Steve Lackmeyer: OKC Central Chat transcript, Nov. 30, 2012

The Oklahoman's Steve Lackmeyer took questions from readers in today's OKC Central Live Chat. You can join Steve's Q&A's on Fridays at 10 a.m. and submit your questions about the happenings in and around downtown Oklahoma City.

By Steve Lackmeyer | Published: November 30, 2012 Comment on this article

The Oklahoman's Steve Lackmeyer took questions from readers in today's OKC Central Live Chat. You can join Steve's Q&A's on Fridays at 10 a.m. and submit your questions about the happenings in and around downtown Oklahoma City. Below is an unedited transcript of the chat.

NewsOK 9:30 a.m. Good morning everyone. Steve will be logging in at 10 a.m., but you can start submitting your questions now.

Steve Lackmeyer 10:00 a.m. Good morning everybody!

10:00 a.m.

Steve Lackmeyer 10:01 a.m. Today I'm at Beatnix Cafe. I've consumed my coffee, had a great chat with some MidTown folks, and now I'm ready to start my day!

Gary T 10:01 a.m. Good morning Steve! Obviously, with the renderings recently coming out and the public meeting on Monday, the boulevard will be a big topic in today’s chat. The okc.gov website has the following statement: “The Boulevard will be a premier entryway into Oklahoma City and include on-street parking, 15-foot sidewalks and landscaping.” But the rendering shows no parking, sidewalks or bike lanes of any kind. Is that something that will be added later when the areas adjacent start to be developed for retail/office/housing purposes?

Steve Lackmeyer 10:04 a.m. You noticed that as well, did you? That was a big question on my mind - one asked in today's story by Michael Kimball (http://newsok.com/oklahoma-city-boulevard-recommendation-has-raised-portion-only-at-western/article/3733317). And truth be told, there's no immediate answer to this question. The renderings show the boulevard west of Walker as a limited access road, with more in common with Northwest Expressway than with your average downtown street. I look forward to seeing what questions are asked at Monday night's town hall meeting.

Gary T 10:04 a.m. I asked this question in an earlier chat and I wasn’t specific enough so I will ask it again: I remember seeing plans to re-streetscape Classen from 23rd south to Reno and make it more pedestrian friendly. Any chances that comes to fruition?

Steve Lackmeyer 10:05 a.m. I'm not aware of any such plans past or present. But if the Option A of the boulevard plan is adopted, Classen will be rebuilt as part of a merger with Western between Reno and Sheridan.

Gary T 10:05 a.m. Do you have any Plaza district updates for us? (Besides A Christmas Carol playing at Lyric Theatre on Tuesdays through Saturdays from today until 12/29) ::end shameless plug::

Steve Lackmeyer 10:07 a.m. Yes, I'm overdue to do an udate. And if I can pull it off (money is tight these days), I'd love to see the play with my family.

Gary T 10:07 a.m. Any chance we see the widening of I-235 from NE 6th to the SE 15th Street to three through lanes any time soon?

Steve Lackmeyer 10:07 a.m. Not that I'm aware of.

BethanySooner 10:07 a.m. Steve you mentioned in your article about the East Bricktown development that there are two phases - one with 250 units and the other with another 100 units. Everything that I have read about this up to now seemed to infer that there would be 250 total units. Are we actually looking at 350 apartments plus retail and a hotel?

Steve Lackmeyer 10:08 a.m. Yes. The project always called for a future phase of 100 apartments, with 250 being built during the first phase. After talking to the developers this week, I suspect it's far more likely we may see 350 units built all at once.

Steve Lackmeyer 10:09 a.m. Choo-choo.... (yep, the train is coming through - still no quiet zone for Automobile Alley and MidTown)

Joe Bob 10:09 a.m. The majority of the City Council doesn’t seem very interested in the huge unfunded taxpayer cost that will come when the MAPS 3 convention center is built. That is, a minimum of $60 million to subsidize building a 650- to 700-room hotel to service it. Two questions: Why can’t the private market use long-term financing to build a hotel and profit from it without squeezing taxpayers for welfare? And if we the people (government) are the only ones who can make this happen, why can’t we subcontract all aspects and reap the profits (to recover our costs) that a private company living on our welfare dollars would make? My view: The hotel issue is just another example of the irreplaceable power of government and taxation to create jobs/prosperity that the private sector can’t, or won’t, risk touching.

