Living at the Downtown Library
David Morris at NewsOk.tv has an interesting update on the Carnegie Library project. To recap, Judy Hatfield bought the old downtown library when the new Ronald J. Norick Downtown Library opened a few years ago. And it sounds like she’s getting very close to starting up conversion of the building into retail and condominiums.
News From Urban Neighbors
Urban Neighbors September Social at Gaijin Sushi
September 11, 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM
The U.N.’s September social event is at Gaijin Sushi. Free appetizers and a cash bar will be provided. Come out and meet your neighbors!
Rack Up Downtown! Grand Launch on September 10
Downtown OKC and Urban Neighbors invites you to the Rack Up Downtown! Grand Launch event on Wednesday, September 10 at 9:30 AM; NW corner of Mickey Mantle & Sheridan. Get complete information on this Urban Neighbors initiative.
Downtown Walkability and Bikeability
The Downtown Strategic Initiative (DSI) is a public process facilitated by the City of OKC Planning Department to prioritize the next steps for the continued revitalization of Downtown. Currently, the topic of “Movin’ Around” Downtown is being looked at.
What are your concerns about walking and cycling Downtown? What is the biggest issue that needs to be addressed? Please send your ideas and comments to mgibbs@urbanneighbors.org so that Urban Neighbors can effectively contribute to this process.
What to do down by the river?
The Chesapeake Boathouse offers a lot to downtowners. Learn to row, rent a kayak or a bike, take your group dragon boating, take a yoga/pilates class, or use the gym.
Other U.N. Websites
Facebook
MySpace
Take a class downtown!
The Downtown College Consortium, located in the downtown library, offers several interesting classes. Spanish, Ballroom Cancing, Tai Chi, and more! Check out what they have to offer.
Downtown’s Ward 6 Seat Open
With Ann Simank’s departure, Oklahoma City council seat 6 is open. Elections to fill the seat will be held November 4.
Upcoming Downtown Events
Through August 30, Romantic Materialism at Untitled Gallery
Wednesdays: Downtown Farmer’s Market
Thursdays: Noon Tunes and the Downtown Library
August 28 2008 Sundance Short Films, Oklahoma City Museum of Art
August 28-30 Oklahoma Shakespeare in the Park
September 1 McNellie’s Pint Night
September 2-6 Mama Mia! at the Civic Center
September 4, 6:00 PM Stilettos Art Show, Gaijin Sushi @ Park and Harvey
September 5 United Way 2008 Campaign Kickoff Pancake Breakfast
September 5 Josh Cruise Duo, Nonna’s Purple Bar
Complete list of downtown events
Urban Neighbors Hosts Its First National Night Out Event
The UN hosted Downtown police and fire officers at Gaijin Sushi on Tuesday evening, August 5. This was the 25th National Night Out which is a proven and enjoyable program to promote neighborhood spirit and community partnerships, and Urban Neighbors was proud to participate for the first time.
We greatly appreciate the work these dedicated public servants do to protect our Downtown community and we would like to thank Lt Kevin Barnes and Sgt Howell and Officer Garey of the new OCPD evening bike patrol plus all the Green Shift at Fire Station # 1 for attending, including Batalion Chief Cothran, Cpl Bruehl, Cpt Storx, Sgt Blankinship, Cpl Coon, Frec Reeves, Lt Stuart, Cpl Pyle, Cpl Wikersham, Sgt Stewart, Cpl Gilbert, FF Edgerton and Sgt Jackson. Thanks also to Cristian Clay of Gaijin Sushi for his kind hospitality and very generous donations of refreshments for the officers.
Of the Top 10 Things to Bring Downtown From Edmond…
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)
“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.
Rest in Peace, Misty
The founders of Urban Neighbors, 2007: From left, Sharon Rodine, Jeff Bezdek, David Remy and Misty Kemp. - BY MATT STRASEN, THE OKLAHOMAN
We’ll talk more about this later. For now, Misty’s passing is being discussed here at www.okctalk.com.
More From Opening of Block 42
I had to work late Thursday, covering the grand opening of Block 42. Below, soon-to-be resident Dick Rodine shows off the view to former Mayor Kirk Humphreys.
More views of the Rodine residence:
All smiles for developer Grant Humphreys. His next project: the Flatiron.
