Thursday, January 20, 2005
Where is Capitol Hill?
Capitol Hill is an area south of the Oklahoma River and downtown Oklahoma City, stretching from Walker to Shields, including SW 24, 25 and 26 streets. It’s main street is Commerce, also known as Southwest 25th.
The Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce estimates more than 101,000 residents, about 34 percent Hispanic, live in a three-mile radius from Capitol Hill Main Street's office in the former Capitol Hill Bank building at 312 Commerce.
Capitol Hill still has the Capitol Hill Beacon Newspaper, but the area also is home to the El Nacional Hispanic newspaper. A hispanic radio station and television station also call Capitol Hill home.
When interviewed by The Daily Oklahoman a few months ago, a group of Hispanic merchants paused to note how far Capitol Hill has come in just the past few years. Joe Mendoza, director of the Capitol Hill Main Street Program, reported storefront vacancy had dropped from 60 percent to 10 percent. And indeed, drive the area and you will discover a rich diversity of Hispanic and old southside businesses. The furniture, clothing and dry goods stores are back.
The revival is being led by businessmen like Marcelino Garcia, who many of you know as “Chelino.” The man who’s nickname graces restaurants across the city, including the oldest eatery along the Bricktown Canal, opened a grocery store in the area a few years ago and last summer added an upscale sports bar and grill. First Commercial Bank added a branch in Capitol Hill not too long ago – and this bank is one to watch. They are also building a branch now in the Asian District, and they seem to be finding a niche as a bank for cultural districts.
The city, meanwhile, is completing a long awaited $1.2 million “streetscape” that replaced the sidewalks, added brick paver crosswalks and vintage street lamps. The city is also spending $3 million to renovate the John A. Brown building at 323 W Commerce (also known as SW 25), where Community Action Agency offices will go.
The Centennial Commission has taken notice of all this, and has added Capitol Hill to areas scheduled to get a Centennial Clock. Planning is also underway to build a new $400,000 bus stop to replace the aging landmark now at Robinson and Commerce.
Capitol Hill still has plenty of challenges ahead. Visitors to this web site, people with a passion for this city, had never been to the area. Some barely knew it existed. It’s easy to see why some may have stayed away. This gem is surrounded by rough edges. If you travel Robinson south from downtown, you’ll traverse a seedy strip known as hubcap alley and the remnants of what was once a skid row. That skid row will disappear once the new Interstate 40 Crosstown Expressway is built. The city has bond money to clean up the Hubcap Alley sidewalks and street – but one has to wonder if those property owners will keep their promise to clean up their own front yards once the city does its share of the work. Travel Robinson, picture the new highway where the old Rock Island railroad bridge is, imagine a cleaned up Hub Cap Alley, and you can begin to see the potential of a Capitol Hill that overlooks the Oklahoma River and the downtown skyline.
No, it’s not as simple as all that. Capitol Hill is benefiting from the influx of Hispanic immigrants. They’re a hard working people, creative with a lot of ambition. But their influx comes with poverty and the crime that can stem from desperation. The older Hispanic leaders will have to work hard and take a stand for the future of Capitol Hill. Gang graffiti must be eliminated anytime it appears. Redirect the more talented taggers to murals on the sides of the neglected buildings. Maybe even host an annual mural contest.
And then there are the prostitutes. It’s going to take a lot of work to get them off a street (Robinson Avenue) that they’ve controlled for so long. But it’s been done – look no further than Lincoln Boulevard, which was once overrun with “commercial ladies.” They’re gone now, the strip is cleaned up and no longer a source of embarrassment for our city.
Promotion is also a must. I’ve written these posts with the intent of inspiring somebody to create a Capitol Hill web site. Visit the following sites to see examples of how such a site could be developed:
For all of you who care about this city, take a trip to Capitol Hill.
The Oklahoma Opry, 404 W Commerce, is open again and is home to a country western variety show. For more information, visit www.okopry.homestead.com.
Capitol Hill also features an abundance of Mexican restaurants; other great eateries along Commerce include Jamies Grill on the Hill (great Capitol Hill color and recipes from Tennessee) and Coney Island Hot Dogs. The shopping isn’t quite to the point of making Capitol Hill a true Hispanic market – yet. But they’re getting close.
