More on Fountains
The theme here is that there will be water features in the periphery of the gardens leading and visually connecting with the pond. Goal is soften, make the gardens lush, ensure it’s not a hard edge feature.
The water feature with waves would be by the concert pavilion. Now we’re listening to plans for a series of water stairs leading from Hudson Avenue to the gardens pond. The consultant explaisn it wil swirl around, cascade down, and have some life to it.
Listening to Presentation on Fountains
They’re looking at a video of a water feature I’ve not seen before. Think of the water channel that connects the Bricktown Canal and the Ackerman Dancing Fountains on Sheridan. And then imagine some sort of device causing the water to turn into ongoing quiet waves.
Some members are concerned about noise. Consultant (missed her name) says it will be very quiet and calming. Consultant is with a firm named Fluidity.
Let the Live Blogging Begin – the Myriad Gardens
Lead designer James Burnett is the first presenter. He is re-emphasizing just how rapid a timeline the city is following on the $30 million makeover of the Myriad Gardens.
The work is part of Project 180 – improvements throughout downtown funded by the Devon tower TIF.
Burnett noted design development and schematic design at the same time. And that, he says, might not be all that bad.
“We are hearing prices are very favorable right now,” Burnett said. “I think this speed up here may help us. I don’t know what it will be like in a year, but if you look at the markets, things are coming back. And we’ll be bidding this out in the next few months instead of a year or year and a half from now.”
Burnett’s team is pricing out various features. Some items were estimated too high, others too low. Right now, it appears the project may be over budget.
Live Blogging Set to Return on Wednesday
I’ll be posting on the Myriad Gardens and Devon downtown improvements all day, wireless card willing.
Interested in Oklahoma City History?
Then check out www.okchistory.com, a site I host in my “spare time” with Jack Money, my co-author on “OKC Second Time Around” and our newest book, “Skirvin,” which comes out December 2. Our latest post includes details on the launch of our new book.
Busy Today…. Coffee Talk Time
Should Oklahoma City consider using the balance of tax increment financing from the Devon tower project to improve Automobile Alley, MidTown and Bricktown, or should it, as is currently being discussed, be used in the Core to Shore area where there is no current development?
Today’s OKC Central Video: Stockyards City
Sunday Flashback: J.D. Lobb and Broadway Reunion
Broadway Reunion Developer Regroups
By Mary Jo Nelson
Sunday, September 16, 1984
The economic environment is the main reason his Broadway Reunion market center hasn’t been able to get going, developer J.D. Lobb contends. But he sees other factors, too.
“I took a tremendous risk. I feel terrible that what I have tried to do hasn’t worked,” said Lobb, who bought up 26 properties between NW 7 and NW 10 along Broadway in an attempt to revitalize the once-booming automobile row.
“I don’t know where to start. It’s a combination of a lot of things, but the economic environment is the biggest thing,” he said in an interview.
“By the time these things came on line, things were winding down, not up.”
Lobb has found no problem at all arranging financing for undeveloped properties, he said, but Broadway Reunion was “a one-man show.
“I had no big investors. I had a limited amount of capital to start, but the lenders were interested in seeing if I could acquire enough (properties) to make it feasible. Once I put the package together, because of the economic situation, they were unable to finance it. Most lenders had troubles of their own by then.”
Without blaming city officials or business leaders, Lobb said another part of the problem lies with Oklahoma City itself.
“The whole focus has been northwest,” while downtown was allowed to deteriorate, he said. “Downtown hasn’t done any good because they let everything go northwest.”
He doesn’t affix blame. “Oklahoma City is a new city and people here like the shopping malls and the convenience of the strip (shopping) centers. It’s all new to them. They like the enclosed malls and the air conditioning.”
On the other hand, he said in older cities he sees people who prefer rehabilitated areas, the historical zones, with arts and crafts and street performers.
“I think that’s coming, but we’re not ready for it yet.”
Lobb also believes his project was hurt by Broadway’s past reputation for prostitution, drugs, assaults and other criminal activities once common in the neighborhood.
“The stigma of the area was hard to overcome,” he said. He said he never got far enough to follow a master plan designed by The Benham Group to transform three blocks of neglected Broadway buildings into a marketing center.
