tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9224026958380164812024-03-05T22:00:48.707-06:00ComeonTulsaDon't worry. This is just a fill in until I can get the new banner up.-Kylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02235640594452115968noreply@blogger.comBlogger55125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-922402695838016481.post-4074658989923989162012-03-24T09:15:00.000-05:002012-03-24T09:15:32.056-05:00Downtown Housing - Round IIWith two new housing projects recently announced, one very large one just completed, two hopefully nearing groundbreaking, and more than ikely more in the planning stages, I think we are entering the second wave of downtown housing.<br />
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The addition of the Brady Park and (fingers crossed) the Land Legacy Park in the East End will only make housing in downtown more attractive. I truly think we are at a tipping point with our downtown, and I'm not just saying that to include some cliché saying in my writing. I truly believe that. <br />
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Now for a list of the projects:<br />
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Completed: The Metro at Brady (Tribune II)<br />
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Under Construction: _________________________ <br />
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Planned: Greenarch, Brady Flats, Urban8, and Elliot Nelson's apt building.-Kylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02235640594452115968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-922402695838016481.post-61065015010702917932012-03-21T11:13:00.000-05:002012-03-21T11:13:23.098-05:00Brady District Name Change....?A Frequent topic of discussion lately has revolved around this issue: "Should the name of the Brady District change?" <br />
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In my opinion, no. I don't feel that there is a need to change the name of the Brady District. Yes, I understand that Tate Brady was a racist. Still, I don't see the legitimate need. It has been called the Brady District for a loooong time, so why is there a sudden 'movement' to change it. I would probably still find myself calling it the Brady District, as would many other people. <br />
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Leave the name as it is. There is, in my opinion, no legitimate need to spend money to change the name of this district.-Kylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02235640594452115968noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-922402695838016481.post-3167108894886378922012-03-06T22:01:00.000-06:002012-03-06T22:01:28.821-06:00One Place Phase IIFor the second phase of One Place, I would love to see a stark change from the office tower of the first phase. I want the developers to make the hotel and residential stand out. Think curtain walls, tasteful brick, an interactive street level. Basically, I want a design for these that catches your eye and calls for more attention than a simple first, and last, glance. <br />
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I want them to think big. Think outside the norm for Tulsa. Bring in a design that looks modern, clean, and sophisticated. I want it to complement the BOK Center, but not look exactly like it. That's why I think brick would be a good idea, as it would contrast well with the flawlesness of the glass, and at a timeless element. <br />
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If I were on the design board, this would be my proposal.-Kylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02235640594452115968noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-922402695838016481.post-15434299686677475712012-03-05T22:37:00.000-06:002012-03-05T22:37:59.090-06:00Addressing last week's pollThank you to all who voted in last week's poll. I appreciate your participation, when mine has been lacking. This has been a busy, often times stressful week for me. I'm sorry for not posting, but to be honest, it was at the bottom of my list. Tomorrow, I'll discuss the second phase of One Place, but as for now it's late, my head hurts, and I can't think.<br />
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PS. I've gotten too used to twitter. I almost put a hash tag on this post.-Kylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02235640594452115968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-922402695838016481.post-45410177691936004342012-02-18T22:57:00.001-06:002012-02-18T22:58:51.332-06:00New plans for the blogI've decided to try something new with the blog. Instead of doing polls that last for a month or so, I am going to start doing weekly polls. They will be open from Sunday to Saturday, and I will sort of recap and discuss the results in a post at the end of the week. I will still be doing posts outside of the "weekly theme," so this is going to be an addition to the activity in the blog, not just a change. <br />
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These changes are coming about because I have seen a dramatic increase in the number of page views and activity on this blog in the past few weeks, which has come as a complete shock to me. I feel that I have hindered my own growth by not posting nearly enough and therefore causing this to be a website that you only want to check once every week or two for an update. My goal is to change that. I would like to thank all of my readers by way of making this a more interesting website to visit. That's not going to happen unless I make some changes to how I run this blog. <br />
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As always, thank you very much for reading and caring about what I have to say. I feel like I say this all the time, but I truly cannot thank you all enough. You are what make and grow this blog.<br />
