44 minute read
PERSON OF INTEREST
from December 2022
by 405 Magazine
Move Into 2023
Local exercise ideas for heading into a new year
BY LAVINIA CRESWA | PHOTO BY MATT PAYNE
THE NEW YEAR IS APPROACHING,
and nearly 40% of American adults make New Year’s resolutions, according to a 2022 Statista Global Consumer Survey. Of those adults, nearly half resolved to exercise more. But for people who have never been especially enthusiastic about exercise, just getting the ball rolling and the body moving can feel overwhelming. Oklahoma City has lots of ways to incorporate exercise into your regular routine — here are some of the most creative and convenient options in the metro.
Walking is one of the most effective ways to burn calories and improve your health. Whether it’s alone listening to a podcast or conversing with a friend while carrying coffees, there are many local places and approaches to the regular relaxing walk. The Shoppes at Northpark and Quail Springs Mall have daily mall walkers and are perfect places to head to if it’s yucky outside, but strolling in the fresh air at one of the city’s many parks — weather permitting — will make you feel lost in nature. Martin Nature Park and Bluff Creek Park north of Lake Hefner or the Soldier Creek Industrial Park Trails have plenty of paths with beautiful scenes and chances to spot wildlife. The OKC Hot Girl Walk Club on Instagram (@okc_hotgirlwalk) organizes monthly group walks meant to empower women with “kindness, exercise, mental health and friends.” The club frequently walks on Wednesdays and holds giveaways and social hours, and you might even meet a new walking buddy.
Family activities can also be an entertaining opportunity to get moving. Encouraging your kids to be active can help them lead a healthy lifestyle — plus, exercise doesn’t feel like exercise when you’re having fun. OKC has fallen under the pickleball spell, and there are courts all over the city. You can play the popular paddle game anywhere from Edmond to Norman, and the Greater Oklahoma City Pickleball Club has a complete list of easy-to-access courts on its website at gopb.club. Scissortail Park recently added several sports options, including courts for pickleball, futsal and basketball, as well as a soccer pitch.
You can also take advantage of the cold with some freezing fun. Lace up for ice skating at The Devon Ice Rink at the Myriad Botanical Gardens until Jan. 29, or go snow tubing during WinterFest at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark until Jan. 1. You’ll have a blast and break a sweat, even with the wind chill.
If you’re not sure what kinds of exercise you’re interested in, try a little bit of everything. Free or low-cost community classes are a great way to give something new a chance in a welcoming learning environment. Dragon Yoga (4516 N. Western Ave.) is a pay-what-you-can studio that offers a variety of classes from beginner yoga to tai chi; used bookstore Bookish (1 NE 14th St.) gives Sunday yoga classes for $10; and the Myriad Gardens holds free yoga sessions on Tuesdays and Saturdays outside on the lawn.
For those searching for something more intense, group exercise classes at fitness chains Orangetheory and CycleBar offer their first class free. MetroFit (metrotech.edu/metrofit) is a community outreach program run by Metro Technology Centers and provides a wide range of free in-person and virtual classes. Its lineup of nine activities includes intensive kickboxing and comparably lighter swing dancing. Keep Moving OKC (keepmovingokc.org), a wellness initiative of the Oklahoma City Community Foundation, has a comprehensive list of exercise classes, events and groups throughout Oklahoma City, from stair-climbing clubs to cardio dancing lessons.
However you decide to get moving, the most important thing is taking that first step.
Fateful Growth
Senior retail recruiter Tammy Fate has helped shape much of OKC’s development
BY KRISTEN GRACE PHOTO BY CHARLIE NEUENSCHWANDER
OVER A DRINK AT THE LAVISH
First National Center, just across the street from where she works at the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber as senior manager of retail development and recruitment, Tammy Fate is happy to discuss her passion for her job. “I find a lot of joy in telling the story of Oklahoma City to possible new retailers from out of state,” she said.
Fate has lived in Oklahoma her whole life and in Oklahoma City for more than eight years. She grew up in the Tulsa area and went to school at Northeastern State University, where she received both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in business and marketing.
“Oklahoma City is special,” she said. “We are 620 miles of special businesses and neighborhoods. The city has done such a good job of developing these special districts and neighborhoods — the Paseo, the Plaza, the Stockyards, Midtown, Classen Curve — there are so many to highlight.”
Part of Fate’s work consists of recruiting retail businesses from across the United States to operate in the city. “Our team is constantly on the road telling the story of Oklahoma City,” she said. “Our goal is getting businesses to come to OKC as a whole, rather than to a particular site. We want to get them to fall in love with Oklahoma City and to showcase the market.”
She also introduces interested businesses to the leaders who can put together plans for them to work in OKC. “I’m a facilitator in the middle of a spiderweb,” she said. “I love helping to connect businesses to the developers, brokers and partners.”
Fate has consistently found that people from out of state have a certain perception of Oklahoma, but when she gets them here for a visit and shows them all that OKC has to offer, they are often blown away. “My job is to bring new business people in and host them at Thunder games, take them on bike rides, take them whitewater rafting, on brewery tours, to Chicken N Pickle,” she said. “I’m never going to keep them in a conference room all day.”
When asked about Oklahoma City’s greatest strength, Fate cited its local businesses. She recently had lunch at Ma Der Lao Kitchen, which was recently listed by both Bon Appetit and the New York Times as a top 50 restaurant in the country. “Local retail is what makes up the fabric of our community,” she said. “It’s unique and cultivates the community. If you want something special, give our local retailers a chance to woo you with the flavor of the city.”
