://www.okctalk.com/showthread.php?t=45086

website: http://www.thebigfriendly.com

[Peerson]

Classen 16

3 story mixed-used residential complex to be constructed along Classen and NW 16th

Renderings:








Aerial sketch:




Architectural models:






Some of the renderings make the building appear to be 4-story, however, the architect describes it this way:

The building is primarily three stories with top floor ‘pop-ups’ adding volume and value to these units.

The exterior will be made of a reflective material.

The building is clad with a shimmering, scale-like aluminium shake that reacts to the changing quality of light throughout the day.

https://www.ahmm.co.uk/projectDetails/180/Classen16


This will be 48 residential units, one and two bedrooms, with 3,800 sf of retail space.
So far, there's no indication of what kind of retail may be included.

This was originally proposed (and approved) back in late 2016.
But then the project stalled for a considerable time while financing was sought.
Finally, the financing was secured and it's back on track.

A pic from just a couple of days ago shows the foundation in place:



https://www.okctalk.com/showthread.php?t=39587&page=7

Should be finished in eary 2020.

[Peerson]

Arrive Hotel

A new 6 story, 110 room boutique hotel proposed for midtown.
Situated near a streetcar stop at 11th and Hudson, it features retail spaces and a coffee shop on the first floor, and a bar with a patio on the second floor.



(this is an interior shot from their Palm Springs hotel)


Location:





This is right next to the Elk Valley brewery.
(the brewery resides in a renovation of an old movie theater)


Renderings:








The hotel group is based out of Los Angeles and built the first Arrive Hotel in Palm Springs.
Several more are planned including one in Austin which is already in construction and should be complete later this year.

Arrive hotels aim to blend into the neighborhood and offer a different take on services:

The brand places a strong emphasis on connecting with their immediate neighborhood and aims to serve not just tourists but locals as well.
The shops, with the restaurant, are key to appealing to residents.
. . .
Although exact details have yet to be revealed, Arrive attempts to distinguish itself from other hotels such as omitting the traditional check-in desk and instead have guests check in at the bar.

Chris Pardo, one of the founders of this boutique chain, was the architect for the Lisbon Lofts condo development in OKC.

Construction for this hotel would likely begin early 2020.

https://www.okctalk.com/showthread.php?t=44977

[patriotizzy]

So many empty lots in OKC. I imagine before the car, these lots were full of prewar brick structures. So much potential for this city's future.

As a side note, I love the new park they are finishing up near downtown. It's a good way of sparking life and bringing people to a destination near downtown.

[Peerson]

Originally Posted by patriotizzy

So many empty lots in OKC. I imagine before the car, these lots were full of prewar brick structures. So much potential for this city's future.

As a side note, I love the new park they are finishing up near downtown. It's a good way of sparking life and bringing people to a destination near downtown.

So true about the empty lots. And the thing is, in the last 6 or 7 years there has been so much infill added, new buildings over parking lots or empty grass fields. And yet despite this, there are still a zillion of them left.

And yes, downtown OKC used to be much fuller and denser. I could post some historical photos that would show this. But starting in about the mid '50s people and businesses migrated away from downtown, mostly northward and out towards the suburbs. And many buildings became empty, boarded up, demo'd. Urban renewal in the 60's and 70's had a big hand in this as well. This is a tale, I'm sure, that many cities could tell.

At least the momentum is in the right direction now. Even still, with all the activity, I think it could take another 20 years (or more) to fill all this up. Maybe less if we get lucky and the pace picks up.

[Dale]

Take heart, Oklahoma Citians. Charlotte, as recently as the 80’s, looked like it had been nuked, owing to “urban renewal.” Nowadays, you almost have to go looking for empty lots.

[gillynova]

Nice new looking housing units you got coming up in OKC. Are there any proposals coming up in the downtown core?

[Peerson]

Originally Posted by gillynova

Nice new looking housing units you got coming up in OKC. Are there any proposals coming up in the downtown core?

There are a few.

I've just recently posted about the Dwellings at SOSA (which still have 7 units left to build), Lisbon Lofts, The Bower at 4th & Lee, and The Elliott.

Additionally, there is 700 West, Boulevard Place, and several other smaller projects that I am about to be posting on very soon. In fact, 700 West is going to be the very next post.

There have been a BUNCH of residential housing units added to the downtown in the last 5 years in various different projects (most of whom I've never seen any reference to on this forum).
For example, West Village which was just finished last fall. That one is so nice, that I'm going to sneak a post in about it as well.