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Whoops....almost forgot. This week's theme will be the "One Place" development, and speculation on what is to come with the second phase, or whether or not it will even happen. I'll have the poll up and running tonight so be sure to vote!-Kylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02235640594452115968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-922402695838016481.post-20468209849545411472012-02-18T22:39:00.000-06:002012-02-18T22:39:11.527-06:00Will the Land Legacy park ever be built?Apparently, those that participated in the poll think not. And I think that I agree with them. My biggest reason for saying this is that I haven't seen (or at least can't remember seeing) any detailed plans for the proposed park. Someone please point me in the right direction if I have simply missed the plans.<br />
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I would absolutely love to be proved wrong though. I want to see a park built on that location, as I think it would really spur development in the East End. However, the developers behind the project a few posts back seem to think that this project has a chance, and I'm sure they know more than I.<br />
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Perhaps more will surface soon, as it definitely seems as though the East End is gaining some momentum. I think there is much more going on behind the scenes than we know, so here's to hoping that we will be surprised with something great in the East End very soon.-Kylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02235640594452115968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-922402695838016481.post-54143978884345869082012-02-10T22:53:00.004-06:002012-02-10T22:59:25.593-06:00Why we don't need to keep up with OKCThis post is written as a response to Jake, who left a comment on the previous post regarding the talk in OKC of another new skyscraper(s) that will most likely be announced relatively soon. He also said that Tulsa needs to build one to "get in on the race." I will preface this post by stating that I do not intend to be rude or put anyone down, it is just me giving my full and unedited opinion. I enjoy all feedback from readers of this site, and I welcome differing opinions from mine.<br />
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Let me start by saying this, the city of Tulsa cannot simply build a new skyscraper at will. It takes a corporation willing to spend the money to do so. It doesn't matter how much we *really* want a new skyscraper, it will not happen until either a corporation or investor sees the need for one. OKC has seen this with Devon, and will probably end up seeing it again with another company. <br />
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"Wait, what? You mean that OKC currently has a skyscraper under construction and is likely to see at least one more in the coming years? But what about us? We must build a taller one in order to proclaim our superiority!" In my opinion, this thought process is totally wrong. I have grown tired of the attitude that we must mimick everything OKC does, or we will fall behind. This next part will damage the prides of many of you, but I believe it's true. OKC has already "outdone" us in terms of business and population growth. I don't think Tulsa will ever be as big as OKC, and that is okay. That does not mean that Tulsa cannot be as good as, or even better than OKC in terms of actual human-scale day to day life. <br />
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Why does it matter to us if OKC has the bigger skyline, or is adding population at a faster rate? Bigger does not equal better. <br />
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Here in Tulsa we have beautiful, historic neighborhoods. A downtown that is growing and revitalizing at an extremely quick pace, and many neighborhoods around it that are beginning to gentrify. We also have several very nice and rapidly growing suburbs. <br />
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So why are we so worried about OKC "outdoing" us? They are simply experiencing different circumstances than we are now. Who knows, we could be in their shoes in 5-10 years. Besides, some of the citizens are starting to get inflated heads, we should be happy that we're keeping all the nice people here. :)-Kylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02235640594452115968noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-922402695838016481.post-61417076524700795762012-01-29T11:54:00.002-06:002012-01-29T14:43:26.126-06:00Possible ChangesThere is a very good chance that I will be changing to a different blogging platform, thus changing my web address among other things. Blogger has been very hard to use as of late. I will let you know through here if I do in fact change websites. <br />
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I'm sorry to say this, but hopefully I can make some real improvements soon.<br />
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(PS. I'm sorry that everything is in a continuous block without any formatting to the writing. It is not how I am typing it, it is how Blogger is saving it. This is one of the reasons that I may soon be switching websites.)<br />
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<b>It looks as though my near rage quit on Google will not be happening. While not all the issues have been worked out, many of the issues I've been experienced have been addressed. Hopefully I won't have to move, that does not sound fun.</b>-Kylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02235640594452115968noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-922402695838016481.post-45786524956855934722012-01-29T11:40:00.002-06:002012-01-29T14:44:05.586-06:00I feel like ranting...Today I feel like ranting. I don't know why, but I do. As much as I would like to rant about Blogger being very difficult when it comes to changing the look of the site, and how they seem to hate Apple, I won't because that has no relevancy to this blog. <br />
