Edmond approves plan to reimagine blocks near UCO, inspired by OU’s ‘Campus Corner’

A plan to reimagine several blocks adjacent to the University of Central Oklahoma’s campus in Edmond has been approved by the city council, with a 5-0 vote during a Monday night meeting. 

ADG Blatt, Economic Planning Systems LLC, and CEC prepared the University District Plan. 

“I just want to say, very briefly, that the university is in full support,” UCO president Todd Lamb told council members, following a presentation of the plan. “We think the time has come.” 

Downtown Edmond and UCO would become connected through a reimagination of the area, which draws on Norman and the University of Oklahoma's “Campus Corner.” 

A market study concluded that 627 new homes in the district’s footprint could meet demand by 2032. 

Several locations in the plan area include land already owned by UCO. The city and university say those spots would become the first targets when it comes time to redevelop. 

“We look forward to this partnership with the finest city in America,” Lamb added at the end of his comments. 

More than a quarter of the plan includes a denser residential area north of Ayers Street. Specifically, the plan says, for that area, it would keep the “current character with slight residential density increases via ADUs or small redevelopments.” 

But, homeowner Shara Snyder told council members she has not felt included in the planning process. 

“All of those great things that were mentioned, they are fabulous,” she said. “I’m not going to dispute that,” briefly mentioning more specifically where she lived in the neighborhood, then adding, “but I just say: think about the whole picture, not just part of that picture.” 

While Snyder said she received no outreach from the city, Mayor Nash — who took office in May — said the city handed out 100 surveys to residents in the area. 

"We don't want those homeowners to think that someone's going to build a three-story apartment building right next to them,” Nash said. 

Specific design and construction with the plan area would be subject to individual approval, and would follow the typical procedures for any ordinary development in city limits. 

No exact timeline for the project has been set, but instead, project leaders have only set “short-term” and “long-term” goals. 

Details in the full plan can be read inside the presentation given to the City Council on Monday.