What's the latest on cheap apartments in OKC? The new Thunder arena? Your questions answered
The Oklahoman’s Steve Lackmeyer fielded reader questions Friday during this week’s OKC Central Live Chat. You can join Steve most Fridays at 10 a.m. to add your comments and questions about downtown development.
Prior to the pandemic, Steve hosted live chats each week, giving readers a chance to ask questions about Oklahoma City development and growth as well as an opportunity to ask direct questions of OKC lawmakers like Mayor David Holt. 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 six months by clicking here. You can also get an all-access digital account for $9.99 for a full year by clicking here.
Below is an edited transcript of Friday’s discussion:
New developments bringing apartments for rent in OKC
Q: Hey, Steve. Hope your holidays were fun! Any new developments in the push for more affordable apartments in the central city area? Rents are crazy high.
A: The downtown apartment market is doing very well and that's why we're seeing ongoing construction despite rising labor, material and financing costs. But these rising costs really complicate efforts to build affordable or workforce housing. Boulevard Place, which includes some affordable housing, is set to start construction this year, but we don't have a start date for Alley's End, a second project with affordable housing planned by Rose Rock.
The Harlow, the apartments being developed at the former BancFirst and Medical Arts buildings, are not "affordable" housing, but the rents quoted to me for my story in November are very competitive. Read more about the Harlow here: https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news/2022/11/16/oklahoma-city-okc-historic-bancfirst-medical-arts-builings-convert-apartments-retail-space-downtown/69648435007/
Where will OKC's new Thunder arena be built?
Q: Where do you believe the new sports arena be located at?
A: I am 99% certain that if voters support building a new arena for the Thunder, it will be built at the former Cox Convention Center site that is now home to Prairie Surf Studios. And yes, this means the city needs to work with this successful start-up to find a new home. The studios are a success story with soundstages being used by movies and the Sylvester Stallone series "Tulsa King."
The use of Cox Center was never intended to be permanent. The building will require millions be spent on repairs, the roof and ongoing structural issues that come with being 50 years old. The site is perfectly located next to Bricktown and is surrounded by hotels.
Finally, I highly recommend reading this recent piece by Brandy McDonnell on the impact of Prairie Surf Studios on Oklahoma City's efforts to become a film hub.
Where will OKC build a new soccer stadium?
Q: What about the MAPS 4 multi-use / soccer stadium? Last I heard 3 locations were in the running?
A: No site is selected yet. We've long heard locations were likely to be either south of Farmers Market, in the Wheeler Park area or at the former cotton oil mill site south of Lower Bricktown. Last fall I heard one more site emerge with the Chickasaws showing interest in having the stadium built as part of their OKANA resort development.
What have been the economic effects of First National in OKC?
Q: Over the last year, we've seen First National open, people are moving in, the hotel is opened, etc. What kind of monetary influence will this have on downtown OKC?
A: The apartments are not fully leased, though I believe they are at least half full at this point. The hotel, meanwhile, is going gangbusters and was a big hit during the holidays. The sort of guests who stay at a hotel like The National are staying for the experience, whether it’s a wedding, tourism or a romantic wedding getaway. One can expect these guests to spend their money at area attractions, restaurants and shops. I can see the hotel and to some degree the apartments increasing the likelihood of seeing more retail in the heart of the downtown business district.
What will happen to the Oklahoma County jail?
Q: With the announcement of apartments west of 700 West (Ron Bradshaw's development) what does this mean for the jail?
A: The Muse apartments are close to opening at 700 West and construction will likely start this summer of 248 apartments and structured parking being developed by Pivot Project and Rob Garrett with KANA on the southwest corner of NW 4 and Shartel. Add this to the ongoing infill development in the modernist SoSA neighborhood and we already are seeing a significant expansion of downtown west to Classen Boulevard.
It’s too early to say yet what will happen to the county jail when the new one is built and opened elsewhere. But I am aware that people are already interested in the current location.
What's going up at 11th and Harvey in Midtown?
Q: Spotted construction fencing at 11th & Harvey. New Midtown Renaissance movement? Or simply a construction staging area for the new office at 11th & Hudson?
A: Pivot Project started site work over the holidays at NW 11 and Hudson where it is building new offices. The new building, designed by architect Rand Elliott, will be four stories high and span 48,000 square feet. Parking will be tucked under the building with egress from NW 11.
This is the corner that was once going to be a hotel until that market was hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic.
What's the timeline for bus service updates?
Q: Hi Steve, glad the chats are back. The development I'm most looking forward to in 2023 is the arrival of BRT. It's probably too soon to know, but have you heard of any development plans around future stations? I know the streetcar has sparked some development near stations and I'm hoping for something similar with the new BRT.
A: Not yet. Bus rapid transit is new to Oklahoma City, so I suspect the development community will wait and see how the public adapts to the new routes. For those not familiar with BRT, it is promoted as a high-quality bus-based transit service that has higher frequency service with fewer stops. The first route is being built out to northwest Oklahoma City. More funded routes are planned for northeast and south Oklahoma City. The city is seeking public input on those routes.
Will The Oak bring Penn Square back to life?
Q: I'm excited about The Oak. Do you think that is going to help Penn Square or hurt it? And do you think this might bring 50 Penn Place back to life? I've wondered why someone doesn't convert at least part of that into condos or apartments rather than offices.
A: 50 Penn Place was an ambitious attempt at mixed-use development when the 16-story tower was built in 1973. As a kid my mother took me to Orbach's to shop for school clothing. As an adult, I've spent a lot of time at Full Circle Books, whose owner Jim Tolbert has published several of my local history books.
It's important to remember that Penn Square, across the street, was an outdoor mall back then and that 50 Penn was the more modern of the two shopping destinations.
That changed with the massive renovation of Penn Square and conversion into an indoor mall.
50 Penn Place's three-story retail is pretty much reduced to a handful of shops, including the Belle Isle Brewery. The upper floor tenants include radio stations operated by iHeart Communications. The office tower also was once home to the FBI.
I'm not sure if the office floors are the challenge for 50 Penn Place. The question is how best to adapt the use of the two upper mall floors. It's been used as a trade school, class space for EPIC Charter School and other office space, but nothing has really taken off.
Tune in next time
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Steve Lackmeyer started at The Oklahoman in 1990. He is an award-winning reporter, columnist and author who covers downtown Oklahoma City, urban development and economics for The Oklahoman. Contact him at slackmeyer@oklahoman.com. Please support his work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a subscription today at subscribe.oklahoman.com.
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Could Oklahoma City's OKANA resort include MAPS 4 soccer stadium?
