Does anyone think that Warren G is just rattling our chains...or does he really have an inside connection? ;-) I HOPE HE DOES, AND I HOPE WHAT HE'S SAYING IS TRUE!! Can't wait to find out CONCRETE DETAILS of the new tower...and hope it's BIG BIG BIG!!!

This was your quote. I took it for what it was. You had a wink in there meaning you were just giving me a hard time. Don't worry, I am not mad at you. I am not mad at all. I am a little disappointed I have inside information and I want to get everyone excited and then I get called names for doing so. I guess i will think twice about sharing something because my credibility will be questioned.

Still about a month out, I'm anxious to see what happens!

Cool...glad there are no hard feelings G!! Does anyone know, or have any close guesses, as to how many of these floors we think Devon will actually use for themselves, and how many they may plan to lease to other businesses (if any), and what the chances are that they WILL be sure to "reserve" a few floors for expansion?

Cool...glad there are no hard feelings G!! Does anyone know, or have any close guesses, as to how many of these floors we think Devon will actually use for themselves, and how many they may plan to lease to other businesses (if any), and what the chances are that they WILL be sure to "reserve" a few floors for expansion?

Considering Devon is currently spread out over what 4 buildings downtown? Given another 4 years of growth I would assume they will use the entire building for Devon. I would guess that they will not fill it up in 2012 but it will probably be 70 to 80% capacity? It really sounds like a lot of that sq footage will be used for presentation/conference rooms which are taking up more and more space in today's world. I would not expect them to lease out much of the building and if they do I would expect htem to be short 3 to 5 year leases.

Devon could easily double in size between now and 2012.

I really see this as a signature HQ for them, and a way to bring all employees together under one very tall roof, something they have not experienced for years.

I find it HIGHLY unlikely that they will lease any space.

This is just conjecture on my part given the scope of this project and the impact it will have on downtown.

I know a guy that works for Devon that flys into OKC every two weeks. I always playfully ask him details on the building... he ALWAYS politely declines to give details. BUT... he always says "Oklahoma City won't be disappointed"... I believe him.

Based on an unimpeachable source -- whom I cannot disclose -- the Devon tower will be the tallest in the state. That is a virtual certainty at this point.

Oh My God!

That is awesome!!!

I hope they do it at 14 feet per floor, which at 52 office floors would give us 728 feet (definitely the state's tallest). Add a spire to it, and it could be even higher.

I honestly think 728 would be tall enough, without diminishing the rest of downtown. But hey, times do change and if it kicks the other skyscrapers into redevelopment and/or refurbishment and more skyscrapers in the >700 ft range to balance things out - then I say GO FOR 800+!!!

By the way, did you guys realize that Oklahoma City is the ONLY major city in the nation that does not have the tallest building in it's state - despite being the state's largest city!

We need to CHANGE this statistic! Im glad Devon is going to do it - finally!

Continue the Renaissance!

Oh My God!

That is awesome!!!

I hope they do it at 14 feet per floor, which at 52 office floors would give us 728 feet (definitely the state's tallest). Add a spire to it, and it could be even higher.

I honestly think 728 would be tall enough, without diminishing the rest of downtown. But hey, times do change and if it kicks the other skyscrapers into redevelopment and/or refurbishment and more skyscrapers in the >700 ft range to balance things out - then I say GO FOR 800+!!!

By the way, did you guys realize that Oklahoma City is the ONLY major city in the nation that does not have the tallest building in it's state - despite being the state's largest city!

We need to CHANGE this statistic! Im glad Devon is going to do it - finally!

Continue the Renaissance!

We dont have any 700 foot scrapers yet, lets not jump the gun and root for two, we may jinx it!

Anything in excess of 400 in addition to the devon tower which seems like it will be in excess of 600 feet would be welcome. Chase tower is what 460 feet? Fairly short building if I'm not mistaken, but another that size in addition to Devon would really fill out the skyline quite a bit IMO.

Chase is 500 on the nose, I think.

My guess is 720'. This will make it the tallest building between Las Vegas and Atlanta, save a few in Texas.

Chase IS 500 to the roof.