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So my rant for today is about a phrase that I commonly hear and read. "I love downtown, but it will never be as good as it was in the 20's, and that's okay." Let's begin our annotation with the first pure in this quote, "I love downtown..." This is the only part of the quote that pleases me. It shows that the person does in fact enjoy downtown, and probably visits fairly often, and is not just some close-minded person who hasn't been downtown in twelve years and is still spewing their opinion as though they frequent it. Now the second phrase, "...but it will never be as good as it was n the 20's..." Wait, what? But I thought you loved downtown. If so, then why are you giving up hope on it now? I believe downtown has the full potential to achieve a level of vibrancy, importance, and vitality equal to or greater than it was in years past, but it needs the full support of citizens. And now the worst part, "...and that's okay..." This drives me <i><b>insane</b></i>! No, it's not okay. Downtown and surrounding areas very much have the potential to become just as great as they were before. We should <b><i>not</i></b> settle for anything less. Our city will only improve as long as we strive to make it better. That does not include deciding ahead of time that Tulsa has already seen its best days, and that days like those will never return. <br />
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Come on Tulsans! Let's have some faith in our capabilities and not limit ourselves by language such as this. We have the potential, so why hold back?-Kylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02235640594452115968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-922402695838016481.post-44766229332112697802012-01-28T14:51:00.000-06:002012-01-28T14:51:11.230-06:00Is something coming together in the East End?So earlier this week, a developer who posts on Tulsa Now leaked a tiny bit of info about not one, but two housing projects planned for the same block at 3rd and S. Greenwood, which is adjacent to the planned park by Land Legacy. Here are the renderings for one of them: <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6088/6036408354_02d7c349ac_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="234" width="512" src="http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6088/6036408354_02d7c349ac_b.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6194/6035853881_bbffc8d48e_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="234" width="512" src="http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6194/6035853881_bbffc8d48e_b.jpg" /></a></div>(Keep in mind that these are early renderings and do not expect the final design to look exactly like this.)<br />
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The project shown in the renderings above could start as soon as this spring, and would consist of for sale tri-level row houses with rooftop patio space. The massing behind it is another project that has not had any information officially released, but would appear to be more of a multi-family apartment or condo building. If these two projects actually do come to fruition very soon, I believe we will see the East End really heat up. And if the park is built soon as well, we will have another fantastic enclave of downtown appear. So far most development in downtown has been confined to the Blue Dome and Brady districts, but I think if these projects get going soon, we sill see more development spread east and south, and hopefully begin to connect into making downtown a cohesive neighborhood, and not several little districts. This area will definitely be one to watch as the year progresses, and I look forward to hearing more about it.-Kylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02235640594452115968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-922402695838016481.post-66823262291884335252012-01-22T15:42:00.002-06:002012-01-22T15:44:38.146-06:00Random OpinionRecently I have been reading in TNF a discussion that brings to light the notion that there is nothing to draw people in to our downtown. That it is a nice little area, of which is developing into just another neighborhood. No, those aren't the poster's exact words, but it's what I got out of it. <br />
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And to add my opinion, I would have to say that I completely disagree that there is nothing downtown to draw people in, or that makes it unique from other cities. I know many people who make trips to downtown specifically for the amazing restaurants. I frequently hear people at school rave about how good Joe Mommas, McNellies, etc. are. I see the restaurants in downtown as the number one (aside from BOK and ONEOK) draw for people that would not normally go downtown to make a special trip there.<br />
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And aside from restaurants drawing people in, think about how many 5k's are held downtown every year. More than I can count, and they certainly draw people in. Thousands. And what about all the Brady and the Cains. They draw hundreds to a couple thousand people in nearly every weekend. If you include the BOK Center then you have several thousand people lured into downtown for every event. And you of course cannot deny that many people would not be in downtown on a regular basis if it weren't for ONEOK and the Drillers.<br />
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Now think about the museums being constructed on the Matthews Warehouse block. They will definitely be something that many people consider worth visiting. And along with the art museums, there are all the art festivals and Friday night Art Crawl held in the Brady throughout the spring and summer. Talk about unique and full of character. <br />
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So overall, I think that the fear that our downtown has nothing unique to bring people, as well as money, in is unwarranted. It is a neighborhood that is devleloping a distinct character and personality, and we should encourage that. So far downtown has developed very organically and I think that is why it is what it is today. Let's not hinder what it has going because we are afraid that it is not enough.-Kylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02235640594452115968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-922402695838016481.post-3842276802250286482012-01-02T18:37:00.002-06:002012-01-02T18:37:28.492-06:00Downtown Update IIAfter reading the KRMG interview of Sager, with him once again proclaiming that his project is moving forward, I thought about what that project could mean for the area if it was ever completed. The article also talked about several other developments that are either nearly completed or close to breaking ground. I thought about now great downtown is going to be when all these projects are completed. And when those are completed, how many more projects will be planned or under construction. <br />
