5
Mar

The Rebirth of Downtown OKC

posted by , March 5, 2012

IMG_6736 | Flickr - Photo Sharing!
Seventy degrees has me pulling out all my spring clothes and letting Jude wear shorts. The weather has been so blissfully lovely that we’ve found ourselves heading to the park more often, and with the renovation of the downtown OKC Myriad Gardens, we’ve been anxious to explore all the new nooks & crannies. The children’s area, in particular, has one of the coolest playgrounds I’ve seen in a long time with some extremely unusual play equipment.

The cranes have finally been removed from the new Devon building (below). I find myself looking forward to this year’s Arts Festival as it seems the energy of downtown is only increasing with each completed project.  Simon and I have this little fantasy that we might have some cool little loft in the area that we could hang out at on the weekends, or for New Year’s, the Arts Festival…  I fantasize about it being all white with modern furniture and pops of color in the accessories. Or, in contrast, a 1920s tiny bungalow that we could fix up with white marble countertops and exquisite hardware.  We would walk back & forth to the coffee shop or to the park.  Doesn’t it sound lovely?
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Jude always sneezes right when we go outside. I adore this photo below.

IMG_6842 | Flickr - Photo Sharing!
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The garden area was complete with an actual cabbage patch. I kept looking for the little babydoll faces. #childofthe80s
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Man, my pants look totally neon in this photo!
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At first glance, this “slide” kinda made me nervous, but it really was pretty safe, and it was interesting to see the different ways that the kids interpreted it.
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Of course, it was 10x more fun when his little cousin Piper showed up to play.
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The tile thing that the kids are climbing on in the photo below make different chime sounds when they stepped on them. Just like BIG! #childofthe80s  Yes, that’s right – TWO 1980s references in this post!
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Big Wipeout-esque balls.  Please tell me I’m not the only one that looks at giant balls and thinks ‘WIPEOUT!’
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This photo would be 10x greater if there had been another photo showing me slide out of the G like a hot mess.
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I adore all of the French bistro furniture that dots the landscape of the entire park.
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What do you think about urban living? Could you live downtown with kids?

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  • Sara

    We live in a little 60s bungalo. It’s not downtown but it’s not very far. With young kids (ours are 7 months now) I often find myself thinking it would be so much easier to be downtown. I love being able to put the boys in the stroller and walk to the couple of stores we do have close by (bakery, meat market, fish store, plus a cafe that’s about a 15 min walk). It’s so so much easier than loading everyone into the car and out and setting up the stroller, etc. I would love to have a few more stores, cafe and restaurant in walking distance.
    Our home is small but a great size for kids (it’s not like we are far from them these days).

    • RachelShingleton

      I wish that there were more options for grocery stores, etc., in our downtown. It’s happening – slooooowly. I think that would seal the deal for me for longterm.

      • RachelShingleton

        Let me amend this statement. I wish there were grocery stores WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE. It’s no big deal to hop in the car to run to the store – and it bugs me when people complain, “But where are the grocery stores?!?!!” But that being said, I wish there were more pedestrian-friendly options.

        There. Amended.

  • Sara

    We live in a little 60s bungalo. It’s not downtown but it’s not very far. With young kids (ours are 7 months now) I often find myself thinking it would be so much easier to be downtown. I love being able to put the boys in the stroller and walk to the couple of stores we do have close by (bakery, meat market, fish store, plus a cafe that’s about a 15 min walk). It’s so so much easier than loading everyone into the car and out and setting up the stroller, etc. I would love to have a few more stores, cafe and restaurant in walking distance.
    Our home is small but a great size for kids (it’s not like we are far from them these days).

    • Anonymous

      I wish that there were more options for grocery stores, etc., in our downtown. It’s happening – slooooowly. I think that would seal the deal for me for longterm.

      • Anonymous

        Let me amend this statement. I wish there were grocery stores WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE. It’s no big deal to hop in the car to run to the store – and it bugs me when people complain, “But where are the grocery stores?!?!!” But that being said, I wish there were more pedestrian-friendly options.

        There. Amended.

  • Annie Tucker

    i fantasize about living downtown all the time!!!

  • Annie Tucker

    i fantasize about living downtown all the time!!!

  • Danielle (elleinadspir)

    We keep inching our way closer. Another year or two and I think we will actually be living in Myriad Gardens. 

    • RachelShingleton

      I can totally see you guys living downtown in some super cool, modern loft space.

  • Danielle (elleinadspir)

    We keep inching our way closer. Another year or two and I think we will actually be living in Myriad Gardens. 