As was already pointed out time and time again, 200 feet above the current tallest isn't going to really dwarf the existing but it will be significantly taller in certain angles.

Chase is respectable, it is NOT short - so don't discount it. Chase can be seen from far out in the metro far reaches, and that's considering chase's ground elevation is actually lower than much of the city (downtown is actually in a depression - go into downtown from the West especially, you go DOWN into downtown).

It's just, OKC needs to have the tallest tower (to match it's size/prominence, check out any skyscraper forum rating OKC and this comment is often made); and Devon will do this.

For comparison sake, Chase is a little more than 100 feet taller than KerrMcGee tower. Yet, Chase does not dwarf KMG.

A 728 Devon wont dwarf Chase, and would make OKC LOOK MORE LIKE A BIG CITY!

The bus station? That's not Devon tower-related.

I've been told the site was between main and sheridan, and walker and hudson. Numerous people in the buildings in this site, have been told to be in new offices by August of this year.

any ideas of how big the footprint of the building will be?

The site is NOT occupied by other buildings...it is occupied by a parking deck. Thus, no one will be moving offices by August because of the Devon building. The building will be built on the 'flat part' of the parking deck due north of the Myriad Gardens. The back portion of this parking structure (the 5 story parking deck) will be enlarged to 10 decks total (5 new built on top of the original 5).

"The site consists of a substantial portion of the four-block area generally bounded by Sheridan Avenue on the south, Hudson Avenue on the west, Park Avenue on the north, and Robinson Avenue on the east, excluding the existing buildings fronting Park Avenue and Robinson Avenue and the East City Center Parking Garage. Much of the site is what is commonly known as the Galleria parking deck. It includes the West City Center Parking Garage. Standing on the site looking south, the Myriad Gardens will be our front yard."

No one knows 'offically' how big the foot print will be or how tall it will be. Except for the few with inside sources (G...), everyone is just guessing. Devon is making its proposal to the OCURA (Oklahoma City Urban Renewal Authority) on August 20th where it will unviel its redevelopment plan, including building plans. Thus, all information that everyone is drooling about will be made public then (if not a few days before). We should know on or before August 20th all of the cool information like footprint size, number of floors, final height, even building design. We all just need to hold on to our pants until then.

The building will be built on the 'flat part' of the parking deck due north of the Myriad Gardens. The back portion of this parking structure (the 5 story parking deck) will be enlarged to 10 decks total (5 new built on top of the original 5).

I thought the employee notice said they were adding the 5 stories on the City Center garage. Your statement makes it sound like they will add to the Galleria parking garage, which was just redone in the last couple of years. Am I confused?

The City Center Garage is the one that will be added on to. It just completed expansion in July of 2006. It is located north of the Myriad Gardens, due west of Corporate Tower, and south of Oklahoma Tower. It is currently 5 stories tall and will be expanded to 10 stories. Here is a link to a site that shows pictures of the site as it is now (Untitled Document (http://www.parkingokc.com) <- Click "New! City Center" at the top). The plan, as it sounds in the employee notice, is that Devon will purchase this entire structure for use by its employees only.

I know you guys have been discussing Chase Tower in relative comparison to the proposed Devon Tower, although Chase is 500,000 sq. ft. with 38 stories. When considering height relative to sq. ft. 2 of the 38 stories in Chase were underground. They consisted of the basement and conncourse. I know because I worked for 9 years in Building Operations there when it was Liberty Tower.

I have seen a lot of people talking about the footprint of the building...but to me, when I've driven by, it SEEMS like there isn't much ROOM for a large footprint. Am I missing something? The flat part of the parking garage, where the building is to be, just doesn't seem all that big to me. Will it be more spread out...and if so, where? Also, isn't it the general consenus that the footprint will be LARGER than the actual floor sizes that will be built? Or are we thinking similar to Chase, where it seems like it's the same size from the base all the way to the top...which, IMO, is very boxy and unflattering.

oh, the footprint is large.

by comparison, I think the footprint of Oklahoma tower is 17,000 square feet, and the site for Devon is much larger than that.

