Sycamore Square Apartments

[Pete]

[category=]Housing[/category]
[category=]Central Business District[/category]



[toc]no[/toc]

Address: 601 W. Robert S Kerr Status: complete Owner: Fretwell Enterprises Cost: Architect: Start Date: Finish Date: 1985 Contractor: Height in Feet / Floors: 3 stories Sq. Feet: Acreage: Other: 71 apartments

Information & Latest News

Sycamore Square was developed in the early 80's as a 118-unit for-sale condominium complex.

However, after poor sales, the southern section was purchased in it's entirety and is now operated as an apartment complex

The north section is still individually-owned condos and are completely separate from the apartments to the south: Sycamore Square Condominiums.
Links

County Assessor Record
Property website
Gallery

[Praedura]

This place doesn't seem to be getting any attention from the forum, so I'm posting a few of the pics from their website ::Sycamore Square ::

























So what's the scuttlebut about this place? Any good? Certainly looks nice in the photos.

[Just the facts]

It stays full because the demand for downtown housing is high, but it certainly doesn't add to the public realm. With newer complexes coming on-line surrounded by everyday retail and services it will be interesting to see is they can keep up.

[Pete]

Remember these are two separate complexes...

There are the Sycamore Square Apartments, which are institutionally owned and operated like any apartment complex. This is the southern section.

Then there are the Sycamore Square Condominiums, which are individually owned and directly north, but completely separated.

[BBatesokc]

I lived in the North complex for a few years and rented from a couple that lived elsewhere and rented their unit out. Mine was the 2-bed, 2-bath with the master bedroom having a office type area attached. I really liked living there on several levels - cool space, didn't feel like a big boxy apartment complex, great location, felt secure, pretty grounds and I like renting from an invested owner. What I didn't like was..... paying rent (think it was $850 even back then - 15yrs ago), hated having to park so far from my car, the pool was to shallow to swim in, they turned the hot tub off in the winter (said it cost too much to run when it was cold outside!), not much convenient guest parking. That said, we've considered moving back there if we sell our house and haven't found anything downtown yet. While I like the garage parking and updated looks of the insides of the newer units in the Deep Deuce area (and even next door to Sycamore Sq.), I hate feeling like I'm inside a complex with all the units and halls.

[Pete]

Some of the condos have sold for $100K or less recently.

The layout is suburban but it's a great location and the floorplans are decent. Buy, renovate and have an awesome downtown condo for less than $150K.

[Midtowner]

Management, at least four years ago was pretty incompetent. After we moved out (after living there for five years), they accused us of stealing a washer/dryer unit. About 3 years in, we bought our own because the washer/dryer units they provided were terrible. They tried to make us pay for it. It never went beyond exchanging a few letters, where I basically invited them to try to sue me and they didn't, but accusing a long-time tenant who you know for a fact had his own w/d unit of stealing your piece of junk 1980s unit. Enjoyed the location, but the service and management left something to be desired.

[Just the facts]

Some of the condos have sold for $100K or less recently.

The layout is suburban but it's a great location and the floorplans are decent. Buy, renovate and have an awesome downtown condo for less than $150K.

But then they are stuck in a complex where units are going for 100K while better stuff is being built all around. If 100K is their price range then it is great, but if someone thinks they are going to low-ball their price point and be happy in 5 to 10 years they will be in for a disappointment. If the choice was between SS and a house for 100K, I would pick SS in a second.

[Pete]

Prices are going up at SS...

About 10 years ago you could buy for under $60K.

[Just the facts]

Prices are going up at SS...

About 10 years ago you could buy for under $60K.

Maybe I should look into it. The wife had the idea today that we if we stay here in Jax she would be open to getting a condo in downtown OKC so we could live in both places. If/when Deep Deuce Apartments go condo I wonder how much they will cost.

[Spartan]

It stays full because the demand for downtown housing is high, but it certainly doesn't add to the public realm. With newer complexes coming on-line surrounded by everyday retail and services it will be interesting to see is they can keep up.

I think there are a lot of redeeming qualities to this development, especially as they area south and north redevelops..ie., around Bicentennial and SoSA. Maybe you could call this area, as well as David Wanzer and Jeff Bezdek's new developments "SoSoSA"

[JayhawkTransplant]

Thanks for posting those photos. I lived next door at Legacy, and always thought of Sycamore as quite a bit more run down. But maybe that was an unfair assessment.

Also, I had no clue that there were condos. My only reason for moving away from Legacy was that I no longer wanted to rent. I'm selling my house soon, though, and am looking to get a condo near downtown. I will look into SS.

[Just the facts]

I think there are a lot of redeeming qualities to this development, especially as they area south and north redevelops..ie., around Bicentennial and SoSA. Maybe you could call this area, as well as David Wanzer and Jeff Bezdek's new developments "SoSoSA"

Maybe SubSoSa - Suburban South of St Anthony

[metro]

Same situation with Classen Glen

[Just the facts]

Is there an on-line listing of Sycamore Sq condos for sale?

[Pete]

According to Relator.com, it doesn't seem like any units are currently on the market.

[BBatesokc]

Weird.... can't 'reply with quote' (just get a spinning ball). I lived in Classen Glen for awhile too. Really liked my unit (too few windows though) and loved the covered parking, but that's where the love affair ended. I could hear my neighbors all the time and the place was pretty dirty and unkept on the outside. Doesn't look like much has changed over the years. Good potential though.

[Spartan]

Maybe SubSoSa - Suburban South of St Anthony

Huh?

[Just the facts]

Huh?

Sycamore Sq is suburban land use south of St Anthony's.

[Spartan]

Oh come on, it's an antiquated development, it is the way it is...but the area has an interesting up and coming collection of development synergy that I was referring to. I think from the hill over 5th Street, that skyline view is going to become pretty valuable.

[Just the facts]

When the area becomes urbanized I'll change the name. Until then, it is what it is.

[Rover]

JTF, You must be SHOCKED to go to NYC/Manhattan and find grass, open areas, plazas, trees, gardens, flowers, 1 and 2 story buildings, set-backs, mega blocks, etc. Anything you have a personal dislike for you want eradicated or modified in the name of new urban. And yet when you vote with your money you are a suburbanite...go figure.

This development provides a choice for people who want to be downtown. It has been there when there were few other choices. There really shouldn't be any controversy. If anybody thinks the center of OKC is just going to be mid and high rises built to the street they are just delusional. And when the core is that in 50-100 years, some will still be griping about the developments on the edge of the core being too suburban.

SOSA provides an affordable area for individuals to be near downtown, have great views, develop their own property, and become part of an emerging neighborhood. Rebuilding this blighted area in a creative way will move more people into the business area of downtown and keep providing energy for the rest of downtown. We should want from Sycamore to Saint Anthony's to erase the blight, provide good infill and help make all of downtown more valuable and exciting.

[Just the facts]

Come on Rover - there is no need for you over the top comments. All I said was Sycamore Sq has a suburban land use pattern. Even you admit that it does.

[Spartan]

I just don't like demeaning any downtown developments that WORK. If someone wants to move downtown, and likes a Sycamore Square unit, I think that's something to be supportive of.

This is different from attacking a Randy Hogan or House of Bedlam development that want to eat up prime land for crap. Sycamore was built decades ago when it was the only housing option around downtown, and it's just out of the way enough that its suburban design doesn't really harm anything.

It's our version of Tulsa's Central Park thing in their Uptown area (off S. Boulder I think).

[Just the facts]

So suburban land use patterns don't have a negative impact on the public realm?