That last photo really shows how it stitches BT back to DD! Definitely would love to see that Oklahoma Ave pedestrian connection formalized and enhanced.

Yes please

There are many more of these photos than what can be posted here because of bandwidth issues. Check out the OKCTalk.com Flickr.

There are many more of these photos than what can be posted here because of bandwidth issues. Check out the OKCTalk.com Flickr.

Do you have a link Will? I've searched FlickR twice now and the only thing that comes up for okctalk.com is this:

Flickr Search: okctalk.com (http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=okctalk.com)

okctalkphotos' collections on Flickr (http://www.flickr.com/photos/okctalk/collections/)

okctalkphotos' collections on Flickr (http://www.flickr.com/photos/okctalk/collections/)

Thank you sir!

GICiaktzW94

From Sunday, 1/26/14:

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7409/12179006964_ddfd7e1d42_z.jpg

2/1/14 from Metro:

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/hi020114.jpg

Topped out already?

From today courtesy catch22.

Almost topped out now. The structure in the back is the pool enclosure.

http://www.okctalk.com/attachments/development-buildings/6580d1391634334-holiday-inn-express-hi020514a.jpg

Image from 2/21 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/76768334@N00/12688263965/in/photolist-kkdEPP-kk7MwN-kk46ER-kk419k-kk4PBV-kk4L5p-kk4JHg-kgvzX2-kexoyP-kewnBc-kewsPM-keyLky-k9VCJj-k1XhWt-jULced-jR5HW4-jKVrQf-jKWsHW-jKiTLo-jHLF1x-jH2xLE-jGZAUW-jH1AXS-jFz9Y3-jDmhWJ-jwfLgu-jqH3Cj-jnaGKW-jhQ8VQ-jhMwyP-jhMyNP-jhMEiY-jhQc79-jc5Tja-jcabG9-jc7hin-jc8b7J-jc7iY6-jayCTJ-jau9n2-jawuhs-j9ZA9P-j9ZMLC-j9Z3qZ-ja3BFd-j9ZsXz-j9Xv6D-j9Z2xX-j9ZLLG-ja1p7h-j9XYnn)

Topped out:



http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/hi031114a.jpg



http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/hi031114b.jpg



http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/hi031114c.jpg

I wonder why there are no windows on the east side.

Perhaps they are looking towards the future -- possible building or parking garage by someone on the adjacent lot?

Perhaps they are looking towards the future -- possible building or parking garage by someone on the adjacent lot?

That is what I thought as well. I tried to look up who owns the lot next door but the property appraiser website is not compatible with my browser. I can't imagine surface parking lots in upper Bricktown are long for this world.

What are their parking plans other than the handicapped spots on the west side?

I'm sure they will be leasing spots in the huge surface lot directly north.

No doubt will offer valet parking as well.

I was figuring since it is built to the property line that they anticipate something multistory being built there at some point and decided not to invest in a view that will go away at some point. That said, I notice also that on the primary (Main St) facade on the SE corner (adjacent to the windowless wall) there are no window openings for several extra feet from the corner. So...whether driven by the anticipation of adjacent construction or something else, it looks like maybe they put mechanicals or service space or something else along that wall and in that corner.

Windows starting to go in. Thanks to shawnw for the photos:



http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/hiexpress032014a.jpg



http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/hiexpress032014b.jpg



http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/hiexpress032014c.jpg

Bricks should be going up soon (thanks to shawnw for the pic):

http://www.okctalk.com/attachments/development-buildings/7402d1397403106-holiday-inn-express-hi041214.jpg

Hotel, motel, Holiday Inn. If your girls starts acting up, then you take her friend.

Hotel, motel, Holiday Inn. If your girls starts acting up, then you take her friend.

is this a reference to Chingy?

is this a reference to Chingy?

Rapper's Delight by the Sugarhill Gang.

I wonder why there are no windows on the east side.

East facing windows are expensive.

I think someone noted previously that the owners must be anticipating another structure going to the east, whether they know some inside info or eventually want a parking structure, or who knows. No idea of the reality but that seems feasible enough to me.

I think someone noted previously that the owners must be anticipating another structure going to the east, whether they know some inside info or eventually want a parking structure, or who knows. No idea of the reality but that seems feasible enough to me.

It will happen sooner or later. Would be a great location for a "Mosaic" sized housing and retail development.

I think if someone would just build "spec parking" in the form of making that entire huge parking lot behind this hotel a ~5 story garage (accounting for the rail spur and a pedestrian cooridor along the "Oklahoma Spine" of course), there would be even more enticement to build more structures along main and nearby than there already is...

is this a reference to Chingy?




