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Advisory Services Project Analysis Sessions
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Edmond, OK - Advisory Services Panel
February 27, 2023
Edmond Oklahoma is a City of 95,000 located 15 miles north of Oklahoma City. Over the past few years, the downtown corridor in the City of Edmond has seen an increase in development and redevelopment, with several major projects currently under construction and in design. The downtown is growing in a manner that is different than its suburban roots and the result is the beginning of a vibrant urban district providing walkability, unique shopping opportunities and more dense housing that contrasts with the I-35 Corridor development and the large lot residential areas that has defined Edmond in the past. As downtown Edmond continues to grow, the City of Edmond desires to steward and cultivate the development in a way that promotes a healthy business district, is safe and accessible for pedestrians, is better connected with the University of Central Oklahoma, fosters a real estate environment that incorporates affordable housing, and is prepared for increased transit and mobility. The Urban Land Institute was asked to organize an Advisory Services Panel to answer a series of questions focused on these ideas.
Photo By ULI
The panel was led by chair John Walsh TIG Real Estate Services, Inc. Addison TX; and included panelists: John Batey SVP, Operations & Development, Wilmington (NC) Housing Authority, Winnabow, NC; Geoff Koski, President & Owner, KB Advisory Group, Atlanta, GA; William G. Lashbrook III, PNC Bank (retired) Hopewell, NJ; Brent Martin, Managing Partner, LandDesign, Boulder, CO; Ann Chambers Taylor, Director of Engagement, Central Houston, Houston, TX; Tamela Thornton, Executive Director, Urban Land Institute, Dallas-Fort Worth District Council, Dallas, TX; Ross Tilghman, Tilghman Group, Seattle, WA. ULI Staff: Tom Eitler, Senior Vice President, Advisory Services, Washington, DC; Barbra Gustis, Director, Advisory Services and Key Leaders, Philadelphia, PA; Matt Brandon, MBA Candidate, Class of 2023, University of Virginia Darden School of Business, Charlottesville, VA.
Date: February 19-24, 2023
Location: Edmond, OK
Sponsor: City of Edmond and the University of Central Oklahoma
Panel Chair: John Walsh, TIG Real Estate Services, Inc.
Key recommendations from the panel include:
- Acknowledging the changing demographics and desires of people looking to live in Edmond.
- Providing a broader range of housing options allows the downtown core to evolve into a vibrant, active district.
- Identifying locations for Essential Working Housing
- Reassess the Conceptual Plan for the new City Hall.
- Creates several Linchpin Positions focused on Downtown including:
- Central Edmond Development Ombudsman
- Main Street Manager
- Director of Marketing, Communications and Programming
- Create a new platform for Pedestrians and Bicycles in, around and beyond downtown.
- Re-size key streets to balance their volume and circulation functions downtown.
- Upgrade alleys throughout downtown district
- Consider a new location for the Future Train Station closer to downtown.
- Move the Farmers market.
- and most importantly, Create Main Street Square as the Central Organizing Feature and Gathering Place for Downtown.
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