It looks very much like the St Francis Expansion in Tulsa except a bit smaller and not pink.
http://www.agcok.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Manhatten-Construction_StFrancisHospital.jpg

The far left end of the addition on that rendering looks so similar to certain views of Price Tower and (especially) the Classen Tower that I think it's probably not an accident.

Agree about the Price Tower homage.

Unless a lot changes, it sort of looks like the rest of St. Anthony's campus, sans the beautiful historic components that are still standing. Odd that the architect would want to fit into the aesthetic of the existing campus, isn't it?

The defensiveness and combativeness is kind of crazy. Reminds me of 1st year arch student reviews. Nowhere did I say that OKC isn't capable of better (in fact it almost always does better), and nowhere did I say that of St. Anthony either.

In fact...

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/saintswiki1.jpg
This is beautiful. It takes the (honestly) ugly St. Anthony's tower, which I think was inspired by the also-ugly and very similar County Jail that was a great design if you haven't heard, and blends it into something better. It doesn't compete, but rather recognizes the need for a design update on this campus, and uses this building project to mesh with its surroundings in making a whole greater than the sum of parts. That's what good design does.

What was built is lazy, ugly, and hideous. St. Anthony threatened to abandon Midtown, and if they had, we would be talking about Midtown as if it were C2S, and C2S as if it were East Reno / AICC area. A really bad thing was averted and as a result, Midtown as we all know it, is well on its way to realizing its potential (perhaps the most of any district).

That said. This is a project that a legitimate process is legally and ethically required to evaluate on its own merits, rather than because we like someone, are glad they didn't leave, or are desperate that they'll stay, or whatever. I'm just calling that out because it's what happened in my opinion. Anyone who thinks its beautiful is more than welcome to that opinion, but honestly the massing of materiality is hard to look at, especially from Walker Circle. Below is a list of some of the ugliest buildings that we keep replicating, while we tear down awesome buildings like the KerMac, Hale Photo, Film Exchange, and especially the Preftakes block.

http://journalrecord.com/files/2014/02/bb-ok-jail-follow-bbf-1-web.jpg
http://www.freshmansupport.com/images/ok/norman/ou/properties/couch/main0.jpg
http://f.tqn.com/y/okc/1/S/N/H/StAnthony.jpg
http://okcmod.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/DSC_0320_1.jpg
http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/saints012316a.jpg

It's also notable that St. Anthony owns a lot of Midtown's worst properties, including faceless buildings, parking lots, gravel lots even, etc.

Any idea what they plan to do with the block to the south between 8th and 9th, lee and shartel?

Any idea what they plan to do with the block to the south between 8th and 9th, lee and shartel?

Saints actually owns a bunch of property to the south and west of the hospital.

I was hopeful they would do more things like Lisbon Lofts and I know they had at one time considered doing more housing on a lot of those lots, but my understanding is there has been a change in management and now they are pretty indifferent about doing anything more any time soon.

The defensiveness and combativeness is kind of crazy. Reminds me of 1st year arch student reviews. Nowhere did I say that OKC isn't capable of better (in fact it almost always does better), and nowhere did I say that of St. Anthony either.

In fact...

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/saintswiki1.jpg
This is beautiful. It takes the (honestly) ugly St. Anthony's tower, which I think was inspired by the also-ugly and very similar County Jail that was a great design if you haven't heard, and blends it into something better. It doesn't compete, but rather recognizes the need for a design update on this campus, and uses this building project to mesh with its surroundings in making a whole greater than the sum of parts. That's what good design does.

What was built is lazy, ugly, and hideous. St. Anthony threatened to abandon Midtown, and if they had, we would be talking about Midtown as if it were C2S, and C2S as if it were East Reno / AICC area. A really bad thing was averted and as a result, Midtown as we all know it, is well on its way to realizing its potential (perhaps the most of any district).

That said. This is a project that a legitimate process is legally and ethically required to evaluate on its own merits, rather than because we like someone, are glad they didn't leave, or are desperate that they'll stay, or whatever. I'm just calling that out because it's what happened in my opinion. Anyone who thinks its beautiful is more than welcome to that opinion, but honestly the massing of materiality is hard to look at, especially from Walker Circle. Below is a list of some of the ugliest buildings that we keep replicating, while we tear down awesome buildings like the KerMac, Hale Photo, Film Exchange, and especially the Preftakes block.

http://journalrecord.com/files/2014/02/bb-ok-jail-follow-bbf-1-web.jpg
http://www.freshmansupport.com/images/ok/norman/ou/properties/couch/main0.jpg
http://f.tqn.com/y/okc/1/S/N/H/StAnthony.jpg
http://okcmod.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/DSC_0320_1.jpg
http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/saints012316a.jpg

It's also notable that St. Anthony owns a lot of Midtown's worst properties, including faceless buildings, parking lots, gravel lots even, etc.
Can someone please tell me where is the building in the 4th picture located? Thanks.

