Transformation Underway For OKC's Capitol Hill Neighborhood

It's a revitalization project more than a decade in the making. Oklahoma City's historic Capitol Hill neighborhood is seeing a major rebound when it comes to new development along Southwest 25th Street.

The Capitol Hill neighborhood has seen some hard times over the past several years, and there's still a lot of work to do. 

Organization "Calle Dos Cinco," meaning Street 25, is playing a key role in bringing the historic corridor back to life.

“75-percent of this street was literally boarded up, graffiti all over the walls, windows, windows broken out,” said Marco Arzate.

There was no life along Southwest 25^th. Marco Arzate remembers the area well as a teenager growing up along the corridor in the mid to late 90's.

All he knew about the area at the time is what it used to be.

“This use to be people walking up and down the street, all times of the day,” said Arzate.

That was in the 50's and 60's. It was considered the "downtown" of south OKC, a thriving economic corridor. 

“It’s not what it used to be, it’s not. It’s really far far out what it used to be,” said Capitol Hill resident, Jorge Alarcon. “Actually, we are fighting to keep this place alive.”

But over the past several years, the area has been slowly transforming into what many believe is going to be Oklahoma City's next bustling district.

“I think right now is a prime time to bring in new business owners, new companies who want to open their shops,” said Calle Dos Cinco member, Santiago Arzate.

Santiago Arzate says revitalization has been slow, but is now hitting its stride.

“I think right now is a prime time to bring in new business owners, new companies who want to open their shops,” said Santiago.

“We want to be a destination point for the city,” said Randy King, Pres. of Calle Dos Cinco.  

Randy King says Southwest 25th will be a place where investors will want to come, hopefully returning the area into a rejuvenated hot spot for people across the city.

“We’re starting to be discovered. We’re kind of that last frontier here in Oklahoma City,” said King.

Fowler Auto Group, along with OCCC has joined in as sponsors to help spur new development in the Capitol Hill Area.