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The former developer of an upscale neighborhood in Deep Deuce is suing the Oklahoma City Urban Renewal Authority, alleging he is owed more than $3.1 million.

Bill Canfield competed with two other groups for the 12.6-acre hill overlooking Deep Deuce when he was chosen by the Urban Renewal Authority to build 153 townhomes with completion by 2008.

Almost 20 years after the deal was done, The Hill is one of the ritziest residential developments downtown, featuring several million-dollar townhomes with most others having sold at over $400,000.

But the highest point of The Hill, an Urban Renewal project dating back to 2004, remains barren and visible to thousands who drive past it along Interstate 235. The Urban Renewal Authority canceled the agreement with Canfield after a dozen deadline extensions.

Construction at The Hill went through several delays early on with the first few townhomes opening as an economic crash froze banking and real estate throughout much of 2008 and 2009. Other delays followed due to a dispute with the first contractor and further economic turbulence. COVID-19 was cited by attorneys as a cause for later delays.

Canfield’s attorneys, in their filing, said he completed about 60% of the development, having built 88 of the 157 developable lots. Their filing argues Canfield spent $6.5 million on infrastructure, of which $3.1 million is attributable to the undeveloped portions of The Hill. The lawsuit seeks reimbursement of the $3.1 million plus legal fees, interest and attorney costs.

The Urban Renewal Authority issued a new request for proposals for the development in 2021 and selected a team led by Andy Burnett. Their proposal is to finish The Hill at 151 townhomes, with a phased approach keeping supply readily available to meet demand.

The first phase is planned to be between 15 and 25 units with remaining phases to be completed over four years. The development agreement, however, has yet to be completed.

Urban Renewal Director Kenton Tsoodle said he could not comment on the lawsuit.

“At this point, the lawsuit doesn't legally slow anything down with Andy (Burnett),” Tsoodle said.

Burnett said he remains interested in completing The Hill and that work on the project is ongoing.

“We’re looking at how best to proceed,” Burnett said. “We’re talking to homeowners; we’re talking to the Oklahoma City Urban Renewal Authority. There are a lot of stakeholders we have to talk to get it right.”

NEW YORK (AP) — It was feast or famine at the Broadway box office as 2022 wound down, with eye-popping revenue for popular shows — including a staggering new Broadway record for “The Lion King” — not lifting all strugglers.

Twenty-one of the 33 shows available broke the $1 million mark for the week ending Sunday, and “The Lion King” made history with the biggest haul ever — an astonishing $4,315,264 over nine performances for a 25-year-old show with no stars.

“The Music Man” was close behind with two high-wattage stars in Sutton Foster and Hugh Jackman — $3,971,531 over nine shows — followed by “Wicked” with $3,152,679. The top average ticket price went to “The Music Man” with $285.80, just about a dollar more than “The Lion King.”

All shows bar one — “A Christmas Carol” — saw their numbers grow over the week ending Sunday. However, the usual bump was barely evident for “Topdog/Underdog,” with just $345,567 over eight shows, and “Ohio State Murders” pulling in just $311,893 to a half-empty theater over nine performances despite the presence of six-time Tony Award winner Audra McDonald. A revival of the Pulitzer Prize-winning dark comedy “Between Riverside and Crazy” starring the rapper Common pulled in just $260,085.

Box office numbers had been treacherous for new works even before the holidays — early closing notices were posted for shows like “Almost Famous,” “KPOP,” “A Strange Loop” and “Ain’t No Mo’.” The Broadway stalwart “The Phantom of the Opera” previously announced it would close in 2023 after 35 years. That announcement was met with a ticket spike.

The data is a reminder that Broadway has not fully rebounded from the pandemic, which wiped out live theater for 18 months and dried up its lifeblood — tourism.

Tom Kirdahy, a veteran producer behind the current starry revival of “The Piano Lesson” and the upcoming “New York, New York,” said audiences are steadily coming back and could be back to normal by spring.

“It’s very clear that buying patterns are different, but it’s equally clear that audiences are craving good work, and I think the challenge is to remind people that New York is actually a safe place to be and that theaters are safe places to be,” he said.

The 33 shows running on Broadway grossed $51,912,862 last week, the biggest seven-day period since the last week of 2019, when the box office earned $55,765,408. The holiday period is especially rough on performers and crew members who are usually asked to staff extra performances.

