Softball Hall of Fame to Receive Updates

The Oklahoma City Economic Development Trust approved $8 million for upgrades to the National Softball Hall of Fame located in northeast Oklahoma City. The funding provided by the Economic Development Trust will be repaid during the next 10 years through revenues received from donations, naming rights and sponsorship revenues. "Once completed, this will be a world-class stadium for those to achieve great heights playing the sport they love, and it will be in our backyard," said Cathy O'Connor, President of The Alliance for Economic Development of Oklahoma City and Surrogate Manager of the Oklahoma City Economic Development Trust. 

Midtown Plan Passes Planning Commission

The Oklahoma City Planning Commission approved the Midtown Urban Renewal Plan on Thursday, Sept. 12. Following this approval, the Midtown Urban Renewal Plan will go before the Downtown Design Review Committee and City Council.

Many community residents and stakeholders provided input for this plan. Below are a few thoughts from some of these community residents and leaders:

• "The Midtown Plan public meeting really engaged with local residents on the topics relevant to our community," said Matt Landry, Midtown resident and blogger for OKCMidtowner. "We were surprised to see that the Plan so closely aligned with what most of us envision for Midtown already. The solutions proposed for issues including blighted property redevelopment, street planning, walkability, and parking will steer Midtown towards the modern, urban community that we're all wanting."
• "Working with the Urban Renewal Authority provided us the opportunity to have some of our needs included in the new Midtown Plan," said Sheila Dimick, Supervisory Property Manager with the Government Services Administration at the Oklahoma City Federal Building. "With three buildings in the area, we have a growing need for additional parking for both our employees and visitors. The Plan outlines steps to add on-street and structured parking that will support the growth of Midtown."  
• "We support the Classen Extension Proposal as a way to create a pedestrian corridor that connects our facility with Automobile Alley and the intersection of 10th and Walker," said Valerie Couch, Dean of Oklahoma City University's School of Law. "This corridor would be heavily utilized by our students, faculty, and staff as they explore Midtown. The corridor would also encourage the public to become involved in the life of our law school."

Alliance Sponsors Urban Development Workshop with Urban Land Institute Oklahoma

Last month, the Alliance sponsored an Urban Development Workshop hosted by ULI Oklahoma. Project Managers Dustin Akers and Cassi Poor attended the workshop exploring the

Better Block OKC volunteers will lead PARK(ing) Day events in seven different locations across Central and Northwest Oklahoma City on Friday, Sept. 20. PARK(ing) Day is an annual worldwide event where artists, designers and citizens transform parking spots into temporary public parks, a way to call attention to the need for more urban open space. Oklahoma City will participate in the movement for the first time, joining 162 cities in 35 different countries.

The effort to include Oklahoma City in PARK(ing) Day 2013 is led by Better Block OKC, the volunteer organization responsible for bringing the Better Block tactical urbanism concept to Oklahoma City through its previous events near H&8th and the Farmers Market District.

These temporary public parks, called "parklets," will pop up on Sept. 20th in seven districts: Automobile Alley, Bricktown, Central Business District, Film Row, H&8th in Midtown, Plaza District and Uptown 23rd. "Although we've enjoyed organizing two annual Better Block events, we love that these PARK(ing) Day installations connect directly with individual communities," said organizer Ashley Terry. "Volunteers from those communities can work on a parklet that's walking distance from their home or business."

To support the PARK(ing) Day project, come visit and enjoy the diversity of our seven transformations on Friday, Sept. 20. An interactive map can be found online at Better Block OKC. For more information about the project, visit the PARK(ing) Day project website. 

East Bricktown Apartments, being developed by Gary Brooks and Andy Burnett, recently received design approval from the

revised development plans. The revised schematic design was highly praised by the Urban Renewal Authority Board of Commissioners and approved unanimously during its August meeting. This mixed-use development will be located on the former site of Stewart Metal Fabricators and will include 250 apartments and 18,000 square-feet of retail space. The project's new official name, The Steel Yard, was announced at the Bricktown Urban Design Committee. Developers Brooks and Burnett anticipate this project to open in 2015.  

• RFP OCURA - Request for Redevelopment Proposals for the John F. Kennedy Urban Renewal Project Area 

• Bricktown retail, residential development offers new vision

• Oklahoma Economic Development Foundation details job creating

• Page Woodson building to become multifamily housing

• Businesses on route could pay for streetcar operations  

• OKC Awarded $13.6 Million Grant for Santa Fe Intermodal Hub

• Fourth Quarter of Fiscal Year 2012-2013