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First off, one of the projects that was mentioned in the article was Greenarch. A project that I was beginning to fear had died. From a design standpoint, it is my favorite project of the ones currently planned or under construction. It's modern design complements that of ONEOK Field, using similar materials, but separates itself by adding clean, square lines and fantastic colors. It really is a very good looking project if you ask me. The article stated (or maybe quoted) that Greenarch has overcome hurdles in its early stages and will be breaking ground very soon. If this project does in fact come to fruition, it will be the first major development within immediate proximity of the ballpark, and will hopefully encourage more activity around there.<br />
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Staying in the ballpark area, Blake Ewing's new grocery concept Archer Market is due to be open soon. The space is well under construction, so hopefully within a few weeks downtown has its own grocery store!<br />
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Another grocery, this time in the Blue Dome, Cam's Grocery, is set to be open this spring in their renovated building. The store's proprietor, Daniel Cameron, has been in the grocery business before in Oregon, so it sounds like we will be getting a solid new business with this development.<br />
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Jumping northwest a few blocks, the Brady is undergoing a true boom right now. I can't think of any other place in the city that has as many construction projects in such a concentrated area as the Brady. <br />
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The Metro is all but completed, and will bring 77 new lofts into downtown within a matter of weeks. Sit back for a minute and think about the economic impact that this is going to have on the area around it. The whole of downtown really. So many business owners would kill to have 77 residences within blocks of them. Along with that, it will bring even more pedestrians and life to the Brady during the day. Residents do more than bring an area nightlife, or weekend excitement. They make an area a living, breathing, 24/7 neighborhood. <br />
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Across the street, we have the Brady Fairfield Inn well under construction, with the beams already going up. Upon completion, this will add approximately 104 hotel rooms to the north side of downtown, as well as over 10,000 square feet of retail space, of which they hope to fill with restaurants. That is the only thing that gets me about. This project. We need STORES in downtown, more places to shop and do things, not eat. There are already plenty of places to eat right now, we need stores! Most likely the logic of the developers is that they need a restaurant in the bottom of their hotel for their guests to eat at, but in an urban area other places to eat are only blocks away, which in my opinion would seem to do away with the notion that a hotel must have a restaurant inside it. Even then, that should only be one restaurant. I wish that they would try to recruit some cool, interesting stores to locate there, instead of continuing the redundancy of restaurants. But oh well, I. Guess the stores will come soon enough.<br />
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Staying on the same block, it has been rumored that the Brady flats will begin construction shortly after the completion of the Metro. Whether or not this will happen, well my guess is as good as yours, so take it as you will.<br />
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Down the street a bit, there is the Matthews Warehouse, AHHA, and Brqdy Park under construction. I tule cannot wait to see the vibrancy that this will add to the heart of the Brady District. I'm sure I will be visiting the museums as well as the park on occasion, which will be an experience unlike any other n Tulsa. Also in this area is the new KOTV studios. These are well on track to Thor scheduled completion in 2013.<br />
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Now traveling south, the lot directly east of the BOK Center is alive with construction, as One Place begins to take shape. Cimarex Tower is beginning to rise from the ground, and the Northwestern Mutual headquarters are scheduled to be completed (I think) sometime in the first half of next year. Hopefully by the end of this year we now more about the hotel and residential portion of this project.<br />
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Well I guess that concludes this post. It's much longer than normal, as it's the first "real" post I've written on my iPad. I must say it is much easier to type on than an iPhone. :-)<br />
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As I always try to end my posts on a positive note, I'll do so again tonight. Downtown is alive. Naysayers that say it is dead or that "no one goes down there" no longer hold any ground. Tulsa is finally gaining quality, something that it has not had in a long, long time.-Kylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02235640594452115968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-922402695838016481.post-34549693131896695102011-12-30T10:25:00.000-06:002011-12-30T10:25:55.605-06:00What's in store for Tulsa in 2012?With the new year approaching, I thought I'd share some plausible hopes and goals for Tulsa this coming year. <br />
