More Alternatives to Building an Elevated Boulevard
I’ve written about Paul Ryckbost before – the engineer turned planner who left City Hall earlier this year after a very well respected run overseeing urban design committees and other planning matters. Paul, now free of the rules governing what planners can and can’t say, is weighing into the discussion of the boulevard and is offering his own suggested solution that involves creating boulevard entrances into downtown, but stops short of building a full boulevard alignment:
As many know, one key characteristic of the traditional street pattern in a downtown is a terminus; creating the special view that helps slow traffic and gives people a focal point. The east terminus in my proposal (which I’ve noted could be at two locations) would provide immediate access to downtown for westbound traffic. I personally prefer the “Alternate Termination” point, as I’ve labeled it, because it would focus people on the park and convention center area. Additionally, we would no longer need to be worried about the large street breaking the pedestrian connection between Myriad, the convention center, and the Core to Shore park area.
To read Paul’s full analysis, visit his blog “Urban Lake Effect.”
Boulevard Town Hall Meeting Tonight
A panel of experts on roundabouts and urban boulevards will be gathered for a town hall meeting tonight that will be hosted by council members Ed Shadid and Meg Salyer.
The debate at this point is about what is more important – enabling traffic to move into downtown from the west at high volume and high speed by building an elevated roadway from Western Avenue to just short of Walker Avenue, or whether to build it at grade in a manner that engineers have indicated will slow down traffic and won’t be able to handle as many cars as an elevated road.
ODOT plan to build new elevated boulevard from Western Avenue to just short of Walker Avenue.
ODOT’s raised boulevard plan is seen by critics as sure way to kill redevelopment of west downtown, which was blighted by the construction of the original I-40 Crosstown Expressway. These critics include council members Shadid, Salyer, Pat Ryan, Pete White and David Greenwell, several area property owners and Friends for a Better Boulevard, which lists more than 500 followers on Facebook.
As these discussions continue, keep in mind, the boulevard will be owned and maintained by the city. Oklahoma Department of Transportation Secretary Gary Ridley has promised repeatedly his agency will not build a boulevard the city doesn’t want. ODOT engineers also have indicated repeatedly they will only recognize a directive from the city that comes from City Manager Jim Couch, Assistant City Manager Dennis Clowers or City Engineer Eric Wenger – all three of whom are also engineers. Wenger and Clowers answer to Couch. Couch answers to the city council.
Ridley has indicated that unless he receives new instructions from the city, ODOT engineers are committed to finishing the boulevard in 2014.
OKC Central Live Chat Set for 10 a.m. Today
So who’s up for another OKC Central Live Chat? Last week’s first shot at it, I’m told, was quite successful – we matched the sort of participation usually drawn by the top sports guys (yea! we proved we care about more than just sports in this town!). Anyway, same routine as last week: the chat starts at www.newsok.com at 10 a.m., you can begin logging in questions and comments at 9:30 a.m.
More Boulevard Coverage
Good story by Clifton Adcock noting “growing controversy” over the proposed downtown boulevard. Read it here.
New MidTown Renaissance website, video, getting noticed
The new MidTown Renaissance website is getting a lot of praise in local social media. Check it out for yourself by going here.
http://midtownr.com/index.html
This Week’s Downtown Boulevard Presentation
Kudos to the Oklahoma City public information office for posting a video of Tuesday’s city council discussion of the downtown boulevard on You Tube!
OKC Central Live Chat 10 a.m. Today
So who’s up for another OKC Central Live Chat? Last week’s first shot at it, I’m told, was quite successful – we matched the sort of participation usually drawn by the top sports guys (yea! we proved we care about more than just sports in this town!). Anyway, same routine as last week: the chat starts at www.newsok.com at 10 a.m., you can begin logging in questions and comments at 9:30 a.m.
Urban Pioneers: Wayne and Michelle Coyne
My sincerest congratulations today goes to Wayne and Michelle Coyne on their being honored with the 2012 Urban Pioneer Award. NewsOK’s Angi Bruss did a great job interviewing Wayne Coyne prior to yesterday’s banquet at the Skirvin Hilton Hotel, and captured the spirit of the occasion and performer’s remarks.
The music business, by its very nature, involves a lot of smoke and mirrors – it’s show business – and the Coynes do it very, very well. But in this case, there are no smoke and mirrors. Take away the Coynes’ celebrity and their fan base, and I truly believe the pair would truly still be very, very worthy recipients of the pioneer award.
At a time when others were fleeing the Classen-10-Penn neighborhood and adjoining 16th Street Plaza District, the Coynes invested in what I agree is a very, very cool looking Art Deco era home and inspired others to do likewise. They’ve stayed involved in the neighborhood, they’ve frequented area businesses, and they’ve brought a sense of pride to what was once a very blighted area.