An insider will tell you there is still some simmering discomfort between the old southsiders and the Hispanic population. Until that relationship improves, it won’t be easy marking this area as the Hispanic district its destined to become. A similar struggle took place in the Asian District, but it didn’t prevent it from getting to where it is today. These transformations take time. Visit Capitol Hill now and in a decade you’ll be the one who can say “I can remember when …”
- The Downtown Guy
www.downtownguy.blogspot.com
The Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce estimates more than 101,000 residents, about 34 percent Hispanic, live in a three-mile radius from Capitol Hill Main Street's office in the former Capitol Hill Bank building at 312 Commerce.
Capitol Hill still has the Capitol Hill Beacon Newspaper, but the area also is home to the El Nacional Hispanic newspaper. A hispanic radio station and television station also call Capitol Hill home.
When interviewed by The Daily Oklahoman a few months ago, a group of Hispanic merchants paused to note how far Capitol Hill has come in just the past few years. Joe Mendoza, director of the Capitol Hill Main Street Program, reported storefront vacancy had dropped from 60 percent to 10 percent. And indeed, drive the area and you will discover a rich diversity of Hispanic and old southside businesses. The furniture, clothing and dry goods stores are back.
The revival is being led by businessmen like Marcelino Garcia, who many of you know as “Chelino.” The man who’s nickname graces restaurants across the city, including the oldest eatery along the Bricktown Canal, opened a grocery store in the area a few years ago and last summer added an upscale sports bar and grill. First Commercial Bank added a branch in Capitol Hill not too long ago – and this bank is one to watch. They are also building a branch now in the Asian District, and they seem to be finding a niche as a bank for cultural districts.
The city, meanwhile, is completing a long awaited $1.2 million “streetscape” that replaced the sidewalks, added brick paver crosswalks and vintage street lamps. The city is also spending $3 million to renovate the John A. Brown building at 323 W Commerce (also known as SW 25), where Community Action Agency offices will go.
The Centennial Commission has taken notice of all this, and has added Capitol Hill to areas scheduled to get a Centennial Clock. Planning is also underway to build a new $400,000 bus stop to replace the aging landmark now at Robinson and Commerce.
Capitol Hill still has plenty of challenges ahead. Visitors to this web site, people with a passion for this city, had never been to the area. Some barely knew it existed. It’s easy to see why some may have stayed away. This gem is surrounded by rough edges. If you travel Robinson south from downtown, you’ll traverse a seedy strip known as hubcap alley and the remnants of what was once a skid row. That skid row will disappear once the new Interstate 40 Crosstown Expressway is built. The city has bond money to clean up the Hubcap Alley sidewalks and street – but one has to wonder if those property owners will keep their promise to clean up their own front yards once the city does its share of the work. Travel Robinson, picture the new highway where the old Rock Island railroad bridge is, imagine a cleaned up Hub Cap Alley, and you can begin to see the potential of a Capitol Hill that overlooks the Oklahoma River and the downtown skyline.
No, it’s not as simple as all that. Capitol Hill is benefiting from the influx of Hispanic immigrants. They’re a hard working people, creative with a lot of ambition. But their influx comes with poverty and the crime that can stem from desperation. The older Hispanic leaders will have to work hard and take a stand for the future of Capitol Hill. Gang graffiti must be eliminated anytime it appears. Redirect the more talented taggers to murals on the sides of the neglected buildings. Maybe even host an annual mural contest.
And then there are the prostitutes. It’s going to take a lot of work to get them off a street (Robinson Avenue) that they’ve controlled for so long. But it’s been done – look no further than Lincoln Boulevard, which was once overrun with “commercial ladies.” They’re gone now, the strip is cleaned up and no longer a source of embarrassment for our city.
Promotion is also a must. I’ve written these posts with the intent of inspiring somebody to create a Capitol Hill web site. Visit the following sites to see examples of how such a site could be developed:
For all of you who care about this city, take a trip to Capitol Hill.
The Oklahoma Opry, 404 W Commerce, is open again and is home to a country western variety show. For more information, visit www.okopry.homestead.com.
Capitol Hill also features an abundance of Mexican restaurants; other great eateries along Commerce include Jamies Grill on the Hill (great Capitol Hill color and recipes from Tennessee) and Coney Island Hot Dogs. The shopping isn’t quite to the point of making Capitol Hill a true Hispanic market – yet. But they’re getting close.
An insider will tell you there is still some simmering discomfort between the old southsiders and the Hispanic population. Until that relationship improves, it won’t be easy marking this area as the Hispanic district its destined to become. A similar struggle took place in the Asian District, but it didn’t prevent it from getting to where it is today. These transformations take time. Visit Capitol Hill now and in a decade you’ll be the one who can say “I can remember when …”
- The Downtown Guy
www.downtownguy.blogspot.com
