Cool photo from today's Oklahoman. Credit to Hugh Scott:

http://digital.newsok.com/Olive/ODE/Oklahoman/server/GetContent.asp?contentsrc=primitive&dochref=DOK%2F2011%2F06%2F30&entityid=Pc01607&pageno=16&chunkid=Pc01607&pagelabel=16A&repformat=1.0&primid=Pc0160700&imgext=jpg&type=Content&for=primitive

Does anyone know what floor the Devon tower is on right now?

any updates on the LED lighting?

Is Crane #1 being dismantled or was I seeing it from an angle that made its profile skinny?

They are just finishing up the 48th level.

As far as the LED lighting, there will be a large amount in the three vertical indentions and throughout the crown. If I hear about the next test, I'll try and capture some images and share them.

They are just finishing up the 48th level.

As far as the LED lighting, there will be a large amount in the three vertical indentions and throughout the crown. If I hear about the next test, I'll try and capture some images and share them.

Hey Pete, where is that picture you posted located on NewsOk? I would like to use it as my desktop background and can't find it

That picture is a direct link from NewsOk.com -- the digital edition. Don't think there is a high-res version out on the web.

Is Crane #1 being dismantled or was I seeing it from an angle that made its profile skinny?

Yeah, nevermind...it was an odd angle, lol.

Hey Pete, where is that picture you posted located on NewsOk? I would like to use it as my desktop background and can't find it

If you have a smartphone, it would make a great background on it. You'll have to 'right click' to 'view image', copy the web address and mail it to yourself, and then access it from your phone so you can save the image.

Anyone else catch the story on News 9 about how they were finishing up the 50th floor and all they had to go now was the 2 mechanical floors. I laughed a little when I heard that.

I wonder if they're fact-checking that, that's why it's not on the website.

I imagine they will have to hang the glass for the crown using the crane right? Seems awfully precarious to have workers that high, unless maybe they build a temporary walkway.

I'm sure there would be an internal structure that allows maintenance and such to get all the way to the peak.

I'm sure there would be an internal structure that allows maintenance and such to get all the way to the peak.

I'm sure you're right. I can't imagine how the glass panes could be put in place and attached without human assistance.

Anyone know what time the other crane will raise over the 4th of July weekend?

I had lunch downtown yesterday at Coney Island, and had a chance to talk to some of the construction workers from the Devon site (drywall workers, not steel/concrete). They told us the building was up to floor # 50.

The Oklahoma City Fire Department began training for high-rise building fires in 2009. With the completion of the Devon tower getting near, fire officials say they are well equipped to handle high-rise fires, regardless of the tower's height.



Read more: http://newsok.com/oklahoma-city-firefighters-prepare-emergency-procedures-for-devon-tower/article/3582243#ixzz1QzqNf4Li

A while ago, I just did a search for anything new and this didn't pop up. I don't know how some folks find things. If it's not right smack at the top of the page, I don't tend to see it unless I'm lucky.

By the way, I finally contacted someone at Devon to get an opinion on the stuff I've been working on for the past year. Will be interesting to see what they say...

The Oklahoma City Fire Department began training for high-rise building fires in 2009. With the completion of the Devon tower getting near, fire officials say they are well equipped to handle high-rise fires, regardless of the tower's height.



Read more: http://newsok.com/oklahoma-city-firefighters-prepare-emergency-procedures-for-devon-tower/article/3582243#ixzz1QzqNf4Li

It seems like this should have come up in the 70's

It seems like this should have come up in the 70's

First Interstate Bank, May, 1988
858-foot Tower


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6eGh3jnmvE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-TtEIBtH6M&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jsmQTOwwRG0&feature=related

So the current level (as of 7-3-11) is floor 48, 49 or 50? It seems everyone has a different idea.

49 is finished and they are working on 50.

935


49 is finished and they are working on 50.

So if that is 49, that would mean it is going to be 51 floors? These last 2 are mechanical?

