1492 New World Latin American Cuisine....Midtown/Banta investments. (Oklahoma City, Miami: real estate, apartments)

[happytown]

New place to eat...Looks interesting.
'1492 New World Latin American Cuisine'

And info about Midtown and Banta going nutty trying to invest too quickly. lol.

By Steve Lackmeyer

The Oklahoman

Greg Banta is learning how to be patient. Talk with the developer and it's clear that while he appreciates all the rules and regulations built into various design ordinances, inspections and licensing, he's like a kid who has been waiting for Christmas for two years.

That's just how long it's been since Banta's grand plan for MidTown went public. That's how long it's been since he first publicly shared his dream of transforming the intersection of NW 10 and Walker Avenue into a distinctly restaurant row.

He's making progress. But like many property owners along the Bricktown Canal when it opened eight years ago, Banta is learning that the wait can be excruciating.

And so it goes that his hopes to have MidTown's landmark Plaza Court filled with dining and shopping by mid-2007 has come and gone.

But take a closer look and you can see the future that has filled Banta's dreams for so long. Irma's Burger Shack is up and running, and is building the same sort of lunch crowd that lines up at the original location at NW 63 and Western Avenue. The nearby King Euporium Gift Shop also is open. Banta anticipates that two other planned additions — Prairie Thunder Bakery and James E. McNellies Public House — will open by the end of the year.

And just around the corner from the Plaza Court, 1492 New World Latin American Cuisine is expected to open at 1207 N Walker as soon as licensing is completed.

It's not difficult to see why Banta has this great ambition. After all, some of the hardest work was already done by owners of the Grateful Bean Cafe, Cafe do'Brasil and Brown's Bakery.

An influx of housing that will quickly outpace anything in Bricktown is next for MidTown. Banta has his plans to convert several nearby buildings into condominiums, including the Osler and Heritage buildings at NW 10 and Walker.

But others are entering into the act, as well. Preservationist Marva Ellard is overseeing renovation of the older Sieber Hotel into apartments. And don't be surprised if Ellard announces plans in the near future to build more MidTown housing.

Which brings us to the final piece in the mix; the old Mercy Hospital site at NW 13 and Walker.

Ellard was an unsuccessful bidder to redevelop the Urban Renewal site earlier this year. The winner of that competition, Chuck Wiggin, proposed a $62 million multitower complex dubbed "Overholser Green.”

At a recent Urban Renewal meeting, commissioners approved giving Wiggin another 120 days to iron out financing and design for the project. If built, the project could erase the blighted scar that has long separated MidTown from the upscale and historic Heritage Hills neighborhood to the north.

Just imagine where all those new residents — and newly joined Heritage Hills residents — might just want to go for a nice romantic dinner followed by carousing at a friendly neighborhood bar.

[happytown]

Well, this thread seems to get a lot of attention...SO....Here is an article talking about the food. Looks great. Mid-Town OKC is finally coming together.


Made in Oklahoma: 1492 New World Latin CuisineRelated Information

•Address: 1207 N Walker.
•Web address: Web-Based Email :: Redirect.

•Employees: 30.

•Key personnel: Arturo and Marco Chavez.

•Founded: September 2007.

•Product: Fusion Latin American/Mexican food.

•Background: Arturo and Marco Chavez are gambling everything on the idea that they can introduce a new restaurant theme to Oklahoma City in an area that until recently was blighted and considered by some to be beyond saving.

"MidTown was a last-minute thing,” Arturo Chavez said. "The original plan was we were going to go back to Dallas. That's where our family's restaurants are, that's where we grew up ... but the more I was here — I went to college at OU — and the more time I spent here, I fell in love with the area and realized we need something here. What I wanted to have as an individual — some great Latin fusion, Cuban or Venezuelan food, I couldn't find it here. My choices were Chelino's or Abuelo's, and that was it. I couldn't get good cuisine like southern Mexican fish or Cuban food.”

Chavez felt the time was right, and was determined to build on the success of Tex-Mex becoming part of the main stream.

He points out Tex-Mex is more of an American creation than anything found south of the border.

"I wanted to do something out of the ordinary. I wanted to incorporate things I had tried on visits to Miami and southern Mexico, and all the Venezuelan and Cuban restaurants I had tried.”

They were advised not to pursue anything but Tex-Mex, but Chavez was determined to do something different. Their next task was to find a location. After having worked his way up to management at Mickey Mantle's, Chavez was attracted to opening up in Bricktown. After being beat out for a lease in the first floor of the Oklahoma Hardware Building, Chavez's real estate agent urged him to look elsewhere.