Her greatest focus is enticing what she describes as “destination, new-to-market businesses,” such as the theater and brewery Flix Brewhouse, pickleball venue-slash-restaurant Chicken N Pickle and the forthcoming bar and dog park Bar K. “Everyone wants to try new and exciting things,” Fate said. “It’s always exciting for me to hear what projects people would like to see here. That gives me an idea of what things to chase.”
Fate believes that Oklahoma City is special because it has never been the result of one person working alone. “It’s everyone moving the needle en masse. Oklahomans decide to create a quality of life and a place where people want to live. It has that small-town feel but we’re a really big city.”
As Fate continues to attract exciting new businesses, she also has a great belief that Oklahoma City’s story will continue growing into something beautiful: a city with a great sense of pride, lovely curated spaces, places of walkability and venues that bring people together time and again.
. Photo: Alex Marks. Installation view of La casa que nos inventamos
See ~50 conceptual works from 19 Guadalajara artists
On view now
okcontemp.org | 11 NW 11th St., OKC
The Face of ORTHOPEDIC UPPER EXTREMITIES SURGERY
Dr. Robert Unsell
Dr. Robert Unsell specializes in orthopedic surgery of the hand and wrist, including the surgical repair of traumatic and degenerative injuries. A native of southern California, Dr. Unsell joined OSSO in 1997 and currently serves as the medical director for the Community Hospital Hand Therapy Center.
After graduating from Loma Linda School of Medicine, Unsell spent more than a decade serving at Loma Linda in several positions, including the Assistant Professor of Orthopedics as well as the Assistant Director of the Hand Fellowship Program. He has been involved with the training of 35 hand fellows, 15 of whom now hold academic teaching positions. Unsell was also the Director of Replant Services while at Loma Linda University and has replanted everything from the thumb of an 18-month-old to the complete arm of a 70-year-old. Unsell said he feels blessed to be in Oklahoma and in a position to minister to the health and wellbeing of others. Loma Linda Universities’ motto is “to make man whole.” This principle has guided Unsell in his many years of practice. As a surgeon, he feels his job is not merely treating symptoms but treating the whole person. Patients’ personal goals — vocational, recreational and others — play an important role in his decision-making, helping guide what will be best for each and every patient.
10001 S. Western Ave #101 Oklahoma City, OK 73139 405.692.3748 robertunsellmd.com
28
THE RENAISSANCE that Oklahoma City has experienced in the past four decades is something many people alive today will never have the privilege of living through. Longtime residents will tell you — they hardly recognize our town here in 2022. What once resembled (from certain angles, at least) a large Dust Bowl-era truck stop is now a bustling metropolis gaining national attention for its innovation and growth. Join us as we journey through The Big Friendly’s remarkable transformation; the past we revere, the present we relish and the future we eagerly anticipate.
C 'S ON G O I N G
WORDS
K O
Julie Partin Jake Durham Evan MusilTRANSF
THE PAST
OKLAHOMA IS A VAST MIX of backgrounds incorporating the heritage and traditions of 39 Native American tribal Nations, as well as Western heritage and modern culture. From museums to cuisine to entertainment, cultural identity is deeply embedded in every facet of life and directly tied to population growth. In Oklahoma County, the population has steadily increased from 600,398 in the early 1990s to just shy of 800,000 in 2021, according to the United States Census. While the U.S. population grew 19% during the same period, Oklahoma County grew 24.8% by comparison.
The area has also become more diverse, with approximately 77% of Oklahoma County’s population being white in 1990, compared to 54.5% in 2021. The county’s Black population has held steady at around 15%, its Asian population around 4% and its Native American population between 3% and 5%. However, the Hispanic population grew significantly from being almost nominal to just above 4% to 18.5%.
Oklahoma City’s labor force is becoming as diversified as its population. Employment rose from 468,856 in 1990 to 685,472 by the end of 2021, while the unemployment rate averaged 4.1%, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics. Most workers were employed by the federal, state or local government. Production, trade and service industry workers fell close behind, followed by education, transportation, mining and construction.
Architectural styles have also changed in and around the city over the decades, with many of the more notable changes taking place from the late 1800s through 1945. Googie architecture, popular in the 1950s and 1960s, boasts futuristic shapes, neon and bold colors and space-aged designs. Often Googie styles found their way into coffee shops, gas stations and other frequented spaces. Many of these designs are still visible around Oklahoma City and the metro, such as Classen Inn.
Oklahoma City neighborhoods have been known for encompassing an array of styles, including traditional designs that exhibit steeply pitched roofs, symmetry and columns. Victorian architecture, popular from the 1830s to the early 1900s, can also be found throughout many neighborhoods. In areas such as the Paseo Art District, Spanish Colonial Revival architecture is more prominent. Boasting terra cotta roofs, arched doorways and curved staircases, these designs can be found all around the U.S. However, this stucco-clad genera is more commonly seen along the California coast and in areas of Florida.
Sleek, streamlined Art Deco architectural styles were popular in Oklahoma City until the early 1940s, and several notable icons remain around the city today, including the First National Center and the Civic Center Music Hall. Generally, though, Oklahoma is becoming more Contemporary, as befits the modern era.
Change comes in two forms — slow and systematic or deep and sweeping. People acclimate better when introduced to change slowly. At the same time, there is a level of impatience at which we want the Band-Aid ripped off. Cities experience growing pains, and in the early 1990s, Oklahoma City was no different. It was struggling, and voters recognized this. Oklahoma City was on a path to revitalization and improving its national image. It was time for a change, but where to begin?