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I think the one of the biggest focuses of downtown in 2012, will be the Brady and Blue Dome districts. Already, we are seeing the north side of downtown fill in. This will be further amplified when many of the projects that are currently under construction, are completed sometime in the coming year. There is already a huge amount of synergy in these neighborhoods, and I think that developers will really play on that when they announce several new projects in 2012. <br />
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Another area that will see considerable new development, while not as much as the Blue Dome and Brady, will be the area including and between the CBD and the BOK Center. Already we are seeing this with the recent flurry of development, and I see no reason for this trend to change. I would have to say though, that my biggest hope for this area is that some of those pop up shops become permanent. It doesn't have to be the exact same stores, in fact I would love it if they were ne ventures, but I would like to see at least two or three of those pop up spaces filled. <br />
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Towards the end of 2012, it is my hope that the southern, as well as the east ends begin to relish in the same success that the north and central parts of downtown are currently experiencing. I would love to see TCC further develop its long range plans, and I would love to see a couple infill projects here and there throughout these areas.<br />
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All of this is simply my speculation though. I hope it happens, but who knows? Perhaps, we could be surprised with more than we expected. Yeah, there's my hopie for 2012. Let's be pleasantly surprised with more than we expected of our city. <br />
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Please tell me some of your hopes for Tulsa in the new year below. And of course, it does not have to include downtown. Any section of the metro is up for discussion.-Kylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02235640594452115968noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-922402695838016481.post-35031806672821504002011-12-25T09:23:00.003-06:002011-12-25T09:23:52.750-06:00Merry Christmas!Merry Christmas to everyone who reads this blog! I received a new iPad for Christmas so be expecting more blog entries than you,re used to. Have a wonderful day hopefully spent with family and those you love.-Kylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02235640594452115968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-922402695838016481.post-28923362505182087132011-12-23T00:16:00.002-06:002011-12-23T22:17:18.755-06:00How far we've come...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.maketulsa.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Tulsa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style=""><img border="0" height="245" width="388" src="http://www.maketulsa.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Tulsa.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Look at this picture. Stunning. Beautifully composed. Now think about how long it takes to create a picture like this. For all the photographers out there you know that this would have to be taken from a tripod, and that it would take a few shots of messing around with the settings and framing to get that perfect shot. To achieve results like this you can't just put the camera in "Auto" and click away. <br />
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Okay, so that's established. It takes a long time to take a good picture, but why is that relevant? Consider how empty the streets must have been. The photographer was obviously standing in the middle of the road, most likely for several minutes. Sadly, he or she was not in anyone's way. If this same person were to go back tomorrow and try to take the same picture, they would be honked at, blocking the way of many cars, and simply be causing problems. <br />
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Our little city has grown up so fast. With all the restaurants, businesses, stores, and the new hotel that are in this area now, along with the recent opening of Edward Delk's, Boston Avenue is no longer a pretty little ghost town. It is a vibrant, living, breathing part of the city. It has become a place where people want to be, not a place that scares you away because of its sheer emptiness. <br />
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This one picture is true for pretty much most of downtown for the time it was taken. You probably could have stood in the street anywhere you wanted and taken pictures. Heck, you could have layed down and taken a nap! It's nice to step back and think about all this and admire the progress that is being made. <br />
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Along with all of the tangible improvements downtown, I've noticed outsiders' perception of it is slowly changing as well. Maybe it's just me, but it seems as though we're hearing fewer and fewer people complain about how dangerous, boring, or waste of time downtown is. <br />
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Tulsa is back, and it's ready to fight.<br />
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<b>I forgot to include the Tulsa Art Deco Museum in my list of new places along Boston Ave. yesterday. Thank you William and all others who have contributed to this fantastic project.</b>-Kylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02235640594452115968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-922402695838016481.post-82270163842012599662011-12-21T15:24:00.002-06:002011-12-21T15:28:32.642-06:00Rail Discussions STILL Being Held UpI was reading an <a href="http://www.google.com/m/url?ei=TUfyTvi9CIK-2gX9ywE&gl=us&hl=en&q=http://www.tulsaworld.com/site/articlepath.aspx?articleid%3D20111220_11_A12_CUTLIN739587&tbs=nws:1&ved=0CEsQqQIwBw&usg=AFQjCNGDijGkARLLUHU4wRvOmzZMIwY-Bw">article</a> today, that further frustrated me with our government. It is no secret that our government, be it city, state, or federal, is a slow worker. Think about all the projects that have been talked about over the years, but have either never happened, or are "still in the works." Get back to me with a list, will ya? <br />
