Boulevard View
Vision for Oklahoma City Boulevard gaining clarity
The Oklahoma City Boulevard, once just a sketch of might be possible as the gateway to the Core to Shore area from Bricktown, is now almost a complete vision for the marquee blocks that pass between Scissortail Park, Myriad Gardens, the new convention center, the future Omni Hotel and Chesapeake Energy area.
Over the past three weeks the public has been given a better look at the area with a developer being chosen to build its proposed eightstory Boulevard Place, a mix of apartments and retail,
immediately east of the 17-story Omni Hotel, which also will include ground-floor restaurants and retail, both of which will be across the street from the Chesapeake Energy Arena.
Remember that grand new south entrance added shortly after the arrival of the Thunder several years ago that is overlooked by most fans entering from Reno Avenue? Imagine the boulevard passing this entrance, lined with Boulevard Place and the Omni across the street. In two years, that boulevard entrance to the arena will make a lot more sense.
As visitors coming from Bricktown or Interstate 40 approach the corner of the boulevard and Robinson Avenue, they will see the new convention center to the south of the Omni, and then, also to the south, the Scissortail Park amphitheater and grand lawn.
This park frontage also will be home to a restaurant, which like the amphitheater stage is already under construction. Last week, we also learned the operators of The Jones Assembly are set to run the restaurant and likely will play a role in booking music and events at the nearby amphitheater.
The cafe will be 5,747 square feet and will open up to the park and to the boulevard. The modern design by Butzer Architects and Urbanism includes a lantern or beacon cropping up into the air that is intended to make the cafe a landmark day and night.
To the north of the grand lawn, one will see the only use of a dedicated dual track streetcar stop that will allow passengers to travel in either direction without walking from one stop to another. The area surrounding the streetcar stop includes a strip of land controlled by the Urban Renewal Authority that can be developed commercially.
The only remaining question along this stretch, long term, is what might happen to the former Fred Jones Ford dealership that is between Scissortail Park and Myriad Gardens.
The stretch between Robinson and Walker has been cleared of the old dealership buildings and now serves as muchneeded parking for the arena and gardens. But the development of the Omni, convention center and Boulevard Place project will include a garage of at least 850 spaces.
The owners of the dealership property, led by Bob Howard and Fred Hall, have indicated they know how important their property is in terms of the area’s development and appearance. For now, with so much construction yet to be finished over the next two years and the changing nature of downtown, it might make sense to take time to figure out the best use for the lots.
But the clock is ticking. The public now knows the standards set for the rest of the boulevard in the Scissortail area and soon, Howard and Hall, both prominent civic and business leaders, will face increasing questions from a public eager to see this vision completed.