Twitter and the Cybermen
I’ve bombarded by people swearing I’m all wrong about twitter. Close friends have been on a crusade attempting to show me how I can communicate with everybody and receive the latest news instantly (as long as it’s 140 words or less).
But as these people call and write me, it seems as if they’re making the argument against twitter; the more popular it becomes, the more it becomes noise on a busy street.
But this response isn’t good enough … some folks are insisting they set up an account for me with or without my cooperation.
My response?
Another Example of James Cotter Making Friends
I was reminded today that while James Cotter may not be nominated by Cherokee for the “Friend of Main Street Award,” he’s also disappointed folks in downtown OKC when the business improvement board sought to build (at its own expense) a new grand entry to The Underground pedestrian tunnels next to Chase Tower (oh, excuse me, it’s Cotter Ranch Tower). The entry was designed by one of the city’s most notable architects, Rand Elliott. Cotter refused to let the project proceed, and the entryway there now is unchanged – a hole in the ground with chipped white paint worn out railings.
We could have had the entrance shown above – all Cotter had to do was to say “yes.”
Dancing On a Retail Grave?
American Eagle Outfitters, AT&T Wireless, Candyopolis, Claire’s Botique, Classic Jewelry, Eastern Treasures, Pacific Sunwear, Footlocker, Zales, Kay Jewelers, Bags N More, Things Remembered, Bonnie’s Popcorn and Waldenbooks.
Some of the above stores are part of national chains, others are locally owned. And they are all reportedly on month-to-month leases at Crossroads Mall.
It’s time to be blunt. It’s time to suggest something that might be seen as somewhat cruel. But the opinion of most real estate folks in this town is that Crossroads Mall is over as a retail operation now that it has lost all of its anchors and has gone into foreclosure.
And yet while Crossroads is looking cooked, downtown’s potential for retail is looking better than it has since the 1950s. How many of the above listed retailers might be considered a good addition to Bricktown?
Yes, I’m thinking like a vulture. And I’m feeling a bit guilty over it since I met the mall’s general manager, Jim Swenson, in December and I think he’s a good guy who tried to give it his all.
But let’s not forget it was Crossroads Mall that put the nail in the coffin for downtown retail more than 30 years ago. The mall poached away downtown’s grand old department store, John A. Brown’s and nobody really wailed over it then. It was to be expected at the time – who cared about downtown retail?
Times change. And I’m wondering why downtown developers don’t see this as an opportunity to do a reverse on history. Take a list of the retailers at Crossroads, highlight the ones that might consider relocating to Bricktown if they could move together and form a nucleus of urban retail. And then begin the cold calls.
As evidenced by the strong turn-out for a recent discussion at the Skirvin Hilton about downtown retail, interest in taking this next step is high. But if the experts are to believed, one can’t simply wait for the retailers to begin rediscovering downtown. Someone is going to need to get aggressive about making deals and thinking outside the box.
Hey, I’m just saying…
The Argument Against Twitter
I don’t twitter. I know a lot of important people who don’t twitter. Yet there are those in this community who are talking about twitter and online social networking as if it they are a religion.
Sorry, I’m not buying it. But the truth is there are more people out there than not who will never twitter, who will never have a facebook, linked-in or myspace page. I’ve dabbled in some of this and found much of it to be a waste of my time.
But let me spend time in a downtown coffee shop and I’m guaranteed to meet interesting new people and hear about the latest developments and scoops. Let me spend time mixing with business leaders and shop owners and I’ll get a better understanding of what’s going on in today’s economy than through twitter and online social networking.
There, I’ve said it. And to those being evangelized by the twitter devotees, ask yourself, is this digital clutter really worth the effort? I think not. I’d rather spend my time talking to real people face to face.
- Steve
And This is Why You Want to Visit NEWS.OK Often…
Another Bright Young Voice
Allow me to introduce you to Shane Hampton, who has joined the community of OKC bloggers hoping to make a difference in their hometown. I first met Shane about three years ago when he attended the first signing by Jack Money and myself of our book, “OKC Second Time Around” at Full Circle Books.
Shane has shown an incredible interest in OKC development, its downtown, and various planning issues. He is, in some ways, a slightly younger version of Blair Humphreys. Shane’s website, www.rezoneokc.com, is still in its infancy but its ambitions are pretty clear and it deserves an early mention.