Steve Lackmeyer 10:13 a.m. Regardless of what folks think or want, the truth is brutal: these large conference hotels are proving to be financial disasters if done only with private financing. The idea of a large conference hotel is to also have vast amounts of public space that make a city more viable as a convention site, but also hurt a private operator's bottom line. The public need, essentially, detracts from the ability of the private operator to enjoy a profitable venture. We don't know all there is to know about how a large conference hotel can be built, financed or operated in Oklahoma City.

david ball 10:13 a.m. steve, did you see my question about the boulevard? who is promoting traffic movement over development?

Steve Lackmeyer 10:13 a.m. Engineers.

Downtown Dawg 10:13 a.m. Good morning Steve!!! Did you have a good Halloween?

Steve Lackmeyer 10:13 a.m. Yes, and an even better Thanksgiving.

Brent 10:14 a.m. The article on the Stewart Fabrication site sale included a blurb about part being sold for hotel construction on the south side. Which hotel would that be and will that be built in the same time frame (2014 or earlier)?

Steve Lackmeyer 10:14 a.m. I reported a few weeks ago that an Edmond surgeon and hotel developer bought parcels on the south half of the complex and in Deep Deuce to build three hotels. He didn't have a firm timeline.

Yes 10:15 a.m. What are your thoughts on the different boulevard proposals? Have a favorite?

Steve Lackmeyer 10:16 a.m. I've gotten to look at several of the proposals. It looks like there is an effort at compromise. I'm more interested in hearing what others have to say, learning more from the engineers and planners.

Brent 10:16 a.m. Beside the new Kevin Durant restaurant, are there any other entertainment or restaurant options being built/planned for Bricktown in the near future?

Steve Lackmeyer 10:16 a.m. Nothing of consequence. The big swing now is toward housing and hotels.

Matt W. 10:16 a.m. Have Brooks and Burnett hired an architect yet? Are there any preliminary renderings?

Steve Lackmeyer 10:17 a.m. An architect is employed on the east Bricktown housing. Site plans are being drawn up. But no renderings are available yet.

Nick 10:17 a.m. Good morning Steve!

Steve Lackmeyer 10:17 a.m. Good morning Nick!

Nick 10:17 a.m. So, Mystery Tower....? I KID, I KID! Saw your blog post.

Steve Lackmeyer 10:18 a.m. NO! NO! Please, please, please..... no more tower or Stage Center questions! I promise, I have nothing new to report!
;)

Nick 10:18 a.m. Anything new and exciting to tell us about the East Bricktown development? This could be a game-changer.

Steve Lackmeyer 10:20 a.m. I had an update earlier this week on east Bricktown. I don't think people appreciate the magnitude of this project, how many people it bring into the district full-time, and how it will absolutely be a game-changer. It will, if built as envisioned currently, "complete" Bricktown and create a seamless transition between Lower Bricktown, Bricktown, Deep Deuce, Automobile Alley and the Central Business District.

Brian 10:20 a.m. What government agency has final veto power on the crosstown boulevard design plans?

Steve Lackmeyer 10:21 a.m. The Oklahoma Department of Transportation has always said they won't build a road the city doesn't want. But keep in mind, they define the city as the City Manager and City Engineer, and not our elected representatives. Ultimately, the state highways engineers are still the folks in charge.

Nick 10:22 a.m. Are there any models available of what the East Bricktown site might look like?

Steve Lackmeyer 10:22 a.m. Not yet.

Carrie 10:22 a.m. testing

Steve Lackmeyer 10:22 a.m. Good morning Carrie.

Ed 10:22 a.m. Your thoughts on the economist that was gathered and the comment about the governer decision to opt out of the affordable health care act I believe it was a bad decision and now it's confirmed

Steve Lackmeyer 10:24 a.m. My only thought is this: every Oklahoman ought to be concerned when their elected officials show disregard for the Oklahoma Open Records Act and cite an "executive privlidge" that is not granted to the governor by the Oklahoma Constitution or state statutes.

Steve Lackmeyer 10:25 a.

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