5505 N. Brookline

County Assessor Record (http://www.oklahomacounty.org/assessor/Searches/AN-R.asp?ACCOUNTNO=R149853820)

Renderings at Rees Associates (http://www.rees.com/our-work/multi-family/tiffany-towers)


The 155,872 square foot expansion and 108,528 square foot renovation of this high-profile Multi-Family facility will incorporate thoughtfully creative design solutions, as well as innovative use of state-of- the-art technologies to create a vibrant and comfortable living community for its tenants. The common areas will have upgraded hospitality grade finishes and amenities including a great room, theater, conference room, gaming center, fitness facility and outdoor pool. The facility will be designed for the future while embracing the rich history of the building, neighborhood and city.

I remember looking at an apartment at Tiffany back in the early 80's. The apartments I saw were awfully small, and most of the residents were elderly. Redevelopment will be very expensive, since most of the units had concrete walls. With the age of the building, they could have asbestos issues to deal with, also.

I haven't been to the Tiffany in awhile. I think it still suffers from being known as a "gay complex." I have been to LakeView Towers (also known as a gay complex in the late 80's - early 90's).

The new owners have put alot of money into the place.

The restaurant in the basement is long gone and now replaced with a very cool "man cave" that resembles a sports bar, with a long bar, video games, pool tables, lots of seating and a seperate media room.

Went to a Monday night football get together there too and the place was packed with residence of all ages and types.

The thing I noticed though is that the lobby is still full of lonely older residents wandering around in their house shoes like it's a mental institution.

I never knew the gay reputation...

A friend of mine looked there when we were in college. I remember the places being VERY small and far over priced. They kept talking about the view...but it sucked. So I could see the tops of the Home Depot or the surrounding houses, big whoopie. Plus the people that worked in the office were very rude to us. And we were their potential customers. The place looks like crap inside and out and I wouldn't really be sad to see it imploded along with Lakeview. They are so fugly and don't try that historic crap on me either. There's nothing historic about a big white rectangle with an eyesore of an antenae on top.

I actually think the views pretty good from LakeView Tower. Can't speak for the Tiffany, but I assume it's the same. Exactly what view were you expecting?

The best view is from the North side of the Regency.

When I inquired on the LakeView price, I want to say i was told units mostly ran from $600 - $800 all bills paid. Seems reasonable to me.

If all I see are rooftops of homes, I don't really consider that a view to pay for. It's not as though they have a central park view. And if you're on the south side, yay you get to look at Home Depot. I don't even think view can be considered a selling point there....it's not as though you get this awesome view of downtown...or a park. You get roofs and streets.

What about the lake?

If all I see are rooftops of homes, I don't really consider that a view to pay for.
Yeah and the view from the standard apartment complex is what exactly?

The people I met in LakeView Tower simply loved the high rise lifestyle and the view from above.

Obviously not everyone is a high rise type tenant - but many are.

If I was single I would prefer either one of our high rises or a warehouse loft.

What is the deal with the Tiffany Building at NW Expressway and May. I have always though that was a cool looking building with a great location and that if someone came in and made some renovations it would be very appealing. Who lives there now?

What is the deal with the Tiffany Building at NW Expressway and May. I have always though that was a cool looking building with a great location and that if someone came in and made some renovations it would be very appealing. Who lives there now?

when i was a little kid i thought that was a famous building lol.. i thought they named a song after it, I remember asking my parents to take me to breakfast at tiffanies.

when i was a little kid i thought that was a famous building lol.. i thought they named a song after it, I remember asking my parents to take me to breakfast at tiffanies.

That is hilarious. Breakfast at Tiffany's....

I went there to check it out not long after we were married and were looking to move (they'd had a fire in the building the night before, curiously). IIRC, the apartments were pretty small, and the walls between were poured concrete (probably reinforced). It would be difficult to renovate.

That is hilarious. Breakfast at Tiffany's....
Everytime I hear that phrase I think more of the song than the movie....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ClCpfeIELw&ob=av2e

I love how the building features one of the last rooftop neon signs of its type from an era when they were commonplace. Other than that, I have heard and read VERY checkered reviews of the place. I'm about to go and see if these still hold true.

The floorplans are very small, and way overpriced. They charge for the view....right, of NW Exway...come on. Last time I went in there to look was in 2001 and they wanted 750 for a studio apartment. Right......

It has 124 units in a relatively small building... Each unit averages less than 500 square feet.

It was built in 1966 and as far as I know, has never received a major renovation.

It was sold in 2008 to a group out of Memphis for $5.8 million.

http://www.loopnet.com/xnet/mainsite/HttpHandlers/attachment/ServeAttachment.ashx?FileGuid=61078CA0-AD32-4550-AF25-437595DD61B3&Extension=jpg&Width=631&Height=421&PadImage=False&DisableVisualWatermark=&ClipImage=False

With a little TLC that tower could actually look okay but now it is just outdated yuck. Reminds me of those Soviet-style apartment towers you see in Moscow. Although the apartments do provide impressive views of Best Buy and a Target parking lot.

