A new entertainment district is under construction just northwest of downtown. This mixed-use project will integrate luxury residences, restaurants, retail, and parks around a sculpture.
“It will be transformative for the region,” Veritas development director Ryan McNeil said.
Located at the corner of Northwest Expressway and Penn Avenue, McNeil said more than 100 workers will be on site each day to bring the Oak development to life. “What good mixed-use projects do is get cars out of the way and allow people to live where they want to live,” McNeil said. “When you peel back the layers, what really matters is the human being.”
People live and work here. On the property he has a luxury apartment complex of over 300 apartments, and across the street is a boutique hotel called Lively. “I think what sets our amenities apart is that you can get out of your apartment and out into the common spaces and enjoy them,” McNeil said.
Heartwood Park is a shared space that brings together an entertainment destination. “This park is really at the heart of Oak, and it allows us to do a lot of really unique and special things in the city,” he said.
Signature events, concerts year-round, and a skating rink during the winter months are all centered around the giant art installation, Cloud Tree. “We felt like we needed to go big with an art installation that we wanted to be part of the plaza,” McNeil said.
Cloud Trees is a 7 meter tall sculpture with a stainless steel canopy suspended above the lawn.
Its sister product, the Cloud Puncher, will be installed on the other side of the lawn. The piece depicts a cowboy wrestling with a cloud.
“What art allows us to do is to bring together the fabric of a brick-and-mortar store, but it also helps to bring together what the project is really about: the joy of place,” McNeil said.
Outside the common spaces, there will be five chef-driven restaurants, rooftop dining, and retail stores, many of which will be hitting the market for the first time, including Tommy Bahama, RH (Restoration Hardware), and Ahaus. Parking is available on site and the area will be open to the public. “I'm excited to be able to bring my family and enjoy it just like the general public,” McNeil said.
The first phase of Oak is expected to be completed this fall.