While January and February are among the bitterest months on Broadway, many producers were popping champagne after the latest numbers. The 26-year-old revival of the musical “Chicago” earned its biggest weekly total with $1,299,404 and “The Piano Lesson” starring Samuel L. Jackson, John David Washington and Danielle Brooks became the highest-grossing August Wilson play on Broadway in history last week.

The Lea Michele-led revival of “Funny Girl” set a new box office record at the August Wilson Theatre with $2,405,901. And the new musical “& Juliet” broke the box office record at the Stephen Sondheim Theatre, grossing $1,639,788 for nine performances. “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child” broke the house record at the Lyric Theatre, grossing $2,671,191 for its eight-performance week.

Mark Kennedy is at http://twitter.com/KennedyTwits

The "holiday season" may be behind us, but that doesn't mean you have to give up food-centered celebrations. It seems like there are never ending options of national and international days, weeks and months anymore, so each month, I'll bring you a list of some of the highlights related to food and drink.

January is both National Meat and National Soup month, the latter of which always makes for a comforting meal during colder weather. Broken down even further there are some great days and weeks to consider taking part in. Here are some notable food and drink "holidays" in January.

National Pizza Week — January 8-14

Pizza is still probably one of the most common answers people will give you if you ask them their favorite food, so it's no wonder the dish gets an entire week in January, along with a day in February and one in April, specifically for deep-dish lovers.

There are no shortage of amazing pizza places around the Oklahoma City. During the week of Jan. 8, why not stop into one of Empire Pizza's four metro-area locations for a slice of Foghorn Leghorn — topped with sweet marinara, roasted chicken, bacon, jalapeno and a Sriracha drizzle — or Figgy Stardust — a combination of basil-almond pesto, marinated mozzarella, roasted chicken, ham and figs? Just don't forget the pink sauce on the side.

You can also cruise over to Eastside Pizza House, 1734 NE 23, and grab a solo dolo for yourself or a whole pie for the family. Try the Jabee — think elotes and pizza combined — or a Clara Luper — a vegetarian option loaded with spinach, tomatoes and goat cheese, and named for Oklahoma's civil rights icons. Be sure to try Eastside's signature black crust.

National Oysters Rockefeller Day — January 10

The classic dish of baked or broiled oysters topped with a delicious sauce and crispy breadcrumbs can be traced back to a chef by the name of Jules Alciatore at Antoine's restaurant in New Orleans in 1889. The recipe is said to have been created as a cheaper alternative to escargot. To date, no one knows the exact original recipe except the owners of Antoine's, but multiple restaurants have their own versions or similar options sold under other names.

Pearl's Oyster Bar, 5641 N Classen Blvd., serves a roasted oyster six pack that includes Oysters Rockefeller and a casino bacon and parmesan Romano option. Meanwhile, Bourbon St. Cafe, 100 E California Ave., serves a version called Oysters Baton Rouge that is a twist on the traditional recipe. Perhaps a bit of a divergence from the Rockefeller, are Rococo's, 4308 N Western Ave., oysters which are baked with bone marrow butter, breadcrumbs and a gremolata.

National Gluten Free Day — January 13

One of my favorite things to do is track down interesting and flavorful gluten-free options. I have a handful of friends that are either gluten-sensitive or Celiac and it's always nice to have places to take them with several menu items they can try.

In Oklahoma City, The Loaded Bowl, 1211 SW 2, offers vegan fare including mac and cheese, enchiladas, nachos and more, which are all available as gluten-free options. Picasso Cafe, 3009 Paseo, has gluten free items for brunch and beyond, including many seafood and plant-based meals. Red Rooster, 3100 N Walker Ave., combines locally sourced, sustainable, farm-to-table fare to create a menu with choices fit for those needing to eat gluten-free. Chick N Beer, 715 NW 23, is a great option for gluten-free bone-in fried wings with the bonus of multiple sauces that also skip ingredients containing gluten.

International Hot and Spicy Food Day — January 16

Spicy food is one of my favorite things, a trait I must get from my father who has been downing various hot sauces since well before I was born. I don't mean destroy-your-taste-buds spice that abandons all other flavor notes, but give me a good bit of burn and I feel like I'm right at home. The fun thing about spicy food is that must cultures have their way of doing it, so it truly makes for a perfect international day.

Visit Thai Kitchen, 327 Dean A McGee Ave., and get a curry or noodle dish. Spiciness levels can be customized — I usually opt for a 3 or 4, depending on my mood for the day — and there's a lunch buffet option available. If you're looking for something more traditional, stop into to one of the metro area's Nashbird Hot Dang! Chicken locations. Head west to Bethany and try Caribbean Fusion Trini Style, 6717 NW 23, where you can find curries, stews, jerk seasoned dishes and more to bring an island flare to your spicy needs. For a more mellow and laid back, but still delicious approach to spicy, try the chile pork verde at Powerhouse, 1228 SW 2, and get an order of chips and roasted hatch chile queso on the side.

