Sunday Flashback: The Relics at Clarence Ford Park
Ideas Great But Where’s The Action?
By Robert E. Lee
Wednesday, February 8, 1995
MARY JO Nelson is still worried about the architectural artifacts located in the 1 Santa Fe Plaza (parking garage) building downtown.
That subject was mentioned herein some time back, and Mary Jo got some great suggestions on where the items might be placed – but no action!
Clarence Ford Park was created in a tiny courtyard of that building which, until recently, housed the Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce.
The courtyard held several fragments of Oklahoma City’s architectural history, most collected as buildings gave way to urban renewal.
When the chamber moved to new quarters, that left no one to look after the fragments of Oklahoma City’s architectural history.
It left them an easy target for vandals. Or thieves.
Ann Byrd, state president of Colonial Dames, suggests moving the artifacts to the Overholser Mansion, a Dames’ project.
Dixie Jensen nominated Myriad Gardens, since most of the items came from buildings that one stood on and near the gardens’ grounds.
Bill Robinson, president of Harn Homestead Museum, thinks they should go to that museum’s grounds.
Byron Gambulos wants them in Carpenter Square Theater, which he owns, one of the few pre-urban renewal buildings left on Main Street.
Harold Stansberry, president of Central Oklahoma Transportation and Parking Authority, suggests they go to the old Union Station, now headquarters for COTPA.
Suzanne Silvester, secretary of the Oklahoma County Historical Society, recommends its Museum of the Unassigned Lands, 4300 N Sewell.
James Work would like them moved to Kerr Park. His law firm, Shirk Work Robinson & Work, worked on the bond package for expanding Kerr Park and several other downtown projects such as parking garages, pedestrian tunnel, botanical tune, etc. (Incidentally, Jim told Mary Jo he always wanted to find a law partner named Fish, so the firm could be Shirk Work & Fish.) Rosemary (Mrs. Earl) Wiltsie would locate the items throughout Bricktown, downtown’s most-successful urban renaissance.
Rosemary also suggests the chamber’s Convention & Visitors Bureau produce a brochure picturing and telling about the artifacts. (To which Mary Jo and I add “amen. “) Mary Jo’s own idea would be to locate them at one or more of the upcoming Metropolitan Area Projects. Her second choice is Myriad Gardens, which is my first choice.
Enough for suggestions.
Now, how about some action before vandals ruin ALL of those wonderful bits of Oklahoma City history?
Well That Was a Busy Week
I’ve got a pretty in-depth story on this LED situation set to appear Sunday. I’ll let you know if that changes. Have a great weekend!
AND THAT WAS TO BE THE END OF THIS POST, BUT….
I’ve got more to say.
What’s going on at City Hall, and particularly with what is now being dubbed Downtown 180, is unprecedented. By nature, engineers like to get things done, It’s the planners who like to talk a lot, examine things and write reports. I have friends in both areas, and I know this involves some stereotypes. But it’s not that far off from the truth.
That having been said, the engineers at City Hall are turning a new leaf, giving the public not just a view of the decision process going into redesigning downtown’s streets, but they’re even giving some prominent downtowners a voice in the decision making.
But there is a balance to be maintained in all this. It’s good to be sure the important details have been well thought out, and that even uncomfortable questions are asked (I suspect for some LED street lighting might fit into this category). For those who say “huh” to some of the ideas and concepts being brought in by consultants, it’s good to remember they don’t share our history. They’re visitors, bringing in a world of experience and observations that are new to many of us. Some of them are involved in some incredible projects elsewhere (remind me to tell you about what one consultant is working on in Egypt). But we don’t know them. They don’t know us. I’m guilty of having forgotten this from time to time.
We can pick apart every idea, every design until nothing ever gets done. We won’t all like what our downtown ends up looking like. But through this blog, and through the public discussion going in meetings, going on over intimate coffee sessions, this is at least not a matter of the late Paul Brum picking a light fixture from the Pelco catalog provided by OG&E.
The ideas being submitted on this site are being seen and discussed. They’ve been a huge help in my coverage – including the story I hope will be in Sunday’s Oklahoman.
But at the end of the day there are some city employees who are bravely tackling one of the most complicated projects ever attempted downtown. I say this with all sincerity, having gotten to know much about downtown’s history. If this were a project spread out over 10 years, it wouldn’t be so. As a journalist, I say “open it all up,” and “let everyone speak.” But if I were in the shoes of the engineer, or the city financial genius, or the administrator, I don’t know if I could do all this and allow for complete public input as well.
