REI

[Townsend]

You mean like this REI in Denver?

If only that was in the plan.  If it was, they better let Tulsans know before the water-in-the-river thing is voted down again.

[heironymouspasparagus]

Here is another one.....

Tulsa could have that if we built canals...  Don't hold your breath - wouldn't want anything to happen to one of my favorite antagonists around here!

[PonderInc]

Here's the view from the trail.  The tall parts of the wall are 36' tall.  The rest of the wall is 30' tall. 

The dark parts of the wall are covered in brown aluminum siding; the white area is almond colored smooth CMU block; and the rest of the wall is concrete panels with CMU block wainscoting.  The decorative element is painted on (which isn't required by the PUD, but they show it in their site plan).

The area to the far right side is actually the back of the loading dock.



Based on the site plan, it looks like the trail is anywhere from about 12 to 25 feet away from the wall.



Based on the landscaping plan, there are a couple redbuds and an oak by the windows towards the north. And in the middle of the wall there are a couple oaks and a loblolly pine.  Everything else is shrubs and grass. 

South of the building along the trail is a clump of landscaping serving to shield the trail from the giant cul-de-sac / turnaround thing and the loading dock.  This area has 2 oaks, 2 loblolly pines, a redbud and a bald cypress, along with a bunch of grass and shrubs.

[DowntownDan]

It might be neat if they cold install a climbing wall since it's an outdoor store and all.  It would have people on the trail side of the building. 

[Jammie]

Longtime reader, first time poster.  The only positive I can gather out of this development is that at least it was done at 71st and riverside and not closer to downtown.  At this point, I wouldn't be surprised if Dewey supported the redevelopment of Woodward Park into a Kmart or Circuit City. I guess what amazes me is the fact that developers and stores like REI still see this as a profitable model.  Is there anything offered by this REI that I can't just buy online? I thought these big box stores were catching on to the fact they needed to create an experience to lure customers rather than simply selling stuff. This is not an experience, it is just a glorified sports authority. I’ll just get my outdoors equipment online for cheaper and skip the trip to the paved shopping nightmare they are creating at this location. I'm just disappointed Tulsa has a mayor who doesn't recognize this problem.  He should be supporting developments that give people a reason to get off their couch, spend money, and pay sales tax rather than just clicking a button and getting exactly what you want for a lower price, within 2 days, delivered to your front step. Maybe I'm still in the minority here but I guarantee that won't last.  Amazon did not really exist in its current state 15 years ago.  Imagine what online shopping will be like in 15 years? How are big box stores like this REI going to compete with the one click, no sales tax, delivered to your house by a drone that same day form of retail?  Unless you enjoy sitting in traffic, standing in lines, dealing with subpar customer services, and being disappointed when a store doesn't have what you want, my guess is that this box store will be long empty by then.



Nothing original here and pretty much just echoes the sentiments of most on here but its my first message board post of all time so I had to get my feet wet at some point.

HI. Congrats on taking the big leap and jumping right on in! Welcome to the world of forums!

[Jammie]

I always liked these falls.

http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=pictures+falls+at+sioux+falls+sd&view=detailv2&&id=8DA95615B920A3A370AAF27DEE41297F8A17A5A8&selectedIndex=5&ccid=HQS4oyB8&simid=607995133012673170&thid=JN.qoVwjBdCPQgDwSawQVkpnw&ajaxhist=0

[Conan71]

Okay, don’t underestimate the power of public opinion.  This development is one that most Tulsans are not happy about.  I personally liked the location from the beginning.  How the eventual site plan ignores the river and is little more than additional concrete dreck that is so ubiquitous with suburban Tulsa retail is what is so disturbing.

Please, take time to email the corporate development folk at REI.  Let them know we expect better from a company with their reputation and stature and we want something which would interact with the river.

You can effect change when it comes to crappy development, that’s been proven with Turkey Mountain.  The only way it will be changed though is if you let them know this sucks.  REI has built itself up as being a good corporate citizen, one which loves to integrate into the community.  Let them know this is not a plan you would support with your wallet and we might be able to get them to demand something better out of the developer.

