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Temperatures in the low 90s, not much wind … yeah, it’s not a bad night to catch Cocktails on the Skyline of the rooftop of the Oklahoma City Museum of Art. The weekly gathering runs 5 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. with music starting at 6:30 p.m. Galleries, meanwhile, stay open until 9 p.m.

Music this week is by Rexall Rangers. To sign up for Thursday roof terrace alerts, email Leslie Spears at lspears@okcmoa.com.

I guess it’s no big deal to share some shots I took last night during the debut party for Oklahoma Today’s all OKC issue at the new Iguana Mexican Grill at NW 9 and Broadway. 

Have fun and spot the downtown players … my spottings included Greg Banta visiting with Mickey Clagg (now that’s a discussion I’d like to listen in on), Bert Belanger, who was accompanied by a Houston apartment developer (just visiting, I’m sure), Chris and Meg Salyer, who I’ll bet are simply bewildered by the idea that Steve Mason has taken properties on the verge of collapse and spent millions to bring them back to life (this inside joke is a test on how much you know about the history of Automobile Alley), architect Rand Elliott and his wife Jeanette (still waiting to see what Kerr Park will look like), MidTown’s Arturo Chavez (quit following me!), the usual gang from Downtown Oklahoma City Inc., Skirvin Hilton General Manager John Williams, that crazy river guy Pat Downes, and many more.

Final note: Ah… free food and drink. Sure fire way to get a reporter in the room. This issue of Oklahoma Today is really impressive - it’s a nice recap of what’s going on downtown and throughout the city.

Look for something big - and complicated - to ensue when the following people are found gathering in one room: Assistant City Manager Cathy O’Connor, the city’s economic development coordinator Brent Bryant, City Attorney Kenny Jordan and private attorneys Dan Batchelor, Leslie Batchelor and John Michael Williams.

Along with Urban Renewal director JoeVan Bullard and assistant city attorney Dan Brummit, they were the dream team that put together the complicated financing package for the Skirvin Hilton Hotel, and many of the same names were involved with bringing Dell Computers to town, finding a way to finance the Native American Cultural Center, and almost certainly ongoing work in Core to Shore.

Keep all this mind as I quote from today’s story about the impact of the new Devon Tower on downtown’s tax increment financing district:

O’Connor sees no shortage of takers for any increase in TIF funding — and she said she strongly believes Devon’s project will be followed by more high-rises in the immediate neighborhood.

“There is an element of spin-off here,” O’Connor said.

Well now, isn’t that interesting? Now, let’s put this together with what I’ve written previously about veteran developer Nicholas Preftakes:

Blockbuster
Main Street land could be landlord’s development ticket

By Steve Lackmeyer
Business Writer

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Saturday, May 24, 2008 Edition: CITY, Section: BUSINESS, Page 1B

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Over the past few months, Ed Strawn has noticed a steady stream of surveyors outside his downtown landmark cafeteria, the Lunch Box. He assumes they are working for Nicholas Preftakes, who has spent the past two years buying up surrounding properties, and most recently spent $750,000 to add to his collection the one-story building that has been home to the Lunch Box since 1947.

“He doesn’t want us to close,” said Strawn, whose restaurant dates to World War I when it first opened near Sheridan and Broadway. “He told me he won’t be the one to close us down.”

But Strawn reports Preftakes did hint that the Lunch Box could be relocated when his three-year lease expires.

Preftakes’ purchase of the Lunch Box building is fueling rumors that his plans include more than being a landlord over the diverse block bordered by Hudson, Walker, Sheridan and Main.

Long-term plans?

To date, Preftakes has spent more than $12 million on the block. Only five properties on the block are not under his control. They include 420 W Main, a 10-story office building and surface parking owned by the city, the Union Bus Station at Sheridan and Walker, Pizza Town, 430 W Main and Coney Island, 428, W Main.

