Once the footings and everything on the bottom is completed, I assume these will fly up. When is the estimated completion date?

Not sure but I bet they will be pressing hard to be done in time for school to start next August. Might have to wait until Jan 2025.

Once they get the new complex online, will be interesting to see if they roll straight into the next demolition.

Not sure but I bet they will be pressing hard to be done in time for school to start next August. Might have to wait until Jan 2025.

Once they get the new complex online, will be interesting to see if they roll straight into the next demolition.

My thoughts exactly. I would assume another one would come down, be built and then the third.

My middle daughter will attending Ou in the fall and the new towers are not listed on the OU bound housing application, so def 2025.

My middle daughter will attending Ou in the fall and the new towers are not listed on the OU bound housing application, so def 2025.

Yes I think I read Fall 2025 they open. It'll be a while.

Yes I think I read Fall 2025 they open. It'll be a while.

Correct. And just to be clear, they won't be "towers". 5 floors.

When you see how close they are building the new dorms to the one in Cate, you have to believe it won't be staying as part of any long-term plan:

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/adams012428a.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/adams012428b.jpg

When you see how close they are building the new dorms to the one in Cate, you have to believe it won't be staying as part of any long-term plan:


They will be there for the foreseeable future as they house a lot of College of Arts and Sciences offices. Classroom and office space at OU is still in short supply honestly.

You can see how close the north building is to Sager House in Cate Center, and it will be about double the height:

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/adams020224a.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/adams020224b.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/adams020224c.jpg

They are not messing around in building that! Great pics!

[QUOTE=Pete;1257340]When you see how close they are building the new dorms to the one in Cate, you have to believe it won't be staying as part of any long-term plan:

I was told by a source who would know that OU is still paying off the bonds for the renovations to Cate 1, 2, and 4, so OU is not planning on tearing down those three buildings anytime soon (before 2030). One thing that could change that plan is if a donor stepped forward with a large amount of money to build a new academic building on that site. I was also told that Cate 3, which has not been renovated, will be torn down. I would assume that will occur when next one of the dorm towers is taken down in 2026.

I was told by a source who would know that OU is still paying off the bonds for the renovations to Cate 1, 2, and 4, so OU is not planning on tearing down those three buildings anytime soon (before 2030). One thing that could change that plan is if a donor stepped forward with a large amount of money to build a new academic building on that site. I was also told that Cate 3, which has not been renovated, will be torn down. I would assume that will occur when next one of the dorm towers is taken down in 2026.

Thanks for the info!

I know Pres. Harroz has very ambitious growth plans and every year they seem to break a freshman class size record and they expect growth to accelerate with the SEC move. Due to the low density and location of Cate, you'd think they would eventually use that site for academic building expansion.

There are acres and acres of empty or severely underutilized properties south of the towers that could be used for more dorms, like Cross Center or the apartment-like housing in that same area. There are still tons of students who move off campus after their freshman or soph years and keeping them on campus is a high priority because of the strong connection to greatly improved return and graduation rates.

The south campus is also prime for something long talked about but never really done: housing that would appeal to alums and retired people. I lived next to a small college in California and it was awesome... I was over there all the time watching football games, using their pool and rec facilities, going to lectures, concerts and plays... Colleges are fantastic cultural assets for everyone, not just students.

One thing I didn't realize until recently...

Sororities are an increasingly big deal at OU and most the houses now have very large pledge classes every year. Even with all the new construction and expansion on North and South Greek, for the most part those houses can only hold one pledge class.

OU requires freshman to live in the dorms, then the sorority girls live in their house their soph year but then almost all of them move off campus after the sophomore year to make way for the younger girls to live in the house.

This is less the case for fraternities but I believe lots of frat boys also move off campus after their soph year.


Personally, I lived in the dorm one year then my fraternity house the next 3 so on or right next to campus all 4 years. But I think that is now quite rare and a huge percentage of OU upperclassmen have to drive from their apartment to go to class. And I know this is something OU very much wants to change.