In December 1993, Oklahoma City implemented a visionary capital improvement program: Metropolitan Area Projects or MAPS. MAPS was an ingenious strategy to help restructure Oklahoma City and devise debt-free solutions to pay for upgrading infrastructure, sports venues, recreation, cultural and convention facilities and entertainment. It was funded with a 1-cent sales tax, which collected more than $309 mil-
Ace Aerial/Oklahoma Historical Society
Top: Meyers Photo Shop/Oklahoma Historical Society; Middle: Paul B. Southerland/ Oklahoma Historical Society; Bottom: Jim Argo/Oklahoma Historical Society
lion over six years. Early projects focused on construction or improvements including the Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark, Bricktown Canal, Cox Convention Center, Paycom Center, Civic Center Music Hall, State Fairgrounds improvements, Ronald J. Norick Downtown Library, Oklahoma River and the Oklahoma Spirit Trolleys.
The overwhelming success of MAPS created a sense of recognition that opened the floodgates for other areas struggling around the city, one category of which was many of the city’s public schools. Oklahoma City proposed a second MAPS initiative to the voters: MAPS for Kids, which focused on several public school issues. A proposed sales tax increase for an additional seven years would fund $700 million in transportation, technology and construction programs to benefit OKC Public Schools. In 2001, voters approved the plan. Since then, over 400 projects across 23 districts have been completed.
In 2007, city officials began to discuss the implementation of MAPS 3. In 2009, voters agreed to an additional sales tax increase, which ended in 2017. Construction of MAPS 3 projects are expected to continue through 2022, including additions or improvements to the Oklahoma City Convention Center, Scissortail Park, Oklahoma City Streetcar, Riversport Rapids, the Bennett Event Center, senior health and wellness centers, trails, sidewalks and infrastructure, as well as contingency measures.
In the midst of Oklahoma City’s rapid growth and transformation, some places were radically rebuilt, such as the former warehouse district that became Bricktown, and other landmarks remained, such as the stately Civic Center Music Hall.
BY THE NUMBERS
28,000
attendees at Scissortail Park’s grand opening, where Kings of Leon performed.
46
new businesses working in Oklahoma City since 2021.
2,198 to 4,580
The number of hotel rooms in downtown OKC from May 2018 to July 2022.
Almost $1.1 billion
The projected amount of money raised for the MAPS 4 initiative.
493
arts, culture and humanities nonprofit organizations in the Oklahoma City metro.
48.6%
The percentage of growth of the Oklahoma City metro’s population from 1990 to 2020.
THE PRESENT
THE CURRENT METRO AREA population of Oklahoma City in 2022 is 1,008,000, a 1% increase from 2021, according to Macro Trends. The city itself has gone from the 31st largest in population in the U.S. to the 20th largest as of 2022. For the first time in decades, recent college graduates are sticking around and bringing the median age to 34.4.
After several oil booms and busts, it was obvious industry diversification was needed. Growing industries of tech, human services and retail accomplished just that. Several large employers call OKC home to their corporate headquarters: Paycom, Express Employment Professionals, Hobby Lobby, Simple Modern, American Fidelity Assurance and many more. Newly opened businesses employ 5% of the workforce in the Oklahoma City metros. OKC has the fourth most jobs created by new businesses in the nation, according to HireAHelper.
Urban expansion continues to populate upscale suburbs such as Edmond, Yukon and Norman, while districts and neighborhoods closer to downtown continue to develop distinct vibes. Oklahoma offers residents ease of living, and many see the dollar's value go further here in allowing the purchase of larger homes. And practically every place in the metro has easy access to an array of bars and restaurants from dives to fine dining, entertainment of every variety, professional sports teams and an array of other activities.
And speaking of activities, the (truly) great outdoors is the place to be for recreation in Oklahoma. OKC and its surrounding communities have made substantial additions or improvements to a plethora of public parks and recreational areas in recent years, meaning that from Lake Overholser to Scissortail Park to the Boathouse District, residents and guests have a broad selection of recreational options. Learn to kayak or hone your skills at white water rafting, go for a walk or run or cycle one of the dozens of dedicated cycling paths.
Ace Aerial/Oklahoma Historical Society
Since the late 1990s, Oklahoma City has seen the revival and creation of many neighborhoods and districts, such as the entertainment district Bricktown (left) and the artful Plaza District (above).
405 ARCHIVES
Bricktown Canal
When the first MAPS initiative passed in 1993, the Bricktown Canal was the centerpiece of a multimillion dollar investment to reshape OKC’s neglected warehouse district into a shining entertainment hub of civic pride. Drawing inspiration from the San Antonio River Walk, city officials hoped the waterway would breathe life and excitement into the developing area. According to the Oklahoman, even before the canal officially opened in July 1999, curious visitors would climb over construction fences to walk along the water. With the aquatic attraction came more restaurants and entertainment spots along the path, and the canal quickly became a symbol of Oklahoma City’s renaissance. Today, the Bricktown Canal is one of OKC’s premier destinations and an ever-flowing source of inspiration for future city-changing projects.
THE FUTURE
THE FUTURE OF OUR TOWN is blindingly bright.
Oklahoma City's sheer size plays a part in its ability to grow — the city encompasses 621 square miles and is spread over four counties. By 2023, the population for the OKC metropolitan area is expected to grow to 1.52 million people. At the current growth rate, the metro would reach 2 million people by 2040, according to calculations by the Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce.