Congratulations – and thanks.
More on Aaron Yashouafar and Paradise Spa
With so much going on with Aaron Yashouafar, owner of First National Center, pleading guilty to embezzlement and facing loss of the downtown landmark, it’s difficult to get every detail into print. I’ll let the following Nevada television news reports tell “the rest of the story” on Yashouafar’s embezzlement of money from senior citizens.
It all began, it appears, with a raid by the FBI on an old fashioned condominium complex in Las Vegas known as Paradise Spa. That occurred in early 2011. When it comes to reporting on the Las Vegas legal actions, KLAS-8 seems to have the best coverage.
The excellent reporting by KLAS-8 continued with this report on how the mostly elderly residents at Paradise Spa then faced eviction:
| 8 News NOW
Next, Yashouafar is yanked from his role as head of the Paradise Spa condo association, ban from other condo boards for three years:
| 8 News NOW
The reporting continues with KLAS-8 beginning to link the Paradise Spa situation with another Yashouafar controversy at the Sky condos in Las Vegas – and with the troubles at First National Center:
| 8 News NOW
Charges were filed in December, and now, a guilty plea. So what’s next? Yashouafar has until Aug. 17 to come up with $12 million to pay off his lender, Capmark, or lose First National. One question: are there any Oklahoma City players coming to Yashouafar’s aid? And if there are, and if they succeed, what will be the community response to such efforts that result in a man who has plead guilty to embezzlement, a man who has filed multiple bankruptcies, faced tenant revolts, keeping control of First National?
Flashback: First National Center
Center proposal unveiled
New owners focus on restoring ‘jewel.’
By Steve Lackmeyer
Business Writer
Tuesday, May 9, 2006
Edition: City, Section: BUSINESS, Page 1B
A Los Angeles-based partnership that is building a $325 million condominium tower in Las Vegas announced Monday “several million” will be spent to restore Oklahoma City’s First National Center as downtown’s “crown jewel.”
Alliance Property Investments Inc. and Carla Ridge LLC., both affiliated with Milbank Real Estate Services, closed on the $21 million cash purchase of the building on Friday.
Milbank will manage the building and oversee renovations.
Jason Little, who along with Gary Gregory of Sperry Van Ness represented the buyers, said the group typically moves fast with development and won’t settle for the First National Center remaining 66 percent vacant. But offices may not be the only future tenants.
“Their goal is to spend the money to bring back First National,” Little said. “They’re not ruling out partial condominium conversion. They’ve done condominiums, both new and adaptive reuse.”
Little did not identify principals of the buying partnership, and officials with Milbank could not be reached for comment. Milbank’s Web site, www.milbankre.com, describes the company as one that transforms undeveloped land and distressed properties into “profitable, community enhancing developments.”
“Our promise is to develop new projects and renovate distressed properties, filling voids in surrounding neighborhoods while producing substantial returns for client investments,” the Web site states.
Reopen hall to public
Immediate plans include reopening the Great Banking Hall to the public.
The entrance was roped off by the previous owners and remained empty since Boatman’s Bank (now Bank of America) abandoned the tower in 1993 and moved across the street to Leadership Square.
“It will be used for special events,” Little said. “They want to restore it as the focal point of the building. It’s too remarkable a space not to be utilized.”
First National Tower has been a downtown icon for 75 years, with additions built in 1957 and 1972.
Milbank’s online portfolio indicates First National would be the company’s first building outside of California and Nevada.
Among the company’s properties is the Figueroa Tower in Los Angeles, which twice won the “Office Building of the Year” award from the Building Owner and Managers Association, and “The Roosevelt,” a $125 million redevelopment of the Roosevelt Building from offices into 223 luxury condominiums.
Other projects include development of two 35 story luxury condominium towers in Phoenix and construction of the 45-story “Sky Las Vegas” condominiums along the Las Vegas strip.
Little said despite the company’s residential development, the owners may also look at restoring the First National from Class C to Class A office space.
Under either scenario, Little said the owners are looking to retain current office tenants.
“The last Class A office space built in downtown Oklahoma City was 20 years ago,” Little said. “Downtown has not had a breath of fresh air when it comes to office space in 20 years.”
Dave Lopez, president of Downtown Oklahoma City Inc., said he is eager to learn more about the new owners’ intentions.
“I think the opportunity to have a mixed use is a double blessing for downtown,” Lopez said. “Not only do we get increased residential opportunities, which research shows we need, but we also start to trim down our office vacancies.”
