Published: May 02, 2008 04:07 pm            

Del City developer touts ‘crown jewel’

After three and a half years, Larry Owsley’s vision of creating a Del City “showpiece” is coming to fruition.

Owsley, president and owner of Del City Retail Development LLC, said the major retail development he’s been working on at South Sooner Road could have a majority of its basic infrastructure in place in as soon as six months. At that point, with city approval, building permits could be issued to individual retail businesses, he said.

The property has gone undeveloped for a long time because of the Crutcho Creek floodplain that runs through it. But with the help of Del City employees, the Corps of Engineers and the Federal Emergency Management Agency, plans now exist for how to approach that floodplain.

The property will have about 180,000 square feet designated for retail and will have an upscale, contemporary Main Street style.

“Our theme and style of architecture is kind of contemporary Main Street. It’s a style that lasts. It’s the open air lifestyle that you see. It’s a style that will stay around a long time but it’s the most common and most sought after structure these days,” Owsley said.

Buffalo Wild Wings already has bought the piece of land which sits on the northeast corner of the development at the intersection of Sooner Road and the I-40 service road. Owsley also has two hotels that want in — one will be full-service and include a restaurant.

The property will include a pedestrian bridge and will connect to the walking trails. It will also have a bridge for cars and several entrances onto Sooner Road.

Twenty acres on the west side of the property will be turned into public parks and sports fields, Owsley said. The property borders a housing addition on its west side. Those residents will benefit from the parks and also by the work on Crutcho Creek which will hopefully reduce flooding in the area, he said.

“So there’s going to be a lot of new things happening out there for the people who live out there,” Owsley said.

To keep traffic out of that neighborhood, no entrances will connect into it, he said.

“We’re leaving the neighborhoods intact, just for their security and protection,” he said.

Owsley currently sees restaurants, coffee shops, ice cream parlors, hotels, clothing stores and small parks in the retail area. Office space likely will not be part of the development unless the company goes with a mixed use concept that would have office space as a second story above retail space, he said.

Because of the number of businesses interested in the property, Owsley can afford to be very choosy, he said. Next week, he will attend the International Convention of Shopping Centers and try to attract larger retailers, he said.

“We have good demographic studies of Del City. I think we’ve identified the types of retailers that need to be there now,” he said.

Owsley thinks the property will bring a lot of sales tax to the city and will greatly improve the lifestlyes of Del City residents.

“Our landscaping is very unique, very beautiful, very upscale, it’s really going to be a crown jewel for Del City.”

        

• Click to discuss this story with other readers on our forums.