The agent, Aimee McKinney, correctly predicted the tenants who took the two Bricktown spaces sought by Chavez eventually would close. She questioned whether the entertainment district could support any more locally owned restaurants until more housing opens downtown. She steered Chavez to MidTown, where developer Greg Banta was buying up dilapidated properties and remolding the area as an entertainment district for locals.

"I've found a place — the area is about to explode,” McKinney told Chavez. "And you'll have plenty of neighborhoods, Heritage Hills and Mesta Park, with plenty of housing to support you. And you'll be right on the edge of a lot of businesses and offices. You'll have great lunches, and the neighborhood people will support you at dinner.”

Chavez's next step was to join with brother Marco and follow the example of restaurants run by his uncles — eateries that do away with sombreros and other cliches from Mexican restaurants and instead go with the decor typical of fine dining.

"It doesn't cost to decorate a restaurant nicely, so why not do it?” Chavez said.

Chavez grew up learning a lot at his uncles' restaurants, and then expanded his training by working at a series of steakhouses in Texas and Oklahoma. He was determined to incorporate all of that experience into the new restaurant.

His first glimpse at MidTown wasn't encouraging. The building that was to be his first restaurant was last a punk club and home to some vagrants. But convinced that Banta and St. Anthony Hospital were leading a turnaround for the area, Chavez took two gambles — introducing a new cuisine to Oklahoma City and using an untested location.

After just one week, Chavez feels pretty good about that gamble. Without any advertising or marketing, the restaurant saw good crowds for lunches and dinners each day. And he's liking the neighborhood's transition, which includes new neighbors like Cafe do' Brasil and Irma's Burger Shack. From his front window he sees workers renovating the old Osler and Heritage buildings into housing.

The menu is designed to transition the market into Latin fusion food. The menu includes the Tex-Mex food familiar to locals — tacos and enchiladas — and dishes not so common to the area, including steaks, southern Mexico fish plates, chicken and duck breast tortillas.

Despite the linen table cloths, flat screen televisions and other upscale amenities, he's kept pricing competitive with other area Mexican restaurants.

"When people come in, they say it's great food — as good and fresh as at any place,” Chavez said. "The prices are great, it's so appealing, and it's really uncharted waters. It's been needed, people want it, and it's here now.”

Business Writer Steve Lackmeyer

[peggydavis]

That area has sure been needing something! The people who work at Saints have been lunch deprived for so long. When my daughter was in school near there, we always had a hard time finding good food in the evening. Now, 10th street looks so much better. Some of the houses have really been fixed up. That would be a good area to get in on the ground floor.

I always like to read about how people end up living in Oklahoma. Mr. Chavez told a common story. (Was just going to live here a short time, but fell in love with area)

Happy Columbus Day!

[happytown]

Originally Posted by peggydavis

That area has sure been needing something! The people who work at Saints have been lunch deprived for so long. When my daughter was in school near there, we always had a hard time finding good food in the evening. Now, 10th street looks so much better. Some of the houses have really been fixed up. That would be a good area to get in on the ground floor.

I always like to read about how people end up living in Oklahoma. Mr. Chavez told a common story. (Was just going to live here a short time, but fell in love with area)

Happy Columbus Day!

Ya- Its nice to see college grads FINALLY choosing to hang around! Hopefully the trend will continue across the state. I remember Big Eds being one of the only places to eat around MTown near St. Anthonys....St. Anthonys almost shutdown. It would have taken down the whole area. Instead its new face is stunning with that Gotham City look to it.

[peggydavis]

Big Eds was OK, but it wasn't really like the original by 50th & Meridian.

One of the most common reasons people tell me why they live in OK: Young Okie moves from OK to east or west coast. Young Okie marries east or west coaster. Young Okie misses Oklahoma and is not happy anymore. Both move to OK.

If I remember correctly, Saint Anthonys Hospital threatened to move because of the blighted area. OKC needs a hospital near downtown, so the 10th st. overhaul started. It is so heartening to see these improvements, and it is great for Heritage Hills and Mesta Park too.

[happytown]

New Devon plaza to help midtown and St. Anthonys!


OKC-based Devon donates to plaza at St. Anthony Journal Record, The (Oklahoma City) - Find Articles

[happytown]

This is bantas new website...Check out the tour of Midtown. It really gives you an overall view of OKCs midtown. A sports car takes you on a tour of all the buildings that are being renovated. It is really well done.
Banta Development Corporation

[happytown]

For the women out there.....
Custom wedding gowns for someone that is not me! Great to see banta work his magic in Midtown.
http://www.journalrecord.com/article.cfm?recid=84588 (broken link)

[peggydavis]

Great post, HT. I like seeing this area make a comeback.

[happytown]

Here is what banta is doing in OKC.....