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So, while I was not surprised, I was disappointed to hear that rail talks, which were scheduled to begin at the end of August, have still not begun. In fact, it is not even known if the committee has even been formed yet. The committee's job is to create a presentation over the prospect of developing a rail link between Tulsa and OKC. This presentation was to be complete by December of 2012. Hmmmm....wonder how that's coming along when the committee is not even formed yet. <br />
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Honestly, I am not a huge fan of this project, at this time anyway. What good is it going to do to for people to ride a train either to OKC or Tulsa and then have to attempt to navigate both cities' crappy bust systems? We need to first construct at least a basic rail system constructed here in Tulsa (something that OKC is preparing to do) before we make a connection to OKC. If we did this within the next five years (yeah right) then we could immediately start making plans for a connection to OKC. But first we need to spend our money in the cities themselves, not between them.<br />
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As a side note, does anyone have any pictures of the Metro at Brady apartments? If you do send me an email with them and I'll post them on here (unless you don't want me to). I'd also like to see some of the One Place development as construction continues there. I would give full credit to you of course.-Kylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02235640594452115968noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-922402695838016481.post-91520953653615703292011-12-09T18:34:00.000-06:002011-12-09T18:34:44.153-06:00Christmas in Downtown Tulsa 2011<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk8Vy6XO7quTvnniemFgGJlNkvAoP817Do0N_YnB6gxoEchxxycsO4DNck3uw7QriEJW7lVP9XhgXPuIfUgqcSr39rBNPXrEQgUAlpkLxAhai6A6SeXK-ycW6qh9Gem7qSkOIq5PgEjfo/s1600/DSC03417_t960.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" mda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk8Vy6XO7quTvnniemFgGJlNkvAoP817Do0N_YnB6gxoEchxxycsO4DNck3uw7QriEJW7lVP9XhgXPuIfUgqcSr39rBNPXrEQgUAlpkLxAhai6A6SeXK-ycW6qh9Gem7qSkOIq5PgEjfo/s320/DSC03417_t960.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgycKCgJAIOGEVsUzZt8rqW_BPPAr3Dgx5WhST-nAvezjBJwzsUFDbk17Q8K5wdQ9U4sy45XeawFz-acRq6V-dkzNHKdzTE2eProFBnR6n3cXKK8Ek3alHdVE5LIzyUwcb0iw4khrVR108/s1600/6442212309_c458ede779.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" mda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgycKCgJAIOGEVsUzZt8rqW_BPPAr3Dgx5WhST-nAvezjBJwzsUFDbk17Q8K5wdQ9U4sy45XeawFz-acRq6V-dkzNHKdzTE2eProFBnR6n3cXKK8Ek3alHdVE5LIzyUwcb0iw4khrVR108/s320/6442212309_c458ede779.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>These two pictures show a side of downtown Tulsa that I am so happy to see return. For years downtown was dead around the holidays except for the annual Parade of Lights. After that, nothing happenned. People went home. Now there's something to do throughout the holiday season downtown. You no longer have to just come to the parade and leave. There is ice skating, shopping, dozens of restaurants, shows at all the downtown venues, or you can just take a walk and enjoy all of the Christmas lights. <br />
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I haven't been downtown yet this winter at all, and I'm hoping that I can go sometime pretty soon. It's not hard to entertain me. I'm one of those people that just walking around for a while outside suits me just fine. <br />
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All of what is going on right now is what is needed in order to sustain a healthy, vibrant, and growing downtown. Now, we don't have to beg people to go downtown just for the sake of going downtown. There's actually stuff to do now. This sure is an exciting time to live in Tulsa.<br />
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Merry Christmas...errrrrr...happy holidays.....I mean, whatever. Have a great rest of whatever you prefer to call this season.-Kylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02235640594452115968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-922402695838016481.post-13828204974656871782011-12-09T18:16:00.000-06:002011-12-09T18:16:10.851-06:00One Place is coming along...I'm sure most of you have already seen this, but if you haven't here is the link to the construction <a href="http://oxblue.com/pro/open/oneplacetower">camera</a> for One Place. It's coming along pretty quickly, with much of the base already poured, and just today they raised the crane that will be used to construct the tower. <br />
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This building has recieved much criticism in its design. While I do sympathize with some of what the critics are saying, I really don't think it's all that bad. It sure isn't eye catching, but it isn't hard to look at, espescially at street level, which is where it really matters. And although the rendering doesn't seem to depict this, I've read somewhere that the building will include two retail/restaurant openings along 2nd Street and one along Cheyenne. If that is to be the case, then I see this building as a major win along 2nd Street, where currently there is hardly any activity. If these two retail spaces did actually happen, then they would help soften it up, espescially around the area where it is most important, the blocks near the BOK Center. <br />
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I guess we'll know for sure how everything is pretty soon, as I don't imagine it being very long before we get a good look at what the base is actually going to look like.<br />
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So here's my verdict.<br />
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If the two said retail spaces fronting 2nd come to fruition, major win for the area.<br />
