Well if its not the university doing in, im not sure how you could stop that from happening anywhere. Private developers could come in and do that here. I would argue that it has been done several times near the Norman campus already, just on a smaller scale.

I wish my room in Walker Tower (now ten years ago :eek:) was as nice as I am sure these new buildings are!

I moved into Walker in early 70s. It was new but always basic compared to new student living. Kids now want the amenities they grew up with. No way would they live in some of the dorms we had, like the old navy barracks where Huffman is now.

Well if its not the university doing in, im not sure how you could stop that from happening anywhere. Private developers could come in and do that here. I would argue that it has been done several times near the Norman campus already, just on a smaller scale.

Oh, of course. Private developers can build whatever they want. I think in some cases, universities have either built or partnered in building them, which is what I have some concerns about.

Cross Village may be nice but they arent very good at getting the beds filled. It was in the paper a few weeks back that they are only like 1/3 full for this fall semester.

Cross Village may be nice but they arent very good at getting the beds filled. It was in the paper a few weeks back that they are only like 1/3 full for this fall semester.
Don't worry, in a year or two there will be a waiting list.

Cross Village may be nice but they arent very good at getting the beds filled. It was in the paper a few weeks back that they are only like 1/3 full for this fall semester.

This was the same lament expressed before opening the University Colleges and by the 2nd semester they were open they were completely full.

I wish my room in Walker Tower (now ten years ago :eek:) was as nice as I am sure these new buildings are!

I lived in Walker 10 years ago too! One of the last non renovated floors of all the dorm towers.

I lived in Walker 10 years ago too! One of the last non renovated floors of all the dorm towers.

I was on the renovated side :-)

Those dorms may look nice, but aren’t doing that great renting them out for the year. Yikes

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.bloomberg.com/amp/news/articles/2018-06-27/university-of-oklahoma-weighing-rent-subsidies-for-troubled-dorm

Filling student orient housing is tricky anyway. There is a fairly small window and not like renting apartments for general occupancy. You have to give them at least one full year before you can really gauge.

Overbuilding student housing is a problem all over the country at major universities. Student housing was very lucrative and that nearly always leads to an overbuilding cycle.

Looks there is a lawsuit over that project: https://www.tulsaworld.com/news/housing-partner-hits-ou-with-million-lawsuit/article_83ae1103-ba44-53bd-8773-718616fff32e.html

That's not really surprising, Provident got screwed over hard with that arrangement.

I deleted a bunch of political posts.

That's not really surprising, Provident got screwed over hard with that arrangement.

And you know this, how? The lawsuit shows OU broke a verbal agreement on a very complicated financial arrangement. Who would make a verbal agreement on a very complicated financial arrangement?

And you know this, how? The lawsuit shows OU broke a verbal agreement on a very complicated financial arrangement. Who would make a verbal agreement on a very complicated financial arrangement?

It's a moral judgement of OU's actions, they clearly behaved in a dishonorable fashion even if it was completely legal.


The bonds do not obligate the state financially in a legal sense, but some believe a default might damage the state’s reputation and credit.

And if this does end up damaging the state's credit that is an impact on all of us. There is a public interest in having our state entities operate fully above board in financial matters, and that includes not breaking verbal agreements.

Articles have stated that almost all of these types of arrangements have to be made with a verbal promise from the university to renew every year, because most are prohibited by their states from signing multi-year deals.

OU has done this many times before with other projects.

In this case, new leadership merely decided to say 'screw you, sue us' to this company. Legally OU can do that but it's a direct violation of what had been agreed upon. And it may turn out the verbal contracts are binding enough to force OU into paying this company.

If this is upheld as a contract.... a verbal one, but a contract nonetheless, it could have a chilling effect on these types of private/public endeavors all over the country. If law prohibits the arrangements and verbal agreements like these are contracts, then that seems to be a violation to make this oral contract. Forcing this action could have many repercussions of unintended consequences.

