Geat pics Will. Thanks. Now I don't have to run down there today as planned.

You better believe there's video goodness...I just got a bunch from a concert Friday night I gotta do first. Too bad I'm sitting around watching tv instead...
After I walked around, I stopped at the Downtown Library after talking with Steve. There was a scanning session underway in the Oklahoma Room with Buddy Johnson and others from RetroMetroOKC. I arrived at the last ten minutes. Link (http://www.dermandar.com/p/eqsylP/oklahoma-room-downtown-library-okc)

Oh yeah, almost forgot. Got good closeup footage of the Skydance Bridge. That thing looks like it's at least halfway complete.

Why do we have a broken window?

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j286/UnFrSaKn/Downtown%20OKC/Devon%20Tower/December%202011/IMG_2321.jpg

Either one was not installed for something happening later or their was a construction accident. With how low it is their would have been plenty of time to replace it so I would guess the former.

Good ole Richard Mize at dark tower is saying Devon is a $500 million tower and not $700+. Do you think this is how much they saved or sloppy journalism?

http://newsok.com/article/3630733
Anyone have any insight to my earlier comment?

I caught that $500 million comment too and I think he was just mistaken.

Anyone have any insight to my earlier comment?

Maybe the $500 million figure is correct and that explains the shorting coming in the TIF district.

Steve referenced the $750 million number in an article written just a month ago:


Brent Bryant, the city's economic development programs manager, said the project budget is short by $10 million because sales taxes anticipated from the purchase of materials for the $750 million Devon Energy Center came in at $5 million instead of $10 million. That, in turn, dropped the amount of matching “leverage” money from $10 million to $5 million that the city could obtain from the state.

Read more: http://newsok.com/oklahoma-citys-project-180-is-being-trimmed-down-a-few-degrees/article/3621052#ixzz1gBvSu9SK

Steve referenced the $750 million number in an article written just a month ago:

Maybe so but the TIF is still coming up short and the money is only coming from one place right now - sales tax on Devon construction materials. That tells me they are spending less than they thought they would.

In a recent Gazette article it was stated that the shortfall was due to the percentage of labor to materials estimated by an outside consultant.

In other words, the money figure is the same but it was more slanted towards labor than materials, and the former does not generate sales tax. There was a detailed explanation and not once did it mention spending less than had been anticipated.

It also stated they still expected the property to appraise for $750 million because that's what the ad valorem taxes are based upon.

Maybe so but the TIF is still coming up short and the money is only coming from one place right now - sales tax on Devon construction materials. That tells me they are spending less than they thought they would.

It appears that Devon and Hines have smartly taken advantage of price pressures on construction materials and equipment to keep total costs under control. Unlike when the city builds projects and money has to be waited for, Devon could take advantage of smartly timed purchases. Hines is also a world class construction manager (and frankly, charges for it). So, as Pete points out, it isn't that they are necessarily spending less overall, but is able to keep the project at budget...something to be admired.

I have a question for anyone who might be able to answer it!Those structual floors in the crown,are they going to be used for something or are they just cosmetic?

They probably aren't done buying materials if the interior finish-out is not complete yet. Was FF&E included in the TIF as well? That could be a large chunk of tax revenues as well.

What will they plan to do with the extra money that was initially projected to be spent? Will they surprise us? Add more LED lights? Maybe LED lights on the grounds and sidewalks? Extra fountain or two? More trees? A donkey petting zoo? lolol So, will they surprise us? Or just pocket the extra money (or stash in bank)?

hose structual floors in the crown,are they going to be used for something or are they just cosmetic?

The last concrete floor is all mechanical. On top of that (effectively, the roof) there will be more equipment.

I don't believe there will be much of anything in the steel parts of the crown... Just glass, steel and lighting.

What will they plan to do with the extra money that was initially projected to be spent?

I'm very sure they are still going to spend $750 million.

Whatever budget savings they may have experienced will likely be offset by changes/additions. The rooftop observation deck was a late add and I also believe they decided to add the restaurant at the top after they came out with the original projections. And remember the auditorium was added in pretty late as well.

I know they aren't going to spend substantially less because they actually priced out some things they wanted to do but then decided against them (can't give details here without revealing an anonymous source).

It's interesting on the last picture how the concrete pillar curves in at the top and the steel pillar above that seems to curve back out and then in again.

The reason why, is so that all the weight of the steel is centered right above and directly into the concrete beam. I don't know if someone has already stated this, cause i have not gone through them all yet.

Do I see trees on top of the west wing? I never saw that in any renderings. Might be cool.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7163/6494220891_4f1856778c_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/absolutwade/6494220891/)
When the lights go down in the city (http://www.flickr.com/photos/absolutwade/6494220891/) by absolutwade (http://www.flickr.com/people/absolutwade/), on Flickr

Merry Christmas


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rwrfp6KzGxo

THANKS WILLIAM!!! Fantastic job catching so many details... Much appreciated.

Here are some things I noticed.

First, check out the cool translucent glass and tubes on the auditorium:

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/auditorium1211.jpg

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/auditorium1211b.jpg

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/auditorium1211c.jpg

Looks like the connection to the Colcord will be on two levels:

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/colcord1211.jpg

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/colcord1211b.jpg

And look at the scale of the rotunda with the people walking inside:

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/rotunda1211a.jpg

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/rotunda1211b.jpg

I love this shot because it gives you an idea of what the whole complex is going to feel like from the ground level and from the Myriad Gardens.

Looks like there will be interesting light elements in the translucent auditorium panels, the rotunda and the plexiglass panels inside the lobby -- not to mention all the LED stuff. This will all look awesome from the park and as you walk by.

Also, I like the scale of the garden wing, rotunda and auditorium; they "ground" the tower, which is almost too much to take in from street level.

