Campbell Corner is Coming

It won’t be long now until the southeast corner of Campbell and Broadway streets in downtown Edmond becomes a hub of activity, with shoppers having their choice of boutiques, dining and more—all in one building.

Campbell Corner, the two-story, multi-use brick building is slated to open its doors to customers in early spring this year. Developers and downtown business owners think Campbell Corner at Downtown Edmond Plaza, 130 N. Broadway, might be the spark that ignites even more activity, more new business and more interest throughout Edmond.

“Campbell Corner is generating interest and buzz in the community and about other developments coming,” said Koorosh Zahrai, vice president of business development for Plaza USA LLC, which is developing the project. “Now there’s even talk about a performing arts center and a parking garage in downtown Edmond. There’s some really cool stuff coming.”

The name Campbell Corner might sound familiar to those acquainted with the University of Oklahoma campus in Norman. OU’s Campus Corner, located on the north side of the university, is a commercial district that’s home to a mix of cafés, bars and boutiques. Just four blocks down from Old North on the University of Central Oklahoma campus, Campbell Corner aims to have that same feel.

Zahrai hasn’t announced any official tenants yet, but he said the 15,584-square-foot building valued at a projected $4.6-$5.2 million could hold up to 16 retailers and potentially more than 60 jobs. “We’re really trying to get as many local businesses in there as possible,” Zahrai said. “We want to keep it local, with boutiques both old and new. We’re trying to keep that commitment to everyone.”

The goal with Campbell Corner was to make the plaza “stand out by blending in,” said project architect John Postic of Studio Architecture in Oklahoma City. He and partner George Winters began designing the building in April 2014. Postic said they wanted the building to match and complement the neighboring buildings and look like it had been at Campbell and Broadway for 100 years.

“The construction is new, but the design details and the styles we borrowed from were from decades-old buildings throughout Edmond and other early cities of the state,” he said. “We looked at architecture in Norman and Stillwater. We borrowed from downtown Guthrie and a number of buildings in downtown Edmond as well.”

“It’s not an everyday occurrence that a large new commercial building is going up in Edmond,” Postic said. “I’ve been at the site and have seen people commenting to friends, ‘What’s it going to be?’ I have no doubts that the excitement is going to be even greater after it opens. It’s really going to be a remarkable addition downtown.”

The building will feature a look of what Edmond represents today and what it wants to represent in the future, Postic said, adding he’s looking forward to seeing residents’ and customers’ reactions to the finished product.

“The whole process of it, beginning on paper and building 3D computer models and design conversations that went back and forth, then finally seeing the brick and mortar building rising out of the ground… I can’t wait to see the tenants go in and the building come to life; it’s exciting,” he said.

The new addition at Campbell and Broadway should extend the downtown area farther north. Zahrai said it’s a great time to be in downtown Edmond, specifically, because of newer attractions like the Patriarch craft beer house and Cafe Evoke, longstanding businesses like Othello’s, and popular events like Heard on Hurd, the spring arts festival and pop-up shops.

“It’s really just a cool environment to be in,” Zahrai said. “Downtown is really transforming and we’re just excited to be a part of it and be a part of the community.”

Visit campbellcorner.com to learn more and follow Campbell Corner on Facebook to see the latest news and updates on the project.