There is no reason for students to regularly walk to the arena. There aren't that many dates of use and people don't just walk to it to see it.

Secondly, it isn't ugly...either inside or out. It is a very good arena to view an event as it has good site lines and no seat is too far from the action. Lighting is good. Scoreboard is good. Seats are comfortable. It has been regularly maintained and in good shape. It is mid sized for a major school, so they won't downsize it. There is no reason to spend $150-200 million to move it a couple of blocks closer to the students who fail to support the team anyway (see declining student participation in the football stadium across the street for evidence).

First, I would guess LNC is in use for around 50-60 events a year with almost all of those during the school year. Men's basketball and OU women's basketball each have about 20 games each. Both gymnastics teams use it at least some. There are concerts. I'm sure there's more that I don't know about. Seems like a decent amount of dates. And I think it would be of benefit if it was in walking distance.

Second, I was talking about the outside of the arena. It's one of the ugliest structures I've ever seen.

Again, I don't think it's a top priority and it clearly won't happen.

It's been said before but an on-campus arena could offer much more than what the LNC does now such as additional conference/meeting room space for events, an alumni center, an OU Hall of Fame, even classroom/academic space. The biggest advantage would be proximity to Campus Corner where you could actually walk to a bar/restaurant before or after a game which you can't really do now. There is a reason nearly every new arena and stadium gets built in a downtown urban area because of this.

It also helps to disperse parking over several lots and garages which you would get on campus as opposed to having everyone park in one lot and then try to leave at the same time. You also have the distinct possibility that a commuter rail station will eventually be located a couple blocks from the arena (assuming it's at Brooks & Jenkins) allowing those living in Moore, OKC and Edmond easy direct access via the train which isn't possible by LNC.

Additionally being close to students would likely improve attendance especially with the new dorm projects on Lindsey and the redevelopment of Bishops Landing.

Any new arena located near Brooks & Jenkins would likely come with new parking garages that could be utilized for the many events not held at the arena and by students facility, and staff virtually all year long…. BG918 listed very good reason why an arena located near Brooks & Jenkins is the smartest choice for a location…..
....But what should be of far greater concern to us all is…. where do you find the money for this project?

First, pretty much everything we know about walkability indicates that people will never regularly make the bland walk between campus and the LNC. You know that.

If OU rebuilt its basketball arena I would advocate it being a smaller, more intimate setting seating between 6,000-9,000. I'd recommend designing it so half the arena could be pardoned off for events like graduation, concerts, speakers, etc.. Yes, you are correct that the Field House could be used, but the raised stands aren't particularly welcoming. I think a new, smaller basketball arena could be used for more events, would draw more students and university community, and could easily be located in an area (probably by the Duck Pond) that's not really being walked anyway (see OU football practice facility for a far more egregious structure on this front). I do think an on-campus arena would draw far more people got games and events. Anyway, I don't at all think it should be a top priority, but that would be my preference over maintaining the LNC, which is an incredibly ugly arena.

I walked from Price to LNC almost everyday for over a year. It's not a long walk & I actually looked forward to it. There should be better sidewalks in some areas though. The dorms/living areas are about 1/2 of this distance.

If the basketball arena was built at the track across from the football stadium then the distance from the dorms to there vs the dorms to LNC would be roughly the same. You guys are WAY overestimating any kind of walkability principal here. The LNC will also have far greater car capacity than any area on campus. I think the basketball arena is in the perfect spot.

I walked from Price to LNC almost everyday for over a year. It's not a long walk & I actually looked forward to it. There should be better sidewalks in some areas though. The dorms/living areas are about 1/2 of this distance.

If the basketball arena was built at the track across from the football stadium then the distance from the dorms to there vs the dorms to LNC would be roughly the same. You guys are WAY overestimating any kind of walkability principal here. The LNC will also have far greater car capacity than any area on campus. I think the basketball arena is in the perfect spot.

The average dorm and Greek House is closer to the Brooks & Jenkins area but besides that most people are far more willing to walk in areas they are familiar with, particularly at night, than in the areas where they are not making frequent walks. Most students and people do not ever walk to the LNC and many students won’t drive to the LNC because they risk giving up a parking spot if they do.
It’s a proven fact that familiarity breeds comfort. Many more newer people are more familiar with Brooks & Jenkins area.

LNC is ON campus

LNC is ON campus

Well, of course. Any OU building is "on campus". You know what everybody means when they say that though, you are just being technical.

I walked from Price to LNC almost everyday for over a year. It's not a long walk & I actually looked forward to it. There should be better sidewalks in some areas though. The dorms/living areas are about 1/2 of this distance.