Continuing the MAPS progress, in 2021, Oklahoma City proposed and passed a new 1-cent sales tax increase that would span eight years and fund 16 new debtfree projects. MAPS 4 is focused primarily on neighborhood and human needs. Projects include animal shelters, beautification, the Clara Luper Civil Rights Center, Diversion Hub, Fairgrounds Coliseum, Family Justice Center operated by Palomar, homelessness initiatives, Innovation District, mental health and addiction help, a multipurpose stadium, new parks, senior wellness centers, sidewalks, bike lanes, trails and streetlights, plus transit youth centers.
“Cities across this country would consider any one of the MAPS 4 projects to be a major achievement, and we have 16 such achievements arriving in the decade to come,” said Mayor David Holt in his 2022 State of the City address.
Additional large-scale up-and-coming projects outside the MAPS umbrella include the $400 million OKANA Resort & Indoor Waterpark near the First Americans Museum along the south shore of the Oklahoma River (see sidebar). The resort will feature an 11-story, 404-room hotel and proximity to downtown Oklahoma City and the Boathouse District.
A recent announcement by the Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden outlined plans for $71 million in new construction until 2028. A new orangutan climbing structure at the Great EscApe and a special Galapagos tortoise habitat in the Children's Zoo, as well as an intriguing Amphibian Plaza with a walkthrough water garden with diverse amphibians and carnivorous plants, are among the projects that will be completed soon.
Economists and local experts believe west downtown development could skyrocket with the relocation of the Oklahoma County Detention Center. Work is well underway at 700 West Apartments, and another new apartment complex is being planned across the street.
The expanding Oklahoma City Innovation District plans to serve as a hub for cooperation, creativity, opportunity and economic development. East of downtown OKC, between NE 13th and 16th streets to the north, NE 4th Street to the south and Robinson and Lottie avenues to the west and east, the district spans an area of about 1.3 square miles. Encompassing the Oklahoma Health Center, University Research Park, the Oklahoma Aerospace Institute for Research and Education (OAIRE) and many other organizations, the district is home to the city’s bioscience industry, where nu-
merous institutions are already engaged in groundbreaking research and supporting entrepreneurship and innovation.
OKC’s future can be seen in the stars — quite literally. Facilities like Prairie Surf Studios and the incentives of the Filmed in Oklahoma Act of 2021 have boosted TV and film production in the state, including Sylvester Stallone’s “Tulsa King,” which recently premiered on Paramount+. Oklahoma City is slowly becoming a goto location for Hollywood, with exciting future projects in the works. Filming of TV and movies throughout the city is likely to become a familiar sight for residents in the future.
Some massive future developments are seeking to expand entertainment, dining and shopping options for both locals and visitors, such as Oak (top) at NW Expressway and Pennsylvania Avenue, and OKANA (bottom) near the Oklahoma River.
Clara Luper Civil Rights Center
When Oklahoma City civil rights activist Clara Luper purchased the building that would become home to the city’s NAACP Youth Council in 1967, she envisioned an educational community space to “provide opportunities for deprived children to grow up properly, to learn the value of self-help and to see the adult world supported by a sense of belonging.” Now, a privately funded renovation of the original Freedom Center seeks to further this mission along with MAPS 4 plans to construct the Clara Luper Civil Rights Center, which will include physical archives of the civil rights movement and an events space for dinners, lectures and classes. In addition to historical preservation and educational programming that will “honor the past,” the complex’s planned cafe and outdoor area is hoped to foster a “community gathering place” to empower “the next generation of leadership,” according to the nonprofit Freedom Center of Oklahoma City. The $25 million public investment in the northeast side is an encouraging sign that the city views every community as a crucial part of its future.
OKANA
Close to a year after the First Americans Museum opened south of the river, the Chickasaw Nation and the City of Oklahoma City broke ground on the OKANA Resort and Indoor Waterpark, a future $400 million entertainment complex next to the museum complete with a 404-room hotel, conference center, outdoor beach and lagoon, entertainment center, golf simulator, restaurants and Native American retail, plus the namesake two-level waterpark. Officials believe the project will open in a few years and bring in millions of dollars to the city’s economy. Not only is the massive development expected to be a “world-class” destination that will boost tourism in OKC, it will solidify the city’s status as “the nation’s capital for Native & Indigenous people,” according to a tweet by Mayor David Holt.
Life Cycle of a Project
WORDS
Milena Whitson
The Medallion Group
THE CHISHOLM CREEK development grew out of an idea — a seedling fostered by the Ward family. That idea was to take the 190-acre overgrown Quail patch and turn it into a state-of-the-art mixeduse development. With no preexisting city roads or utilities, Chisholm Creek quite literally started from the ground up. Today, Chisholm Creek is gaining momentum as a contemporary entertainment district with a number of national chains such as Top Golf and Cabela’s mixed in with local restaurant groups and businesses. And while the current growth has changed the landscape in North OKC by quite a bit, the development is still in its infancy stages. The future for Chisholm Creek includes additional residential areas, a main street, a boutique hotel and upscale entertainment features. Ultimately, the goal is to create a walkable district where you can live, work and play without ever setting foot in your vehicle.
BEFORE
AFTER
Civic Center Music Hall
This Art Deco treasure was the largest venue in OKC when it was completed in 1937, and while its interior has been transformed and reimagined over the years, its original limestone facade still stands as an elegant landmark of the city’s past. Funded by the New Deal, the building initially served as OKC’s Municipal Auditorium for touring performers, sporting events and classical concerts. It was also home to the Oklahoma Art Center, the predecessor of today’s OKCMOA. A 1966 renovation reconfigured the theater and instituted the hall’s current name. It presented shows from Elton John, Pink Floyd and Bob Dylan before the first MAPS initiative dramatically remodeled the interior to accommodate the performing arts and reopened in 2001. The Civic Center Music Hall now houses the city’s premier arts organizations, such as the OKC Philharmonic, OKC Ballet, OKC Broadway, the Lyric Theatre, Painted Sky Opera, Canterbury Voices and Oklahoma City Repertory Theater.