- Steve
Blair Humphreys is Quickly Becoming My Favorite Blogger
Blair has hit another homerun with his post on aerial photos of Bricktown, past and present, to be found through Google. I am very, very impressed. His site is now on my daily “must visit” list.
OKC Gets Some Love Up in the Sky
Check out the article on OKC in this month’s American Way magazine. Nice mentions of the NBA, Bricktown, the Iguana Grill, Nonna’s, the Skirvin, the Oklahoma River and much more. And forgive me for saying so, but I think Paula is still very, very hot.
No, There's Nothing Wrong With Your TV…
But you will indeed be seeing me appear shortly before 6 a.m. (then again, at that time, probably you won’t see me) on KWTV in the Bricktown studio talking about my new book, “Bricktown.”
Response
I figured yesterday’s post might prompt some reaction. It might have been a bit more edgy than what I usually post on this blog. But if it’s not time to ask some hard questions of COTPA, when is the right time?
I heard from some folks concerned about the tone and substance of the post. Some say the Photography Hall of Fame has been a disorganized mess for years and couldn’t do a decent job at promoting themselves even in their earliest years here in OKC.
Others say the former chair of the group made it his mission to leave OKC. Of course, he’s now the former chair, so that situation is gone.
Then there are those on the public side who question if the private sector might get upset if COTPA were to offer space for free to a group like this, competing with privately owned retail space. Readers, what do you think?
Then there is the overall vibe I’m getting that City Hall isn’t hearing the true extent of dissatisfaction with COTPA. So here’s a sampling from just the past day:
The following is from a downtown business executive:
It’s about time some of the incompetence of COTPA employees saw the light of day!!!
What a unbelievably stupid decision!! I, of course, have only had to deal with the total incompetence of the people that handle the parking garages in many of the 28+ years I have worked downtown. With the rates their charging and the limited debt they have ever taken on, they should not have ANY bond holders if they were run efficiently. (At least in my opinion.) (I have told friends, a high school Key Club could do a better job.)
I moved to Main Street Parking many years ago and have always been pleased with their service (YES, actual service!!!). But they are owned by people that have to make a profit. My move was directly because of COTPA’s incompetence.
The following is from a leader in Urban Neighbors:
OKC CENTRAL on COTPA pop quiz: Freakin’ awesome
Now that’s keeping it short.
And finally, here’s one more comment posted on www.okctalk.com by “pixare” that pretty much represents what I’ve been hearing from the opposing point of view to the dealings between COTPA and the International Photography Hall of Fame:
It’s funny how in so many political discussions on these boards, people cry out all the time for “self-reliance, self-reliance, self-reliance.” Yet, when it comes to this project, it’s all about “city, save them.”
What is the IPHOF doing to SAVE itself?
As someone who has a “second career” in photography and the arts, I rarely see any word or hear anything about the IPHOF in the media.
A few questions:
What are they doing to promote themselves and attract more tourists?
What are they doing to raise funds for their organization to keep operating?
What are they doing to find grant and arts support from local, regional and national foundations and funding sources to bring in exhibitions the public wishes to see?It seems to me before everyone starts pointing fingers at City Hall they need to ask themselves what, exactly, the IPHOF is doing to make things work for themselves. I mean, it appears (and I have little inside information on the matter), that they’re just looking for a gov’t handout without doing any additional work to make things happen.
If it were not for Carolyn Hill and the $40 million she was able to secure in PRIVATE (read: non-government) support, we wouldn’t have a beautiful, new downtown museum of art.
Look at the National Cowboy Hall, the OKC Art Museum, and even the Science Museum of Oklahoma. Look at IAO, Untitled and CityArts. They are all active in attracting tourism and providing self-support and funding for their programs through active funding programs.
Seems these groups have managed to find a way to succeed where the IPHOF has not. Frankly, as a photographer, I’ve been to several of their exhibits, and haven’t found anything that critically exciting nor historically important. I also find it interesting that they don’t reach out much to the local photography community as a BASE of support.
I believe before they start screaming about “we’re going to move,” they need to clean their own house first.
Heck if the “International Gymnastics Hall of Fame” can find a base of support in downtown OKC (at least I think it’s still down in the conncourse), then surely the IPHOF can do something to for themselves.
Don’t mean to sound like a Donald Downer, but it’s just a contrary opinion here. I’d love to see them stay, but don’t see that much of a loss if they do go, especially if they are not active in making things happen for themselves.
