New waterfront neighborhood planned for Oklahoma City
The Wheeler District seems like a perfect opportunity for a new in-town neighborhood. One mile from downtown Oklahoma City (population 610,000), the 135-acre former airport is bordered by the Oklahoma River and existing neighborhoods. It now sits mostly derelict.
Developer Blair Humphreys, the former head of University of Oklahoma's Institute for Quality Communities, hired urbanists Dover, Kohl & Partners, who conducted a public charrette in mid-July.
The participants supported a new neighborhood with public plazas and squares along the river — one with a large ferris wheel — connected to existing neighborhoods. Traffic on a busy road providing access to the site is calmed with a roundabout.
Former runways are remained as tree-lined avenues. "Those expressing interest in the project included a grocer, restaurateurs, retailers and aspiring homeowners," according to the Oklahomen. Overall densities range from 15 to 22 units per acre.
"Over 500 people attended the charrette and when asked 'Is the plan on the right track,' using keypad polls, 85 percent said 'Yes' and the rest said 'Maybe yes,' " reports Jason King of Dover Kohl.
King put together a short video with mostly images and a soundtrack. It is worth a view.