Scissortail Park
With the September opening of the south section of Scissortail Park, the heart of Oklahoma City has a communal hub that spans both sides of the river. What was once a semi-empty stretch of development sprouted into a 70-acre urban playground outfitted with an outdoor stage and lawn, paddleboat lake, children’s play areas with a splash pad, a location-specific restaurant in Spark and multiple sports courts, all united by the Skydance Bridge. City leaders hope that the growth and vibrancy doesn’t stop at the park; they believe Scissortail will attract more businesses to the area, and spots such as Social Capital and the Omni Hotel have already popped up alongside it. And the park itself still has exciting plans, including a possible renovation of the historic Union Station as an events space. From its night markets to its recreational sport leagues and seasonal celebrations to year-round activities and amenities, Scissortail Park is helping bring all of Oklahoma City together.
s
By Evan Musil
r a c r i e h t t u o h t i w e v i l o more res i den ts t
IN JULY, CALEB AND ABBY SAVAGE sold their only car. The decision wasn’t uncalculated or uncharacteristic for the couple; Caleb had already been routinely biking and busing from their home near Capitol Hill to his job as a manager at Clarity Coffee downtown.
“I’ve never enjoyed cars,” he said. “I can’t understand them, I don’t like them and I don’t want to have one.” Still, he and Abby had purchased a used car in 2019 before having their daughter.
Abby more regularly drove the family car, to her job as a school teacher and to grocery stores in Moore. But when she saw a family using a cargo bike, which is an electric bicycle with containers that can hold a load of groceries or young passengers, it convinced her, and Caleb, to finally go car-free.
“We have some kids in our neighborhood that were like, when we sold our car, ‘Why are you doing that?’” Caleb said. “Are you kidding? We saved $300 a month.” However, their reasoning for replacing their car with a cargo bike was more than just cutting gas, insurance and maintenance costs. The switch meant they could no longer effortlessly breeze through miles of neighborhoods across the city to try the newest restaurant, or go on impromptu runs to large retail chains like Target. Instead, they slowed down. They purposefully confined their world to their immediate neighborhood as a way to feel more grounded in their community.
“It’s the same desire of being tied to your place and (setting) healthy limits within yourself, because we’re not limitless beings — and we shouldn’t try to be,” Abby said.
Over the past few decades, the concept of “walkability” has taken hold of city governments and residents alike. Walkability is defined as the degree to which a city is safe, comfortable, convenient and enjoyable to walk in as a primary mode of transportation. Many factors contribute to creating a walkable city: reliable and accessible public transit, neighborhood density, street design that reduces driving speed, bike lanes, sidewalks, etc.
Daisy Muñoz, the vice chair of the MAPS 4 Connectivity subcommittee, believes walkability can greatly shape how a community interacts. “If you’re in cars all the time, then you never really get to say hi to one another,” she said. “But if you’re able to walk down the street to your grocery store or a park, you’re able to say hi and know your neighbors, which then also creates more vibrant, safer neighborhoods.”
Carless cities might conjure images of dense coastal metropolises such as New York and San Francisco. But since the late 2000s, Oklahoma City has slowly made steps toward improving its walkability. It started with repaving downtown streets, and has expanded into upgrades to sidewalks, bus stops and bike lanes in neighborhoods across the city.
According to Walk Score, which calculates a city’s walkability by how many daily errands can be done on foot, Oklahoma City’s downtown is now “very walkable,” with a score of 72. However, downtown is only a fraction of the city’s 621 square miles. Oklahoma City as a whole still has a walk score of 34, which marks it as a firmly “car-dependent city.”
With OKC’s expansive sprawl and ambitious, decades-spanning goals, it’s a long road, but our city is becoming more walkable, step by step.
STARTING STRIDES
It’s 2008 in Oklahoma City. The Thunder starts its first season in the city. Devon Energy Corporation proposes construction of a new 50-story tower for its headquarters. And a study in Prevention magazine deems OKC America’s “worst walking city.”
“It just wasn’t a priority for the city for a long time to make even downtown feel like a place you wanted to be as a person,” said JoBeth Hamon, council member for Ward 6, which includes downtown and Capitol Hill. The original MAPS initiative spurred downtown revitalization in the 1990s but mainly focused on buildings rather than transportation, with the exception of the eventually decommissioned Oklahoma Spirit Trolleys. And outside downtown, Hamon said neighborhoods built after the car boom didn’t include sidewalks, or they constructed them haphazardly.
Jeff Speck, city planner and author of Walkable City, recalls then-Mayor Mick Cornett asking him what the city needed to do. Speck suggested that his firm, Speck & Associates,
Caleb and Abby Savage chose to live walkable lives to feel more grounded within their neighborhood.
conduct a walkability study. “The question you ask in a walkability study is, honestly, how can a city spending the least amount of money in the least amount of time witness palpably the greatest possible increase in the number of people walking and biking through the community?” he said.
The study found that OKC’s downtown streets were paved and painted to carry much more traffic than what actually went through them. Many roads were multilane one-ways with fading crosswalks and no landscaping. The lanes were wide, which research suggests encourages speeding. Little to nothing separated potentially careening cars from pedestrians on narrow sidewalks.
