Is Alamo Drafthouse coming to OKC? Is OKC red, purple or blue? Your questions answered

The Oklahoman’s Steve Lackmeyer fielded reader questions Friday during his weekly OKC Central Live Chat. You can join Steve most Fridays at 10 a.m. to add your comments and questions about downtown development.

To be able to ask questions and interact with Steve or special guests, you must have a digital subscription to The Oklahoman and you must be logged in. Right now, you can get unlimited digital access to all of our content for $1 for the first six months.

Why isn't the Northwest Expressway trails bridge open yet?

Q: What’s the hold up on the bike/pedestrian bridge over Northwest Expressway? Construction has been done for months but it’s still roped off from use. The bridge was illuminated a couple of nights ago, but it really didn't look attractive. That design is better suited for NW 39th and St. Clair, where the trail must again cross 8 lanes of traffic. 

A: Construction of the 121-foot-long bridge over the six-lane Northwest Expressway started in late 2021.

The $5.3 million bridge, east of Wilshire Boulevard, will link the Lake Hefner and Lake Overholser Trails and is funded by bonds passed by voters in 2007 and the Better Streets Safer City bonds passed in 2017.

The design by MacArthur Associated Consultants reflects classic cars from the '40s, '50s and '60s and nearby airports, Wiley Post and Clarence E Page, and their aviation heritage.

The project has hit several delays due to ongoing supply issues. Shannon Cox, spokeswoman for public works, reports the city is awaiting delivery of mesh fencing needed to prevent debris, items from falling off the bridge into traffic. Once that is installed, the bridge will open. Cox said the city hopes to open the bridge within the next couple of months.

Oklahoma City or Tulsa? Which is better governed?

Q: Which has a better model for city governance, Tulsa or Oklahoma City? Tulsa has a mayor-council form of government, whereby the mayor has all departments reporting to the mayor's office; whereas, Oklahoma City is led by a city manager, with the mayor being much more a figurehead. Which is better?

A: Oklahoma City's model is far superior. It provides consistency whereas the Tulsa model can dramatically shift focus and momentum depending on who gets elected. If you look at how county government performs in this state (riddled with corruption) and how Oklahoma City performs, it's clear that elected government management of day-to-day operations is inefficient and not based on who might be best qualified.

Where are the Oklahoma City sidewalks?

Q: Why did the city just stop installing sidewalks? We were told years ago we would get one between Pennsylvania and May Avenues on NW 30 because that strip meets the requirement for pedestrians to reach schools (NW Classen, Taft, and Cleveland) shopping, and churches, but a promise was made and then crickets. 

A: The city is still building sidewalks, but it has a long way to go because leaders in the mid- to late-1900s put all of their focus into roads and nothing else. I have no answer on this particular stretch, but I'll try to schedule a chat with public works director Eric Wenger later this year.

More: Sidewalks and bike lanes lead MAPS 4 discussion

Is south Oklahoma City getting enough love?

Q: I live in south Oklahoma City and there is a prevailing thought there that the majority of city resources are spent north of the Oklahoma River. I drive all over the city and it does seem the roads in south Oklahoma City are in a higher level of disrepair than in north Oklahoma City. The Improvement Districts heretofore in Oklahoma City (Automobile Alley, Uptown 23, Midtown, Deep Deuce, West Village, Western Avenue, Bricktown, etc.) are all north of the river. Are the residents of south Oklahoma City wrong in their perception? 

A: Part of this challenge is the different nature of the two sides of the city. Much of south Oklahoma City beyond SW 29 and Capitol Hill were built as either workforce neighborhoods post World War II or middle class to affluent neighborhoods along Interstate 240 and beyond.

As a result, there are less vintage mixed-use areas like the ones you mention. But I also believe that south Oklahoma City doesn't quite appreciate or boast about what it has and what is coming its way. Oklahoma City Community College is a great asset, as is Will Rogers World Airport and the vast industrial employers in the area. Heck, you have Amazon and Hobby Lobby. You have Wheeler. You have the First Americans Museum and soon, OKANA.

Oklahoma City can and should do better with its roads. I promise you there are roads in north Oklahoma City that are crumbling as well (Western Avenue between NW 63 and Wilshire, Western Avenue by Chisholm Creek).

I dream of the city's public and private sectors making Capitol Hill a district that can show off our Hispanic community. We will soon see work starting on the festival plaza in Capitol Hill.

We are also set to see a bus rapid transit line, more senior wellness centers, sidewalks, trails and parks coming to south Oklahoma City as part of MAPS 4. But I agree, the south side can and should be thought of more in all these plans. But now I ask you - what would you like to see done?

Restaurants facing tough times

Q: Is Nic's on Robinson closed? Every time I have gone there recently, it has been closed. The last time I actually got inside, I didn't stay because every table was dirty and we stood there for about 5 to 10 minutes without a single employee coming out, so we figured we had interrupted a work day meeting or something and left. 

A: They are open today. A lot of restaurants are struggling to stay staffed and it is not unusual for a business to have to close for a day if they can't get enough people for a particular shift.