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If they don't, I won't consider it a complete fail but it is a large missed oppurtunity.-Kylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02235640594452115968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-922402695838016481.post-32106032691835705262011-11-17T19:07:00.000-06:002011-11-17T19:07:00.513-06:00Downtown - Transit, Infill, etc.I was reading earlier on <a href="http://downtownontherange.blogspot.com/">another blog</a> about all of the problems OKC is facing with the development of their downtown. I would rather not list them all here, I'll let you read about them on the link I posted or do your own research. All I have to say about them, is that I am not jealous of, nor do I think that OKC is outdoing us in any way. But, a bash OKC thing was not the point of this post, so I'll stop now. They have so many great projects right now under construction or planned. They are making quick and huge strides in their inner city.<br />
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Now let's move on to Tulsa.<br />
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So many great things have been happening lately, so many opportunities to write that I have missed. I am really busy this time of year, and have barely found time to do homework, much less ramble on about my opinion. <br />
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My favorite announcement of the past few weeks is definitely Blake Ewing's plans for a five - screen movie theater downtown. But not only will it be a theater, it will also serve meals and alcohol. Ewing himself has stated that it will be nicer than the Alamo Draft House. He has also said that the building will include a large marquee, which is one of my favorite parts of the entire development. What I'm not too thrilled about, but I'm sure all the old people will be, is that no one under 21 years of age will be allowed in the theater. Yes, I know why it is being done, and I have to admit that it will set a higher standard for the establishment.<br />
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Another thing that has been talked about recently are the newly released One Place renderings. Yeah, it's one of the most uninspired pieces of architecture I've ever seen. I don't mean to be rude, but the taste of the architects that designed this building really sucks. It is definitely not something that will catch anyone's eye except for perhaps other architects who will note the complete lack of creativity in the building. With that said, I do not think the building is downright ugly, it just comes in much lower than my expectations for a development of such high caliber.<br />
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Switching gears once again, today there was an <a href="http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?subjectid=11&articleid=20111117_11_A1_CUTLIN887658">article</a> about the Brady District and it's development in the Tulsa World. The part of that article that really caught my attention was the little section that discussed a street scraping plan for the Brady. I absolutely loved it. I loved it because it was not some grandiose plan costing millions upon millions of dollars that creates a mess in the district for a long time. It was simply, "You pay sixty percent of the cost to upgrade the sidewalk in front of your property, and we'll pay forty percent." (The money coming from the Brady District TIF.) I think this plan will do the most to help the appearance of the district, and it is entirely organic. <br />
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Now let's move on to transit.<br />
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With downtown well on its way to becoming a dense, liveable, attractive neighborhood, the time to start thinking and acting on the issue of transit is now. The day we have all been waiting for is finally here. Surface lots are disappearing downtown, and parking is beginning to become a bit more of a challenge. If we wish to continue having visitors to downtown that do not live there, we need to begin piecing together an effective public transportation system. This needs to happen immediately. Not in five years, not in ten years, not as a part of some long range plan. There are many things we could do with our current bus system tO make it more efficient and useful. What do you think we should do, right now, to improve public transportation?-Kylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02235640594452115968noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-922402695838016481.post-20742890809235084772011-11-08T17:52:00.000-06:002011-11-08T17:52:49.157-06:00Coming Soon....For a little while I'd like us all to discuss transit on here. I'm planning on getting it started tonight at the earliest and tomorrow night at the latest. Remember, this only works when you participate! So be sure to vote on the polls and leave comments. If you ever have anything you'd like to say in length, shoot me an email and I'll post it. Feel free to do this anytime, sometimes I just run out of ideas. <br />
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Thank you all for reading.-Kylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02235640594452115968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-922402695838016481.post-63885612268320240582011-10-20T12:29:00.000-05:002011-10-20T12:29:22.440-05:00Brady Fairfield Inn Breaks Ground<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.tulsaworld.com/articleimages/2011/20111020_E1_E2hotel1020.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="170" width="300" src="http://www.tulsaworld.com/articleimages/2011/20111020_E1_E2hotel1020.jpg" /></a></div>The Brady Fairfield Inn officially broke ground today, although construction has been ongoing for several weeks now. It will front Main between Archer and Brady and will have 104 rooms, as well as about 11,000 sq ft of retail space. Now let's hope that we can get some nice stores as opposed to restaurants in there. I think downtown has enough restaurants for now, what it really needs are some cool stores. Anyways, this is an exciting project adding to the rapidly developing Brady District.-Kylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02235640594452115968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-922402695838016481.post-1182608221585004262011-10-11T20:44:00.000-05:002011-10-11T20:44:25.623-05:00Notice the Poll---------->>>>>>I know that there are a lot of readers that don't vote on the polls. I really encourage you to do so. I enjoy your participation, and it helps me come up with post ideas. <br />
