Good or bad density?

By: J. David Chapman/October 13, 2016

A few weeks ago, I wrote in this column about the need for density in our communities.

While Oklahoma City is one of the least dense cities in the United States measured by population per square mile, the surrounding suburbs, like Edmond, seem to have followed suit. In the article, I made a case that our current densities are not sustainable. I posed that well-designed, well-planned, denser development will need to be pursued by cities in the Oklahoma City metropolitan area.

At the corner of 15th and Bryant in Edmond, there is a nice high-end retail center named Spring Creek Plaza. This center is near the popular Hafer Park, which includes baseball fields, Pelican Bay water park, a large nature area with walking trails, a pond, an amphitheater and a large drainage creek running through the park. There is a BancFirst branch and several very nice, mature neighborhoods nearby. There is also nearly 30 acres of undeveloped land between Spring Creek Plaza and the park area. Several developers have made runs at this land for development projects, but have never been able to overcome neighboring opposition to development of the property.

Poag Shopping Centers of Memphis recently put Spring Creek Plaza under contract and intends to purchase 26 acres to the north for a lifestyle center with the type of density that could be the game-changer that many in Edmond think is needed. The development would cost over $100 million and contain a grocery store, theater, and 400 high-end residential units above the retail.

Just as in the past with this location, neighbors vehemently voiced concern about the additional traffic, drainage, density of the housing, impact on the park, and possible number of students added to the school system. Even with the neighborhood opposition, it passed the Edmond Planning Commission. The Edmond City Council will make the final decision on Oct. 24.

The city will need to do “in-fill” on undeveloped property within the city core to create density in order to limit sprawl, which overburdens city resources. It is expected that citizens will have the NIMBY (not-in-my-backyard) viewpoint and it will be necessary for city leadership to make a judgment whether a development provides positive and appropriate density.

J. David Chapman is an associate professor of finance and real estate at the University of Central Oklahoma (jchapman7@uco.edu).