Another Example of James Cotter Making Friends
I was reminded today that while James Cotter may not be nominated by Cherokee for the “Friend of Main Street Award,” he’s also disappointed folks in downtown OKC when the business improvement board sought to build (at its own expense) a new grand entry to The Underground pedestrian tunnels next to Chase Tower (oh, excuse me, it’s Cotter Ranch Tower). The entry was designed by one of the city’s most notable architects, Rand Elliott. Cotter refused to let the project proceed, and the entryway there now is unchanged – a hole in the ground with chipped white paint worn out railings.
We could have had the entrance shown above – all Cotter had to do was to say “yes.”
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Though to Cotter’s credit he has spared thousands of tourists the misery of wondering aimlessly through the basements of downtown in an attempt to find the subway.
Yeah, perhaps that design can be re-implemented when there’s a little more activity going on underground. The fluorescent lights are cool, but there’s got to be more…
We keep talking about pedestrian foot traffic. Creating corridors for people to get from one area to another. The tunnels do nothing to create energy in a downtown area. They hide it. The tunnels are there to keep people out of the weather. (That was their main purpose) Plus they are very ineffiecent in moving large numbers of people from one event to another.
The “Underground”, although I do think it is a somewhat unique character of downtown Okc, I am not a big fan. I like to see the people moving about at street-level, not underground like a bunch of ants. I think the money that has been spent on the Underground could have been better used elsewhere downtown.
Thank you Mr. Cotter for saying no to a money wasting project.
Bravo to you Steve for pointing out a source of severe disappointment due solely to one relative newcomer’s muleheadedness. Start a movement — I’m sure the Skirvin, BC Clark, Downtown OKC, Automobile Alley and assorted others would heartily support a revival of this ultracool opportunity. Talk about curb appeal!!
In the end I can’t say the Underground is the best thing for downtown. It’s really lame on the inside, and while the art in it is kind of nice, I think it should be moved to an art museum in C2S and the tunnels should be closed, forcing people to use the terranean level to get from building to building.
Plus it is so aggravating how crappy security guards won’t let you exit to the street level through their building. They will all insist there are signs when there are in fact no signs anywhere saying you have to stay in the Underground.
I wonder how many people saying the Underground is “lame” actually use it? It should be an alternate mode of foot traffic – say for those who like to walk during their lunch hour and the weather doesn’t support outside walking. It is a pleasure to walk through the tunnels and seeing Okies actually getting some exercise. It wasn’t meant to move large numbers of people. Kansas City has a similar tunnel going from their convention center to hotels. Crappy lighting, dull interior – now that is lame.
I hardly think Cotter said no to this as a statement against the Underground’s negative effects on downtown streetlife.
I hardly think Cotter knows a thing about urban development.
It’s very disappointing to see what could have been. I wonder what Mr. Cotter’s reasons were for not wanting something like this done in front of his building.
It was going to be free to him, and it obviously would have brightened up the outside of his building (which could use a little polish) and made the immediate area a little more inviting.
I’m really starting to think Cotter is somewhat of an idiot.