The "this has nothing to do with Tulsa" mega-post

[Laramie]

South Oklahoma City's 2,000 seat Roman Catholic Basilica
& Father Stanley Rother Shrine

According to the Sooner Catholic (March 10, 2019 p. 3) the Father Stanley Rother Shine & 2,000 seat Basilica  ONE CHURCH, MANY DISCIPLES has exceeded its challenge goal of $80 million with $81,568,843 gifts/pledges to date 102%.

Sooner Catholic:  https://ecatholic-sites.s3.amazonaws.com/20256/documents/2019/3/Sooner%20Catholic%203-10-19.pdf

It is highly anticipated that the project is currently in the middle of about a year of pre-construction (value added designs, planning, regular design, budgeting, etc.) with target construction of this project to begin the 4th quarter of this year.

[Laramie]

Blessed Father Stanley Rother

McSherry unearthed a wooden box, deteriorated by a decade of moisture and turning to sawdust. The heart was enshrined inside a black plastic sheet.

"There was about a half-gallon jar with blood in it, and the metal part of the jar had rusted but the blood had not congealed," said McSherry, now a priest at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Oklahoma City.

Another excavation eyewitness, the Rev. Greg Schaffer, asked other priests to observe the fresh blood.

"It seemed to me blood would coagulate in a container over 10 years," said Schaffer, who still serves in the neighboring San Lucas Toliman mission in Guatemala.

Oklahoma Gazette - Heart of a martyr: https://www.okgazette.com/oklahoma/heart-of-a-martyr/Content?oid=2947451

[Laramie]

Oklahoma City West Village Apartments' pic updates

Pics via OKCTalk Forum

[Laramie]

 

New boutique hotel planned for OKC's Midtown



A six-story boutique hotel is proposed for the corner of NW 11 and Hudson Avenue. [Rendering by Elemental Architecture]



A six-story boutique hotel is the next addition to development underway along the 1200 block of N Hudson Avenue with the Elk Valley brewery, the future Hudson Street Market and headquarters for Resolution Legal Group shown to the left. [Rendering by Elemental Architecture]


The future site of a boutique hotel is shown in the lower right corner of this December photo next to the home of Elk Valley Brewing at 1212 N Hudson Ave.[Dave Morris/The Oklahoman]


A six-story boutique hotel is the next addition to development underway along the 1200 block of N Hudson Avenue with the Elk Valley brewery, the future Hudson Street Market and headquarters for Resolution Legal Group shown to the left. [Rendering by Elemental Architecture]

Oklahoman:  Thursday, March 21, 2019 | by Steve Lackmeyer:  https://www.oklahoman.com/new-boutique-hotel-planned-for-okcs-midtown/article/5626403

[Laramie]

Huge mixed-use project at NW Expressway and Penn set for rezoning
Published on 03-21-2019 06:34 AM - OKCTalk News:  https://www.okctalk.com/content.php?r=604-Huge-mixed-use-project-at-NW-Expressway-and-Penn-set-for-rezoning

On March 28th, the planning commission will consider applications to rezone several large tracts at the southwest corner of NW Expressway and Pennsylvania, a key step towards a huge proposed mixed-use development.




A group led by Tulsa developer Ryan McNeil looks to demolish two large office complexes and a handful of homes and replace them with a complex that would feature a movie theater, hotel, apartments, restaurant, retail and office space and structured parking.

OKCTalk was first to report on the plans last July when neighbors in the area were being asked for their support.

Titled Penn Central, the conceptual design by architects Wakefield Beasley & Associates is similar to Avalon in Alpharetta, Georgia, a popular and acclaimed mixed-use project that was designed by the same firm.

Under the plan, NW 50th would be realigned to tie into an existing light on Penn that currently leads into 50 Penn Place. New vehicle access would also be added from east-bound NW Expressway.

If passed by the planning commission, final approval by city council would be required.

[patric]

Their streetlights dont seem to put much light on the streets.  The shielded bollard lights are a good idea, though.

[SXSW]

That is the type of development I would like to see replace Promenade Mall.  Maintains its retail component but significantly less so and more concentrated in one avenue, with apartments, hotel and office.

[Laramie]

Lighting has always been a problem here in OKC.  

As soon as the City or ODOT gets  the apparatus in place to repair or replace the outdoor lighting, the copper-scrap metal thieves are in a strategic place to attack; this happens on private as well as public developments.    We have had storm water street grill man hole covers stolen from the streets; I know, I drove over an uncovered one, did significant damage to my vehicle.

Thieves will savage anything they can get their hands on to turn a buck; yet it costs to the city thousands of dollars to replace.   Recall before they could get the S.E. 15th Street Bridge completed, thieves were stealing the aluminum rails on the side of the bridge elevated for pedestrian walk way.

More responsibility should be placed on the scrap metal buyers to question people about ownership who bring scrap metal (like man hole covers) into their operations;  these thieves should be arrested on the spot.

[Laramie]

'Disruptive' I-235 project to begin in OKC

Sunday, March 24, 2019 | by Randy Ellis--Oklahoman

The honeymoon is about over for Interstate 235 commuters who have been enjoying a five-month respite from construction on the main thoroughfare that links Edmond and Oklahoma City.

Starting Monday, construction crews will begin work on a project to remake the I-235/I-44 interchange..

...The new interchange project will be complex, involving the building or reconstruction of 11 bridges, including the construction of two new flyover ramps that are designed to move traffic more efficiently from northbound I-235 to westbound I-44 and from eastbound I-44 to northbound I-235.