Thanks for the info!

I know Pres. Harroz has very ambitious growth plans and every year they seem to break a freshman class size record and they expect growth to accelerate with the SEC move. Due to the low density and location of Cate, you'd think they would eventually use that site for academic building expansion.

There are acres and acres of empty or severely underutilized properties south of the towers that could be used for more dorms, like Cross Center or the apartment-like housing in that same area. There are still tons of students who move off campus after their freshman or soph years and keeping them on campus is a high priority because of the strong connection to greatly improved return and graduation rates.

The south campus is also prime for something long talked about but never really done: housing that would appeal to alums and retired people. I lived next to a small college in California and it was awesome... I was over there all the time watching football games, using their pool and rec facilities, going to lectures, concerts and plays... Colleges are fantastic cultural assets for everyone, not just students.

Not to mention housing in Norman is pretty expensive and that kind of housing would be a hit. I could see a lot of it being rentals though but that isn't a bad thing either.

Not to mention housing in Norman is pretty expensive and that kind of housing would be a hit. I could see a lot of it being rentals though but that isn't a bad thing either.

Boren made some very bad financial decisions with Cross Center but there are still tons of 3rd party housing developers that partner with universities and both sides profit; and this includes housing for retirees. At one time there was a lot of discussion of building condos and housing for alums near the Duck Pond and south of there.

OU has all that land south of the towers and all around Lloyd Noble... So many possibilities.

I've posted something similar before, but all these areas south and west (more out of the frame) of the main campus are underutilized:

HTTP://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/norman020623a.jpg

. But I think that is now quite rare and a huge percentage of OU upperclassmen have to drive from their apartment to go to class. And I know this is something OU very much wants to change.

my experience in the last 20 years of knowing / talking to / tailgating with people that have gone to OU (and now some that currently go to OU ) almost NONE of them want to live on campus after their freshman year ..

my experience in the last 20 years of knowing / talking to / tailgating with people that have gone to OU (and now some that currently go to OU ) almost NONE of them want to live on campus after their freshman year ..

And because studies show that living on campus greatly helps with retention, academic performance and graduation, it's long been a stated goal of OU to keep as many on campus as possible.

I've posted something similar before, but all these areas south and west (more out of the frame) of the main campus are underutilized:



the box next to the golf course is part of the golf course . (Driving range (North) and OU golf practice facilities (south) so it should be removed

And because studies show that living on campus greatly helps with retention, academic performance and graduation, it's long been a stated goal of OU to keep as many on campus as possible.

I've thought one way to achieve this is by restricting or makeing it a hassle through increased fees and restricted parking of cars on campus of out of state students.

I also believe the area south of the Sam Noble is a nature preserve of some sort. I can't find where I read about that now though.

I've thought one way to achieve this is by restricting or makeing it a hassle through increased fees and restricted parking of cars on campus of out of state students.

why just out of state students .. not ALL students ??

the box next to the golf course is part of the golf course . (Driving range (North) and OU golf practice facilities (south) so it should be removed

I'll get right on that.

why just out of state students .. not ALL students ??

You have to start somewhere. Over half of the freshman class is from out of state.

You have to start somewhere. Over half of the freshman class is from out of state.

They already pay a big out-of-state tuition premium: $25.8K vs. $9.3K.

They already pay a big out-of-state tuition premium: $25.8K vs. $9.3K.

Which does not discourage students to live off campus.
Wasn't that the topic?

Which does not discourage students to live off campus.
Wasn't that the topic?

You were the one who brought up singling out out-of-state students for more fees, which is never going to happen.

You were the one who brought up singling out out-of-state students for more fees, which is never going to happen.

