Thoughts on Lawton's recent housing boom and 82nd street retail development? (Oklahoma City: fit in, sales)
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Thoughts on Lawton's recent housing boom and 82nd street retail development?
Hey all,
I am a native lawtonian and current resident. My job requires that I travel throughout the state of OK. No matter where I go I here the same thing "oh you are from Lawton? Bless your heart." Or, Lawton? That place is horrible." However, having experienced 99% of OK, I can safely say that there are worse places in this state. Much worse.... Anyway, it appears as though Lawton is experiencing a bit of a growth spurt that began with BRAC. I consistently see new housing on the west/east sides of town and on 5/8 the city council approved a 2.5m tax incentive supporting retail development on NW 82nd. What are some thoughts on Lawton's future? Should my family and I continue our plans to relocate to Norman, or is Lawton's future getting brighter?
So when is Lawton going to get a Target? I'm surprised that big of a town still doesn't have a Target. Norman has a Target plus two Wal-Marts. Norman is growing faster. So maybe you would like Norman better plus it being real close to Oklahoma City.
I am a native lawtonian and current resident. My job requires that I travel throughout the state of OK. No matter where I go I here the same thing "oh you are from Lawton? Bless your heart." Or, Lawton? That place is horrible." However, having experienced 99% of OK, I can safely say that there are worse places in this state. Much worse.... Anyway, it appears as though Lawton is experiencing a bit of a growth spurt that began with BRAC. I consistently see new housing on the west/east sides of town and on 5/8 the city council approved a 2.5m tax incentive supporting retail development on NW 82nd. What are some thoughts on Lawton's future? Should my family and I continue our plans to relocate to Norman, or is Lawton's future getting brighter?
I hear the same. Groundless bashing. Yes, Lawton is not Edmond. But I have been to many places that are way worse. Lawton is affordable, easy to get around, and has most of the everyday amenities people are looking for. Some parts are in fact "unsavory", a word used to get the point across without going all-out negative, but by-and-large it's a good place. It IS experiencing a growth spurt.
One of my beefs with the new development is how some other developers in the past have tried to get the city to pay for it. Several years ago an unnamed but enormous chain based in Arkansas tried to get Enid to pay for everything for the priviledge of having their store in the city... Enid balked. So the chain opened a store outside the city limits (no sales tax) but inevitably Enid simply annexed the property. I know, there's the revenue from sales tax, the jobs, and the like, but whenever a city makes concessions to a developer or commercial interest, there's the risk that those tax dollars will be lost if the deal falls through. Tucson helped fund an enormous project for a major defense manufacturer in the late 80s only to have the development fail in two years. The building is still empty (as of Sept 2011). Millions of $$$ lost and no jobs to show for it.
With Lawton's growth the addition of Target and its more upscale approach to retail will be a big bonus. Now maybe other retailers and national businesses will see Lawton not as a podunk or Army town but as what it is, a growing small city with great potential.
Here is some information on the The 82nd Street Development.
The tax incentive was passed/ approved during the last City Council meeting for Hunt Properties of Dallas Texas. The inner workings of the tax deal still have to be approved once the lawyers from the city and the developer work it out. What it comes down to is the City doesn't pay for any of the improvements that are needed for the Development to proceed, Hunt Properties does. These improvement are turn lanes and signal lights into the development from several different areas. The developer will recieve 1% of the taxes collected for the city for 5 years or $2.5 million which ever comes first.
Target is one of the reatailers coming into the project wth Famous Footware, Pet Smart, Belk, TJ Maxx and several more are the other planned retailers that have been mentioned coming in the development.
The biggest contention the Lawton residents had about all of this is the Lawton Economic Developement Authority (LEDA) voted no to the tax incentive a week prior to the Lawton City Council vote. The Mayor of Lawton is the head of LEDA and and he said he would vote no at the City Council meeting also.
Now, here is why he would vote no. They City has committed itself to a $9 million dollar downtown development (2nd street to Railroad St and from Ferris to Gore Blvd) that has now turned into a $14 Million development because they had to refinance it two times since the project has started 4 years ago. The Project is to remove all structures from an area to bring in a major retail development to it. This is to be a Hotel Garden Inn Convention center and others retail stores, but to date the only thing that has been done is the clearing of all buildings in the area. This is what has people in Lawton mad because the Mayor specifically said that they can't approve the 82nd street project since all their focus is on the new 2nd street development, that has not had anything built in the 4 years that they have started working on it.
The Developer of the 82nd Street project said that he can have construction started within 60 days once the Tax repayment paperwork has been approved and Super Target will be open by summer next year with other stores opening that would create around 400-450 new jobs.
Ok, here is the more......
Lawton has seen a increase in all types of construction over the last four or five years. Old buildings are being torn down and new buisnesses are being built. New housing areas are being built on the south west and west sides of Lawton.
The future of Lawton does look bright with all that is going on. These developments when finished will be a nice addition to Lawton and with that should bring in more of the top tier retailers as well as Resturants.
Everyone claims the east side is the place to be, so why the hell don't they build it there.
East side of Lawton is restricted by Indian land and old farmers that just don't want to sell their land.
The Apache's are building a hotel addition to their Casino on Gore Blvd right now.
There is a nice plot of land across the street from Mac Aurthur High School, but it is owned by the Lawto Public Schools (from what I understand)
And of course, the City Leaders have their say in where new business go too. If it doesn't fit in their plans for the 2nd street development project then they don't want any part of it.
The only reason they passed the tax incentive plan for the 82nd streeet project is because the amount of people in town that were and still are enraged by what the Mayor and the Lawton Economic Development Authority did the week pior to the City council voting.
A lot of people bash Lawton but I enjoyed my time there. I'll be moving back in a few months and I'm looking forward to it. You have just about everything you need in Lawton and if you want a big city type of experience, OKC is only an hour away.
The military guys think Lawton is a dump but they haven't been to places like Ft. Polk yet.
I lived in Alexandria and yes, you're right, Leesville is, well, Leesville. Makes Lawton look like Beverly Hills.
The initial problem many have had with the funding of the projects, notably the old Lawton Crossing before the Hunt project, was how much the city would have to fork over. Now it appears, based on current data, that the issue is resolved. Good for Lawton.
The initial problem many have had with the funding of the projects, notably the old Lawton Crossing before the Hunt project, was how much the city would have to fork over. Now it appears, based on current data, that the issue is resolved. Good for Lawton.
Yes, there have been two other developers that asked for funding and both times were rejected. Each asked for different items:
The first wanted some sort of agreement that another major retail project coudn't be built within a mile or two of the 82nd street project.
The second wanted $2.8 million and the city could only give up something around $2.3 million, this was up front money, I think.
Now, looking back at it all, the City Council or Mayor, could have been voting no to both of them because of the 2nd street project.
All I know is Lawton is not as bad as alot of people make it out to be. By summer of next year a 130K sq ft Super Target and other retailers as well as a few new resturants will be built bring in 400-450 new jobs and that is only the first phase of the project. If all goes well, Hunt Properties have an option on the land to add more retail shops.
Besides shopping, the housing market has not slowed down at all. New housing areas are being built on the south and west side of town while on the East side new apartment complexes have been built.
If you are not into living in the city then there are new housing areas that have popped up in Medicine Park and around Lake Lawtonka as well as in Elgin.
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