National Gourmet Coffee and National Peking Duck day — January 18

Jan. 18 offers a two-for-one special. Start your day with a great cup of coffee and then grab dinner at a local Chinese restaurant to enjoy Peking duck, sometimes also known as Beijing duck, a classic Chinese roasted duck dish known for its crispy skin.

Check out this list of 11 metro-area coffee shops to try and for dinner, visit Grand House, 2701 N Classen Blvd., Chow's Chinese Restaurant, 3033 N May Ave., Fung's Kitchen, 3321 N Classen Blvd., Dot Wo, 10600 S Pennsylvania Ave., and Golden Phoenix, 2728 N Classen Blvd., all of which list roast duck dishes on their menus.

National Green Juice Day — January 26

Trying healthier options for the new year? Jan. 26 is the day to try some of the city's juice bar options to stick to your plan. Wheeze the Juice, 131 NE 2, and Organic Squeeze, locations in Nichols Hills and Edmond both offer a selection of juices, smoothies and more, including green juice options. Franchise Clean Juice, 5810 N Classen Blvd., is another local option offering green fresh and cold-pressed juices and smoothies. Finally, both locations of Plant, Midtown and Edmond, offer a variety of green juice options among their plant-based menu.

National Croissant Day — January 29

Croissants offer warm layers of crispy, buttery, flaky pastry, sometimes with the added bonus of a delicious filling. Head to Harvey Bakery and Kitchen, 301 NW 13, to choose from over a half-dozen options, both sweet and savory. You can also stop by the Norman Farm Market, 210 S James Garner Ave. on the second and third Saturday each month to grab one of several flavors from Jack's Bakehouse, formerly Signature Bakery.

Eat Brussels Sprouts Day — January 31

One of my favorite cruciferous vegetables gets a day of its own as January transitions to February, and there are several places across the city where you can find dishes and sides containing Brussels sprouts. Trust me, these aren't the boiled versions you despised as a kid!

City and State, 19 NE 6, offers both a brunch Brussels sprout salad and a side dressed with pomegranate molasses and almonds. Ponyboy, 423 NW 23, offers flash-fried sprouts with a honey glaze and Frida Southwest, 500 Paseo, offers the with an ancho glaze. Order them up as a side at Kitchen No. 324, 324 N Robinson Ave., and you'll get them served with bacon, walnuts, thyme and red onions, while Goro Ramen, 3000 Paseo, serves them fried as an appetizer with yuzu miso vinaigrette, beets, mint and fried shallots.

Other food-centric days in January

You can find tempura on Jan. 7 for National Tempura day at restaurants across the metro area, including many of the sushi restaurants on our guide from last year. Head to Whiskey Cake Kitchen and Bar, 1845 Northwest Expressway, on Jan. 23 to order the restaurant's namesake dish — a sticky toffee cake with bourbon anglaise and spiced pecans — for International Sticky Toffee Pudding day.

Other days in January include National Spaghetti Day, Jan. 4, National Hot Toddy day, Jan. 11, National Bagel day, Jan. 15, and National Fish Taco Day, Jan. 25.

OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. (KFOR) – After three days of both elevators in the Tiffany Retro Apartments being broken, its tenants say they’re frustrated.

“This is pathetic that it happened,” said Steven Slomkowski, a tenant. “They shouldn’t be in this situation.”

The broken elevators have left taking the stairs as the only option for tenants who live in the 12-story building to get to and from their apartment. The building is located near Northwest Expressway and May Ave.

“There’s a lot of people in the building that can’t navigate those stairs… They’re in wheelchairs or they’re too heavy to go up and down the stairs,” said Slomkowski. “That’s a real problem. So, people are feeling the pain of this and there is no known end for it in sight.”

He showed KFOR a message sent to all Tiffany residents suggesting those unable to use the stairs look into “an alternative place to stay temporarily.”

The message also explained that the building’s vendor needed to order a certain part to make the repairs.

“It looks like it could take multiple days before we are able to get the part in,” the message added.

The issue was also brought to Oklahoma City’s Development Service’s Department. Its Inspection Services Superintendent says they sent someone to check out the elevators Tuesday morning.

