Wish this was closer to the action around 2nd & Elgin but could enhance future development to the south. The KOTV site will be available soon and there's a great Deco industrial building at 4th that is begging to be renovated. The only real downside is the ugly AT&T building across the street. Would the main entrance face Elgin? And will there be a big neon marquee!?
When you think about other entertainment strips, it's not uncommon to see them go for a few blocks. We're really just talking about three blocks away from the Blue Dome District, two blocks from Fassler Hall. Additionally, I'd expect to see infill between The Pearl District and 6th and Elgin and new retail down 5th street in the future. Elgin can be a strip of activity. Once the traffic circle at 11th and Elgin goes in, we're going to have a nice street from 11th all the way to 244 with lots of different things to do.
The biggest issues/development obstacles on that street are the lots at 2nd and Elgin (The Santa Fe lot) and the Baptist Church lot between 4th and 5th. Channel six won't be available for a couple years. The Baptist Church's lot will not likely become anything other than a flat lot for some time. I'd love to try to convince them to lease it long term to a developer who would put retail facing 5th Streets and Elgin Ave with an integrated structured parking lot that the church would use on Sundays. This would help kick start 5th St (Ave.?) development and would infill Elgin nicely.
As for the AT&T building, check this out.
http://www.thecoolist.com/when-buildings-come-alive-10-unreal-urban-projection-videos/I'd also like to see them put an AT&T store in the bottom floor to add some retail.
As for the theater, it will have a huge marquee. I'm big on signage. I think the main entrance would be at 5th and Elgin if it were to go on that spot.
Also, some things are happening with the Coliseum apartments at 7th and Elgin. Elliot bought that and is renovating the building. My guess is that the next to go will be those old houses next door.
Don't forget to think ahead when you guys are envisioning downtown. In many ways, we still pale in comparison to other cities in terms of our scope. There are still tons of infill opportunities, but we have to put key things in key places in order to facilitate long term, big picture growth. More residential is a key component, grocery stores are important, a pharmacy is important. We have great opportunities for new retail. With this being done the way it's being done (several small developers instead of one big one), it's important that we all understand the value of smart growth and cohesive developments. In the end, it will be better. It will be more original and more organic and will have the finger prints of several very different personalities on it.
Not to over-simplify, but it's kinda like playing Sim-City. You don't just go build all the high rise residential and fill it up with people. It doesn't work like that. You have to build your commercial and residential together...piece by piece. If we're smart, we'll start laying the foundation for rail, but right now, there's a much larger demand for shorter distance transit than for commuter rail. A trolley/cable car/improved bus system around downtown/midtown with lines in from north and east tulsa is in much higher demand than anything connecting Jenks to downtown Tulsa. Folks that live in Jenks/Bixby/B.A. aren't sitting at home with no car wishing they could get to downtown Tulsa.
I'd like to see very small strips of really cool transit (think a trolley that loops 5th from the civic center to 5th and Elgin). This would allow 5th street to start to turn into that retail corridor (like 16th St. in Denver). We'll need a parking garage on each end (behind the YMCA lofts and at 5th and Elgin), but if this was done, Kanbar, Snyder, Hawkins, etc could start using their valuable bottom floors for unique retail...connecting what's happening at 5th and Denver to what's happening in the East Village (the park, the church, the movie theater, the lofts on Bill White's old property, and Elgin Ave entertainment). That loop would cover Bartlett square, 5th and Boston (Mod's and Elote and Courtyard Marriot), The Mayo lofts, Mayo hotel, Vandever lofts, YMCA lofts, Aloft Hotel, and interesting future projects like the notorious Tulsa Club. =)
Anyway, those small little strips of unique transit will start to show people the value of additional fixed rail, cable car, bus service... It can't be jammed down their throats. Tulsans like to think they discovered something, not that their government made them like it.
Keep up the good conversation.