Articles have stated that almost all of these types of arrangements have to be made with a verbal promise from the university to renew every year, because most are prohibited by their states from signing multi-year deals.

OU has done this many times before with other projects.

In this case, new leadership merely decided to say 'screw you, sue us' to this company. Legally OU can do that but it's a direct violation of what had been agreed upon. And it may turn out the verbal contracts are binding enough to force OU into paying this company.

Thanks, learned something new.

New hotel may be built:

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Located on S. University Boulevard, the NOUN Hotel would feature four stories, 92 rooms, a restaurant, two bars, meeting spaces and other amenities.

- https://journalrecord.com/2020/05/06/a-tall-idea-developer-faces-dissenters-gathers-support-for-hotel-near-ou/

*sorry for the limited details and low res pic as I have no subscription to JR.

New hotel may be built:

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- https://journalrecord.com/2020/05/06/a-tall-idea-developer-faces-dissenters-gathers-support-for-hotel-near-ou/

*sorry for the limited details and low res pic as I have no subscription to JR.

$25 million. Scott Lambert is the developer. Residents in the area having a city council meeting since they are not happy to have a tall building right by their homes.

Going to be an interesting fight.

Does anyone have any news re: the construction of the new softball stadium, I haven't heard anything in months.

Norman is just as bad if not worse than Edmond it seems with developments. Right by a major university, a dense urban campus district, almost every building proposed is fought tooth and nail. Many universities across the states have multiple mid rises. Norman is a town of 100+ thousand people in a metropolis of 1.4 million and if a 4 story building sits them wrong then perhaps they eye moving further out to the new fringes of the metro.

This is frustrating as two recent nice proposals came out on campus corner and both them were killed. Wtf...

Yeah, I'm not optimistic on that hotel at all. The Norman NIMBYs are already out in full force.

Love that hotel proposal, I've always said there needs to be a boutique hotel in Campus Corner.

Love that hotel proposal, I've always said there needs to be a boutique hotel in Campus Corner.
I agree.

Wait, all I keep reading on other threads is that travel needs to be decreased, and how there may be fanless OU games. If that is the case, it seems weird for a hotel to be built right next to campus. I agree, it would be nice to have one. But I think that, at least for 2020, it will fail if it opens now. May be best served to wait til 2021.

^

OU only plays 6-7 home games per year.

I'm sure traffic would be driven by the university in general, especially since you could easily walk from this location to campus.

^

OU only plays 6-7 home games per year.

I'm sure traffic would be driven by the university in general, especially since you could easily walk from this location to campus.
Not to mention that it would be worlds better than the 'hotel' that OU sticks guests in south of the cafeteria - Sooner Suites I think?

The proximity to Campus Corner also makes the site highly desirable.

I bet they would do fantastic business and I'm surprised it's taken this long for such a project to come along.

Off the top of my head, Oklahoma State, Kansas (https://theoread.com/), and Texas A&M all have nice hotels on or near campus. I'm sure a similar hotel would succeed at OU.

Hopefully if this gets built it will spur long-needed redevelopment of the western half of Campus Corner along University Blvd.

Hopefully if this gets built it will spur long-needed redevelopment of the western half of Campus Corner along University Blvd.
Have you not seen the two previous developments proposed in CC? Multi story residential and mixed-use, both fought tooth and nail, both canceled or in limbo. I hope this turns out different.

Kill a $25 million investment for a desired product close to campus because its 10 feet too tall. Those NIMBYS make so much sense...

Kill a $25 million investment for a desired product close to campus because its 10 feet too tall. Those NIMBYS make so much sense...

It will lower property values, increase crime, and Manhattanize Norman. /sarc

I agree this would be a great project for OU. Many large universities have a nice hotel either near, or on campus. I was on the campus at Notre Dame a couple of years ago and theirs is almost a centerpiece on the campus. If this doesn't work, OU should try one of the vacant areas near the dorms.

It will lower property values, increase crime, and Manhattanize Norman. /sarc

Don't forget flood the already bumper-to-bumper streets with new traffic.