“They had had some kind of power surge or something during the New Year’s Day, and because of the holiday, they were delayed on getting the necessary parts they needed,” said Mike Miller.

Miller explained that buildings four stories high and above are required to have working elevators, so the city issued a Notice of Violation to the apartment building.

“It is a building code requirement when you have a multi-story building,” said Miller. “We could issue a fine immediately, but we try to work with everyone. It’s better to get compliance or cooperation any time we can. In this case here, the owners were very willing and able and trying to make these corrections.”

A building manager did not want to talk to KFOR on camera, but said they are deeply sorry for all of the trouble the broken elevators have caused. She added that they’re working to resolve the issue as quickly as possible.

On the heels of a record-breaking year, SpaceX kicked off the new year with its first rocket launch and landing of 2023. If Elon Musk has his way, this would be the first of nearly 100 launches for the rocket company this year, setting the pace for an ambitious year for private space companies.

A sooty Falcon 9 booster leapt off its launch pad at Space Launch Complex-40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station at 9:56 a.m. EST on Tuesday, followed up by the rocket’s first stage returning to Earth just eight minutes later.

The flight, which was the 15th for this particular booster, ferried 114 small satellites into space as part of SpaceX’s 6th dedicated rideshare mission, called Transporter-6. Nearly an hour later, those passengers — a bevy of small satellites and small orbital transfer vehicles that carried satellites for a later deployment into different orbits — began to separate from the rocket’s upper stage.

The whole process, a complex orbital ballet of satellites shooting into space in perfect sequence, took more than half an hour to complete. The mission is the Hawthorne, Calif.-based company’s sixth dedicated rideshare mission to date, and SpaceX announced during the live broadcast that it plans to launch at least three of these missions this year. The company also plans to offer rideshare opportunities on its Starlink launches, which it says averages one a week.

Other companies are planning to join in the action. Rocket Lab, which is preparing to open a new U.S.-based launch pad at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia, also caters to smaller satellites — for researchers or companies that might not be able to ride on a traditional flight — and is predicting at least 14 launches for 2023.

Jeff Bezos’ rocket company, Blue Origin, suffered an inflight anomaly in 2022 which grounded its New Shepard rocket temporarily. However, new Federal Communications Commissions (FCC) filings indicate the company could be on track to return to flight early this year.

Still, those plans pale in comparison to the 100 launches that Musk boldly claimed SpaceX was aiming for in 2023.

While Musks’ predictions are often wildly optimistic, officials at the U.S. Space Force are preparing for as many as 87 launches from Cape Canaveral this year, according to Lt. Col. Colin Mims, who is the commander of the 1st Range Operations Squadron — the department that provides range safety support for all the launches out of the Florida site.

According to Mims, 2022 was a banner year for the Space Force and the Eastern Range, which hosted 57-orbital class rockets. This included 48 SpaceX launches and six from United Launch Alliance (ULA), along with two from Astra (both of which failed to reach orbit) and of course, NASA’s massive moon rocket—the SLS.

2023 aims to keep up and even surpass that pace with more routine flights from SpaceX, including another flight of its heavy-lift rocket, the Falcon Heavy, which is slated to loft a government payload later this month. 2023 will also see the addition of two new launch vehicles that are expected to fly for the first time: ULA’s heavy-lift rocket, Vulcan and Relativity’s Terran 1.

Blue Origin has been using the suborbital rocket and crew capsule to prepare for its own heavy-lift rocket, the New Glenn. Expected to debut in 2024, New Glenn will be able to compete with both SpaceX and ULA, another American spacecraft launch service provider.

Blue Origin’s engines, known as the BE-4, are the same engines used in ULA’s new Vulcan rocket. To date, Blue Origin has delivered a pair of flight-ready engines to ULA for the company to use on Vulcan’s inaugural flight later this year.

On top of its ever-increasing rapid launch cadence, SpaceX also aims to launch its mega rocket, the Starship. The behemoth, which is being developed in Boca Chica, Texas, will be able to launch humans and cargo into deep space.

The massive rocket already has one flight booked. Japanese billionaire Yusaka Maezawa plans to fly with a crew of people around the moon sometime in 2023, although an actual launch date has not been set yet. Seeing as SpaceX has yet to fly an orbital version of its Starship, that date might be a bit bold.

However, one thing is certain: SpaceX set an all-time record in 2022 for number of successful launches in a calendar year for a specific type of rocket with its Falcon 9, surpassing the Soviet Soyuz-U launcher, which successfully launched 45 out of 47 missions in 1979.

2023 promises to be another wild year in space.