“Oscar” greets visitors and residents as they enter into the main lobby of Block 42.
Why Downtown Condos Cost $250,000
For those who were asking why downtown housing seems so expensive, and whether affordable housing will ever be next …
Why downtown condos cost $250,000 By Steve Lackmeyer
| Tuesday, April 10, 2007 Edition: CITY, Section: BUSINESS, Page 4B |
For the past two years, the question has lingered among those watching the emergence of housing in downtown Oklahoma City: “Why are so many of the new units priced at $250,000 and up?
Such pricing left a lot of young urban professionals who rent downtown frustrated. They could afford to jump from a $750 a month rental payment to a $1,000 condominium payment. But $1,000 a month doesn’t get you past $200,000 without a hefty down payment.
It’s not as if downtown developers haven’t known all along about this pent-up demand. While they might make more money on a half-million-dollar condo, they would be assured a quick sale with units averaging $150,000. Yet in almost every major downtown development announced to date, the prices continue to hover at $350,000.
The Oklahoma City Urban Renewal Authority, recently given a choice between a mixed-use development of lower-price condos and apartments versus high-price residential towers for MidTown, went with the upscale product.
Credit Brett Hamm, president of Downtown Oklahoma City Inc., for offering an explanation that sheds light on the question of high-price housing.
The slant toward higher-price housing isn’t by coincidence — it is a grand conspiracy. Well, that’s not exactly how Hamm worded it. But here’s his take: you have to start somewhere.
You can start with expensive housing in an area and then eventually add lower-price choices to the mix. But you can’t start developing an area by building a lot of lower-price housing and then hope to add more expensive units later.
Downtown housing really was a blank slate as late as 2000. It was then that a study by Houston-based CDS Market Research reported 6,000 people desired to live in downtown Oklahoma City but their interests were thwarted by a lack of available housing.
That was the match that lit the fuse.Much of the development involves land controlled by the Urban Renewal Authority. The Hill, Block 42, The Centennial and now Overholser Greens all are Urban Renewal projects, all involving products generally priced north of $200,000.
Also priced higher than $200,000, but developed privately, are the Brownstones at Maywood Park. On the other side of this equation are the Central Avenue Villas, the Harvey Lofts and the just announced Lofts at Maywood Park as developments offering at least half of their units below $200,000.
But the number of higher-price units far out-number the ones that will be sought after by all those aspiring homeowners living in the Deep Deuce apartments.And that’s just fine with Hamm. One of the often-told rules of buying a home is to avoid the highest-price house on the block.
Take that wisdom downtown and you can see why it’s so important to get the high-end housing under way. You don’t want to buy a $400,000 house surrounded by $150,000 homes. But who doesn’t want to buy a $150,000 house surrounded by $400,000 homes?
Of course, the next question is whether all of this expensive housing downtown will sell. The results aren’t quite in yet, but with The Centennial a virtual sell-out and half the units sold at Block 42, the grand conspiracy is far from a failure.
One year has passed since I wrote this column. Since then, we’ve seen a sell-out at The Centennial and the Harvey Lofts, and only a few units remain at Block 42. Developers at The Hill have not disclosed their sales, and it’s too early to say whether The Brownstones at Maywood Park or the Central Avenue Villas will or won’t be a success. And one more thought. There are two city-oriented online forums in this town, www.okctalk.com and www.okmet.org. Both boards have members discussing this topic, but notice the difference in how they do so.
Here’s the okmet discussion.
And here’s the okctalk discussion.
Downtown at Night (Not Bricktown)
Yeah sure, there’s plenty to see and take photos of in Bricktown at night, but what about the rest of downtown? Here’s some intesting angles taken tonight along an increasingly vibrant Automobile Alley and in Maywood Park, which is awaiting the last element needed to make a neighborhood complete – residents.
On the Downtown Home Tour
If you’ve not seen the Sieber Hotel lately, it’s looking better than it has in decades.
I’m not sure if I’ve seen a developer go to the lengths of getting things ready as I have Marva Ellard, a classic case of a “building hugger” who did more than just talk about saving an old building. On Friday I discovered Marva cleaning a glass table in one of the show units at the Sieber, which she is converting into apartments.
