Here we go again. Two more of our unique irreplaceable Downtown buildings scraped. On Main Street no less. They are rare too. Two story shotgun style building with commercial facades. One has a streamline moderne facade, with most of it intact, the other has had some work done, but is/was a viable building none the less. Pretty much perfect for a bar or a restaurant. Places we will need once downtown is bustling again, right?
The buildings, one formerly known as the "Lerner Shop", are located between 4th and 5th Street right in the heart of our lovely "new" Main Street are coming down for, you guessed it, parking lots. Apparently, the McFarlin Building is being renovated (that's a good thing) but they want additional off street parking. Not that there aren't 560 surface parking lots within a block or two of the building, mind you.
These buildings have been rumored to be on the chopping block for literally years, but have somehow made the cut until now. They are, at present time doing asbestos abatement and plugging the sewer line. They will probably be down within the month, if not sooner.
This is absolutely absurd. I could understand if they wanted to build a new structure that oriented towards the plaza, but once again we are doing this for PARKING. It makes me sick to my stomach.
quote:
Originally posted by Kenosha
Here we go again. Two more of our unique irreplaceable Downtown buildings scraped. On Main Street no less. They are rare too. Two story shotgun style building with commercial facades. One has a streamline moderne facade, with most of it intact, the other has had some work done, but is/was a viable building none the less. Pretty much perfect for a bar or a restaurant. Places we will need once downtown is bustling again, right?
The buildings, one formerly known as the "Lerner Shop", are located between 4th and 5th Street right in the heart of our lovely "new" Main Street are coming down for, you guessed it, parking lots. Apparently, the McFarlin Building is being renovated (that's a good thing) but they want additional off street parking. Not that there aren't 560 surface parking lots within a block or two of the building, mind you.
These buildings have been rumored to be on the chopping block for literally years, but have somehow made the cut until now. They are, at present time doing asbestos abatement and plugging the sewer line. They will probably be down within the month, if not sooner.
This is absolutely absurd. I could understand if they wanted to build a new structure that oriented towards the plaza, but once again we are doing this for PARKING. It makes me sick to my stomach.
They are finally moving dirt at this site. I had heard that they were going to make a "Green Area". However I must have heard wrong because I spoke to the construction workers today and confirmed it will be a surface parking lot with 15 spaces.
I thought supposedly Kanbar said they WOULDN'T put on there.
A parking lot there would server no-one.
My memory also tells me that he was going to put in a "green area" with seating and areas to eat outdoors. He assured EVERYONE when he started purchasing buildings that he didnt want to see more surface parking downtown.
Currently, the area near Bartlett square is the only spot downtown that isnt littered with empty and crumbling surface lots.
My enthusiasm for Kanbar's downtown plans has now turned to cynicism. At this point, lets tear down the rest of downtown and start over.
Has anyone ever been downtown when any one of the doze or so parking garages is full? I can attest to the fact that the 2 serving the petroleum tower, the one under the Bank of America buiding, the OneOK garage, and the on that is behind MainStreet are never full. But we need more parking...
Just like the Tulsa World needed more parking. I think I've seen 2 cars parked there, total, over the last year and a half. We need a web cam on that to point out how retarded MORE surface parking is.
(http://preview.sk786.photosite.com/~photos/tn/8828266_1024.ts1172721953000.jpg)
Ah, the continued suburbanization of our downtown. So glad we spent the millions of dollars returning traffic to Main Street so we could provide access to yet another surface parking lot.
When we spent the money on Main, we should've created a special district that removed surface parking as a use by right and dictated ground floor retail in all buildings (would've made the Tulsa World HVAC plant more tolerable if there was a storefront on Main).
Returning traffic to Main was absolutely the right idea, but the execution couldn't suck more.
have you ever seen how much traffic goes down main? not much.
quote:
Originally posted by inteller
have you ever seen how much traffic goes down main? not much.
Because there's not much reason to go down Main due to the lousy execution.
I will say this, though - the parallel parking spaces between 5th and 6th are mighty handy when making an Impressions run.
