Context: 1998
As a reporter, I’ve gotten accustomed to themes and talking points given by interviewees. There’s nothing wrong with them – but when they are done, it’s often to the point that it’s hard to miss.
Such a theme recurred over and over again in my interview this last week with Gary Evans, deputy director at the Oklahoma Department of Transportation. Promises were made. Promises were made in 1998. Residents were promised a boulevard, elevated until it got to Walker Avenue, would be built in place of the old Interstate 40. Promises were made it would be done within the old highway’s alignment. Residents have been promised it would be done by 2014.
Promises were made …. in 1998 ….
So what was it like in downtown Oklahoma City in 1998? I was there. And I have photos.
The area later to be known as "Core to Shore," circa 1998.
The site of the future arena was chosen, but was still being used as the Metro Transit bus transfer station in 1998 as the city council debated whether to shelve the project in 1998. The convention center was still known as the Myriad, and the Renaissance Hotel had yet to be built.
Another shot of downtown in 1998.
In 1998 there was no Ronald J. Norick Downtown Library, no Devon Energy Center, and the Colcord Building was still Class C office space, not an upscale hotel. Downtown had only one operating hotel - what is now the Sheraton. Office vacancy hovered at about 30 percent with several buildings mothballed.
The Bricktown Ballpark was under construction in 1998, but the canal was still on the drawing boards. Lower Bricktown did not exist - it was mostly an abandoned industrial yard. Bricktown had no direct connection with Interstate 40, which is set to be the future path of the downtown boulevard.
In 1998, Film Row looked like this.
Deep Deuce, 1998
In 1998, most buildings along Automobile Alley looked this one.
Typical sidewalk along Automobile Alley in 1998.
In 1998 Ron Norick was finishing his final term as mayor. Bill Clinton was president and he grabbed headlines that year when he announced he foresaw budget surpluses totaling $1.1 trillion over the next decade, including a surplus of $216 billion in 2007. The country was not at war. Students at Stanford started up an obscure web browser they called “Google.” Longtime Midsouth Wrestling fans mourned the loss of Junkyard Dog. Shakespeare in Love somehow won top honors at the Academy Awards. There was no Twitter, no Facebook and no OKC Talk. Downtown housing consisted of a choice between Regency Tower, Sycamore Square or the Garage Lofts. That’s it.
In 1998 I was covering the wave of changes about to sweep downtown. I was covering the debate over the new Interstate 40 and where it should be located. I covered the meeting where the route was chosen and a boulevard was first discussed.
ODOT wants you to know promises were made in 1998. I have dutifully reported just that to you. With context.
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Comments
Great work Steve. Those pictures were an eye opener to someone such a i who only moved to the state in the last 6 years. Obviously, they needed a basic plan with refinement coming further down the road.
Keep after it, Steve. If this faux “boulevard” is constructed per ODOT’s plans, it will have a severe detrimental impact on large area to the west of downtown for decades to come.
Beyond that, it will provide a dismal gateway to the center of the City, undermining much of the hard work that has contributed to its emerging greatness.
We are organizing. If you want to help, please come speak out at this Tuesday’s City Council meeting.
Join the Facebook Group and stay up to date with this volunteer campaign.
Didn’t ODOT “promise” that the relocation would cost about half of what it ended up and several years before when it did? What about those promises???
Steve, your efforts are most appreciated! Keep it coming.