[Hayduke]

Please, take time to email the corporate development folk at REI.  Let them know we expect better from a company with their reputation and stature and we want something which would interact with the river.

I took some time to email them this morning.  I could not find an email for the "corporate development folk" at REI but I did find e-mail address for their board on the website and sent it there. (board@rei.com). If somebody else finds a better email, please post here and I'll send my email their way as well.

[PonderInc]

Director of Asset Management/Real Estate: Vic Blanco
Based on other REI email addresses, I'm guessing: vblanco@rei.com

Vik Sahney - VP of Strategy at REI (includes sustainability functions)
Email: vsahney@rei.com

I have exchanged several respectful emails with Mr Sahney related to environmental concerns about the development / ginormous parking lot. Car-centric design, runoff, pollution, etc. He was responsive and thoughtful, but couldn't say much bc they had not signed a lease. He said he would forward my concerns to the Real Estate folks so they would be aware of local concerns about environmental impact.

[PonderInc]

By the way, somebody got the Twitter handle @REITulsa before REI did. Lots of funny  and informative tweets...

[Tulsasaurus Rex]

By the way, somebody got the Twitter handle @REITulsa before REI did. Lots of funny  and informative tweets...

I assumed that was someone on here.  If it is, please step forward so we may thank you.

[dsjeffries]

Someone went and made a Facebook page for it, too: Build a Better REI Tulsa

[Conan71]

We spent the last two weeks in Colorado and a few observations hit me regarding our future REI development:

We drove past the REI in Denver everyone has pointed to as a “model” for them.  This seems to be an exception to their appearance in other communities.  Their store in Ft. Collins, for instance, was pretty innocuous big box and did not seem to interact with any other recreational aspect of the area.  I wish we would have had the time to visit the Denver store and get a better first hand idea of how it interacts with the bike trails and river outside its backdoor.   FWIW, that area of bike trail and river is somewhat sketchy with homeless camp sites and overt drug activity.

A thought has occurred to me: “Would people have been as upset if the RPA or city simply announced they were paving a 300 or 600 space parking lot on this parcel for park users and moving the volleyball courts to the south?”

Certainly, I would like to see this development interact with the river, if it must be built here.  Turning it’s back on the trail and the river with a 30 foot wall is a lost opportunity for sure, but I was curious how people would have reacted to the parking lot if it were not attached to a retail development. 

[SXSW]

We spent the last two weeks in Colorado and a few observations hit me regarding our future REI development:

We drove past the REI in Denver everyone has pointed to as a “model” for them.  This seems to be an exception to their appearance in other communities.  Their store in Ft. Collins, for instance, was pretty innocuous big box and did not seem to interact with any other recreational aspect of the area.  I wish we would have had the time to visit the Denver store and get a better first hand idea of how it interacts with the bike trails and river outside its backdoor.   FWIW, that area of bike trail and river is somewhat sketchy with homeless camp sites and overt drug activity.

A thought has occurred to me: “Would people have been as upset if the RPA or city simply announced they were paving a 300 or 600 space parking lot on this parcel for park users and moving the volleyball courts to the south?”

Certainly, I would like to see this development interact with the river, if it must be built here.  Turning it’s back on the trail and the river with a 30 foot wall is a lost opportunity for sure, but I was curious how people would have reacted to the parking lot if it were not attached to a retail development.  

The Denver store is considered a "flagship" for the brand.  It's in a repurposed trolley maintenance building from the early 1900's.  The river trail goes right by it and there is a Starbucks on that side with outdoor seating, and is a popular rest stop for cyclists and runners along those trails.  Something similar would be a hit in Tulsa.  

There are windows facing the river and the retail floors inside take advantage of the views on that side.  There is an underground parking garage that was built to the south of the existing building with some surface parking and a landscaped mountain bike track on top.  There is also surface parking across the street adjacent to I-25.  They do kayak demos in the rapids next to the building.

It would be nice if even just the north side and part of the west side was covered in windows like this:

[Tulsasaurus Rex]

The store under construction in DC is going to resemble Denver's much more than Ft. Collins. So it's not a one-of-a-kind. Maybe it's a new flagship. Though the REI in Arlington, VA is nothing to look twice at.