Oklahoma City’s Underground, the mile-long network of tunnels connecting downtown offices, small restaurants and art installations, is getting a renewed push to refill empty storefronts and reconnect life below ground with the action on the street. Developers and downtown managers say they want the Underground to feel like a daily destination, not just a quick escape from bad weather. City and private leaders are lining up repairs, tenant outreach and promotions as new projects above ground bring hundreds of additional residents and more foot traffic into downtown.
Downtown Oklahoma City Partnership president and CEO Jennifer Nakayama said “work is already underway to bring new life back to the Underground,” according to News 9. She told the outlet that the plan leans on street-level activation and filling vacancies in the tunnels, timed with new housing and event projects expected to add more pedestrians downtown. Nakayama and her team are bundling repairs, leasing outreach and marketing in an effort to make the subterranean corridors feel more inviting throughout the year.
The tunnel system, originally known as the Conncourse when it debuted in the 1970s, now stretches roughly a mile and covers more than 20 square blocks. It is managed by the Downtown Business Improvement District and the Downtown Oklahoma City Partnership and is generally open on weekdays from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. The Underground offers a dry, climate-controlled route during storms and already hosts gallery installations along with a handful of restaurants and services. Official details and hours are posted by the Downtown Oklahoma City Partnership.
New Apartments Feeding Foot Traffic
Turning former office towers into housing is a big part of the strategy. The Harlow, a two-building redevelopment at 101 N. Broadway and 100 Park Ave., is set to restore direct connections to the Underground and add roughly 265 apartments with ground-floor retail that could support businesses below street level. Developer materials highlight residents’ round-the-clock access to the tunnel network and its links to the First National Center retail galleries, a combination that is expected to boost both midday and evening foot traffic, as described on The Harlow.
Arena Plans And Olympic Events Raise The Stakes
Larger projects and major events are also pushing the Underground back into the spotlight. One arm of the tunnel system that once served the convention center is currently closed, and that parcel, now occupied by Prairie Surf Studios, is being considered as the site of a new downtown arena that would reshape how pedestrians move through the area on event days. Coverage in the Journal Record reports that developers and city leaders see the tunnels as an amenity that could be better woven into the arena and other large projects.
Maintenance, Closures And Immediate Work
The Downtown Partnership has already started on targeted repairs. A notice on its website explains that sections of the Green Hall and Purple Hall corridors were temporarily closed effective March 9, 2026, for maintenance, and that pedestrians should follow marked street-level detours while crews are at work. Officials describe the closures as limited but necessary to shore up aging tunnels and prepare spaces for new tenants and programming, according to the Downtown Oklahoma City Partnership…