    • Anonymous

      I can totally see you guys living downtown in some super cool, modern loft space.

  • Juliana

    We live in downtown Philadelphia with our children.  There are pros and cons, and while in the end, we feel the pros outweigh the cons for us, given our lifestyle priorites, I’m aware that it wouldn’t be for everyone.  And it may not even be for us when our kids are a little older. The school situation is pretty bleak here, and it is frustrating to live in a city that is essentially broken on a lot of very fundamental levels.  On the other hand, we don’t drive much, my husband bike-commutes, we know all our neighbors, live within walking distance of grocery stores, restaurants, library, shops, etc. and an easy bus ride to many other useful places.  It is more tricky with small children (I have three under age four), but doable.

  • Juliana

    We live in downtown Philadelphia with our children.  There are pros and cons, and while in the end, we feel the pros outweigh the cons for us, given our lifestyle priorites, I’m aware that it wouldn’t be for everyone.  And it may not even be for us when our kids are a little older. The school situation is pretty bleak here, and it is frustrating to live in a city that is essentially broken on a lot of very fundamental levels.  On the other hand, we don’t drive much, my husband bike-commutes, we know all our neighbors, live within walking distance of grocery stores, restaurants, library, shops, etc. and an easy bus ride to many other useful places.  It is more tricky with small children (I have three under age four), but doable.

  • http://www.jeremyandkathleen.blogspot.com/ Kathleen

    I love living sandwiched between downtown and Western Ave. My dream is to build a super modern house near 7th & Classen – have you seen all the ones going up in that area? If not go explore. Now.

    Also! Just to let everyone know Urban Agrarian is open Wed-Sun 10am-6pm near the old farmers market downtown. Also we’ll be getting a Native Roots Market in deep deuce in the next couple of months!

    • Danielle

      Ok….so we need to build a 3 story in midtown with a roof deck. We get a level, you get a level and we sell or rent the third.

      • http://www.jeremyandkathleen.blogspot.com/ Kathleen

         I’m so down for that.

      • RachelShingleton

        Word.

    • RachelShingleton

      Ooh, I hadn’t heard about the Native Roots! That’s excellent!

      Yes, I’ve seen those modern houses going up. Simon was riding his bike around there one day and actually stopped to chat w/ one of the owners of it b/c he was so impressed. There’s some awesome stuff happening. I want in!

  • http://www.jeremyandkathleen.blogspot.com/ Kathleen

    I love living sandwiched between downtown and Western Ave. My dream is to build a super modern house near 7th & Classen – have you seen all the ones going up in that area? If not go explore. Now.

    Also! Just to let everyone know Urban Agrarian is open Wed-Sun 10am-6pm near the old farmers market downtown. Also we’ll be getting a Native Roots Market in deep deuce in the next couple of months!

    • Danielle

      Ok….so we need to build a 3 story in midtown with a roof deck. We get a level, you get a level and we sell or rent the third.

      • http://www.jeremyandkathleen.blogspot.com/ Kathleen

         I’m so down for that.

      • Anonymous

        Word.

    • Anonymous

      Ooh, I hadn’t heard about the Native Roots! That’s excellent!

      Yes, I’ve seen those modern houses going up. Simon was riding his bike around there one day and actually stopped to chat w/ one of the owners of it b/c he was so impressed. There’s some awesome stuff happening. I want in!

  • http://www.byebyebitters.com/ Helena Butters

    I don’t have kids yet, but the fiance and I are pretty dedicated to raising them downtown (in our case, in the City of Chicago). I grew up in suburban environments, but am a total city person. People comment that my kids will miss out on “riding their bikes down the street” (yes, this is mentioned EVERY TIME I talk about having city kids) but there are places to do that in the city as well. To each their own.

    • Anonymous

      I’m always amazed when I hear about people not wanting to raise their kids in the city, whether it be because of the riding their bikes thing or not having their own yard, etc. But what about all the amazing cultural opportunities you get BECAUSE you’re in the city?

  • http://www.byebyebitters.com/ Helena Butters

    I don’t have kids yet, but the fiance and I are pretty dedicated to raising them downtown (in our case, in the City of Chicago). I grew up in suburban environments, but am a total city person. People comment that my kids will miss out on “riding their bikes down the street” (yes, this is mentioned EVERY TIME I talk about having city kids) but there are places to do that in the city as well. To each their own.

    • RachelShingleton

      I’m always amazed when I hear about people not wanting to raise their kids in the city, whether it be because of the riding their bikes thing or not having their own yard, etc. But what about all the amazing cultural opportunities you get BECAUSE you’re in the city?