Saints actually owns a bunch of property to the south and west of the hospital.

I was hopeful they would do more things like Lisbon Lofts and I know they had at one time considered doing more housing on a lot of those lots, but my understanding is there has been a change in management and now they are pretty indifferent about doing anything more any time soon.

And just to be fair to Saints, they supported Lisbon Lofts financially, right?

And just to be fair to Saints, they supported Lisbon Lofts financially, right?

Not that I'm aware of.

For some reason I recalled that from the developer graciously thanking Saints a lot, and citing their "involvement." Surely you don't have to do that just to build something with your own equity around their gravel lots...

For some reason I recalled that from the developer graciously thanking Saints a lot, and citing their "involvement." Surely you don't have to do that just to build something with your own equity around their gravel lots...

Saints owned the land that Lisbon was built on... maybe cut the developer a deal for the land?

Possibly. A land deal is most definitely financial participation.

Can someone please tell me where is the building in the 4th picture located? Thanks.

Langston University.

I think that as the quality and quantity of development that goes on in the area the more comfortable SA may be to release land they own. Also, remember that hospitals require lots of ancillary support and I am sure they are hoping to use the vacant land they own to encourage complementary medical development.

Langston University.
Thanks, I thought so, but wasn't sure. I don't really think Langston would be considered part of the OKC area when looking for examples of good and bad architecture.

Tell that to Google searching "OKC architecture," which is how most of those came up. I don't actually have an inventory of ugly buildings because I prefer to focus on the good, I am just assigning some historical background to this particularly ugly new building.

That's funny. I just googled "Oklahoma City Architcture" and the only one of those shots that came up was the one from Langston and that was burried about 20 screen rolls down. Didn't ever find the others. LOL

I understanding not loving this, but your disdain sounds more like a personal thing. Do you have an issue with the architect, or what?

It has an architect?!?

It has an architect?!?

What a great comeback.

I probably like the addition more than Spartan but I agree that the hospital is one of the ugliest buildings in okc. I recall when the top part of the tower on the east side was painted silver. i thought it looked like sheet metal had been attached across the top. Am glad that the top strip is now painted a color that matches the brick. Not sure what it is supposed to add though. Secondly i dont get the blue toppers that are on the newer east side hospital entrance. The whole facility seems like a mish mash of odd styles that are not complimentary to each other. Albeit, the brick remains red as st francis remains pink.

That's funny. I just googled "Oklahoma City Architcture" and the only one of those shots that came up was the one from Langston and that was burried about 20 screen rolls down. Didn't ever find the others. LOL

I understanding not loving this, but your disdain sounds more like a personal thing. Do you have an issue with the architect, or what?

Just so ya know, I believe Google search results are "personalized" now, so someone searching "OKC Architecture" in OKC will get different results than someone searching "OKC Architecture" in NYC (or Ohio :) ). And depending on how tied in your computer is to Google, Gmail, Facebook, etc., 2 people sitting next to each other might get different results when searching for the exact same thing.

Yes, I know. So if you are looking for something specific, you will find it. Like most people and "facts"...they have an opinion and earnestly seek to find things that validate that opinion. That is different than seeking the "truth" and seeking ALL information regardless of bias.

It has an architect?!?

The same one who drew it up when you liked it and before the owner said we can't/don't want to afford that.

I generally agree about the complex and most of the other medical buildings in the area but I'm pretty neutral about the looks of this addition or the design before the change.

The defensiveness and combativeness is kind of crazy. Reminds me of 1st year arch student reviews. Nowhere did I say that OKC isn't capable of better (in fact it almost always does better), and nowhere did I say that of St. Anthony either.

In fact...

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/saintswiki1.jpg
This is beautiful. It takes the (honestly) ugly St. Anthony's tower, which I think was inspired by the also-ugly and very similar County Jail that was a great design if you haven't heard, and blends it into something better. It doesn't compete, but rather recognizes the need for a design update on this campus, and uses this building project to mesh with its surroundings in making a whole greater than the sum of parts. That's what good design does.