(see graphic)

Yes, I believe it will be 51 or 52 levels but the bottom line is the building is still going to be 850 feet tall.

On that graphic, the floor labeled 50 is actually 49 -- the one that is complete as of now.

Sid, I had been using that rendering as a reference too.

Fireworks...

Anyone know when and where these are planned on going off? I could probably just find it myself but...

Wasn't planning on going downtown, but this should settle it. 3pm today.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_t8K7bs_Hpw

Here are views all the way around. According to the bucket hoist numbered floor, the Y shaped columns for the crown are on floor 48.

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j286/UnFrSaKn/Downtown%20OKC/DevonEnergyTowerConstructionProgress7-3-2011-1.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j286/UnFrSaKn/Downtown%20OKC/DevonEnergyTowerConstructionProgress7-3-2011-2.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j286/UnFrSaKn/Downtown%20OKC/DevonEnergyTowerConstructionProgress7-3-2011-3.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j286/UnFrSaKn/Downtown%20OKC/DevonEnergyTowerConstructionProgress7-3-2011-4.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j286/UnFrSaKn/Downtown%20OKC/DevonEnergyTowerConstructionProgress7-3-2011-5.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j286/UnFrSaKn/Downtown%20OKC/DevonEnergyTowerConstructionProgress7-3-2011-6.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j286/UnFrSaKn/Downtown%20OKC/DevonEnergyTowerConstructionProgress7-3-2011-7.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j286/UnFrSaKn/Downtown%20OKC/DevonEnergyTowerConstructionProgress7-3-2011-8.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j286/UnFrSaKn/Downtown%20OKC/DevonEnergyTowerConstructionProgress7-3-2011-9.jpg

Anyone notice over at the Skyscraperpage.com (http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=156332&page=42) forum, they've added all these new forum rules? It's this update section that now takes up the whole bottom of the page. I sure hope we never get this picky on this forum.

I didn't think to do this earlier and get a better comparison, but here's a crude mockup.

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j286/UnFrSaKn/Downtown%20OKC/devontower48thfloorrendercomparison.jpg

Here's what a self-proclaimed critic of our city and skyline has to say on another forum -


It is because a small city skyline that hasn't even broken 200' in 25 years is suddenly building an 850' tower. It is probably the most extreme swing any of us has ever witnessed.

Seriously, look at this diagram of all construction in OKC in the past 25 years.
http://skyscraperpage.com/diagrams/?searchID=51296536

This is not an indictment of your city in general, but again... LOOK AT THE DIAGRAM. The "prosecution's" case begins and ends with it. You have been sentenced to... deal with it. As in, deal with criticism from people like me until your city builds some more (even relatively) tall buildings!

This would be like the equivalent of somebody waking up from a multi-year coma and immediately running their first marathon.

^^look at the tower building boom OKC had from 1980-1984,Six towers over 200'ft tall and One over 400'ft tall,then OKC went dead!I see OKC having an even better building boom than then!

I just had to reply to that and I haven't even signed in there in many, many months.

Here's what a self-proclaimed critic of our city and skyline has to say on another forum -

Haters gon' hate.

Here's what a self-proclaimed critic of our city and skyline has to say on another forum -

^^This same poster is posting the same thing on SSC and SSP,so evidently he has some beef with OKC!I say he/she is envious of the Devon Tower!

Sadly it is kinda true, except for the horrible Metaphor at the end.

Not stepping on toes but wanted to refine the graphic a bit.

http://i1122.photobucket.com/albums/l527/mrktguy29/DevonPhotoplusRendering.jpg

Nice job mrktguy29!

^^Sweet!Nice job!

Awesome

Anyone know what the top of the tower is supposed to look like? Imagine if that top floor restaurant had a glass roof or a view of the sky.

Anyone know what the top of the tower is supposed to look like? Imagine if that top floor restaurant had a glass roof or a view of the sky.

^^I never even thought of that,thats a good question!I would think it would be all glass but who knows,that would be an awesome view!

I thought the mech floors were the two top floors, not the dining we have heard about.

