Living it up downtown

Did you get a chance to see the Downtown Home Tour last weekend? If so, then you got a glimpse of what it’s like to live in the heart of Oklahoma City.

The tour showcased nine properties ranging from renovated historic buildings like Carnegie Centre and The Sieber to more recent construction including The Edge and The Hill at Bricktown.

If you weren’t able to take the tour, you can still see how living in downtown is positively impacting the city. Currently, almost 9,000 people live downtown, and the density is expected to increase with more than 1,000 additional residential units presently under construction or planned. In addition to the increase in the number of residential units, those units are providing a variety of bedroom mix, which has helped to attract families downtown. This growth is a good indication of the health and vibrancy of downtown. More people living in the urban core means that there are many options for people to live, work and play.

Increased density also fuels retail sales growth. It is estimated that the typical downtown resident spends between three and four times annually what the typical downtown employee spends on goods and services downtown. A robust urban population will draw more retail, entertainment and restaurants. Some stores, such as an urban grocery store, can only be attracted when there are enough people living nearby to ensure a steady customer base.

Read the full article at The Journal Record