If the basketball arena was built at the track across from the football stadium then the distance from the dorms to there vs the dorms to LNC would be roughly the same. You guys are WAY overestimating any kind of walkability principal here. The LNC will also have far greater car capacity than any area on campus. I think the basketball arena is in the perfect spot.

I know that it is a walkable distance, but it is not walkable in the more specific use of the term. People will never walk to the LNC from the main campus area. I'm glad a few of you have done it, but we already have solid evidence on this. People have been overwhelmingly driving to the LNC for a long time. If you think people will start walking to the LNC all of a sudden then you're just being stubborn or willfully ignorant.

I know that it is a walkable distance, but it is not walkable in the more specific use of the term. People will never walk to the LNC from the main campus area. I'm glad a few of you have done it, but we already have solid evidence on this. People have been overwhelmingly driving to the LNC for a long time. If you think people will start walking to the LNC all of a sudden then you're just being stubborn or willfully ignorant.

Yeah, I shouldn't have made myself an example. I never had anybody join me on that walk, or noticed anybody ever walking that far haha

I took this a few days ago, but wanted to update a thread with all the construction going on at OU and all the cranes they have up, along with two tower cranes where they are building the residential colleges. The view is from a top the stadium parking garage.
http://www.okctalk.com/webkit-fake-url://8b62095d-2500-4e0a-93d1-ff9951d8b9d2/imagejpeg

gman, can't see your picture. Can you try reposting?

Construction cameras for OU’s stadium and new residential college dorms can be found on this link
They are usually updated every 20 minutes. Click on the picture to enlarge and zoom in.
I always find this type of work interesting.

University of Oklahoma - Construction Sooner Cams by Digi Surveillance Systems (http://soonercams.com/)

Yes I was going to mention those. A lot of construction happening at OU. Walking around campus, all the construction noise makes it sound like a large city!

Also, I cannot upload the picture for some reason. Any suggestions?

Have you guys seen the libraries next renovation project? Home - OU Libraries Renovation - LibGuides at The University of Oklahoma Libraries (http://guides.ou.edu/renovation)

All that change since i was there 30 years ago but I ate at the Greek House a couple of weeks ago and, except for being a bit more expensive, it's hardly changed a bit. Still wonderful.

What ‘s this about ?

https://twitter.com/AnnaMay136?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Anna Mayer ‏@AnnaMay136 1h1 hour ago
OU will be purchasing more land to be used for university expansion.

This is significant and a true indication of the ongoing broad base of support OU has that will last for decades.
https://twitter.com/AnnaMay136?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Anna Mayer ‏@AnnaMay136 2h2 hours ago
Boren: OU received 6 more donors to the Seed Sower Society. Members have donated a million or more dollars. There are now 206 members.

What ‘s this about ?

https://twitter.com/AnnaMay136?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Anna Mayer ‏@AnnaMay136 1h1 hour ago
OU will be purchasing more land to be used for university expansion.

I think they're buying up more land to the east between Sarkeys and the railroad tracks for future expansion.

^

Yes, I think that's correct.

I think they're buying up more land to the east between Sarkeys and the railroad tracks for future expansion.

I lived right there for 5 years and there's nothing there that would be any kind of loss. I wonder if the Sarkey's lot might become a garage then...

I think they're buying up more land to the east between Sarkeys and the railroad tracks for future expansion.
I found out that it’s actually a group of houses on Page Circle…. They are just north of the apartments that are being torn down…. the apartments are located just north of the duck pond.

OU already owns many of these old houses…. Over the past 15 years OU has been removing many older homes near this part of campus.

But I have only heard rumors about what OU will do with the land? A new on main campus sport arena seems to be the most likely possibility?

OU will also be constructing 2 more new above-ground storm shelters near Couch and Walker Centers.

Pretty cool video of the scoreboard coming DOWN

VIDEO: Say goodbye to the old OU football scoreboard | News OK (http://newsok.com/article/5464544)

Third tower crane for the new parking garage started going up today

Craddock Hall was torn down a few weeks ago and now sits an empty plot of grass. Craddock Hall used to sit on Felgar Street between Jenkins and Asp. I believe, correct me if I am wrong, this is where OU will build the new Biomedical Sciences research building.

^ That is correct.

I was in Norman last weekend and the stadium improvements and residential colleges are really impressive in person. Will completely transform that area of campus.

Also, it's great to see Campus Corner thriving. Tons of restaurants, the CVS (which has to be incredibly handy) and very little vacancy from what I could see.

