Gov. Frank Keating is prone to colorful speech, and his description of the dome-less Oklahoma state Capitol was no exception. When Keating rolled out his plan to put the dome on the state Capitol and complete the original design of the great Oklahoma architect Solomon Andrew Layton, there was considerable skepticism. Many thought it would […]
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Counterpoint: Investing wisely
Especially in these challenging economic times, we must be even more focused on being good stewards of our resources and frugal in our planning. We are now trying to decide what would be the best way forward for Stage Center. Once again damaged by flooding and by subsequent deterioration, this aging facility is in need […]
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Contingency plan
At its regular Aug. 30 meeting, the council narrowly approved a MAPS 3 budget plan that put the $30 million into an infrastructure/contingency fund. The plan was one of three proposals suggested by MAPS 3 consultant Architectural Design Group, which in July first presented to the MAPS 3 convention center subcommittee a plan to remove […]
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‘Bait and switch’
Unless the city has something more to offer than Austin, Texas, or Baltimore or Minneapolis or Phoenix (it’s not direct fights if you’ve traveled recently), recent history says otherwise. New construction has been a deficit producer in some places, and junked the hotel debt rating of Austin and Phoenix. Communication in the 21st century and […]
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Oklahoma City’s choices
Which means I’ve been able to see a lot more of the city since I moved back in January, in less time, than I would have been able to in the other two cities I’ve lived in, Boston and Atlanta. So much has changed. Downtown came back from the dead, an NBA franchise moved in, […]
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Cornett’s concerns
Voters approved the $777 million MAPS 3 program in December 2009, and each of the program’s eight projects is overseen by a subcommittee, which forwards its recommendations to a Citizens Advisory Board. The board sends its recommendations to the Oklahoma City Council for approval. The MAPS 3 program is funded by a 1-cent sales tax […]
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Conventional concerns
Two timelines, which were created by Architectural Design Group, were presented to the City Council at its June 14 meeting, and to the MAPS 3 park and modern streetcar subcommittees at their June 15 meetings. MAPS 3 Program Manager Eric Wenger said the issue was not voted on at the City Council meeting because council […]
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Timeline on the table
The Oklahoma City Council likely will be presented Tuesday with a new MAPS 3 timeline, one of several that emerged over the past few months. The MAPS 3 Citizens Advisory Board, which only has authority to make recommendations to City Council, voted 6-2 at its May 26 meeting to send the timeline for the council’s […]
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Double park
As the Myriad Botanical Gardens renovations unfold, questions are being raised about the fate of one of the centerpieces of the MAPS 3 program: the 70-acre central park. Under a MAPS 3 timeline that has yet to receive the City Council’s stamp of approval, the $130 million park, located between what will be the future […]
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Urban outfitters
Construction began in January on the $24 million, 228-unit Level Urban Apartments at the corner of Northeast Second Street and Oklahoma Avenue. According to local developer Richard McKown, who heads City Center Properties, the project will be a mixed-use community housed in a contemporary, four-story building with an urban grocer and a restaurant located on […]