What was built is lazy, ugly, and hideous. St. Anthony threatened to abandon Midtown, and if they had, we would be talking about Midtown as if it were C2S, and C2S as if it were East Reno / AICC area. A really bad thing was averted and as a result, Midtown as we all know it, is well on its way to realizing its potential (perhaps the most of any district).

That said. This is a project that a legitimate process is legally and ethically required to evaluate on its own merits, rather than because we like someone, are glad they didn't leave, or are desperate that they'll stay, or whatever. I'm just calling that out because it's what happened in my opinion. Anyone who thinks its beautiful is more than welcome to that opinion, but honestly the massing of materiality is hard to look at, especially from Walker Circle. Below is a list of some of the ugliest buildings that we keep replicating, while we tear down awesome buildings like the KerMac, Hale Photo, Film Exchange, and especially the Preftakes block.


It's also notable that St. Anthony owns a lot of Midtown's worst properties, including faceless buildings, parking lots, gravel lots even, etc.

They had to scale back the design, to something more economical. The hospital was cutting back anywhere they could because they were losing money. So there went all the glass and pretty white stone.

They had to scale back the design, to something more economical. The hospital was cutting back anywhere they could because they were losing money. So there went all the glass and pretty white stone.

That's not all that got cut. The ground floor was all parking and this was the first floor plan. The upper level interiors were designed around oval foot prints. The parking level was deleted and the interior is all squared up now.

http://s30.postimg.org/v7a7jwthd/floorplan1.png

They had to scale back the design, to something more economical. The hospital was cutting back anywhere they could because they were losing money. So there went all the glass and pretty white stone.

If Saints is losing money, there are people in the community that can fix that. They should come out in the open and seek help from Catholics and Foundations that have always supported them. I doubt they're losing money though, particularly after building new hospitals in just about every high-end suburban pocket of the metro.

If Saints is losing money, there are people in the community that can fix that. They should come out in the open and seek help from Catholics and Foundations that have always supported them. I doubt they're losing money though, particularly after building new hospitals in just about every high-end suburban pocket of the metro.

There's probably a better ROI at those locations.

Of course there is. That's what this is about. St. Anthony's Midtown has too many ER trips and not even lucrative fatass procedures.

What are these fatass lucrative procedures?

What are these fatass lucrative procedures?

Liposuction? Cheek implants? I dunno.

Anyways, they brought in a new Chief Operations Officer and that is when all the cuts started.
During my time there I never saw liposuction patients, but I did see a lot of cancer patients, babies being born and them doing a lot of charity work for the homeless. Perhaps they could cut out the charity cases so that you can have your superior design.

What are these fatass lucrative procedures?

Cardiovascular procedures.

New heart valve procedure could be big windfall for hospitals - FierceHealthFinance - Health Finance, Healthcare Finance (http://www.fiercehealthfinance.com/story/new-heart-valve-procedure-could-be-big-windfall-hospitals/2015-09-12)

Anywhere that the patients coming in ALL have insurance. Saints Midtown has too many uninsured emergency ward visits. This is a problem at urban hospitals across the country, which is why they're all moving to suburbs. "Federally Medically Underserved" is becoming a big, tongue-twisty buzz word in community development.

From Saturday.

12310

12311

Fencing is down along 10th. Is this project finished? If not, any updates?

It's certainly not finished... There are still a bunch of things to do outside and I imagine the inside will take quite a bit longer.

But, glad that fence is coming down and anxious to see what Midtown R does once the construction staging is gone.

I was wrong... They have opened, although they aren't completely finished with the construction, at least on the outside:

http://newsok.com/st.-anthony-opens-new-emergency-intensive-care-center-at-midtown-location/article/5503495

Good, I hate how claustrophobic this area has felt since construction on this began.

The area around Kaiser's feels a little weird now. I was hoping the new building wouldn't extend quite as far as it does because it overwhelms that area. Oh well. Now I'd like to see some housing on that EMSA lot.

The area around Kaiser's feels a little weird now. I was hoping the new building wouldn't extend quite as far as it does because it overwhelms that area. Oh well. Now I'd like to see some housing on that EMSA lot.

That EMSA lot would be a great place for a hotel and a hotel with some retail offerings specifically. 8 to 16 stories.

That EMSA lot would be a great place for a hotel and a hotel with some retail offerings specifically. 8 to 16 stories.
That would be awesome. I think it was Steve L that said EMSA has no interest in selling that lot though and had just renewed their lease.

From https://twitter.com/saintsok:

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CmABOVSVAAAcrqq.jpg:large

Looks Great.. my other half moved patients from his floor over last Friday and they have been working in the new facility for a week now. says it is very nice and open. now they are working on 8 as its the last floor of the tower that needs remodeled.