Speck and the city identified 180 acres downtown — which grew closer to 220 acres — that would benefit most from street upgrades, and outlined one of the most ambitious reimaginings of a major U.S. city’s core. The plan, aptly named Project 180, called for conversions from one-way streets to two-ways, as well as reductions in lane size and left-turn lane length that allowed for bike lanes, on-street parking and trees lining medians and sidewalks.
“The city’s on-call traffic engineers said, ‘It’s not going to work — you’re going to have instant gridlock,’” Speck said. However, after a professional analysis and the advocacy of civil engineer Laura Story, Oklahoma City approved the plan.
Nearly a decade of construction later, changes to the downtown streets have been a key component to the city’s ongoing renaissance. Harvey Avenue converted from a three-lane one-way street to a two-lane two-way with parallel parking and spacedout trees protecting pedestrians on a wider sidewalk. Ron Norick Boulevard had its center lane replaced with a landscaped median of trees and tall grasses.
Rows of idle cars didn’t clog the streets; instead, traffic flowed as usual. A dearth of walkers and bikers gave way to greater numbers of everyday pedestrians. New stores and restaurants opened downtown, including Clarity Coffee.
Project 180 was considered a resounding success. “It remains the most transformative downtown plan I’ve worked on,” Speck said.
MOVING FORWARD
Subsequent projects have tried to translate Project 180’s revitalizing energy across the city. MAPS 3, approved in 2009, included sidewalk construction along major streets in the north and south sides, such as May and Pennsylvania avenues.
It also included a $135 million streetcar service that loops through the core to Bricktown, Midtown and Automobile Alley. The streetcar hasn’t quite become a factor in many daily commutes — according to a 2021 EMBARK rider survey, 68% of streetcar riders were visitors to downtown, and 62% of riders rode less than once a month. However, advocates are hopeful that it becomes an effective piece of a more comprehensive public transportation system. “My best hope for the streetcar is that it’s maybe introducing some people to using transit that might not otherwise have considered it,” Hamon said.
In 2017, residents approved the Better Streets, Safer City projects, a bond program and sales tax extension which allocated about $800 million for street repavement and improvements as well as sidewalk construction. The projects include the current resurfacing, landscape additions and ADA upgrades to NW 16th Street through the Plaza District, as well as new sidewalks being built along N. Classen Boulevard and SW 29th Street.
Oklahoma City’s plans became more ambitious when the city council approved BikewalkOKC in 2018. The master plan included a seismic expansion of the city’s bike lane network that would extend far beyond the downtown core to Lake Hefner and Will Rogers World Airport. It also identified Pedestrian Priority Areas, which are neighborhoods and districts consid-
Ron Norick Boulevard before Project 180 had an alternating left-turn lane instead of a median. “If you’re in cars all the time, then you never really get to say hi to one another... But if you’re able to walk down the street to your grocery store or a park, you’re able to say hi and know your neighbors, which then also creates more vibrant, safer neighborhoods.”
Repaving of Park Avenue removed unnecessary lanes and added more on-street parking.
ered most in need of pedestrian upgrades and most likely to feel dramatic impact from them. The areas include the Windsor District, the Stockyards, Clara Luper Corridor and Capitol Hill.
The current MAPS 4 initiative, approved in 2019, uses the BikewalkOKC priority areas and bike networks as a framework for designing and scheduling safer and more reliable pedestrian infrastructure over the next decade. “It’s a funding mechanism for the overall plan that they have,” Muñoz said.
The subcommittee for which she serves as vice chair oversees the overall $204 million budget for MAPS 4’s beautification, transit, sidewalk and streetlight plans, and fields feedback from residents. “As a Ward 6 (resident), I make sure that my community is being represented — that these are the spots, or these are the sidewalks, or these are the trails or the pathways that people create on their own even though there’s no sidewalks,” Muñoz said. “There’s these patterns already. You might as well create some infrastructure to support what the community is already using.”
THE ‘WHYS’ OF WALKING
Given all the recent investments in sidewalks and public transit, those options seem a crucial part of the city’s future. “With the population growth we have seen and anticipate, planning for alternatives is critical if we
With the BikewalkOKC bicycle network plan funded through MAPS 4, Oklahoma City hopes to expand bike lanes beyond the downtown core.
don’t want to find ourselves with traffic that undermines our quality of life,” said Mayor David Holt in his 2022 State of the City address.
But beyond easing traffic woes, walkable infrastructure makes the city transversable for those who’ve already decided to go car-free, or those who don’t have a choice. “It’s going to be younger people, and it’s probably going to be more older people (who don’t drive),” Hamon said. “It’s being able to connect those folks really safely to the things they need, whether it’s a park, a rec center or a school.”
Many people with disabilities also rely on sidewalks and public transit to get around the city, and many sidewalks and bus stops in certain areas remain inaccessible and poorly maintained. Hamon cites a particular sidewalk along Gatewood Avenue that has a massive, buckling crack. “For anyone who isn’t able-bodied, who might have a walker, or pushing a stroller, or a wheelchair, that is completely unnavigable,” she said.
Muñoz said some bus stops lack covered shelters and concrete platforms that would make them ADA-compliant. But she said MAPS 4 will add these elements to inadequate stops with high ridership. The upgraded stops will also feature branding specific to the districts and communities they are in, which Muñoz hopes will make them feel more welcoming and visually pleasing.
Beautification, through the installation of outdoor art such as the planned Ralph Ellison statue as well as the planting of trees and other greenery, is another aspect of walkability’s appeal. “For people who live here, that brings a sense of community to the area they live in,” Muñoz said. Establishing public spaces that are both useful and enjoyable to the residents that live in a specific community makes the community feel visible and unique, she said.