I'm not sure that Nic's in Midtown has really matched up with the classic original at NW 12 and Pennsylvania Avenue. They're very, very different.

History site offers a glimpse of city's past

Q: Just want to say I really enjoy the Retro Metro OKC photo collections, especially the mentioning of the I.M. Pei era.  

A: Thank you! A lot of great people have worked to create this resource and I'm guilty of not promoting it enough as part of my day job. Want to see color films of the original OKC streetcars and interurbans? Do you want to browse through menus of old, long lost but still beloved restaurants? Do you like browsing through postcards and matchbooks? Do you like watching old Oklahoma City commercials? Do you want to learn about historic landmarks? Yes, all of this and more can be enjoyed for free at www.retrometrookc.org.

Red, blue or purple?

Q: You mentioned in a post last week that OKC is more purple than Tulsa at this time. I am sure there are some urban core clusters that are truly blue or red in the inner city. However, what suburban areas in OKC are truly infused with purple in your opinion that can drive positive changes in our political landscape?

A: I recently asked Pat McFerron, a pollster with CHS & Associates, about how to best characterize the city in 2023. And his answer makes a lot of sense.

He said the Oklahoma County portion of Oklahoma City is "purple on the blueish side." Including Cleveland and Canadian portions makes the city red. But on municipal elections, turnout drops outside of Oklahoma County. Yes, Cleveland County is known as having a blue bubble, but that is in the Norman side of the county.

So where are we seeing changes? Edmond is far more diverse than it was 30 years ago. Much of northwest Oklahoma City has changed as well.

I'm not a big fan of all this red, blue and partisan stuff. Conservatives, moderates and liberals can and do bring good ideas to the table. Healthy, constructive and respectful debate is a good thing for a city. Getting people to talk and know each other can do wonders.

Completing the half

Q: While the "The Half" is developing along Broadway extension with apartments, eateries, movies, what do you think is the next thing to be brought into the mix in this area that can be a game changer. 

A: The Half has a great combination of entertainment anchors as a start with Flix Brewhouse and Chicken n Pickle. It also has great corporate office anchors with American Fidelity and Dolese Bros. The apartments are a good addition to the mix. But it needs retail, and even Chisholm Creek, which has a great head-start on The Half and another mixed-use destination, OAK, is still working on boosting its retail component.

In this day and age, there are a few magical retailers out there that can still draw shoppers away from their smartphones and into the stores. But they are elusive. We're talking Crate and Barrell and IKEA. So far, OAK is the only one of these three (and it has yet to open) that has managed to get some of that magic with Restoration Hardware as one of its future anchors.

River trails extension opening soon

Q: Is the eastern extension of the river trails from the Boathouse District officially open yet?

A: Expect an opening later this spring. These trails and a bridge planned between the OKANA and First Americans Museum on the south shore and Riversport and the boathouse district will be a significant boost to our city's 100-mile trails system. A planned trail head to be built by Riversport will add to that momentum.

Will EMBARK pass cover new bus rapid transit?

Q: Do you happen to know if EMBARK's current year pass will cover the BRT service when it starts? 

A: To those unfamiliar with BRT, it stands for "bus rapid transit" and is designed to deliver fast, comfortable and cost-efficient travel. The system being built in Oklahoma City includes stepped up stations (stops) and pull off lanes for easy and quick loading and unloading.

The first route is expected to open this fall and follows a route from downtown along Classen Boulevard to Northwest Expressway that will link up with west Oklahoma City. Because the BRT has fewer stops, the trips will be much faster than a regular bus route.

Voters approved funding for two more BRT lines that will extend northeast and south from downtown.

EMBARK spokesman Michael Scroggins reports the BRT routes will be covered by the regular bus passes. He also told me that the Central Oklahoma Transportation and Parking Authority is set to vote later this spring on extending the free bus passes given to high school juniors and seniors to anyone 18 and younger.

Will Alamo Drafthouse expand into Oklahoma City?

Q: Is there anything new with Alamo Drafthouse. I understood at one time it was going to go in Chisolm Creek, however I have not heard anything new. If there's still interest, do you know what location they would look at? Are there any other higher end movie theaters looking at Oklahoma City? 

A: Alamo Drafthouse was a hot prospect in the early 2000s. The chain started in Austin in an older theater and as it grew it became known for combining movies with drinks and meals, themed runs ranging from camp to silent movies, and even spectacle programming involving live bands.

I think it’s still a great concept and would do well in Oklahoma City. I can see Chisholm Creek being a great location for the chain and maybe that’s how the rumor got started.

Alamo Drafthouse declared bankruptcy in 2021 and scrapped several new locations that had been announced. Others that were started were continued. But it appears the chain is slowing down its expansion.

Alamo Drafthouse is not alone in this downturn in fortunes. Several theater projects were announced a few years ago for locations in the east Edmond/Oklahoma City area, Memorial Road and south Oklahoma City. Most of those projects went silent, and it appears there are no new theaters coming anytime soon.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Alamo Drafthouse into OKC uncertain, trails bridge opening soon