Update on Hobby's Hoagies
The folks at the Edmond shop say the downtown location will be open this month. I will soon have a new favorite downtown lunch spot.
Rock Star Thinks Illegal Advertising is OK?
Rock Star Energy Drinks seems to think it’s OK to hang up illegal advertisements like the one above in front of the Sheraton Hotel and below along Main Street, across from Stage Center.
And since they seem to want us to know more about their product, I figured I’d help out with the following links:
- Misleading ingredient labels and potentially deadly? Read here.
- Are energy drinks bad news for athletes? Read here.
- “It tasted terrible.” Read here.
- Severe stomach pain. Read here.
And finally…. “Caffeine-Stoked Energy Drinks Worry Doctors,”:
A University of Wisconsin study of 14 students found that two energy drink ingredients, caffeine and taurine, didn’t improve short-term memory but led to slower heart rates and higher blood pressure. Since some energy drink ingredients generally speed up heart rates, the researchers could only speculate on the cause.
Carol Ann Rinzler, author of “Nutrition for Dummies,” examined the labels of the top three energy drinks.
“The labels simply don’t deliver all the facts,” she said. “For example, while all list caffeine as an ingredient, and most tell you exactly how much caffeine is in the drink, they also list guarana, a caffeine source, as a separate ingredient but don’t tell how much caffeine one gets from the guarana.”
Rinzler said energy drinks also deliver a huge hit of sugar.
“Drink more than one and you get lots of sugar — 14 teaspoons in two cans, 21 teaspoons in three,” she said. Add in megadoses of some vitamins; unnecessary nutrients (taurine) and more caffeine than plain sodas and you get “a fast up-and-down sugar high and a really rough caffeine buzz,” she said. “And drinking two or three cans a day for a period of weeks or months might trigger some side effects from the vitamin megadoses.”
Cocktails on the Skyline Tonight
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.
News From the OKC Museum of Art
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Norick Downtown Library are teaming up to present Roman Art Family Day. Families can visit the Museum to view the exhibition and enjoy fun-filled activities for all ages, including hands-on art, face painting, a dress up area, mini-tours, and scavenger hunts in the galleries, door prizes, and free Little Caesars® Pizza from noon to 1:00 p.m. Then, beginning at 1:00 p.m., the Romans will invade the Downtown Library with more family fun! Both the Museum and Library will host a gladiator parade and Roman play, presented by are fabulous friends at the Oklahoma Children’s Theater, as well as puppet shows and storytelling.Event sponsors include the Ronald J. Norick Downtown Library; Oklahoma Children’s Theatre; Little Caesars® Pizza/Magnum Foods, Inc.; Remington Park; and others. All activities at the Museum of Art are included in the price of Museum admission: $12 adults, $10 students/seniors, and free to members and children ages 5 and under. There is no charge to participate in activities at the Downtown Library.
October 3. This beer-tasting event features more than 70 import and domestic beers. Spend the evening sampling beverages from across the globe along with heavy hors d’oeuvres from area restaurants, including Adobe Grill, Old Germany Restaurant, Cafe Nova, McNellie’s Public House, the Museum Cafe and more. Enjoy tastings throughout the Museum’s main lobby and theater lobby, listen to the group Who’s Joe Fazzio?, and visit the special exhibition, 
I Don't Do Party Pics … But …
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.
News From the Colcord Hotel
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deadCENTER Film
Having end of summer blues? Celebrate with deadCENTER Film and XO LOUNGE. The first Wednesday of every month, independent filmmakers showcase their short films during shortsSUITES. The XO Lounge is located on the lower level of the Colcord Hotel; doors open at 8:00pm and films start at 8:15pm. Admission is FREE and you must be 21 to enter.
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Art Escape Getaway
For a limited time, The Colcord is offering the ART ESCAPE PACKAGE in celebration with Oklahoma City Museum of Art and the special collection of Roman Art from the Louvre.
Until October 12, the ART ESCAPE PACKAGE is available which includes a night’s stay in an Executive King room, tickets to the Museum, complimentary self-parking and 1:00pm late check-out. Upgraded room types available.
OKLAHOMA CITY is the last North American venue for this special exhibition. So, book your Roman-tic getaway or Rome downtown with the Colcord and OKC Museum of Art. Packages available ONLINE or by calling 405.601.4300. |
Are More High Rises Coming?
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 ticketBy Steve Lackmeyer
Business Writer
Saturday, May 24, 2008
Edition: CITY, Section: BUSINESS, Page 1B
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.
Will the Skyline Continue to Rise?
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?
So What Do We Know About Devon Tower?
Check out Wednesday’s Oklahoman, and you’ll have a head start on the big presentation…..
Devon Tower Designs Will Appear at OKC Central First
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.”
