Introducing Urban Connectivity: Oklahoma City's Bricktown District

[Metro Jacksonville]

Introducing Urban Connectivity: Oklahoma City's Bricktown District



Once a major warehouse district and the original site of the city, Bricktown is a growing entertainment district in downtown Oklahoma City. After a successful visioning effort created a navigable canal to attract tourists, Bricktown has blossomed into one of the most visited destinations in the state of Oklahoma, with over 4 million visitors in 2005. Today, the district is home to AT T Bricktown Ballpark, numerous bars and dance clubs, restaurants, hotels, live music venues, retail featuring a Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World, and a Harkins Movie Theater.Bricktown is a good example of taking a decayed section of the inner city and bringing it back to life as a center of local culture and vibrancy. By promoting its history, along with carefully planning development in a fashion that makes individual projects complement their surroundings, Bricktown has become an energetic district that not only attracts tourists on a daily basis, but also local residents as well.

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http://www.metrojacksonville.com/content/view/270

[JJ]

First it was Charleston. Followed by Austin and Cleveland with some in between. Then Detroit and Cincinnati. Now Oklahoma City. What have we learned? We have learned we are behind, really behind. If this was a marathon, these other cities would be halfway thru the race and Jacksonville would still be signing in and getting it's number. The starting gun went off a long time ago. Evidently, we did not hear it. But it's not too late. We could put on a good pair of New Balance, lace the up and run like hell to catch up. Unfortunately, I don't see it happening.