Typically the Rooftops are less than beautiful becuase they are not seen very often and typically, and in this case also, house mechanical functions. So where as we have been blessed with a nice three sided glass curtainwall that screens much of this, It would be suprising to see any glazing for the roof.

New shot I took today, from midtown.

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6053/5902608928_27063538c8_b_d.jpg

Great pic! I think this is the best angle of downtown. On wikipedia's pictures for the top 50 cities by population (http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_cities_by_population) there is a terrible pic from the highway. This should replace it IMHO...

For those here who took time to post on some other forums and speak out for OKC, I salute you this 4th of July!

For those here who took time to post on some other forums and speak out for OKC, I salute you this 4th of July!

^^And I salute back to you!Happy Fourth to you and yours!

I peruse skyscraperpage.com for the pics, not the misinformed comments. I really don't want this building to finish, it's been too dadgone fun.

I'm actually looking forward to it being finished. Having devoted the past year on actively going down there regularly and taking up the project of recording the construction, I'm ready to move on to something new. After the building is topped out, there's still quite a bit left to do until 2012. It will be great to walk in after it opens and taking an elevator to the top. However I do hope sometime soon after this is all done that another big visible project is on the horizon. Perhaps SandRidge...
I'm thinking of doing the Skydance Bridge.

... Perhaps SandRidge... I'm thinking of doing the Skydance Bridge.

The next boathouse or two ... Aloft, Level, water rapids project, Apts. at old Mercy site, new school, demo of Stage Center (should it go that way), etc.

Yeah I know there's a lot of projects... but I have a full time job. There's no way I can do all of those. The apartments are already pretty far along. We'll see what happens I guess.

Today, a building permit was issued for $600,000 to create a pedestrian walkway at 100 N. Harvey (address of east Galleria parking garage -- the one not owned by Devon).

I just talked to the architect that is handling this and he said that the walkway will actually be inside that east garage on the 3rd floor. They are taking some parking spaces and creating a link from the Devon complex through the structure and tying it into the skybridge that connects the east garage with Oklahoma Tower (pictured below):

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

Got a thoughtful reply back from Devon. Hope they don't mind me posting some of it here. Here's a short excerpt -


Thank you for sharing your videos of the project. We appreciate your interest and documentation efforts. It is clear that you have devoted an incredible amount of time and energy to them and it is remarkable to see the progress captured in such a creative way. We understand the importance of preserving history with photography and video, as we are also documenting the construction. Thank you for ensuring we are aware of your efforts. We will keep your contact information on hand.
Thanks again for your shared interest in Oklahoma City.

UnFrSaKn, you've got yourself a job at Devon!!! I wonder when they will call you up for something. :-D

Here some pix I took yesterday. Most of them was from the Water Taxi ride. :-)

I was trying to figure out the settings on my phone (Samsung Epic) due to the bright sun being a "background light" so there was a bunch of panic pix in a hurry trying to take as much as I could in between settings. Only the few that I found to be the best.

http://img9.imageshack.us/img9/3318/20110704201337.jpg

http://img535.imageshack.us/img535/5096/20110704203909.jpg

http://img692.imageshack.us/img692/9499/20110704203745g.jpg

http://img27.imageshack.us/img27/1800/20110704203618.jpg

http://img18.imageshack.us/img18/2040/20110704205008.jpg

Here's my take on the July 3 Bricktown fireworks. Better watch before they take it down for copyright infringement or something.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iI1rrX_-cxY

Thanks for the FiReWoRkS!!!!l.......and everything else you do!!!!!!!!!

Wish I could watch it, but the option is unavailable on my android... go figure!

A SketchUp model of what the new skyline will look like in just several weeks!

http://i55.tinypic.com/2vt6t6q.jpg

In response to the critics of the scale of the Devon tower, it really depends upon where you're standing. From my house, the tower looks fairly similar in size to the rest of the downtown buildings. From I-40 west of the tower it looks massive. It's all a matter of perspective.

One superstar and a bunch of team players.