The Muse of Oklahoma City: a new development inspiring downtown living

Downtown Oklahoma City will soon welcome an additional five-story building. The Muse apartment complex is a high-density, mixed-use development that will add to the ambience of the city’s downtown arts district.

302 residential studio, one-bedroom, and two-bedroom units will be available, 72 of which will be targeted toward local workers seeking affordable housing at 80 percent of the average median income.

The complex will include an athletic center, bike storage, package concierge, playground, swimming pool, and outdoor lounge as tenant amenities. An interior resident lounge, media room, and elevator access will be included in the building, as well. The building’s apartments will wrap around an included three-story parking garage, with courtyards on both sides of the parking space. Space for a dog park has been allocated on the south side of the structure, helping to improve the streetscape surrounding the building and encourage walking. A green belt separates The Muse from the neighboring complex, Sycamore Square.

Ron Bradshaw and son, Jason Bradshaw, with Chamber member Colony Partners are the developers of the project. The Bradshaws said they like the idea of tenants walking or biking to work from the complex.

“I live downtown, right now,” Ron Bradshaw said.

“I know what it's going to be like when people live here. You can walk to restaurants. You can walk to activities. We walk to Scissortail Park, other parks, and activities in downtown now.”

The Jones Assembly, Civic Center Music Hall, Oklahoma City Museum of Art, Myriad Botanical Gardens, and more are all within walking distance. Midtown retail and restaurants are nearby, as well.

Bradshaw said The Muse will only add to experience of living downtown. Pre-leasing for the apartments’ first phase will begin before the end of the year.

Plans were initially proposed for the property that was previously owned by the Oklahoma City Urban Renewal Authority in 2014, but were delayed due to planning and construction issues that needed to be addressed. Now, the project is moving along with plans for the entire development to be completed by Fall of 2023.

“Downtown development is tough. It takes experience of what works and what doesn’t when faced with so many obstacles in a small space, and using local relationships to work as a team with all the stakeholders,” CMSWillowbrook President, Weston DeHart said. 

The Chamber member construction company was selected as the general contractor in charge of building the development.

“CMSWillowbrook has a reputation for being the go-to local contractor for mixed use developments. Our company culture puts the owner first, driven from our boots on the ground experience. Our teams take great pride in building our city and providing a better tomorrow for our future generations."

Fellow Chamber member, Gardner.Studio was selected as the project’s architect. 

“We’ve had a team for the last three apartment projects that we’ve done with Gardner architects. Jeremy Gardner’s been involved in every project that I’ve been involved in, or that I’ve developed,” Bradshaw said.

The developer added, “CMSWillowbrook and Johnson and Associates, who is the civil engineer on the project, have done a great job coordinating with us.”

The property will be leased and managed by Greystar. Greystar has experience in the area, as they currently manage the West Village Apartments a few blocks south of the new development. 

Although The Muse is in a great position for private vehicle commuters with quick access to Classen Boulevard and Interstate 40, the mixed-use development is ideal for those who utilize public transit, as well, with EMBARK bus and streetcar stops within minutes. 

Contractors say the project could create exponential growth in the area and contribute greatly to local businesses. 

“We are excited to see this project near completion. It will be a great addition to downtown and [we] expect that it will be a very desirable place to live,” representatives with CMSWillowbrook said.