I stopped in Fuzzy's at 11AM on a Sunday and they became busy fast. That operation is just a money-making machine. They also have a cool outdoor patio in the back that is 21 and over and has a dedicated bar.

^^^^^^^^
Like I've mentioned before, after observing places in Bricktown close-up for many years, I figure Fuzzy's to be the highest-grossing restaurant operation in the district. Certainly not from the standpoint of per-cover or per-ticket, but they see more people through the door by far, and are open many more hours per week than the places that beat them in those other categories.

The place is almost never not packed, and usually has a line out the door and every seat inside taken. I expect that the Norman location sees some the same type of business.

^

The Fuzzy's in Edmond does great business as well.

And I'm sure the new one in Chisholm Creek will kill it as well.

Craddock Hall was torn down a few weeks ago and now sits an empty plot of grass. Craddock Hall used to sit on Felgar Street between Jenkins and Asp. I believe, correct me if I am wrong, this is where OU will build the new Biomedical Sciences research building.

Any info/renderings for the new Biomedical Sciences building? I didn't realize it was going to be where Craddock Hall used to be.

Gittinger Hall (English) coming down for a new physics building: OU President David Boren announces lead gifts to construct new physics building - News - Mobile (http://m.oudaily.com/news/ou-president-david-boren-announces-lead-gifts-to-construct-new/article_fc5503bc-e616-11e5-9513-4f97d1b82f31.html?mode=jqm)

The South Oval make-over continues.

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/ouphysics1.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/ouphysics2.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/ouphysics3.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/ouphysics4.jpg

Looks good, but I'm a little surprised they are taking out Gittinger. Last I was around there everyone was squashed into those offices like sardines. There's still not enough room on campus to accommodate all the freshmen English teachers that are necessary due to the smaller class size mandate, unless that has changed recently. They are pretty much just shoe-horned into scattered spaces across campus.

I really like the details in the upper corners that carry over from Nielson. OU has been doing a good job of blending classic architecture and modernism lately.

Gittinger was starting to really show her age so I think this is a good move. And I think they've been moving a lot of the English teachers into the renovated Cross Center dorms in preparation for this.

Money is so tight, but I'd really like to see OU tear down Dale Hall and George Lynn Cross Hall on the South Oval and the student health center and rebuild new facilities. They really detract from the campus aesthetic. But that's probably a long, long, long way out, if it ever were to happen.

Any info/renderings for the new Biomedical Sciences building? I didn't realize it was going to be where Craddock Hall used to be.

An article in today's OU Daily quoted OU's press secretary as saying this was approved at yesterday's regents meeting. However, I didn't see any agenda items for it or any renderings. Has anyone seen any renderings?

OU Press Secretary Corbin Wallace - "A new building for the School of Biomedical Engineering will be funded almost completely by private gifts from the Charles Stephenson and Jim Gallogly families, Wallace said. This addition was another item that was considered and approved by the regents on during their March 9 meeting."

They have done such a fantastic job with all the new construction and renovations.

Almost all the buildings now have great interiors with patios, outdoor seating, etc.

Virtually everything has been greatly improved in just the last couple of decades.

I had English in Gittinger Hall. I can't say that I'll miss the building itself and am glad to see they are replacing it with another world-class building in the same architectural style as the rest of the new buildings on campus.

If I were to rank priority of building replacement, the Physical Sciences Center (the blender) would be number one of my list ahead of Dale Hall and Cross Hall. I still have nightmares about Chemistry and Calculus in that brutalist building!

The problem with redoing Dale and PSC are that they will cost an large amount of money. Also with new ADA codes they will lose a large amount of seating in classrooms.

Someone is going to have to donate quite a bit to get these buildings upgraded.

They have so much invested in the blender and Dale Hall they will never come down.

I have a little more hope for Cross Hall, but not much. Just too big and too many people and classes would have to be displaced.

I think GLC would be done first because it's just awful inside and has some serious electrical issues. But it's going to take some serious donations and time. Dale Hall is probably the least likely to happen as it has so many large classrooms and the displacements would be nightmarish, but it's a damn ugly gateway to campus on Lindsey St.

If they wanted to replace Dale I would think a new building with large classrooms could be built elsewhere first... Maybe even the Dale parking lot. Then once a replacement is opened the Dale space could be built into something new, no?

Meant to post this earlier, but is taken from May 5 and shows the progress on the residential colleges. Even now, the steel frames are up for the roof of them.
12597

As for the stadium, they have almost the whole east side along Jenkins bricked up now! Looks sharp!

