Downtown Oklahoma City sees new 'cycle' in business
Downtown Oklahoma City sees new 'cycle' in business
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By Steve Lackmeyer
Published: September 11, 2008
If there's any question about the dozens of new black pieces of steel popping up downtown, one particular new installation says it all: "RACK UP!”
Bicycling is taking off downtown, so racks are being installed in some of the hottest emerging business districts.
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A durable solution
"It's very durable and it has a bit of give,” Gibbs said. "It's very hard to scratch the bike or the rack. If you look at other bike racks, you'll see metal on metal scratches. People who have $1,000 bikes don't want to have them scratched up.”
The marquee "RACK UP!” rack in front of the AT&T Bricktown Ballpark, meanwhile, was designed by award-winning architect and artist Stan Carroll.
Urban Neighors, an association of residents and business owners, coordinated the project with Downtown Oklahoma City Inc. Gibbs said the racks were identified as one of the most pressing needs for downtown's growing residential population.
‘Feeling safer on bicycles'
Enos credits a "changing dynamic” not just downtown, but throughout the city, for an increased interest in bicycling.
"There is more to do — people are wanting to get around, go to the restaurants and places around town,” Enos said. "And they are feeling safer on bicycles.”
Enos also credits an ongoing health campaign led by Mayor Mick Cornett and noted his own landlord, Steve Mason, wanted a bicycle shop on the first floor of his building to encourage bicycling among his Cardinal Engineering employees upstairs.
"I'm seeing an increase in people wanting to get some exercise,” Enos said. "There is a tone in Oklahoma City that exercise is good.”
The racks also are designed to be a source of pride, Gibbs said.
Gibbs' group has spent months on not just creating a unique design, but also finding installation spots that would be seen as safe by bicyclists and yet not impeding pedestrian traffic. The racks were funded through a $20,000 Neighborhood Partnership Grant sponsored by Oklahoma City that was matched through cash and in-kind donations by Urban Neighbors.
Gibbs said he expects more racks will be added in the near future. Urban Neighbors is already fielding requests to allow the rack designs to be used elsewhere downtown.
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