Visually enhancing sidewalks and calming streets can also make them perceivably safer. “It’s one thing to install a sidewalk on South Penn, but how comfortable does that walk end up being just because you put a sidewalk
there?” Hamon said. Paths directly abutting streets with cars speeding 50 miles per hour will feel dangerous, but having trees between the two will create a buffer for pedestrians and make the driver feel there’s less “room for error,” she said.
GROWING COMMUNITY
Safety while biking and walking is an important consideration for Caleb and Abby Savage, especially with having a 3-year-old daughter. Abby found shortcuts through neighborhoods that allow her to bike safely to work and avoid the bike-laneless 44th Street through the busy Western and Penn avenues.
To feel safer and be more visible to drivers, Caleb rides using the vehicular method, in which the cyclist acts like a car by taking up the same amount of space and adjusting to other vehicles. It can make for a stressful riding experience. Additional bike lanes would make the method less necessary, but drivers inexperienced in sharing the road with bikes are still a concern.
Other hiccups with OKC’s busing infrastructure bring some frustration. Trips anywhere outside downtown require Abby and their daughter to take two bus routes. “That is draining if anything is running late because that’s over an hour of trying to contain her on a bus,” she said. According to a February 2022 EMBARK report, over one-fifth of trips from most bus routes arrive late. Caleb said the inaccurate online bus tracking system makes it more difficult, but Muñoz said updated tracking is a focus for MAPS 4.
Still, the Savages love the EMBARK system and are thankful for the dedication from bus drivers and administrators to serving its users and responding to feedback. Their gratitude extends to both city offi-
The center lane at Ron Norick Boulevard became a median with trees and tall grasses.
cials and everyday residents for being open to solving problems and working with the growing car-free community.
This year, as Caleb was biking past Scissortail Park with their daughter in the cargo bike, vendors for the park’s night market were illegally parked on the bike lane. He spotted a park employee and explained his frustration. The next weekend, new branded signs by the park instructed visitors, “Please do not block bike lanes.” Other park employees had voiced their concerns and cited Caleb’s feedback.
“Most people care,” Caleb said. “Oklahoma City is a friendly place. They want to do those things.”
He occasionally reaches out to city officials with questions through email or quick conversations if they stop at Clarity Coffee, and he said he always gets a detailed response. He’s also seen more and more people ditch their cars. “Everyday there’s somebody on a new bike that I haven’t met before,” he said.
Not every acre of Oklahoma City can realistically be made walkable; high population density is a deciding factor of successful walkability, and OKC’s suburban sprawl is infamous. The city ranks 20th in U.S. population but is among the lowest in number of residents per square mile.
Caleb is hopeful that by creating multiple hubs of walkability, the city can connect them all together in the future. He’s also optimistic that the ongoing and planned construction will make walking and biking safer for those already doing it. “I’m going to be really excited when they put a sidewalk on 29th Street so (people) don’t have to walk through the grass and mud,” he said. Regardless, Caleb and Abby said they’ll try to continue living car-free in Capitol Hill, whether the infrastructure improves or not.
“Your street, your neighborhood and the people around you are pretty cool people,” Caleb said. “It just takes you slowing down — not driving everywhere all the time — to see that, to know people.”
PROMOTION HOLIDAY WISHES
GIFT GUIDE 2022
Edwin Jagger 3 Piece Shave Set $150
Truefitt & Hill Shave Soap and Refillable Tub $48
Truefit & Hill preshave oil $32
Carwin’s
6411 AVONDALE DR, NICHOLS HILLS, OK 73116 Holiday Wishes 405.607.1197 CARWINSSHAVESHOP.COM Truefitt & Hill Aftershave Balm $52 Leather Dopp Kit: $150
Kickee Baby Sleeper $36.99
GIFT GUIDE 2022
Volcano Candle Capri Blue 19oz $38.99 Merry Garland $49.99
The Burlap Buffalo
224 W STATE HWY 152 MUSTANG, OK 73064 405.256.6343 THEBURLAPBUFFALO.COM
Occasions
2001 WEST MAIN NORMAN, OK 405.217.8467 OCCASIONSPAPER.COM
Christmas Pillow $148 Giant Snow Globe Clock $695
Christmas Magic Santa with Staff $198
Jolly Holiday Illuminated Tree $298
Dammit Doll $18 Beaded Beanies $68
Rosegold
6423 AVONDALE DR, OKLAHOMA CITY, OK 73116 405.775.0105 SHOPROSEGOLD.COM
Set of 3 mini Geo Soaps $15 or $6 each
Puffer Bag $74
Edwin Jagger 3 Piece Shave Set $150
Truefitt & Hill Shave Soap and Refillable Tub $48
Carwin’s
6411 AVONDALE DR, NICHOLS HILLS, OK 73116 405.607.1197 CARWINSSHAVESHOP.COM
Truefitt & Hill Aftershave Balm $52
Truefit & Hill preshave oil $32 Leather Dopp Kit: $150
Volcano Candle Capri Blue 19oz $38.99 Kickee Baby Sleeper $36.99
Merry Garland $49.99
The Burlap Buffalo
224 W STATE HWY 152 MUSTANG, OK 73064 405.256.6343 THEBURLAPBUFFALO.COM
Santa Mug Set $30.99
Christmas Tree Earrings $18.99
Pink Chateau Glitter House $104
Dollhouse Villa complete with Furniture $199 Merry Christmas Hooked Pillow $43
Papa Noel Pitcher $96
Perrefitte
117 S. 4TH STREET CHICKASHA, OK 73018 405.320.0354 @PERREFITTEHOME PERREFITTEHOME.COM
Polar Express train set $119
Learning Tree
7638 N WESTERN AVE, OKLAHOMA CITY, OK 73116 405.848.1415 LEARNINGTREEOKC.COM
Tonies Box Starter Set $99.98 Tonies Audio Characters $17.98ea
Edwin Jagger 3 Piece Shave Set $150
Truefitt & Hill Shave Soap and Refillable Tub $48
