Reimagine Downtown Cushing

Cushing, Oklahoma | Fall 2017
View the Final Report Below

In Fall 2017, the City of Cushing and community stakeholders received a matching grant from the Oklahoma Municipal League to partner with the University of Oklahoma Institute for Quality Communities. The team examined the downtown area and met with stakeholders to outline opportunities for improvements.

Cushing is a community of over 8,000 people located in Payne County, in north central Oklahoma. Historically, Cushing has been known as the Pipeline Crossroads of the World. The city plays a major role in the world crude oil market.

Recently, Cushing has been challenged by earthquakes that have done damage to downtown buildings. However, there is also a recent interest and movement among community members to bring more business activity and community events to downtown.

After speaking with community members and viewing conditions on the ground, several “key principles” were identified. Downtown should be a safe and comfortable place to walk, a place where buildings and spaces generate activity, a place that has art and culture, and a place that attracts people to spend time.

This report includes five categories of recommendations designed to meet the commonly shared key principles for downtown:

• Celebrate architectural heritage.
• Improve streets & intersections.
• Activate public spaces & sidewalks.
• Highlight gateways.
• Create a district experience.

Each recommendation includes a basic outline, a few specific steps to take, and accompanying images that help demonstrate the possibilites. Next, it is up to the City of Cushing, downtown stakeholders, and community members to work together to create pathways that implement some of these concepts.