Shawn Driver from L5 Construction was a guest speaker for the Weatherford Area Economic Development Foundation meeting. Driver has been a part of the changes which have been seen in Weatherford within the past few years.
Primary to what Driver talked about was momentum, specifically comparing the recently passed Yes Weatherford momentum from what has been built in downtown Oklahoma City after voters passed the Metropolitan Area Projects (MAPs) initiative.
Driver said the momentum from the revitalization of Bricktown, due to MAPs, now has moved into Weatherford, specifically mentioning the intersection of Washington Avenue and Main Street. Driver, when talking about the intersection, said he saw how successful the new Ace Hardware store was after his company remodeled the old Wal-Mart store, and, even then, he said it always was about what’s the next step.
The next steps were very important because they turned out to be Qdoba, Burger King, and what will be Starbucks.
Although, plans for a new Jimmy Johns fell through due to partnership problems between corporate office and the franchisee, he still was able to create the next steps — Burger King and Starbucks.
Driver discussed how the MAPs initiative, which Oklahoma City voters passed in 1995, helped that city. Driver compared MAPs to Yes Weatherford.
The program is funded by the public from an increase in sales tax. During its lifetime, MAPS can build millions of dollars which goes towards building infrastructures.
“It’s not traditional infrastructure, but its infrastructure the general population is looking at,” Driver said when talking about the MAPS program.
He said MAPS has proven the investments given by the public have been able to give Oklahoma City some of the amazing structures we already