I imagine, since the tower will be iconic and all - it probably wont be a box, but will use angles of some sort like trapezoidal and perhaps also some setbacks in the upper levels, and perhaps a modern decorative spire.

By comparison, Chase's highrise footprint (which is smaller than it's base/lobby) is 100ft by 150 ft = 15000 sq ft per floor. Chase's base is 150X150.

Devon said they wanted a tower with a floorprint between 22,000-24,000 sq ft, 150X150 is 22,500 sq ft (which is Chase's podium).

So really, look at Chase's podium/base and imagine it going up 52+ storeys (but instead of a square skew it into a trapezoid) - then you have a good idea of what Devon would look like, floorprint wise.

The City Center Garage is the one that will be added on to. It just completed expansion in July of 2006. It is located north of the Myriad Gardens, due west of Corporate Tower, and south of Oklahoma Tower. It is currently 5 stories tall and will be expanded to 10 stories. Here is a link to a site that shows pictures of the site as it is now (Untitled Document (http://www.parkingokc.com) <- Click "New! City Center" at the top). The plan, as it sounds in the employee notice, is that Devon will purchase this entire structure for use by its employees only.

I'm pretty sure construction wrapped up on this project last year, not 2006 although the website says 2006. It's a Metro Transit website afterall.

Thanks for the info Hot Rod...wow...the anticipation builds...!! Can't wait to have concrete information and sketches of what it's going to look like!

I've been told the site was between main and sheridan, and walker and hudson. Numerous people in the buildings in this site, have been told to be in new offices by August of this year.

As someone said, you are mistaken. It's the block east of that. If people have been told that, then maybe Nick Preftakes (who bought that block recently) has something planned. Residential perhaps? (hopefully)


I thought the employee notice said they were adding the 5 stories on the City Center garage. Your statement makes it sound like they will add to the Galleria parking garage, which was just redone in the last couple of years. Am I confused?

I believe they are one in the same.

I believe they are one in the same.

Yeah, I was confused. I thought this was the lot by the Sheraton, but what you guys are saying makes more sense location wise.

That's going to be a lot of parking in one place. I need to open a doughnut shop there. We might even have a traffic problem in the mornings at Walker and Main/Park. Is Walker going two-way in the near future? I certainly hope not.

That's going to be a lot of parking in one place. I need to open a doughnut shop there.

Are they putting a police substation there?

Hello,

This image is not an actual depiction of the design, heigth or done in conjunction with Devon...it is to show our companies ability to insert future plans in to the real world and supplied as a public interest peice. I look forward to your comments. I think you will love this!

Again...this is not to be taken out of context just a visual possabilty of whats to possible come.

I am very excited to find out exactly how tall and what the new building will look like we keep it just a little taller then everything else....

Virtual Tour from NewSpin360.com with insertied tower in OKC SKYLINE (http://host.newspin360.net/bricktowntower1/)

Thank you, Mike Windham Pres. NewSpin360.com

Are they putting a police substation there?

ba-dump-bump

Surely that helicopter thing casts a shadow somewhere...

I've tried to find it in a couple photos and just can't!

For some reason that bugs me... I want to see the shadow.

Very cool, Mike! Really shows how a new tower will round-out the skyline.

Your product is very impressive.

Yeah, I was confused. I thought this was the lot by the Sheraton, but what you guys are saying makes more sense location wise.

That's going to be a lot of parking in one place. I need to open a doughnut shop there. We might even have a traffic problem in the mornings at Walker and Main/Park. Is Walker going two-way in the near future? I certainly hope not.

Walker is already two way from NW 6th north.

I think its great that it will get some level of LEED certification. Very respectable for an energy company.

Also, I'm not very familiar with the names of the buildings downtown. does anyone have a link, preferably visual, to building names downtown?

jstanthrnme - try Commercial Real Estate Information and Construction Data / Emporis.com (http://www.emporis.com)

does anyone have a link, preferably visual, to building names downtown?
Downtown Oklahoma City (http://www.dougloudenback.com/downtown/downtownokc.htm)

Very cool, Mike! Really shows how a new tower will round-out the skyline.

Your product is very impressive.