That's what I said when the lady showed me the place. I was like "the view....what view? It's Baptist on side and parking lots on the other" Not to mention how small they were. They claimed at that time to be access controled, but we walked right in. They were actually pretty pissy too...bunch of late 30's angry housweives working there or something i dont know. But then looking at the balconies, it looks junky with all their crap out there. And on the inside, it hasn't been touched since it opened...just as 60's as ever. I can't say I would be sad if it went away.

It's going to be tough to continue to make money in this place unless some major changes are made...like combining apartments on some floors for larger floorplans. Either make the "fitness" room into a real one or just get rid of it and convert it to some other damn thing. I don't know, i'm really speaking out of my rear but I had some friends in college that lived there (which is why i looked at it), and it just seemed that everything was wrong with the place.

Application before the Board of Adjustment to create a planned unit development for a massive remodel and expansion of one of the few mid- or high-rise residential properties in the city.

Looks like a really slick development and would be a huge improvement.

According to the county assessor, this property is still owned by the same group that bought it in 2008, but there may be a sale pending or just not recorded as of yet.


The purpose of this request is to facilitate the expansion of the Tiffany
Apartments. The SPUD contemplates adding a 7-story structure alongside the
existing 12-story tower that would accommodate 123 new apartments, a parking
structure, a dog park and an amenity deck. It allows up to 15 percent of the space
to be used for accessory commercial purposes.


http://www.oklahomacounty.org/assessor/Searches/sketches/picfile/2846/R149853820001sA.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/tiffany1.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/tiffany2.jpg

Wow, cool - is there any site coordination with the D&B and other developments going in on that same corner of May and the Expressway?

This proposal looks like the next best thing to just nuking the building..

Like the conceptual glassed in balconies and adding on to the place would definitely be a plus. The place looks like a dump as it is and really needs the update!

I have been inside of one of those apartments once and it was about 20 years ago. I wasn't impressed then so I'm sure the residents will totally welcome this redevelopment.

I'm glad to see the stagnant piece of crap finally doing something. It's amazing how vast a change that will make in the area. LOOOONG overdue but very nice.

I hope that they retain the red lettered sign at top, however modernized with LED lighting, etc.

Just read the Journal Record article re this project, Tulsa-based Ferguson Properties will be pumping $32 million in the redevelopment, and it will be designed by Maxum & Mint Development Group, wow!

http://www.maxumdevelopment.com/cs/default.asp

*To note, this will be Maxum's first project in Oklahoma, let's hope this opens doors for other projects in the future.

That comes out to $127,000 per unit. Not bad.

I will say though that I'm not a big fan of retaining the concrete paneling on the side of the tower. I wish they'd break those blank walls up a little more, insert more glass elements or something. The mid-rise addition just looks a lot more natural, a lot less eastern bloc.

It's a great location, has great views, and offers something relatively unique for OKC. I would think a big investment will be rewarded.

Really glad to know they will be spending some big bucks and hopefully doing this right.

The location has certainly turned around with other development around the area. This development has me thinking it may be time to thinking about making some significant pedestrian improvements around the NW Expressway. Imagine if you could live in a condo and walk to D&B, walk to restaurants, safely walk across May to Target, etc..

Would probably involve undoing ODOT's recent "improvements" to the interchange and having an at-grade intersection. But we don't really do at-grade around here, but what an opportunity we are throwing away once again by not having an at-grade intersection here. You could even do it without a roundabout!

:cuss2:

A thriving Mayfair is right there, too.

It's a great little area and easy to get anywhere in town.

Just read the Journal Record article re this project, Tulsa-based Ferguson Properties will be pumping $32 million in the redevelopment, and it will be designed by Maxum & Mint Development Group, wow!

http://www.maxumdevelopment.com/cs/default.asp

*To note, this will be Maxum's first project in Oklahoma, let's hope this opens doors for other projects in the future.

Just for clarity, they are spending $32 million total. The number includes property acquisition. Only numbers I could get.

Just for clarity, they are spending $32 million total. The number includes property acquisition. Only numbers I could get.

If I read the article right, the property acquisition was only $5.8 million, which still lives $26 million for the actual project itself.

Just drove by a few minutes ago, there used to be a bunch of stuff (Chairs, clothes, flower pots, etc) on the balcony. There is nothing now. Wonder if anybody even lives there now?

Wow. Yes please. This would be a HUGE improvement and help OKC turn a corner in the suburban housing market.

Pete- why do you say Mayfair is thriving, the shopping center is half empty and needs renovating.

It was just renovated, right??

Sorry wrong thread...