Fees or restricting of cars. I brought it up as a way to encouage more on campus living. A partial credit of fees/tiution to be used as housing credit is another avenue.

the box next to the golf course is part of the golf course . (Driving range (North) and OU golf practice facilities (south) so it should be removed

in the 90's that wasn't part of the golf course and there was an old base-era building that housed some academic offices... i can't for the life of me remember which department. can you recall?

You have to start somewhere. Over half of the freshman class is from out of state.

i guess i don't understand what this is supposed to accomplish. freshmen are already required to live on-campus for their first two semesters unless they meet some specific exceptions. freshmen from outside of cleveland and mcclain counties don't even qualify to live with their parent/guardian.

in a time when students pay more than ever to obtain a higher education, it just seems particularly insulting to saddle them with bogus fees just to get them to live where you want them to live.

in the 90's that wasn't part of the golf course and there was an old base-era building that housed some academic offices... i can't for the life of me remember which department. can you recall?

that was the driving range since they redid the course and it reopened in 1996

that was the driving range since they redid the course and it reopened in 1996

it had to be later than that... i worked as a student for the IT department starting in '99 and recall making a delivery to that old building.

found it on an old aerial from '69. the building was just slightly east from where i thought it was since it sat in front of the old water tower that's still there... the more i think about it, i think it was native american studies out of arts and sciences.
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it had to be later than that... i worked as a student for the IT department starting in '99 and recall making a delivery to that old building.

i worked at Jimmy Austin as a student in 96 .. when the course reopened ..

found it on an old aerial from '69. the building was just slightly east from where i thought it was since it sat in front of the old water tower that's still there... the more i think about it, i think it was native american studies out of arts and sciences.
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right that middle section now the golf course entrance and the "ransom " short course .. were not there in 96 .. they are also not part of what pete has outlined in Red

i worked at Jimmy Austin as a student in 96 .. when the course reopened ..

we were on campus around the same time. i started in fall of '96 but didn't start working till i was closer to being finished.

The crane is starting to go up for the south building (photo from Sat 2/10):

HTTP://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/adams021024a.jpg

Wild how different this area will look. Will be like when headington took over for the old shopping center (and Old O'Connells RIP). Same with Dunham going into that parking lot south of the stadium. Just changed the whole look of campus.

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/adams022424a.jpg

The north building is very close to Cate Center and will soon be about twice its height:

HTTP://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/adams022424b.jpg

It could be nothing but OU cut down a few trees on the lot SE of LNC. They left the trees along the road but cut ones in the middle of field.

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How are the new dorms going?

How are the new dorms going?

The north building has topped out and they have started to close it in.

The south building is still just a pit with a big crane.

How are the new dorms going?

You can also see the construction from the cams they have set up

http://ou.digicamstaging.com/sites/72?fbclid=IwAR35QB7BEKBOjkxOZ37hHKgM5Z2emdELtSfUPk HReINv_d2VXh7IfcXyLSA

http://ou.digicamstaging.com/sites/72?camera_id=85&v2=true

Thanks for those links!

I wonder why they have a webcam looking at the roof of the physics building???

Anyone else know what they're doing in the plaza outside the south endzone? Looks like they ripped out all the landscaping.

Those are not current views. Look at the Gallogly one - that’s from construction.

Thanks for those links!

I wonder why they have a webcam looking at the roof of the physics building???

Anyone else know what they're doing in the plaza outside the south endzone? Looks like they ripped out all the landscaping.

Yes all the other cams are very old. Shows the date on them. They end when construction ends on the projects.

It could be nothing but OU cut down a few trees on the lot SE of LNC. They left the trees along the road but cut ones in the middle of field.

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I guess it depends on your definition of "nothing." It won't be a building but rather some Mesonet research equipment.

When does OU plan to demolish Walker Center and start work on the second phase of the Freshman Residence Hall Master Plan? The current residence halls under construction will be finished in fall 2025. The third phase would replace Couch Center along with the Couch Cafeteria. A fourth and final phase would replace Cate Center.