Truefit & Hill preshave oil $32
Carwin’s
6411 AVONDALE DR, Ask NICHOLS HILLS, OK 73116 405.607.1197 CARWINSSHAVESHOP.COM THE
Experts Truefitt & Hill Aftershave Balm $52 ATTORNEYS
Leather Dopp Kit: $150
Volcano Candle Capri Blue 19oz $38.99 Kickee Baby Sleeper $36.99
Merry Garland $49.99
The Burlap Buffalo
224 W STATE HWY 152 MUSTANG, OK 73064 405.256.6343 THEBURLAPBUFFALO.COM
Santa Mug Set $30.99
Christmas Tree Earrings $18.99
Ball Morse Lowe PLLC
ESTATE PLANNING
A Q&A WITH PARTNER CHRISTIN MUGG
ESTATE PLANNING
BRIAN HILL
ESTATE PLANNING AND PROBATE BRIA WINSTON
ESTATE PLANNING BECCA DAVIS
ESTATE PLANNING LAUREN CAMPBELL
PROBATE
P: 405.701.5355 BML.LAW 531 COUCH DR., SUITE 201 OKLAHOMA CITY, OK 73102
Why do I need an Estate Plan? If you want to determine who will inherit your possessions and valuables you need an Estate Plan. Also, Estate Planning allows parents of young children to select who will be guardian of minor children if that need arises. Reduction of taxes is another reason for an Estate Plan. And finally, Estate Planning reduces the chance of family strife and ugly legal battles.
What is the biggest risk if I don’t do Estate Planning? In my experience, the biggest risk is not to the deceased person but to their family. An estate plan provides guidance and structure. However, without an estate plan, a family will potentially be forced into the probate process. This process takes control away from the individuals and puts it in the court system. While it ultimately works to transfer a deceased person’s assets, it creates unnecessary attorney costs, delays, and potentially undesirable outcomes.
Undesirable outcomes? What do you mean by that? Without an estate plan, property will be distributed as directed by state law. The individuals designated by law are often not who you want your assets to go to. Additionally, assets could be forced to be divided among multiple individuals. This creates an untenable future due to the different desires and opinions of the new owners of the property. Finally, assets may be distributed in such a way as to give very young adults complete control over large sums of money. What are common mistakes you have seen in Estate Plans? The most common mistake is not doing an estate plan at all. The second most common mistake is trying to do it on your own. If an estate plan is done without the assistance of attorney who is knowledgeable in the field, or is missing key elements necessary for proper execution, then this could cost your family tax dollars, flexibility, and privacy.
Why are there so many different documents? Do I really need all of those? And isn’t it just a form you fill out? We have been doing estate planning for over 24 years. If there was a shortcut to this, we would have found it. Each of the individual documents in your estate plan is a puzzle piece and together they make a robust and flexible plan. Each client’s situation is unique and requires customization and attention to detail to achieve the best results. A well-drafted estate plan is not just a stack of forms. It is an opportunity to communicate your values and legacy to your family.
Joe Carson
FOUNDING ATTORNEY
WARHAWK LEGAL 405.397.1717 WARHAWKLEGAL.COM 127 NW 10TH STREET OKLAHOMA CITY, OK 73103
If someone has been injured in an accident, what is the most important step they should take? Seek medical treatment. Your health and well-being are of the utmost importance. Injury symptoms may not manifest themselves until a few hours or days after the wreck. Don’t let a gap in treatment arise because you think you’ll get better. The best advice is seek medical treatment, to follow the doctor’s orders, go to all of your follow-up appointments, and identify every injury, even if it’s not bothering you as severely as your other injuries.
How long can someone wait to file a personal injury case? The general rule is the sooner an attorney can start working for you the better. However, as long as the statute of limitations for your claim has not lapsed, you may bring a claim. In most civil cases in Oklahoma, the statute of limitations is set at two years from the date of the accident or injury giving rise to the claim. There are certain exceptions to this rule.
What types of injury compensation can be claimed? There are multiple forms of compensation that can be claimed but nothing is guaranteed. Monetary damages, also known as economic damages, are to compensate the injured party for expenses incurred as a result of the injury. You may also be entitled to non-economic damages, such as physical or mental pain and suffering.
What is the process of working with your firm? After initial consultation, our office opens a file, gives notice to the proper parties, and gathers evidence. Your focus is getting better. If you have questions, you can call our firm at any time, or schedule an appointment to come see us. We will make every effort to settle your claim without litigation. We will discuss all potential outcomes of accepting settlement versus litigation. Whichever route you choose, an attorney with our firm will be with you every step of the way.
Why do clients choose Warhawk Legal for their representation? Our mission at Warhawk Legal is to fight for justice by delivering exceptional legal representation to our clients. We take pride in our commitment to delivering personalized solutions with a focus on our clients, communication, and accessibility. In the legal profession, reputation is everything. Insurance companies and defense attorneys know we will try a lawsuit when needed. We have built a network of connections and an honorable reputation that can be beneficial to helping our clients achieve the best result possible.