The flyover ramps, the tallest of which will be 70 feet in height, will replace the current cloverleaf ramps. Similar flyover ramps can be seen at the interchange involving the Kilpatrick Turnpike, State Highway 74 and Memorial Road in northwest Oklahoma City...

...Starting in mid-April and continuing through the fall, crews will be doing rehabilitation work on I-44 bridges over Deep Fork Creek between I-235 and Western Avenue. Major lane and ramp closures can be expected during the $6 million project, which is being done by Sherwood Construction of Tulsa.

Sometime within the next 45 days, crews also are expected to begin work on a project to replace and seal joints on the I-44 bridge over Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. One lane in each direction will be closed while work on the $410,000 project is in progress:  https://www.oklahoman.com/disruptive-i-235-project-to-begin-in-okc/article/5626720

[Laramie]

The Bower at Lee

Bower designed for families desiring urban living:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KlFgJy5dJwc


The Bower is adding some infill to a long vacant block in Midtown, as shown looking northeast from NW 4 and Lee Avenue. [Dave Morris, The Oklahoman]


The Bower condominiums and townhomes are shown at NW 4 and Lee. [Doug Hoke/The Oklahoman]


A balcony at the Bower condominium and townhomes at NW 4 and Lee, has a view of the downtown skyline. [Doug Hoke/The Oklahoman]

The Bower, 625 NW 4, consists of two types of housing — eight free-standing, two-story brownstones and a 24-unit, five-story condominium tower.

Developer Richard McKown said the project came together when three sets of property owners on the block decided to join forces to build a project bigger than what they could do on their own.

The Bower at Lee:  https://www.oklahoman.com/bower-designed-for-families-desiring-urban-living/article/5626602

[Laramie]

Oklahoma City Convention Center Complex pic update



via OKCTalk Forum   03-25-2019

[Laramie]

Miller & Johnson Law firm building




 Southwest corner of NW 6th and Walker, downtown Oklahoma City




Construction update pics via OKCTalk Forum

[Laramie]

Oklahoma City downtown Scissortail Park & Myriad Gardens Botanical Park

Sensera live webcam: https://www.senserasystems.com/public/embed/M68776484796


Scissortail Park construction just south of the Myriad Botanical Gardens separated by Oklahoma City Boulevard
Lower Scissortail Park will be south of I-40 Crosstown expressway linked by Skydance Bridge



Park will be west of the new convention center & Omni Hotel complex and south of The Peake Arena.


Myriad Botanical Gardens


Pics via OKCTalk Forum

[Laramie]

OKCTalk reports on proposed MAPS IV State Fair Arena replacement

As we were first to report in August 2016, the board of the state fairgrounds commissioned a study by consultants Populous to determine the feasibility and cost to construct a new multi-purpose facility to replace the aging Jim Norick Arena.



Norick Arena seats 8,500 in its typical configuration but can accommodate up to 11,000. Originally named the State Fairgrounds Arena, it opened in 1965; 1990s current facility received a renovation and slight expansion as part of the first MAPS initiative in the 1990's.

The City of Oklahoma City has used Populous to assist in the site selection and design of the MAPS 3 Convention Center and also commissioned other studies from the Kansas City-based firm, which has had a hand in dozens of arenas, ballparks and stadiums around the world.



As the vote for MAPS 4 approaches later this year, Mayor David Holt has mentioned this particular project may be included.

As proposed, the new arena would sit slightly southeast of the present arena site and be completely new from the ground up. It would also be attached to the new livestock barns that were recently added as part of MAPS 2 and directly across from the new Expo Building, which was recently completed as part of MAPS 3.



The plans drawn by Populous and ADG also call for a small horse/livestock arena to be built between the existing barns and the new facility, along with more barn and multi-purpose space.

Other features include two large plazas, suites, and retractable upper-level seating. A lounge and restaurants are also part of the proposal.

Flexibility would allow for the easy configuration for equestrian/rodeo with a capacity of 5,500 to basketball, circus, ice shows and concerts that could host over 9,000 attendees.



A phased construction plan would allow Norick Arena to remain operational during the construction of the Coliseum.

The established budget is just over $96 million. The Populous study claims an annual economic impact of $330 million.

If the plan becomes part of a MAPS 4 vote, it would do so against a background of public backlash surrounding several recent demolitions at State Fair Park, including the landmark Space Needle which came down late last year. Concern has also been raised about similar removals of the monorail and speedway, as many see the park as eliminating sentimental favorites in favor of equine and livestock facilities.

The State Fair Park is operated by Oklahoma State Fair, Inc. on behalf of the City of Oklahoma City, which owns all the property and buildings. Board meetings of Oklahoma State Fair, Inc. are not public, nor is detailed financial information.

         Basketball            9,354
         Ice Hockey         8,250 est*
         Ice Shows            6,192
         Stage Events        9,282

*Based on seats behind dasher boards & upper deck retractable seats

[DowntownDan]

South Oklahoma City's 2,000 seat Roman Catholic Basilica
& Father Stanley Rother Shrine

According to the Sooner Catholic (March 10, 2019 p. 3) the Father Stanley Rother Shine & 2,000 seat Basilica  ONE CHURCH, MANY DISCIPLES has exceeded its challenge goal of $80 million with $81,568,843 gifts/pledges to date 102%.

Sooner Catholic:  https://ecatholic-sites.s3.amazonaws.com/20256/documents/2019/3/Sooner%20Catholic%203-10-19.pdf

It is highly anticipated that the project is currently in the middle of about a year of pre-construction (value added designs, planning, regular design, budgeting, etc.) with target construction of this project to begin the 4th quarter of this year.

Seems out of place for suburban OKC, but if they can afford it, okay then.