An on-campus or very close to campus hotel is a nice amenity. I've stayed at the hotel in the OSU student union a few times, and it is so convenient if you have on-campus stuff to do.

Took a long walk around campus yesterday.

Almost completely deserted and all the buildings were locked.

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/ou052920a.jpg

Aw, what happened to the mums?

Aw, what happened to the mums?

Believe mums are just in the fall. These are more heat-tolerant flowers.

During the last president there were no plants in the summer. Glad to see some now. Beautiful campus.

$25 million. Scott Lambert is the developer. Residents in the area having a city council meeting since they are not happy to have a tall building right by their homes.

Going to be an interesting fight.
Per the Norman Transcript, this project was delayed until July 14th owing to resident backlash.

https://www.normantranscript.com/news/government/council-postpones-approval-of-hotel/article_daf73b84-1cc2-544e-8a41-3dab353442a6.html

"Six out of three members voted to postpone their vote Tuesday night" ?? LOL

This proposed hotel is a private venture. It is not an OU project.

Took a long walk around campus yesterday.

Almost completely deserted and all the buildings were locked.

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/ou052920a.jpg

Did you expect to see students there? Of course it is deserted since school is over and the virus going on

Per the Norman Transcript, this project was delayed until July 14th owing to resident backlash.

https://www.normantranscript.com/news/government/council-postpones-approval-of-hotel/article_daf73b84-1cc2-544e-8a41-3dab353442a6.html

On one hand I sort of hope it gets declined and the developer walks away and Norman loses a $25 million investment that meets a need for the town and OU. But on the other hand I really hope the council doesnt cave to neighbors upset over 8ft and allows the $25 million investment to happen, especially during a time when investment like this is needed. Its just 8 FEET! That wont destroy the neighborhood or town.

Norman would be completely stupid to deny this development. However, and I say this as someone that really likes Norman, it would be right on brand for them to block it or screw around so long that the developer walks. I sincerely hope that doesn't happen.

This proposed hotel is a private venture. It is not an OU project.
Yep, but I didn't see a specific thread for this project and it had already been discussed in this thread.

If you live in Norman, please consider emailing your Councilmember and include your address.

https://www.normanok.gov/your-government/city-council

Anyone have any other plans and renderings showing the proposed CC hotel?

Did you expect to see students there? Of course it is deserted since school is over and the virus going onMy interpretation was Pete was only referring to the shock of seeing it so empty since that is very rare.

Anyone have any other plans and renderings showing the proposed CC hotel?

If no one has them, I can post tomorrow when I get to the office.

It sounds like they are finally doing some real fundraising to expand Fears lab. http://www.ou.edu/content/dam/CoE/CEES/cees_assets/documents/Fears%20Lab%20Info.pdf

I spent a lot of time there as an undergrad and had several classes there. They have been talking about expanding it for years, and designing expansions for the building is often done for capstone projects. Hope they include some space for the concrete canoe team!

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Thanks, is that located directly at the NW corner of University & White, where White would continue into that parking area on the south side? That surface lot could be a future garage with retail space fronting University. I think those big surface lots on the west side of University are a great infill opportunity.

Thanks, is that located directly at the NW corner of University & White, where White would continue into that parking area on the south side? That surface lot could be a future garage with retail space fronting University. I think those big surface lots on the west side of University are a great infill opportunity.

Yes. Here is the map.
chrome-extension://gphandlahdpffmccakmbngmbjnjiiahp/https://norman.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=F&ID=8584176&GUID=CDBF683E-3D62-478F-BDE5-7CF81F10E167

Thanks, is that located directly at the NW corner of University & White, where White would continue into that parking area on the south side? That surface lot could be a future garage with retail space fronting University. I think those big surface lots on the west side of University are a great infill opportunity.

Selfishly, I hope it falls through because we park in the church parking lot there and I don't want to find a new spot.

I love the design of this. Thanks for the pictures, ereid.