"Don't it always seem to go that you don't know what you've got till it's gone? They [razed] paradise and put up a parking lot."
Work is nearly complete on the surface parking lot. Not 1 piece of vegitation. I thought there was a city ordinance passed several years ago that required new parking lots to have vegitation & landscaping?
This is just a black top with a curb.
So disappointing.
quote:
Originally posted by tshane250
"Don't it always seem to go that you don't know what you've got till it's gone? They [razed] paradise and put up a parking lot."
I thought it was "paved"
I wonder if this lot will be used as much as the World's lot a couple blocks away?
That is to say, none.
quote:
Originally posted by cannon_fodder
I wonder if this lot will be used as much as the World's lot a couple blocks away?
That is to say, none.
I just walked by there and it looks like they paved it level with the main mall pedestrian area. I wonder if the plan was to have it available for mayfest and such.
quote:
Originally posted by sgrizzle
quote:
Originally posted by cannon_fodder
I wonder if this lot will be used as much as the World's lot a couple blocks away?
That is to say, none.
I just walked by there and it looks like they paved it level with the main mall pedestrian area. I wonder if the plan was to have it available for mayfest and such.
I don't know. But I just found out that it will be Paid Monthly Parking. You can have your own spot for $150/month.
I think the record should show that the developers told bald-faced lies about what would be done with this property one year ago this week:
"Crews are also working to smooth the north wall, which was exposed by the demolition of the Cordell and McBirney buildings next door....
The buildings were demolished because of safety concerns, and the pedestrian area next to the First Place Tower... will be extended."
Tulsa World, 3/21/2006 (//%22http://tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?articleID=060321_Br_mcfarlin%22)
"The space once occupied by the two buildings will be used for a pedestrian plaza."
Tulsa World, 3/8/2006 (//%22http://tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?articleID=060308_Bu_E1_Safet25958%22)
Monthly paid parking is not a pedestrian plaza.
Here's an article from the OKC Journal Record (2/8/06) that's ironic to read now. http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4182/is_20060208/ai_n16051130
Interesting excerpts:
"Wandres said the demolition of the McBirney and Cordell buildings are part of a plan created by Downtown Tulsa Unlimited and the city back in 2000. The two buildings date back to the early 1900s, but neither structure is listed on the state or national historic registries."
"But after meeting with community leaders, Wandres said, developers agreed to preserve the facade of the McBirney building as part of the city's Art Deco collection.
Recently, downtown Tulsa was placed on Preservation Oklahoma's list of endangered landmarks. The organization said too many historic buildings were being razed for surface parking, which comprises about 46 percent of downtown.
But Wandres said plans do not call for a surface parking lot where the older buildings stand. He said Pocasset is working with architects to make the area more pedestrian friendly, including planting climbing vines along the north wall of the McFarlin building."
Oh yeah, and whatever happened to all that stuff about a downtown daycare center and making the lower level of the plaza a children's playground?
They've added a second staircase to the lower level which nixes the playground idea.
As a followup to the above, supposedly the facades were not in the condition to be saved. Still doesn't explain why we got parking instead of people.
And for pete's sake, get rid of the escalators.
And developers wonder why they have such a bad reputation and residents fight them at every turn.
Residents?
Who actually lives/lived there?
quote:
Originally posted by USRufnex
Residents?
Who actually lives/lived there?
I was speaking in general terms. As in, average citizens.
One of the things Alan Hart talked about when he visited Tulsa last year was an analysis of why citizens "fight" or question development/developers.
There are a few different possibilities:
1. Lack of trust (either the citizens have been disappointed/lied to in the past, or they aren't being treated respectfully in the present).
2. Lack of communication (developers have not adequately communicated the who/what/where/when/whys...and once they do, people are often OK with the plans)
3. They have a legitimate gripe. (Sometimes, when average citizens are hollering, they have a valid issue, and developers can do themselves a favor by listening and responding to create trust....see #1 above.)
at least put in a lot like the square across from Ziegler's, where there is at LEAST some interest to the lot. The little 3/4 walls and a small facade. Not only does it look nice, but it serves to shield the lot from passersby.