Shows how young you are 😉





Sent from my RM-940_nam_att_200 using Tapatalk

Here is a new plan showing the ground floor:

http://www.okctalk.com/attachments/development-buildings/7485d1397670744-holiday-inn-express-hiexpress1st.jpg

Bricks going up! Thanks to shawnw for the photo:

http://www.okctalk.com/attachments/development-buildings/7801d1399902276-holiday-inn-express-hi051114.jpg

Wish this would have been ready in time for the NBA Conference Finals/Finals this season.

Though I would think some media would stay at Aloft.

Agree, though next year for the finals hopefully we'll have two more hotels online (HIE and Staybridge), and while not the best of options perhaps, it's nice for the outside media to see the growth from year to year.

Media room nights during the playoffs and Finals are booked in blocks by the NBA through the OKC Convention and Visitors Bureau, not by the individual media members themselves.

Good to know. Too bad we don't have a huge convention hotel to put them all in at once. :-)


(cue fitstorm in 3... 2... 1...)

Like

Agree, though next year for the finals hopefully we'll have two more hotels online (HIE and Staybridge), and while not the best of options perhaps, it's nice for the outside media to see the growth from year to year.

Sure would be nice to have about a 25-30 story Omni/W/Hyatt Regency downtown like this to house the national media:

http://www.omnihotels.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Omni-Fort-Worth-Hotel-4.jpg

Agreed

Sure would be nice to have about a 25-30 story Omni/W/Hyatt Regency downtown like this to house the national media:

http://www.omnihotels.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Omni-Fort-Worth-Hotel-4.jpg

FYI, the glass wedged part of that building are residential units. Only the 15 or so stories is the Omni Hotel. I know, I've stayed there.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Oh yeah I know that which makes it an even better development :)

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/05/26/u6agu4u5.jpg

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy S5

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/05/26/u6agu4u5.jpg

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy S5

These views are from behind the building, right?

These views are from behind the building, right?

No sir. West elevation.

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy S5

Amazing how little we talk about this development. That's a pretty good sign of how well OKC is doing.

We'll likely hear more once a few folk have stayed there the night before.

I think this is one of the nicest hotel developments we've had in OKC. Nice design and outstanding complement to the architecture of the area. Also, will bring some needed life to Main St.

Amazing how little we talk about this development. That's a pretty good sign of how well OKC is doing.

It would be getting a lot more play if it were in a district other than Bricktown.

594 posts and 41,000 views is quite a bit.

Both of those numbers far surpass the Ambassador thread -- now been open for a couple of months -- which is a way sexier project (upscale, restaurant, rooftop bar, etc.).

Yeah, but most of those posts are probably mine. :tongue:

Also, many of the posts in this thread are most likely tied to the design controversies. I'm sure you can break that down for us, though.

Wow. The thread started in early 2008. So early it was almost 2007. By contrast, the Ambassador thread started in mid-2011. That explains how this one easily surpasses that one.

Emabassy Suites also started in 2008 and has 216 posts and 11,900 views.

Makes sense...the only place near downtown that's more boring and unhip than Bricktown is...OUHSC! ;)

Yeah, but most of those posts are probably mine. :tongue:

Also, many of the posts in this thread are most likely tied to the design controversies. I'm sure you can break that down for us, though.

True. The Ambassador thread could just be pictures and likes. And it was a renovation. Not much to complain about.

Of course, there was a brief period where people started complaining about ceiling heights of an 80 year old building. lol.

I am interested to see what this place does to Main street. I've always liked Main's potential for adding a couple of quainter blocks to bricktown for variety. So, this could either help kickstart it, or motivate more demolition of the street for extended stay concepts.

79797980

8191

8192

8193

The brickwork they've completed looks really nice. It's pretty interesting that simple details like using a slightly different brick to outline the windows and using the same brick to create rectangular designs near the roof give the building an immediate vintage feel. I always like juxtaposition of contemporary and retro and so I think the front of the building will be an interesting contrast. I wish a few of the apartment developers in the area would take note......

https://mobile.twitter.com/p_frey/status/497452863136620545

8882

https://mobile.twitter.com/p_frey/status/497452863136620545

8882

This looks really great! Three cheers for zero STUCCO!

This looks really great! Three cheers for zero STUCCO!

I agree.. being all brick makes such a huge difference.. adds a lot of class to the structure and makes it appear to have been there a bit instead of feeling like a quick prefab job dropped in..

Why did they put wall signage up? Did the get rid of the double corner sign from the renderings? Are they going with both maybe?

They did change the signage. The first picture is one of the original renderings and the next three are what were officially approved by design review.

There will no longer be the sign on the roof.



http://www.okctalk.com/attachments/development-buildings/5541d1387759204-holiday-inn-express-hiexpress7.jpg

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/hiexpresssign3.jpg

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/hiexpresssign1.jpg

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/hiexpresssign2.jpg