It’s a lot.
I say all this as way of conveying that I take the responsibility of my role in all this very seriously. I won’t back down from asking and pushing the big questions. But moderation at this historic moment probably isn’t a bad thing. My basis for pressing the tough questions this go around will be based on one question: if I don’t ask this question, if I don’t push and possibly annoy folks on this matter, will it result in something everyone will regret five years from now?
So, what question didn’t I push more aggressively in the past? I’ll provide this one photo…
The streetscape along Walker Avenue was completed just a couple of years ago. I asked about why it was being kept one-way, and was told there was no way it could handle two-way traffic. The street is about to be redone again, as a two-way street, as part of the upcoming downtown makeover.
Looking For A Track Record…
“There is no track record with LED being used for street lamps.”
This statement is NOT true. Stay tuned….
Wrap Up
I’m hoping to crank out a story for Friday on the whole LED lighting bit. I know what OG&E, public works and the hired design consultants are saying. There were a couple of folks not so sure of the veracity of what was being reported by OG&E – that these lights are 10 times more expensive, not proven as street lights… so I’ll see if there is anything out there that indicates otherwise.
Everytime I leave one of these meetings, I’m a bit overwelmed by how big it all is. It’s difficult not to admire the folks trying to pull this off.
The Meeting Continues…
But I’m having to switch gears to writing my daily story. But the size and scope of all this and what I’m seeing continues to get bigger and bigger.
I literally have a headache right now.
This is mindboggling. I’ll try to catch back up with you later.
The Voice of Oklahoma Gas & Electric
I don’t see them at the table today. I’ve not seen them in of the meetings I’ve attended. And I’ve been told OKC is not being restricted to lights OG&E likes to order from the Pelco catalog. And yet, after much discussion over LED lights, the following bit of info emerges: the utility doesn’t want to do LED lights. They’re not refusing the city, but they’re not wanting to do it and they say they’ll need to be convinced of their effectiveness and lifespan. (from assistant city engineer Laura Story)
Live Blogging Continues: Part Two, Streetscapes
Pondering the future at 420 W Main.
We’re in a much bigger room now with a much bigger table. Rand Elliott is here. So is Anthony McDermid and Mickey Clagg. When the lights come on and I’ll share more names.
The discussion 0n this blog got mentioned again… Interestingly, and this might be a surprise to some, Rand is turning out to be a pretty vocal supporter of the folks from James Burnett….
Live Blogging All Day
Today is one of those key moments for downtown Oklahoma City. A lot of change is on the table, a lot of decision makers are in the room.
One thing that is very clear: these folks know you’re out there. They’ve been reading these posts, they’ve seen your comments. The coordination required here is massive – and it’s amazing how many moving pieces are involved in this show.
Cutting Edge vs. Practical
A quick glance through the portfolio of Fisher Marantz Stone indicates the New York City firm is a superstar when it comes to architectural lighting design.
Zack Zanolli, the firm’s soft spoken associate principal, gave a presentation this morning that was a bit difficult to hear. But the message was clear; city officials are right not to jump into LED lighting without a lot of careful thought and consideration.
This is of interest here at www.okccentral.com, where a lot of smart folks are demanding to know why a switch to LED lighting isn’t a foregone conclusion as the city pursues a potentially unprecedented makeover of its downtown.
Zanolli is the latest addition to the team doing the makeover of the Myriad Gardens.
His comments, paraphrased (and thanks to assistant city engineer Laura Story for helping amplifying them):
- LED lighting is a nice buzz word, but it’s not maintainable. This week’s technology is next week’s renovation. Technology is a tool that should be used wisely. You’re talking about planning for the future but building now. To start guessing what will be useful in the future, my only suggestion is to get something the city can maintain.
- Establish a standard. Don’t have people going back and forth deciding this week’s technology versus last week’s technology. What’s chosen may not be the newest technology, but sometimes the most useful technology may be the technology you can maintain.
Get Ready for Downtown 180
Downtown is doing a 180, and the streetscapes involve 180 acres. Assistant City Engineer Laura Story is talking about an (educational?) campaign, with buttons, etc., proclaiming “downtown 180.”