But with all due respect...that is one ugly tower.

True, but it's cool to see it in the skyline. Look how much it dwarfs the Colcord and it's not even as tall as it will actually be.

Doug - I looked at the link Sgt. Pepper provided. The old post office is awesome. I didn't even know that building was there. Anyone know what it is being used for now? It is building #44 on Doug's map.

I believe it's federal offices or courts. It's a great building that I didn't discover until a few years ago myself.

I believe I read on here that the renderings would be available on 8/20. Does anyone know if these will just be initial sketches, or will this be when we see the final designs?

I would imagine that the plans submitted to OCURA on 8/20 for approval would be conceptual at this point and subject to some modifications as they do the final planning and engineering.

However, I'm sure it will be about 90% accurate as to what they end up building because they are anxious to move this forward so they can consolidate their employees and have the necessary space to facilitate their rapid growth.

I was reading what people had said on one of the Tulsa forums and they were saying that they think this will turn out like the Oneok building there, which was originally supposed to be 60 stories (I think) and instead only ended up being like 18. Personally I think it's jealousy talking on their part (ha!)...but I sure hope they get this UP and going before too long...I'm SO anxious to see it!! And I think the circumstances surrounding the Oneok building at that time in Tulsa, and thus the reason it didn't end up being as tall as originally planned, are circumstances that HOPEFULLY Devon will NOT face. Anyone remember what they were??

I was reading what people had said on one of the Tulsa forums and they were saying that they think this will turn out like the Oneok building there, which was originally supposed to be 60 stories (I think) and instead only ended up being like 18. Personally I think it's jealousy talking on their part (ha!)...but I sure hope they get this UP and going before too long...I'm SO anxious to see it!! And I think the circumstances surrounding the Oneok building at that time in Tulsa, and thus the reason it didn't end up being as tall as originally planned, are circumstances that HOPEFULLY Devon will NOT face. Anyone remember what they were??It was the Cities Service Co HQ. Occidental bought Cities Service and moved the HQ to Houston. Owned by Venezuela now. more or less.

Ahhh...okay. Thanks Flinty. :)

[edited at request of poster ~ Pete]

I'm sure there will be critics, but the new buildings will be much better than anything that has ever been done in downtown OKC.

All that certainly sounds consistent with other reports and makes a lot of sense.

I suppose the tower will be at the far west end of the block with an atrium extending to the east, followed by a green open space, then the meetings/event structure tied into the Colcord.

At 750', the tower would be 50% taller than Chase Tower and easily the tallest in the state.

I just noticed on NewsOK that Devon is making arrangements to purchase the Colcord. That would certainly make some sort of meetings/event structure tie in that Pete suggests a likely reality at some point....



www.unitedstatesofmichael.com

Perhaps the layout will look something like this, with the meeting space being tied into Corporate Tower and thus the Underground, which Nichols has stated as a previous priority:

http://www.pc78.com/images/okctalk/devon.jpg

very possible, i would love that

With this layout, if Devon continued to grow rapidly they might be interested in acquiring Corporate Tower and/or Oklahoma Tower and make them part of their complex.

Doug - I looked at the link Sgt. Pepper provided. The old post office is awesome. I didn't even know that building was there. Anyone know what it is being used for now? It is building #44 on Doug's map.

Federal Bankruptcy Court is in that building, as well as other things. The Courtrooms are art deco; very pretty.

This is all so exciting...I hope this all comes out to be true! 750' would be awesome...if I'm reading correctly, BOK in Tulsa is 667'...so this would surely be taller. Awesome!

AWESOME insight and very incredible news. This will put downtown OKC on the level that we need to be from an image prospective - competing with other Tier II cities in the nation.

a 50 storey all glass tower + an 8 storey glass monument building, assuming 22500 floorplate and FSR of 15 gives us a 750' skyscraper and 1.305M sq ft total (assuming a box).

I am very excited about it being all glass (hopefully mirror'd or kool midnight blue glass); it's going to totally redefine downtown Oklahoma City as a business location and certainly OKC's image as a up and coming city.


WOW, Im excited - can't wait until the renderings/speks come out.