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Thank you very much for your following of my blog.-Kylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02235640594452115968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-922402695838016481.post-23450585560573401662011-10-04T22:37:00.000-05:002011-10-04T22:37:40.434-05:00Transportation-What should we do?Transportation is a topic that frequently arises when discussing urbanism. It is definitely an important subject. It can also be a very sensitive subject, espescially here in Oklahoma. Right now I think we should discuss the future of transportation in Tulsa. Where should money be spent? What improvements should be made? Ultimately, since we live in America, the decision is up to us, the citizenry. (Well, at least you old people that can vote...)<br />
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For many years there have been lengthy discussions both in person and online over public transportation in Tulsa, with both sides making good points. There are those who hate public transit, and argue against it in every way, as well as avid supporters who would do away with their automobile completely. My viewpoint is somewhere in the middle, as I would assume most people's are.<br />
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As of now, we have a failing public transit system by way of bus. They have random schedules, and what little structure there is still implements infrequent stops, with passengers sometimes waiting over an hour for a single bus. This is flat out unacceptable. A city our size should be able to have buses running at the very most 20 minutes apart, with that wait time preferably being less than ten in the more centralized districts of Tulsa. This needs to be dealt with. Our current transit system isn't making anyone's life any easier.<br />
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So what in my opinion should be done? Well, the first step is already complete, we have developed a plan. That's a great start, and we should begin to implement aspects of that plan as soon as possible. But if it were all up to me, I would spend for the next five years about 80% of the public transit budget on improving bus service. Theoretically this could be done in a matter of only a couple of months, and we could have improved transit almost immediately. After that, I would take actions to build streetcars through Tulsa's inner city. The first routes would be down eleventh street between TU and downtown, and down sixth street connecting TU, the Pearl District, and downtown. They would connect on the west end on Harvard and on Boulder in the east. Once those had been completed, I would then build a line from Veterans Park in Uptown Going all the way up and connecting to the Brady District. This line would thus connect with the other line on Boulder, and would be able to circulate people from the neighborhood around TU through the Pearl, downtown, and uptown/18th and Boston area. Further rail lines would then be added elsewhere in the city based on needs at that point in time. <br />
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Now, I realize that this is just my point of view, and I don't want it to be. I want to hear all of your ideas as well, so please participate in this discussion. Remember, the first step to change is gathering ideas.<br />
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So I ask:<br />
What should be done in Tulsa, Oklahoma about public transit?-Kylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02235640594452115968noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-922402695838016481.post-74669850956236069002011-09-28T17:42:00.000-05:002011-09-28T17:42:58.964-05:00Juniper<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://tulsabusiness.com/m/Image.aspx?name=53245a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="199" width="240" src="http://tulsabusiness.com/m/Image.aspx?name=53245a.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Opening for dinner October 11th, lunch and dinner October 25th.<br />
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From <a href="http://tulsabusiness.com/m/Articles.aspx?ArticleID=53245">TBJ</a>-Kylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02235640594452115968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-922402695838016481.post-57266585966436301162011-09-28T16:57:00.004-05:002011-09-28T22:56:16.246-05:00Saint Francis Expanding<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6171/6192056183_28a5afa282_m.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="180" width="240" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6171/6192056183_28a5afa282_m.jpg" /></a></div>Saint Francis announced today that they will be adding on a new, eight story tower to their campus. These renderings look fantastic, and I hope we see construction starting very soon. (Expected completion is 2014.)<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.tulsaworld.com/articleimages/2011/20110928_NE-SFtrauma0928.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="213" width="330" src="http://www.tulsaworld.com/articleimages/2011/20110928_NE-SFtrauma0928.jpg" /></a></div><br />
This will provide about 700 construction jobs, and 400 permanent jobs. It will also make the hospital eligible for being ranked a Level I Trauma Center instead of Level II. I'm glad to see them adding on again, and I wish that every new building in town had the quality of architecture that their new buildings do.-Kylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02235640594452115968noreply@blogger.com0