Saints is such an economic engine for Midtown.

Tons and tons of money flowing through that place and a bunch of high-paid jobs.

I agree . my partner loves it there. so close to home. although lots of his co-workers live out a ways. A few as far as Stillwater. he is always amazed people drive so far to work and is glad we live 5 minutes away.

I knew quite a few people that drive from Stillwater for work. I did for 6 months back in 2013. I've always wondered what it would take to be included in the CSA.

Stillwater should be included in the OKC CSA already, and Shawnee should have been part of the MSA. I don't know why the Census made Shawnee the CSA?

Stillwater should be included in the OKC CSA already, and Shawnee should have been part of the MSA. I don't know why the Census made Shawnee the CSA?

Well, for one thing according to the census Payne County's two counties with the most commuters are Tulsa and Creek counties.

Logan County is third and Oklahoma County is fourth.

Counties that qualify to be either a Metropolitan Statistical Area or a Micropolitan Statistical Area are called Core-Based Statistical Areas (CBSA).

A metro area is at least one county with an urban center of at least 50,000 and may include adjacent counties with a minimum of 25% of it's workers commuting to the core county.

A micro area is at least one county with an urban center of at least 10,000 but less than 50,000 and may include adjacent counties with a minimum of 25% of it's workers commuting to the core county.

Combined Statistical Areas are adjoining CBSAs with at least 15% of employment exchange. CSAs can be any combination of CBSAs (two metro areas, three micro areas, a metro and two micro areas, etc.).

So by that definition, Tulsa is at a 2% exchange and Oklahoma City is at .5%

then move it to Tulsa. I suspect the OSU-Tulsa operations might have something to do with the 2% Tulsa County commute whereas I bet those who commute to OKC do so to the govt and/or OKC business jobs (like was mentioned to OKC downtown).

One question, if it is so connected to Tulsa why doesn't it have the 918 area code? They retained the OKC 405 area code for some reason and I believe it was to eventually merge into the OKC CSA. If they wanted to be by themselves then they could have taken the 580 area code, but Stillwater was retained to OKC.

This is a great documentary Saints just did about their history, how bad things were in the 80's, and then their commitment to staying in Midtown.

PGH4sm59eEc

A couple of interesting projects on the drawing board for St. Anthony.


The first two images are of a proposed G.I. Building which would be built on that terrible gravel and dirt parking area south of the main parking garage and north of the church. Looks like a small parking structure on the west side.


The next three renderings are for a new grand entrance which would connect the garage with the hospital. This would be the area that is currently a crosswalk on Lee and would connect the hospital with the garage both at ground level and through a 2nd level mezzanine walkway.

The first of these shows approaching the entrance, heading south on Lee. Lee would be turned into a cul-de-sac right in front of the entrance for patient drop off and have a landscaped median. Looks like new screening/cladding for the existing garage.

2nd shows the inside of the new structure.

3rd is a new plaza to the south, which would include closing off that section of Lee north of 9th.



HTTP://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/saints101623x.jpg


HTTP://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/saints101623a.jpg


HTTP://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/saints101623b.jpg


HTTP://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/saints101623c.jpg


HTTP://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/saints101623d.jpg


HTTP://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/saints101623e.jpg

I love the look of the GI building! Something different.

Gorgeous design.

What do you peg the chances of this coming to fruition?

Well it's about time they work on that entrance. It'll be really nice not having to deal with traffic as you go up to the building.

For GI, the only thing I will say is I wish they tied the architecture together a bit better. I guess those concrete sections are a nod to the "wraps" SSM likes right now. It's a bit "loose" on the design aesthetic, but since when has any hospital (other than Deaconness) tried to keep a particular style as they did new construction? I'm curious if the GI docs are building this instead of the hospital itself. My first GI doc was at Saints and the physician building was kind of weird in its layout. I remember thinking how odd the people flow was...sorta crammed too. Maybe once these guys move out, they'll have room to do some remodeling? Lots of people are doing colonoscopy and endoscopy these days, and it's a few hours in and out. So I would imagine that they are creating a space to be able to handle more of that work. I know OU had it down to an assembly line when I went there.

What do you peg the chances of this coming to fruition?

99.9%

Saint Anthony just filed for a temporary parking lot west of Shartel, so it looks like they may be starting on at least the GI Building soon, as the application mentioned losing a lot due to construction.

The Grand West Entrance project will be starting soon; plans have been filed for a tower crane.

This project will really help modernize the hospital.

Have they gotten approval for closing that section of Lee?