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/devon1211.jpg

Great pics guys, good way to start a Monday. Thanks

Does anyone know what level they are working on in the interior? I remember last March where News 9 took a tour of the building, at that time the 7th floor (the test floor) looked move in ready. I wonder what floor they are on now.

Based on the color of the lights (the more yellowish ones indicating permanent installation) they look to be work on about the 20th floor.

Any word on retail/ restaurants going in?

Great video as always, William. And, as promised, I stayed nice and warm while I was watching it.

Did anyone else notice that the Cox Convention Center is now the Cox Convention Cente? I guess we can't get a new one anytime too soon when the sign is falling off.

Did anyone else notice that the Cox Convention Center is now the Cox Convention Cente? I guess we can't get a new one anytime too soon when the sign is falling off.
Are you trying to be funny or did you not notice that part of the R was being obscured by one of the walls of the Cox Convention Center?

Any word on retail/ restaurants going in?

a 3rd party operator will run an upscale cafiteria in the garden wing .. do to open around march ...

devon will own/run the 50th floor restaurant and the new colcord restaurant

lets see some more pictures of the skydance bridge!

lets see some more pictures of the skydance bridge!

Go check out the "I-40 Pedestrian Bridge" thread. That's dedicated specifically for the Skydance Bridge.

I've been meaning to point this out. I didn't notice this until I reviewed the footage. At 16:10 you can see the barricades that will line Sheridan in front of the tower to keep vehicles from driving up to the building. The concrete posts buried in the ground.

I've been meaning to point this out. I didn't notice this until I reviewed the footage. At 16:10 you can see the barricades that will line Sheridan in front of the tower to keep vehicles from driving up to the building. The concrete posts buried in the ground.

They're called bollards. Just sayin.

noticed they started adding windows again on the north side of the tower, looks even better now, the tower is astonishing as is, but I can see now how it will look 100X better once the top is fully completed, adding those last few windows and crown makes a big difference in the elegance of the tower.

Anyone already used to the tower height yet?

Anyone already used to the tower height yet?

???? What does that mean,Thunder?

From my cellphone a couple day ago.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7169/6521926895_de54ff055d_b.jpg

From my cellphone a couple day ago.



Nice Shot !

This could be my favorite angle, due to the closeup contrast with the other buildings.

Nice Shot !

This could be my favorite angle, due to the closeup contrast with the other buildings.

Ditto!

OMG Architect, that's a beautiful shot and I agree with Bellaboo.

From my cellphone a couple day ago.

Using it as my wallpaper... thanks.

Yes, great shot and really shows the building scale, which is often missed in other angles.

Someone should add that picture to OKC's wikipedia page. Really one of the best I've ever seen.

Unfortunately, it's only missing one thing... people!

Cool how everyone loves the street wall. Spartan, myself, and the other urbanist have been trying to make this point for years. Glad to see it catching on.

The Western side of the tower looked beautiful tonight at sunset,the bottom part of the tower was dark Orange then faded until the top of the tower where it was dark Blue!Just Awesome!

Cool how everyone loves the street wall. Spartan, myself, and the other urbanist have been trying to make this point for years. Glad to see it catching on.

Thank you for enlightening us. Lol.

The Western side of the tower looked beautiful tonight at sunset,the bottom part of the tower was dark Orange then faded until the top of the tower where it was dark Blue!Just Awesome!

It was. Had I not been driving in rush hour, I would have snapped a pic.

The Western side of the tower looked beautiful tonight at sunset,the bottom part of the tower was dark Orange then faded until the top of the tower where it was dark Blue!Just Awesome!

It does the exact same thing every single morning. I am fortunate to be able to see it driving North up I-35 everyday.

Cool how everyone loves the street wall. Spartan, myself, and the other urbanist have been trying to make this point for years. Glad to see it catching on.

Please.

Please.

You say that but take a journey over to the Downtown Elementary School thread and you will see what I am talking about. By encouraging a street wall around the school you think I would have kicked someone's puppy. And if you think that is bad, take a gander at the Toby Keith Cancer Hotel thread.

You say that but take a journey over to the Downtown Elementary School thread and you will see what I am talking about. By encouraging a street wall around the school you think I would have kicked someone's puppy. And if you think that is bad, take a gander at the Toby Keith Cancer Hotel thread.

That's only a few other people, you make it sound like you and Nick are the only people on here who want an urban city. LOL

Spartan has earned the respect but doesn't keep patting himself on the back and telling the rest of us how stupid we are. How praise for someone's fine photograph gets turned into another "I told you I am smarter than you" is pretty telling.

You say that but take a journey over to the Downtown Elementary School thread and you will see what I am talking about. By encouraging a street wall around the school you think I would have kicked someone's puppy. And if you think that is bad, take a gander at the Toby Keith Cancer Hotel thread.

Don't you live in the suburbs?

Don't you live in the suburbs?

...and doesn't even live in Oklahoma City (and neither does Spartan)...

Spartan is a serious student and practitioner who has and is experiencing urban experiences worldwide to better form his expertise on the subject. He seems to live his convictions. Some of us are pragmatic urbanists who fully appreciate the educated and reasoned strict urban viewpoint but view the highly simplistic and rigid dogmatic opinions as less palatable.

Spartan, while testy, should have earned everyone's respect on this board. His contributions have been significant.

Spartan, while testy, should have earned everyone's respect on this board. His contributions have been significant.

I wasn't a big fan of his when I first started on this forum but that's because I didn't quite understand him and now that I understand him and his points of view I have a great deal of respect for him.

That's only a few other people, you make it sound like you and Nick are the only people on here who want an urban city. LOL

You have to admit, the suburbanist far out number the urbanist. Just look at the last several posts as evidence.