http://normantranscript.com/headlines/x879866030/O-Connell-s-Pad-Thai-to-close-soon-for-OU-housing
December 31, 2010
O’Connell’s, Pad Thai to close soon for OU housing
By Andrew Knittle
The Norman Transcript The Norman Transcript Fri Dec 31, 2010, 01:34 AM CST
NORMAN — O’Connell’s Irish Pub and Grille and Pad Thai, at the corner of Lindsey Street and Jenkins Avenue, will soon close to make room for more student housing at the University of Oklahoma.
O’Connell’s will close Jan. 21, 2011, while Pad Thai will shut down for good Jan. 10, 2011. Both restaurants have other locations in Norman that will remain open.
The two well-known eateries are the last of several businesses still open at the corner strip mall.
Subway, Campus Market, Sooner Shop and the old OU IT store have already shuttered and moved on.
According to OU President David Boren, who discussed the situation at a recent Board of Regents meeting, the university is planning to build a mix of student housing, retail space and possibly condos for out-of-town alumni who frequently return to Norman to catch football and basketball games.
“That’s becoming really popular at a lot of universities,” Boren said of the idea of providing condos for alumni. “We’re testing the market for that right now.”
The university hasn’t set a demolition date
and still needs to raise about $40 million through private donations, he said. The rest of the money needed — about $50 million — will come from OU Athletic Department and housing bond dollars.
Boren said the project will take about 18 months to complete, but is still about three years out, in any case.
O’Connell’s to go out with bang
To mark the closing of its Lindsey Street location, O’Connell’s will host a 21-day celebration with a “Throw Back to 1968” theme, according to its owner.
Festivities will include daily specials, community events and activities — all leading up to the final closing party Jan. 21.
Jeff Stewart, owner of O’Connell’s since 1979, said he feels like now is the right time to close the original location.
“Since OU purchased our building in 2007, we have been working closely with the university to transition the O’Connell’s tradition to our new location,” Stewart said. “Over the past 42 years, our Lindsey O’Connell’s has been a proud part of Sooner game-day outings, Friday night gatherings and, of course, St. Patrick’s Day celebrations for thousands of OU alumni and Norman residents.”