They have so much invested in the blender and Dale Hall they will never come down.

I have a little more hope for Cross Hall, but not much. Just too big and too many people and classes would have to be displaced.

I think you could improve the look of the blender quite a bit by staining the concrete corners and concrete on the top above the wndows some kind of red brick color, leaving the window dividing pieces white, and replacing the black tinted glass with the more modern blue tinted glass. They could even do something red with the pattern on the lower part of the building. It would definitely "blend" into campus better.

I heard a rumor recently that OU is starting to look at replacing GLC on the South Oval. That would be great as that building is falling apart and is quite ugly.

The stadium addition, residential colleges, parking garage are going up so quick. The size of each developing is really impressive and gives the area totally different feel.

Residential colleges
12626

12627

Stadium
12628

12630

Old meets new...
12629

Video panels going up on the scoreboard.

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/ou072516.jpg

Stadium looks great. Love driving by everyday

I was there last week and I can't imagine how they're going to be done by the first home game, particularly the exterior portion to the south... But, I'm sure they know what they're doing.

I'm sure the plan is just to get things finished enough so people can occupy the suites and bleachers and then have the board somewhat operational.

I'm sure a lot of the finish work, locker rooms and workout facility will not be complete for some time.

Yeah, I knew that everything wouldn't be completed for the opener, but I guess I imagined that north lawn open and exterior brick work would be done. That makes sense though. The interior of the stadium will be ready, but not the rest of it...

I'm sure seating, restrooms and at least minimal concessions are the priority.

There is a ton of finish work to be done on the athlete sections: locker rooms, lounges, workout space. But obviously, they have temporary arrangements to get them through this season.

However, I bet they are in a big rush on those too because they are instrumental in recruiting.

Cross Center Complex Demolition and Site Clearance is going to happen very soon
so if you want to see the Cross Center Complex do it now, trees are being cut down parking lots are being closed
the buildings are all empty kind of a empty and abandoned feel the place
http://www.ou.edu/purchasing/solicitations/documents/R17391/R-17391-17%20Cross%20Center%20Co~1.pdf

What's going in its place?

I wasn't aware Cross Center was no longer in use. Spent many years in D and B (87-03) and way more than a few lunches at O'Connell's when the former agency employer leased space from the university before moving out to space in the Griffin complex.

Some really good memories from those years. Makes me sad to think of the area being leveled.

I don't think it had been used at housing for a long time; more recently some offices and odd uses.

Like Dan, curious about the plans for this property.

I don't think it had been used at housing for a long time; more recently some offices and odd uses.

Like Dan, curious about the plans for this property.

I had heard it was going to be additional student housing at one time. Have NO clue if that's still the case.

For many years in the 90's, Cross C was the housing the high schoolers at OSSM. When the high schoolers got their own campus in OKC off Lincoln, then that building was used as a dorm again for a time.

Cross D from late 80's to 03 was architecture and a state agency, and part was a center for english as a second language center. Not sure what moved into the agency's space in 03.

Cross B was, if memory serves, unused when the agency expanded into it in 93 through 03.
The eastern most house may have been used by the university.

Cross A was used by social work and childhood development for a number of years.

Cross Main was the campus TV program studios and some other campus related offices back in the day, and has some training space as well.

Spent many a July 4th sitting on the soccer field behind Cross D watching the fireworks over at Reeves. I often worked the holiday and the fam would come down in the eve, bring dinner and we'd enjoy the show together.

Worked with some really great folks during some great moments and some very heart wrenching ones as well on that part of campus.

I'd wager a bet they are planning more student apartment/dorms there. Maybe partly for international students? At one point I'm pretty sure it was an international student dorm, and I think it housed some programs for them fairly recently.

That whole corner of campus was just a bunch of parking lots and old buildings when I started there in 2009. Crazy how much has been done there.

Did the expansion of the Huff ever get revisited? Is it completely off at this point? It's already behind the times as a facility. I'm guessing by the time they got around to adding on to it, it would be easier to rebuild it entirely.

http://www.ou.edu/regents/official_agenda/JuneFinalAgenda.pdf
see page 21 end of page
"By this item University Administration requests authorization to enter into a ground lease with Provident Resources Group Inc. of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, approximately 20 acres of University land for the purposes of owning, developing, and operating certain assets for the benefit of students, faculty, and staff. "
I think that http://provident.org/ is building a "state-of-the-art residential complex " on a 30 year ground lease
perhaps something like
http://provident.org/project.asp?p=106
Provident Resources Group gets all the rent for 30 years and then ou gets clear and fee title to the Apartment building