For their second go-round of live movie mockery, the five members of The Movie Clubbed will take you to Dante’s little-known 10th circle of Hell: a destination called Skatetown, U.S.A. Released to an ill-prepared public in 1979, Skatetown, U.S.A. was sold as “The Rock and Roller Disco Movie of the Year,” because competition was just that fierce, America. It stars Scott Baio, Patrick Swayze, Flip Wilson, Ruth Buzzi, Billy Barty, Marcia from The Brady Bunch, one Landers sister, one dead Playboy Playmate, The Unknown Comic and much feathered hair. What’s it about? Well, see, there’s this disco wizard and he … well, we’re still trying to figure it out, and we’ve seen it more times than you have fingers. Ostensibly, it’s a comedy, although we have yet to find a joke. But rest assured, The Movie Clubbed will come prepared with their own. Skate ya later!

After the fun, the Movie Clubbed guys will gather at the Paramount OKC at Sheridan and Lee Avenues for an after party with, of course, a playing of the Skatetown U.S.A. vinyl record!

I’ve also been asked to reprint Blair Humphreys’ full remarks concerning this project. I will also note that I’ve asked Elliott if he wants to comment on this matter – so far he has politely declined to do so.
Humphreys is no stranger to long-time readers of OKC Central. He is Executive Director of the Institute for Quality Communities and Asst Professor in the College of Architecture. He has a Masters in City Planning and Urban Design degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a BBA in Entrepreneurship from the University of Oklahoma. He is a founding member of ULI Oklahoma, currently serving as the Vice-Chair for Mission Advancement of the statewide organization.

Humphreys teaches graduate-level Urban Design Theory, and has previously taught in the Urban Design Studio. In 2011, Blair served as the faculty advisor of OU’s award winning Hines/ULI Urban Design Competition team. He also has acted as a consultant in development efforts along Automobile Alley and in MidTown.

Humphreys’ comments to Downtown Design Review Committee on the Civic Center Park redesign:

The new Myriad Gardens is special.
It is a captivating mix of spaces and attractions that seem to offer something for everyone on every day, all year long. It gets right everything that the old Myriad Gardens got wrong, while being careful to retain everything that the old Myriad Gardens got right.”

In fact, the shift from rigid to flexible is something of a theme with a park now appropriately offering “myriad” attractions for a range of users. A restaurant will sit on the edge of a fun-natured plaza sure to host laughing children year-round. The plaza features a splash fountain during the summer that converts to a skating rink during the winter.

As famed urbanist William Whyte pointed, “What attracts people most, it would appear, is other people.” The new Myriad Gardens gets this: It is a public space for people. Hopefully, it is just the beginning of our transformation into a city for people — a city worth staying in.

Simply put, the new Myriad Gardens and all Project 180 improvements to date have made our city a better place for people. The new Bicentennial park design does not.

I expressed similar concerns to the project manager about the direction of this park at informational meeting about Project 180 over two years ago when I was told that this park would be focused on passive observation. I am not aware of a single successful public park created for passive observation. Citygarden in St. Louis, the best new sculpture garden in the world, is the opposite, encouraging interaction with the art and among the adults and children that flock to it.

I have been waiting these two years for a public forum in which to offer my input both as a passionate promoter of great public spaces and a native citizen of Oklahoma City. I am not aware of any public meeting I missed, but apologize that these criticisms have not been offered until today.

When compared to the existing Bicentennial park, the new design is:

less walkable
less flexible
less respectful of our city’s history
less safe
and far less appropriate for such an important civic site.

What makes the Myriad Gardens special is that it was carefully crafted for the people of our city, whether workers downtown, residents from surrounding neighborhoods, or children enjoying a sunny Saturday afternoon. It may not win an architectural design award or be praised by the critics in New York and Chicago, but it is already cherished by the people of our city and will be for many decades to come.

In the case of the new Bicentennial Park, with polished steel, fresh landscaping and an abundance of beautiful granite it will definitely have some initial appeal. But ultimately, the inherent flaws of the design as a usable public space for people will lead to the parks demise. While we will be able to rectify this mistake with further design and additional investment, we will not be able to retrieve the history lost or return the money wasted.

I don’t support a continuance, rather I recommend denial of this item to provide for a complete redesign that includes the input of the community and the expertise of a proven public space professional. I would encourage the city to design a park (not to meet the 75th anniversary gala deadline next fall, but) that will still be cherished when the Civic Center’s 100 year anniversary gala takes place.

In the past week since the Downtown Design Review Committee, Planning Department and Public Works clashed on the proposed makeover of the Civic Center park, I’ve heard only negative comments about the designs by Rand Elliott and Tulsa-based PDG Inc., which call for the removal of all trees (some of the biggest trees to be found downtown), sculptures, monuments and other landscaping. Read the full story on that debate here.

Rand Elliott doesn’t think small – I think it’s safe to say everyone would agree he always attempts to hit a home-run – he aspires to create great, eye-catching architecture and design. And I think his biggest fans and even his greatest critics would agree that the city is better off with his imprint. But what if one of those high-flying balls ends up being a foul? Will anyone tell the slugger when his latest hit didn’t go so well?

That’s the question ahead ahead for those who see this hit as a foul ball rather than a home run. I’m hearing that any differences between city planners and engineers is being ironed out behind the scenes and that the rare display of disagreement will disappear with a reapplication of the designs that skip over, for now, questions about the proposed archway, spinning towers and City Hall fountain.