Thanks Sooner for the insight - :gossip:

750' would be taller than anything in Denver or Las Vegas. West of Chicago, the only buildings taller would be 6-8 in Dallas & Houston, a couple in Minneapolis, and a few in California and Seattle.

In fact, only 14 states would have a taller building.

would be AWESOME!! Indeed Pete.

And like I said, we (OKC) can finally join the largest city/skycraper club; as in I think OKC is the ONLY Largest City of a State that does not have the state's tallest building. OKC is definitely the biggest city who doesn't have its state's tallest building.

There might be much smaller cities in much smaller states (maybe Casper WY is taller than Cheyenne for example), but OKC is the ONLY major city I can think of that doesn't have the tallest building in its state.

On a lighter note though, I do suppose this will change since San Francisco is building the Transbay (which will be taller than anything currently in LA) - but SF gets a pass since it is a world class city and California is such a big state. lol

I thought they will only have control over the western part of the new city center garage. Of course, it's not like they would have an issue buying the rest of the properties if they decide they want them.

Was the entry earlier made regarding the 50 stories and 750' removed for any reason? I hope it wasn't because it wasn't true...I was starting to get excited!!

There might be much smaller cities in much smaller states (maybe Casper WY is taller than Cheyenne for example), but OKC is the ONLY major city I can think of that doesn't have the tallest building in its state.


Well OKC isn't as bad off as you might think. They only have to build about 170 feet to be the states tallest. Now Austin on the other hand would have to build about 320 feet to gain the title. Austin beats OKC on this one, but thats ok they can be #1 on this stat.

would be AWESOME!! Indeed Pete.

And like I said, we (OKC) can finally join the largest city/skycraper club; as in I think OKC is the ONLY Largest City of a State that does not have the state's tallest building. OKC is definitely the biggest city who doesn't have its state's tallest building.

There might be much smaller cities in much smaller states (maybe Casper WY is taller than Cheyenne for example), but OKC is the ONLY major city I can think of that doesn't have the tallest building in its state.

On a lighter note though, I do suppose this will change since San Francisco is building the Transbay (which will be taller than anything currently in LA) - but SF gets a pass since it is a world class city and California is such a big state. lol

Tallest building in each state is always in the largest city? That’s not even remotely true,.

In Texas the largest metro is DFW (6.2 million) but the tallest building is in Houston (5.2 million), the JPMorgan Chase Tower. The same is true in Missouri, the tallest building in the state is in Kansas City (1.9 million) and not in St Louis (2.9 million).

Now if you are going purely on city size and not metro your argument is even worse. In both Missouri and Texas the tallest building is in the largest incorporated city. But not in Florida, the tallest building is in Miami, but Jacksonville is nearly twice as large as Miami. In Ohio the largest city is Columbus, but the tallest building is in Cleveland. In Tennessee the tallest building is in Nashville, but Memphis is larger. In Alabama the tallest building is in Mobile, which is actually the third largest city (and metro).

In most states the largest metro area has the tallest building, but that’s usually because most states have a metro that is definitively larger than any other metro (states like New Mexico, Nebraska, Utah, Washington, Oregon, Arizona, New York, Illinois). But in states where there are two (or more) metros of relatively similar size, the second largest metro (or third) more often has the taller building, that happens today in Oklahoma, Missouri, Texas, Virginia, Alabama and soon to be California. States will two or more similar metros where the largest metro has the tallest would include North Carolina, Ohio, and Tennessee and that’s about it.

Houston is the largest city and has the tallest building.

Gateway arch is the tallest building in Missouri.

I do agree with your argument of Miami and Columbus. I stand corrected.

I suppose I was thinking in terms of city population (and then lumped in Miami, Cleveland, Memphis, and others who used to be larger or have larger metros).

Thanks for the correction. I agree with your synopsis Swake.

You can't have it both ways, Dallas is the largest metro and doesn't have the tallest building. Houston the city is larger.

But in Missouri, if the gateway arch is the tallest, which may be, but the reverse of Texas is true, Kansas City is the larger incorporated city and does not have the tallest.