I lived there for a short time in the early seventies, when there was still a severe flooding problem during heavy rain. The basement would fill up with water, all the way to the ceiling, and we'd have about two inches of water in the lobby. Cars in the parking lot would float away. I was surprised at how easy it was to guide a floating sedan to high ground so it wouldn't wash away completely.

I have been inside of one of those apartments once and it was about 20 years ago. I wasn't impressed then so I'm sure the residents will totally welcome this redevelopment.

residents were informed in may that they had to be out by June 1st. good friend lived there for years. this lady on his floor was in her late 60s and grew up there...she had her apartment and the one she grew up in whixh was across the hall. she was devestated....I have no idea where she's gone to..

they showed the above rendering/site plan to the resident when they informed they they were having to leave. and also informed them they didn't have full funding for the development/renovation yet. seems like they were ahead of themselves with kicking people out.

seaofchange, like they are vacating the building? Did they go under?

any updates on this renovation/expansion?

I've been wondering as well, haven't noticed any work on site.

Lights are still on on the exterior of the building..as I noticed tonight.

Lots of broken out windows.
Hope this gets renovated soon since I just bought a house nearby.

Haven't seen any work going on lately.

Yeah, I guess the renovation deal fell apart. Nothing going on.

That's too bad... cause it really is an eye sore.

Doze it.

Yeah, I guess the renovation deal fell apart. Nothing going on.

I have no info, but I wouldn't call it dead yet, just because of no activity, funding, planning and permits take time.

Doze it.

Good thing this building isn't downtown or half the posters on this board would be handcuffing themselves to the building and you would be enemy #1. lol

ugly ... implode it

No....it's a nice building that just needs TLC

Nice isn't excatlly what I would apply to it. Especially on the inside. It's pretty "meh". There isn't anything special about it, and in fact the space you get for the price isn't worth it. They try to apply an urban amount to it when it's most definitely NOT an urban building. And with the much larger, and equally ugly, Lakeview right down the street, Tiffany had the wrong approach to everything.

Now, update the thing and bring it out of the 50's and you might have something there. Otherwise, tone the price down and treat it like it is, mid-range normal apartment living....meh.

Saving it under the terms of TLC would take a tub load of dollars. It does have a look of some style but is it worth all the remediation it most likely needs. Someone needing a good tax right off might get duped into lifting this once nice place out of the gutter. The rennovations I have been involved in on a much smaller scale can really be a can of worms unless your eyes are very wide open. I hated to see the Continental Theater across the road fall in dis-repair. I like that place back in the day.

Nice isn't excatlly what I would apply to it. Especially on the inside. It's pretty "meh". There isn't anything special about it, and in fact the space you get for the price isn't worth it. They try to apply an urban amount to it when it's most definitely NOT an urban building. And with the much larger, and equally ugly, Lakeview right down the street, Tiffany had the wrong approach to everything.

Now, update the thing and bring it out of the 50's and you might have something there. Otherwise, tone the price down and treat it like it is, mid-range normal apartment living....meh.

Have you not seen the renovation plans on page 1? Why on earth would you rather have a empty parking lot?

Just from strolling around the outside the apartments look pretty cramped. Not too mention the outside alone needs a lot of work.
It is becoming a pretty popular place for some locals to nap between pan-handling gigs.

Does anyone really know what's going on with Tiffany? It would be nice if we got some answers. That looked like a nice project.

Just read the Journal Record article re this project, Tulsa-based Ferguson Properties will be pumping $32 million in the redevelopment, and it will be designed by Maxum & Mint Development Group, wow!

Maxum Development, LTD | Texas Real Estate Development | Apartment Construction (http://www.maxumdevelopment.com/cs/default.asp)

*To note, this will be Maxum's first project in Oklahoma, let's hope this opens doors for other projects in the future.

Maybe the Journal Record could follow up? Does anyone know somebody at Ferguson Properties in Tulsa?

Stopped yesterday and looked at this place. It does have some style. I'll take back my "doze it" comment. Still would take quite a lot of money to bring it back but maybe someone wiil do it. Yes, better than a parking lot.

Have you not seen the renovation plans on page 1? Why on earth would you rather have a empty parking lot?


WIth the renovations, it helps. But i just honestly dont care about this building. It's not as though it has some architectural signifigance or ever will. It's your standard rectangle apartment building. The renovation plans were supposed to be what was going to be done to bring it up to date BEFORE it closed. Unless some magic fairy comes to town, i'd say the place is done. The ROI on that investment is so long, you would be hard pressed to find an investor willing to stick with it. Since it's just a run of the mill apartment building, it's not something special like Founders.

Do I just want an empty parking lot? No. But razing it could make the plot more attractive for a new development. With the re-development of Smicklas across the street, it turns this plot into a more enticing spot than it was before as a back-road hidden area. That hidden, yet close, location was appealing for an apartment. But since it closed, we've seen that the model used to run the place didn't work.

Is this project on hold or no longer going to happen? It looks like nothing has been touched in a while.