Preftakes has declined to discuss his purchases on the block, continuing his silence about any long-term plans. When he bought the Auto Hotel at 17 N Hudson, he ended the contract with Republic Parking and closed it down. Anita Sanders’ law firm immediately left a building they remodeled at 408 W Main after it was bought by Preftakes.

But at One N Hudson, the former Black Hotel, Preftakes has continued to lease the property, most recently adding a restaurant on the ground floor.

So what gives? With Preftakes not talking, all eyes turn to Devon Energy Corp., which is pursuing plans to build a skyscraper across the street from the properties Preftakes owns.

Devon’s Chief Executive Officer Larry Nichols said he doesn’t comment on work involving other developers.

And he has dismissed rumors that Devon was interested in seeing the properties west of Hudson Avenue razed to make way for parking.

Nichols said Devon is only focused on expanding the City Center garage and dedicating it to parking for that company’s work force.

Preftakes is one of downtown’s veteran developers, and is no stranger to new commercial development or redevelopment of old urban properties. He started the downtown living trend with renovation of an old automobile dealership into lofts at NW 13 and Broadway some 13 years ago.

He also took the worn-out former headquarters of C.R. Anthony’s and turned it into a modern office building at 701 N Broadway building.

Brett Hamm, president of Downtown Oklahoma City Inc., admits he, too, is clueless about Preftakes’ ultimate plan. But he predicted future development could include housing, retail, offices or a hotel.

I’m having some pretty interesting conversations with people in the know today. They’re saying yesterday’s Devon tower unveiling makes it more and more likely we will see more high-rises announced nearby.

But where? Who? When?

Check out Wednesday’s Oklahoman, and you’ll have a head start on the big presentation…..

Once upon a time, my job consisted of reporting on a breaking story, assembling all the information together, and then writing a story for the next day’s newspaper. We all know the world has changed since then, and I’m very happy to report to you that I fully intend to have Devon Tower designs posted at www.okccentral.com as soon as I can move them from a disc to this blog. That means, my friends, that if you’re at work tomorrow morning, be sure to check in at www.okccentral.com between 9:30 a.m. and 10 a.m.

I’ll have my laptop powered up, the wireless card connected, and hopefully, we’ll all have some fun finding out what the downtown Oklahoma City skyline might look like in five years.

Here’s a hint: it won’t be “traditional.”

Devon Energy will release plans for its new skyscraper on Wednesday. So how tall will it be? This poll will continue through Tuesday night. For bragging rights, feel free to post a comment below the poll on your prediction.

The new signs say it all: Hobby’s Hoagies. Nothing beats a franchise sub-shop than a top-notch local.  The folks at Legacy at Arts Quarter are in for a treat.

Here’s part of a review from from www.eataroundokc.com:

Hobby’s Hoagies: the best sandwiches in Oklahoma City

by Greg | July 3, 2008

Rate this restaurant: (votes: 2, average: 5)

Hobby’s Hoagies is located at 222 S. Santa Fe in Edmond, north of Oklahoma City (map). They are open Monday through Saturday from 10am to 9pm and Sunday from 11am to 3pm. For more information, visit their website.

“This ain’t Subway.”

That is what I heard George Hobson, owner of Hobby’s Hoagies, tell a customer more than a decade ago. There’s no production line at Hobby’s. You can ask for something to be left off, but if you don’t say anything, they’ll make it the same way they always do — delicious.

I’ve had the pizza at Hobby’s. I’ve had the spaghetti. But if you’re going to Hobby’s Hoagies, do yourself a favor and get a sandwich, because it’s one of the best you’ll ever have.

Most sandwiches come in two sizes at Hobby’s — 7-inch or footlong — and they all come with lettuce, tomatoes, onions, pickles, oils, spices and Hobby’s special hoagie peppers on a homemade Italian roll.

That pillowy bread is a big part of the appeal. Unlike some of the stale rolls you’ll get at other sandwich shops, Hobby’s rolls are soft and satisfying, soaking up the oils and flavors of the sandwiches.