Of course, that still leaves a lot of questions unresolved. I’ve been asked by more than a dozen different readers what they need to do to voice their opposition to these designs. They say these designs were not fully vetted, and some also are questioning whether the committee that reviewed this work consisted of too many people hand-selected by the design team.

This project HAS NOT been approved by the mayor and council. It must get five or more votes to move forward. So to those asking how they can voice their disapproval – or approval – now is the time to contact the mayor and council.

Contacts:

Ward 1 Councilman Gary Marrs: ward1@okc.gov

Ward 2 Councilman Ed Shadid: ward2@okc.gov

Ward 3 Councilman Larry McAtee: ward3@okc.gov

Ward 4 Councilman Pete White: ward4@okc.gov

Ward 5 Councilman David Greenwell: ward5@okc.gov

Ward 6 Councilwoman Meg Salyer: ward6@okc.gov

Ward 7 Councilman Skip Kelly: ward7@okc.gov

Ward 8 Councilman Pat Ryan: ward8@okc.gov

Mayor Mick Cornett: mayor@okc.gov

By Mary Jo Nelson

Friday, December 6, 1991

The same cooperative effort that came close to winning a $1 billion airline center for central Oklahoma is needed to complete a downtown cultural district, an Oklahoma City official said Thursday.

Ward 8 City Councilwoman Jackie Carey, speaking at Thursday’s meeting of Second Century Inc., called for a combined effort from municipal and county officials, private corporations and labor to complete an arts district that has been slowly developing in the central city for most of a decade.

Directors of Second Century, a public/private board responsible for redeveloping downtown, are preparing recommendations for officials on elements not yet completed in the cultural zone.

“I would like to see the same enthusiasm from Oklahoma County, the city and business directed toward funding the cultural center,” said Carey, who also sits on the Second Century board. The councilwoman was referring to a two-year cooperative effort by the legislature, governor’s office, county commissioners, municipal officials, city council, business and industry, and labor unions to attract a United Airline maintenance facility.

Fred Hall, a Second Century director appointed to head a Mayors Cultural Facilities study, said the group will complete its recommendations by April.

Hall said the committee is conducting hearings with cultural agencies in central Oklahoma that want to locate downtown.

“We’ll spend late February and early March determining how the funding might be met, and by the end of March, will have recommendations made. ” Hall said a report will then go to Second Century directors and the city council.

Structures discussed include a new downtown library/learning center, a performance hall for the Oklahoma City Philharmonic Orchestra and Ballet Oklahoma and an art museum. All were scheduled in the original urban renewal plan for downtown.

Second Century chief executive Tiana Douglas said officials from the University of Oklahoma have expressed an interest in participating in a central city museum.

Since the early 1980s, the Oklahoma City Arts Council has led an effort to transform a depressed area of downtown into a cultural district. It has evolved slowly through a series of pay-as-you-go projects at a fraction of the cost of new construction, primarily through restoration of existing structures.

Completed so far are the Oklahoma City Art Council headquarters and McAlpine Center, both reused buildings from the old central fire station, and a sprawling plaza used for the annual spring Festival of the Arts. After a $700,000 renovation, McAlpine shelters about a dozen agencies that direct and plan central Oklahoma’s top cultural events each year.

The next step is reopening the old Mummers Theater, retitled Stage Center, adjacent to the fire station buildings, next February, Douglas said.

The rehabilitation includes making the building accessible to handicapped people, adding elevators, enclosing open walkways, extensive indoor and outdoor lighting, mechanical improvements, and addition of gallery spaces around the two theaters.

Second Century demolished a full block of aging buildings, along Sheridan west of Walker, to make room for new construction in the arts district. In addition, Douglas said the board wants to see part of the four-block site formerly reserved for a downtown Galleria to be included in the cultural district.

Let’s face it: on an average day my top collar is unbuttoned, my tie is loose, my shirt can always use a good ironing. Carolyn Hill, meanwhile, was dripping with class. She never looked down her nose at me, even though she could have. She was always ready for warm embrace and happy greeting. She loved Oklahoma City and her mere presence was inspiring.

Hill was at the top of her game in NYC when in the early 1990s she came back to her hometown to care for her aging mom.

She was at an age where she could have retired. But instead, she took on what I consider to be the masterpiece of her life by taking the reins of the Oklahoma City Museum of Art and leading it to greatness.

Hill, of course, would dismiss such talk. She’d give the credit to her board, to the museum’s backers, including the Kirkpatrick family. And of course they too did a lot of lifting. But have no doubt – Hill leaves behind an incredible legacy. She gave our city a museum we can be proud of – one that I enjoy taking my son to at least once every three to four months.

Hill was accessible to everybody. She loved seeing kids come through the museum’s entrance, and while she was a demanding perfectionist, there was no condescension with Carolyn, no attitude that she was somehow better than everybody else. She accomplished so much in her life, and yet she didn’t brag or try to bring attention to her record. She had to be pushed to tell her own story.

Carolyn died late Wednesday night. And the overcast skies above reflect the colors I see today – a world that’s just a bit less vibrant without Carolyn to bring it to life. God, you’ve got some great artists up there – now you’re about to get one incredible curator.

Over and over again, the new folks at the Oklahoma City Ballet are proving to be some of the coolest people around. After years of stagnation, this performance company is capturing the city’s heart and showing ballet is still a wonderful, integral part of our arts community. I’ve taken my son to an impromptu downtown performance, and it’s my hope to take my family during the next holiday show.