“I was always out trying to raise money.”
Five of the first six restorations were to bear antique car titles, in deference to Lobb’s hobby of collecting old cars. The centerpiece was to be the old Earl Hotel, constructed as the St. Nicholas Hotel in 1910 by an immigrant Greek Orthodox family. Its original name was revived. The St. Nicholas Building was cleaned of its grime and the interior was rebuilt.
Benham’s master plan called for a pedestrian skywalk to cross Broadway just north of NW 8, a small park, an open mini-mall, early 20th century lamposts, carriage lanterns, canvas awnings, courtyards and plazas.
Last year, landscaping began, bright awnings sprouted and some businesses moved in. Brick exteriors were painted on several structures, most of them dating to the 1920s or earlier. A station to handle the downtown bus trolleys and their passengers was an early step. A courtyard with benches and planters was developed to serve as a passenger waiting area.
One big success story in Broadway Reunion is John Hoke Ltd., occupying the 18,000-square-foot Stutz building at NW 8 and Robinson.
Hoke, who publishes two magazines and is an automobile broker, did almost $4.5 million in his first year of buiness in the location, Lobb said.
But almost as quickly as they had appeared, some project tenants moved out. A few weeks ago, a foreclosure action was filed in district court.
Lobb says he may be down but he is not out.
“The knee jerk reaction is over. I think I’ll be able to hang in.”
To give himself capital for the project, Lobb plans to sell several of his 26 Broadway structures. The first move in this direction came this past week, when he sold the Stutz building to its occupant, John Hoke & Co. The selling price was $500,000.
Hoke also took an option to buy several other buildings on the east side of Broadway.
Lobb is proud that his one-man renewal project “accomplished a lot.
“I feel I have done some good. I cleaned up Broadway and I changed the atmosphere a little bit.”
Now, “I’m trying to regroup and reorganize. I’m not playing dead.”
With the Central Expressway under construction and scheduled to come within two blocks of Broadway Reunion, Lobb remains confident the area holds “tremendous potential.”
Oklahoma City’s Glory Days
Today was one of those days that erases all the stress of work, all the worries of the world, and reminds one that life isn’t so bad. And really, if you think about, life is pretty good in Oklahoma City. When I was growing up, sad to say, life was pretty dull in OKC. That’s the truth. My friends and I would spend a Saturday playing in a nearby creek (much to our mothers’ chagrin) or browsing the aisles of Woodward’s Hobby Shop, hoping Mrs. Woodward would extend credit to us just one more time for that really cool model airplane kit (and more often than not, she would!).
The central city, meanwhile, offered no diversions as far as I can recall (late ’70s and early ’80s).
Architect Brian Fitzsimmons and future homeowner Bill Lovallo stand in front of the future second story window of the house designed by Fitzsimmons at NW 7 just west of Shartel. In the background are two other modern homes - one designed and built by Dennis Wells, the other, to the left, by Fitzsimmons.
Today my son and I started off with a tour of the Lovallo residence off of NW 7 and Shartel. My son, being interested in art, enjoyed the view from the top floor but couldn’t imagine houses looking like the ones he saw in this district of historic and modern homes (what a mix!). I missed a chance to catch up with Dustbury blogger Charles Hill, but you can catch up with his take about the house here.
Andrew Boatman spins a piece of glass in what is a very, very hot oven at Blue Sage Gallery
Our next stop – Blue Sage Gallery at NW 12 and Western where we got to watch Andrew Boatman practice his craft of glass blowing. It was a thrill for my son, who turns 8 next month, to pick the colors and help mix them together for a bowl and an ornament made by Andrew. This artisan is also a middle school teacher, and he was great about telling my son and I about every part of the process of making glassware.
Our final stop consisted of our monthly journey to Cuppies and Joe, where we enjoy one cupcake each, along with milk for the midget and great cup of Apsen coffee for myself over a game of checkers.
Just a slice of life on a wonderful autumn day in OKC Central.
Back to “Project 180″
So now we have a name for this massive downtown makeover about to hit this spring. Here’s a presentation given this week on the project:
And here’s a link to the latest specifications report on potential light, street furniture and landscaping designs being contemplated by the city (go here)