I've heard there are two large student housing companies looking at sites along Boyd near Campus Corner to build new student apartment buildings ranging from 5-7 stories.

The tower replacement is supposed to be done on a rolling basis.

Once the two buildings on the site of Adams are finished, I believe they will tear down the next tower and embark on a similar construction program. I'm not convinced the south replacement building will be finished by fall of 2025... For some very odd reason it's nothing but a muddy pit and has been that way for about 6 months, while the north building is already having the windows installed.

OU has its largest enrollment and all freshmen are required to live on campus, so without the new Cross Center they couldn't keep demolishing existing housing.

I loved living in Walker Tower but it was pretty grim way back in the late 70s; now it's completely unacceptable. These replacements can't happen soon enough.

I never lived in Walker, but I do have some great mid-late 80s memories in that building, some of which were only possible thanks to RAs completely falling down on the job.

The tower replacement is supposed to be done on a rolling basis.

Once the two buildings on the site of Adams are finished, I believe they will tear down the next tower and embark on a similar construction program. I'm not convinced the south replacement building will be finished by fall of 2025... For some very odd reason it's nothing but a muddy pit and has been that way for about 6 months, while the north building is already having the windows installed.

OU has its largest enrollment and all freshmen are required to live on campus, so without the new Cross Center they couldn't keep demolishing existing housing.

I loved living in Walker Tower but it was pretty grim way back in the late 70s; now it's completely unacceptable. These replacements can't happen soon enough.

Yep. Lived in Walker in 71-72 when it was firebombed. Was pretty basic dorm then.

several of my friends lived in walker in the mid 90's... whenever i'd visit, it felt like going into a prison. from that standpoint, i definitely didn't regret choosing to live with my folks during those years.

I have great memories from Walker. It was a dump but I loved it. This new living will attract more students to possibly stay on campus post freshmen year, which I assume is the plan.

I have heard OU was looking to sell off Traditions to a private company. Not sure if that is still going forward or not.

Just read that the south building on the Adams site isn't planning to open until 2026, so I'm sure no other tower will be demoed until it is open for business.

From the Mackey Mitchell Architects LinkedIn Account. "New student housing is on the rise at the University of Oklahoma! Our team recently toured the progress on the first new residence hall in a multi-phase project that reimagines OU’s first-year housing experience. The north residence hall will offer pod-style living for 559 students with vibrant spaces designed to support students academically and socially, including study lounges, community kitchens, multipurpose and recreation areas, and a coffee shop. The outdoor space is envisioned as a shared outdoor living room, offering flexibility for large campus gatherings as well as smaller spontaneous activities. Once complete, the new first-year village will establish a connected housing neighborhood for over 2,000 students, fostering belonging and inclusivity, which is crucial for student attraction, retention, and academic success. The project is being designed in collaboration with Oklahoma-based ADG Blatt and OLIN."

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https://www.mackeymitchell.com/projects/university-of-oklahoma-first-year-housing-phase-i/

Duplicate. The site seems very slow right now.

^

Interesting that it says 2,000 students, because the two buildings on the Adams site alone will accommodate about 1,100.

If Walker is replaced in the same way, that would be around 2,200 students. Perhaps they are planning to do something else with Couch?

^

Interesting that it says 2,000 students, because the two buildings on the Adams site alone will accommodate about 1,100.

If Walker is replaced in the same way, that would be around 2,200 students. Perhaps they are planning to do something else with Couch?

In this rendering they posted it looks like Couch is in the background. I might be wrong though.

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In this rendering they posted it looks like Couch is in the background. I might be wrong though.

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the couch site is not in the image you posted (it would be at the top right out of frame)

Yes, this rendering does not show Couch but it does show a couple of interesting things: 1) Walker would be replaced by 3 buildings; and 2) the dorm at the southeast corner of Cate Center would be demolished:

HTTP://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/ou062424a.jpg


HTTP://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/adams022424a.jpg