Block 34 construction officially begins

Feb. 7—After nearly a decade in the works, the City of Stillwater broke ground Tuesday on Block 34.

Many of the project's influencers were in attendance, including Kicker founder Steve Irby, Jim Beckstrom, City officials and others.

Standing at the lectern in front of Kicker audio equipment, Simmons Bank banners and construction equipment from sponsors, Stillwater Mayor Will Joyce told the audience how excited he was to celebrate breaking ground on Block 34 "to develop a centralized gathering place and recreational space."

Joyce thanked many companies and individuals for their hard work and dedication during the planning process. Some of these organizations were the Stillwater Community Center Foundation, Visit Stillwater, Stillwater Chamber of Commerce, Downtown Stillwater Association and many more.

"These phenomenal partnerships between organizations and volunteers are essential for the progress and success of Stillwater," Joyce said.

Jim Beckstrom, chairman of the Stillwater Community Center Foundation and chair of the Block 34 architecture and development committee said he began working diligently on the project in 2017.

"We will now have an unbelievable machine in the middle of town to spawn economic development," Beckstrom said. "We're already seeing things build up around the block; it's really exciting to see how this is going to go. This is going to be an exciting venue for people to gather, listen to live music. "

The seven-year vision finally came into view due to Irby's persistence in 2020 to begin the project.

"Kicker and a couple other donors said, 'Hey look, let's try to get something going,'" Beckstrom said. " ... So we started getting money together to kind of put a small modest stage in, then (COVID-19) hit. ... In 2021, we got a call from Mr. Irby, and (he) said 'Hey, we would like to make this happen,' and I said 'Well, that's awesome,' and ... he said 'No, we really want to make it happen.' That culminated into a $4 million-plus gift to get the wheels rolling on this huge, this amazing, facility."

Beckstrom said it is mindblowing to witness first-hand where the project is going.

The block will feature the Kicker soundstage — which will be programmed with music events for the next 10 years — the Simmons Bank pavilion, a large green space in the middle of the block, gardens, seating areas, playgrounds, water features and much more.

One of the projects Beckstrom has worked on most is the musicians' walk. The musicians' walk will extend from one side of the block to the other, with lighted monuments down the walkway dedicated to influential musicians to the Stillwater area.

On the monument will be a photo and short summary about the artist. Beckstrom said the artists are selected regionally — that region being Payne County and the counties adjacent to it, while Creek county will be cut in half due to the large population of Tulsa.

Beckstrom said these musicians will be artists who were either born in Stillwater or artists that played in Stillwater, and, Beckstrom said, "one of the qualifications is that you can no longer be living."

These monuments will be privately funded, but the project must be fully funded by April 1.

Irby gives all of the credit of Block 34 to Beckstrom, and he claims that the pair makes a great team.

Irby said he reached out to Beckstrom then because he felt it was perfect timing financially — audio equipment is one of the industries that saw an increase in sales during the pandemic. Irby said he had always hoped for a space like Block 34 in Stillwater.

"The idea for the park, for me, actually came from Boulder, Colorado, where my son was living," Irby said. "They have a beautiful downtown park ... and I think we all just thought 'this is such a beautiful place, I wish Stillwater had something like this,' and I think that was what really was a thing that kept me going."

Irby said the park will only enhance the current quality of life in Stillwater, and it is going to be a catalyst for business development in the downtown area.

"This is something that is close to my heart," Irby said. "I think the lifestyle we have in Stillwater is just unmatchable. There is no small town in Oklahoma that has what we've got here, it's kind of an oasis and kind of a really special place. ... I think we are very fortunate to be here, and I think Block 34 is going to be the icing on the cake."

Deputy City Manager Brady Moore said the project is expected to last about 15-16 months, so the City is hopeful for a 2025 grand opening.