For the last few weeks, things have been slow on here just because I have a lot of pics I took around town, construction progress related for the most part, and now I just can't even find the energy lately to get them off my phone and onto this blog. I am just all argued out. There is not much left after 3 years of advocating for urbanism in OKC.
Now I look around and I see what it's mostly come to. The Stage Center, one of Oklahoma's very few pieces of "starchitecture," is probably at the end, and the council is moving forward with this idiotic location for the convention center, and so on. You just can't win. These people look at the Stage Center and do not see architecture, but rather prime real estate that is worth a lot of money. They see the Myriad Gardens and the new planned MAPS 3 park and think dividing these with a convention center is a good idea. That last one is especially moronic.
Idiots. People are IDIOTS. And I have nothing else to say right now, I'm truly just at a loss. But not for long...just give me a week to take a deep breath.
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5 comments:
Just remember how far we've come from the abyss and know that there are other urbanists in OKC as passionate as you. Thanks for this blog and keep at it, Spartan.
Sounds like you need a vacation.
Starchitecture and urbanism do not go together.
I think you're being totally personally biased in regards to the Stage Center. It is starchitecture as mentioned. I am an urbanist but I too see the "prime"-nature of that lot. If the Stage Center CANNOT be refurbished to be an interactive, community asset again then it needs to go. Soon the Myriad Gardens will be enclosed on 3 sides by pretty permanent buildings; convention center[s], a new hotel, and the Devon tower. The only lots left for private development are the lots west of the Myriad Gardens. I have heard they're owned by the cityofokc though. Bummer. I would like to see at least one side of the Myriad Gardens to benefit from an attractive, vibrant street-life. And the Stage Center definitely won't play into that, due to the nature of its architecture.
Kris, I agree that if the project was proposed, it probably wouldn't be a good thing. But it's an existing asset, it's there, and it's an incredible architectural commodity--an unbelievable waste to tear it down.
Michael, I'm just dragging my heels on accepting this vision of downtown with the convention center lumped in between the two parks. I agree that the Myriad Gardens needs to be surrounded by some sort of private development which it is not, and yes, that's a pretty huge flaw. Is the existing Stage Center (which occupies half of the western frontage) to blame, or is moving the convention center in between the two parks to blame? Why does that get a pass, when it doesn't exist yet?
And by the way, they don't have near enough in their budget (nor should they) to make a convention center that can be half the landmark the Stage Center is. So, we're squandering one piece of architecture on one side of the park, and replacing it with...a convention center. It will look just like a convention center, I guarantee that.
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