Project Summary

The City of Oklahoma City is seeking a professional consultant to develop a strategic development plan for the downtown and Bricktown areas of Oklahoma City. This plan will guide land use, public infrastructure, and private development decisions to ensure that thoughtful, contextual, and complementary development builds on the momentum of the vibrant and growing core of our city.

The project will focus on the area shown on the map below. The boundaries are approximately I-235 on the east, SW 15th Street on the south, N Western Avenue on the west, and NW 13th Street on the north.

Statement of Need

This strategic development plan will project needs for infrastructure related to known new development and identify opportunity sites and land uses within established areas to foster sustainable, complementary growth. The Planning Department of the City of Oklahoma City will serve as the lead for this project, in coordination with the Alliance for Economic Development, Downtown OKC Inc., and the Greater OKC Chamber. The consultant will also work with key stakeholders within the project area. These may include the Thunder/ASM team, the Bricktown Ballpark, the Producer's Coop development group, the Dream Hotel development group, Strawberry Fields development group, among others the project leads may identify. Concurrently, the City will be engaging a consultant to conduct a similar land use and development plan for the Oklahoma River Corridor. These will be separate projects, but since some of the project area overlaps, the intent is for the selected consultant teams to coordinate.

Goals

We expect this work to be referenced by and informative to multiple public and private entities that drive investment, decision making and development of the downtown. The overall goal is to identify major elements that should be considered by all public and private development in this area to promote the mutual success, connectivity, and cohesiveness of developments in downtown. Such elements may include public infrastructure, transit options, parking concerns, and market absorption considerations (housing, entertainment, restaurant, hotel, etc.) of the various assets being developed.

Our downtown fabric contains not only commercial business and government entities, but non-profits, residents, and visitors as well, and all should be considered for a resulting high-quality downtown. The consultant should consider best practices and principles for building a strong, resilient economic engine along with a highly livable community in the city's downtown. With a progressive, forward-thinking view about the future of our downtown, we hope to enable and incent the following outcomes through this work:

• Development of community infrastructure and livable neighborhoods (emphasis on housing and schools) that will support more family households and those with children;
• Flexibility for adapting to modern US downtown trends, such as adaptive reuse and co-location;
• Inclusion of "smart city" and technology elements for a modern user experience; and
• Environmental design and sustainability. Through this process, we aim to acknowledge and address the paradox of three definitions of "value" that can be perceived as conflicting at times:
• Community - Sustainability and long-term quality of life
• City and Government - Support for public policies and long-term economic impacts
• Commercial Business - Profitability for private development projects

Scope of Services

1. Existing conditions assessment The existing conditions assessment will evaluate the current capacities and conditions within the following categories. The bulleted list of components within each category is illustrative of the type of information needed to complete a comprehensive assessment and is subject to further discussion with the selected Consultant team. Much of this information can be obtained readily from City staff and partners.

Public Infrastructure

• Water and sewer provision and capacity
• Storm drainage and storm surge capacities; detention and settling basins
• Street network, including:
  • Traffic Volumes and Capacities
  • Pedestrian network connectivity
  • Micromobility, including bike infrastructure
  • Airport transportation to downtown
• Parking supply, including:
  • Location of parking facilities and connection to the pedestrian/bicycle/streetcar network
  • Safety and security
  • Park and ride compatibility
• Public amenities and shade infrastructure
  • Trees and shade
  • Street furniture and other amenities
  • Lighting, both for safety and aesthetics
• Emergency management services o Crew and equipment deployment plans/strategy locations o Real-time technology monitoring systems o Emergency operation center (EOC) capacity and inclusion o Public emergency sheltering

Land Use Conditions

• Vacant land and infill opportunities
• Underutilized properties and redevelopment opportunities
• Land use diversity by subarea/district
• Housing supply by type, number, and demographic served
• Office space supply and trends
• Primary and Secondary Schools – public, charter, and private institutions
• University and College academia institutions

Safety and Security

• Crime types and locations
• Lighting and CPTED
• Homelessness conditions
• Private business incentives for infrastructure
• Expansion of Real-time information network (OKCPD's center)

2. Impending development impact analysis

Analyze potential impacts of impending developments for induced demand on existing infrastructure, vehicular and pedestrian circulation and access, parking, and accessibility, to include at a minimum:

• Recommended implementation measure to address the resulting impact
• Timeline estimate for implementation measure
• Cost estimate range (2025$) for implementation measure
• Forecasted hurdles for the implementation measure

Impact of significant upcoming developments, including:

• New NBA Arena
• 2028 Olympics improvements at and near the Boathouse District
• MAPS 4 Multipurpose Stadium and associated mixed-use development
• The Boardwalk (Dream Hotel) mixed-use development
• Alley's End
• Alley North
• Potential redevelopment of Oklahoma County jail site

Impact of major transportation improvements, including:

• RTA proposed commuter rail, airport connection, and BRT lines
• Amtrack or other visitor rail lines
• MAPS 4 proposed northeast and south BRT lines
• Downtown Transit Center
• Street enhancements on Broadway, NE 4th Street, NE 5th Street, and NE 6th Street RFP.SP.VI.2025 RFP-OCITY-177 Page 8
• Destination connectivity

3. Priority investment area analysis Identify opportunities to improve the downtown experience, bolster district identity and placemaking, and create synergies between complementary land uses. Identify key sites for targeted investment, while factoring in existing assets and emerging opportunities leveraging an understanding of market dynamics. Recommend strategic land uses for infill, vacant, and redevelopment opportunity sites to ensure symbiotic relationships between districts and emerging development areas. Consider the impacts of these priority investment areas in context with adjacent district expansions, such as the Innovation, Farmer's Market, Horizon, Producer's Co-op, Strawberry Fields, and Classen Corridor TIF.

4. Capital improvement framework Outline targeted infrastructure investments and public realm enhancements to support both current and projected private investment opportunities, ensuring a cohesive and forward-thinking development strategy.

• Water & sewer capacity
• Parking demands
• Transit needs
• Pedestrian safety and connectivity
• ADA accessibility
• Street enhancements
• Placemaking and wayfinding
• Purposeful open space

5. Implementation strategy Outline priorities and potential funding sources to phase infrastructure improvements concurrent with significant private development investments. This can include analysis and recommendations for existing incentives and financial tools, such as Tax Increment Finance and Business Improvement Districts. Recommend ways organizations and partners can advance redevelopment opportunities for land use strategies.

For additional information please see the full RFP and supporting documents at:RFP-OCITY-177 - Downtown Strategic Development Plan | BidNet Direct