Thanks Doug! Everything looks like high-quality, well designed construction. The cancer institute is beautiful and the OMRF tower looks like it could fit right in at SoSA. If we can get some developers to finish the chain of mixed uses between HSC, PHF, and Deep Deuce, it will dramatically change the shape of the "contiguous" urban center. The streetcar connection to the medical district will accomplish that. Really neat to imagine a solid downtown with two connected cores of high-intensity employment.

Thanks Doug! Everything looks like high-quality, well designed construction. The cancer institute is beautiful and the OMRF tower looks like it could fit right in at SoSA. If we can get some developers to finish the chain of mixed uses between HSC, PHF, and Deep Deuce, it will dramatically change the shape of the "contiguous" urban center. The streetcar connection to the medical district will accomplish that. Really neat to imagine a solid downtown with two connected cores of high-intensity employment.

I don't think the streetcar connection to the medical district is a done deal.. given the argument made by Blair.

and for those of you who haven't been to the Childrens Hospital, the site is MASSIVE and those pics don't do the size and scope of the project justice. The curved glass atrium part of the tower alone is massive.Thanks Doug fro taking the pics, I intended to go down this weekend and get pics, but didn't get the chance. Glad you were able to get these.

and for those of you who haven't been to the Childrens Hospital, the site is MASSIVE and those pics don't do the size and scope of the project justice. The curved glass atrium part of the tower alone is massive.Thanks Doug fro taking the pics, I intended to go down this weekend and get pics, but didn't get the chance. Glad you were able to get these.

The kids all think the atrium is gonna be giant slide :smile:

The kids all think the atrium is gonna be giant slide :smile:
I figured that it might be a place to toss small children out the window when they were being particularly obnoxious and unruly. :omg:

Doug, thank you for the pictures and for the thread. Although we seem to live at OU Physicians and Presby buildings, I do not necessarily take the time to look at all of this construction.

I hope that the name Bielstein continues on in some manner. Dr. Bielstein has quite a legacy in this community and undoubtedly treated many of us older bloggers when we were little.

I figured that it might be a place to toss small children out the window when they were being particularly obnoxious and unruly. :omg:

Not kids. Doctors.

Thanks Doug! Everything looks like high-quality, well designed construction. The cancer institute is beautiful and the OMRF tower looks like it could fit right in at SoSA. If we can get some developers to finish the chain of mixed uses between HSC, PHF, and Deep Deuce, it will dramatically change the shape of the "contiguous" urban center. The streetcar connection to the medical district will accomplish that. Really neat to imagine a solid downtown with two connected cores of high-intensity employment.

On a related note, how many daytime workers are there between Downtown/Bricktown, Midtown, The State Capitol Complex, and The HSC? My guess would be close to 80,000 but I'm not sure. Anyone care to guess? Its by far the largest concentration of daytime workers in the state.

oh Im sure it is bigger than that.

I think I heard the CBD was in the 40,000 range in 2000 and that was with huge vacancies. It's gotta be higher than that now, probably at least 50,000. Add in the other downtown districts, OHC, and the Capitol campus - and it must be well over 120,000.

I agree central OKC should be the largest and most dense concentration of workers in the state.

I'll only add this uninformed comment to the above mini-discussion. I have no idea of the numbers of those who work in the health sciences area, not in terms of comparison to the CBD or to the area itself. But, I will say this:

The vibrancy of development of the Health Sciences Area far surpasses that which has occurred in the CBD (Devon Tower excepted). If one wants to see a heap of modern architecturally designed buildings for an hour or so on a Sunday afternoon (less traffic and more time to gawk), drive to NE 15th & Lincoln and transverse the streets there down to the south end of the Health Sciences area ... and below that, if one is game, check out the area that is ripe for residential development south of that.

In my judgment, this area rivals, if it doesn't exceed, the Bricktown area for the foremost development of any single area of the city ... certainly of the city core part. Obviously, the areas are not the same ... one (Health Sciences) is a beauty created pretty much from scratch (yes, some antiquities are present there and are honored) while the other (Bricktown) is almost if not altogether based on antiquities.

The almost door-to-door comparison of the Bricktown and the Health Sciences areas, one almost wholly modern and one almost wholly vintage, really presents a delightful and satisfying contrast and is one of the best charms of the city. Both areas have grown by their own unrelated processes and both areas are a delight to behold.

I don't think the streetcar connection to the medical district is a done deal.. given the argument made by Blair.

I think that the Health Science area along with the State Capitol could very well develop their own streetcar system. That area could use a streetcar just to get around from building to building with no need to travel into Bricktown, Midtown, or CBD.

Many people that I know work in the medical buildings don't have time to visit Bricktown or midtown even for lunch, they are on the go all day and are moving from building to building is their biggest concern.

Also I agree with Doug, the progress that is ongoing at the HSC is amazing and unknown to many that live in Okc. Great pics Doug.

Downtown OKC Inc. via ACOG pegs it at:


Downtown Employees 52,400
(Based on data from Association of Central OK Governments and US Census Oklahoma data)

This is the number I've heard used repeatedly, approx 50,000 downtown and 80,000 in the DT/OUHSC/Capitol area.

Okclee, I agree. Locals would just be amazed if they would spend an hour or so driving through the Health Sciences area. Here's one I took yesterday, looking through the glass at the Cancer Institute ... pretty fancy stuff.

Click here for a very high resolution image (http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a49/DougLoudenback/healthsciences/cancer3_2010_09_27.jpg)... click the pic below for a 1024px wide resolution image ...

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a49/DougLoudenback/healthsciences/cancer3_510_2010_09_27.jpg (http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a49/DougLoudenback/healthsciences/cancer3_1024_2010_09_27.jpg)

FWIW, one of the two cranes in front of Children's came down this week. The north crane, in front of the Children's Physicians' Building was dismantled Wednesday night and Thursday.

Downtown OKC Inc. via ACOG pegs it at:



This is the number I've heard used repeatedly, approx 50,000 downtown and 80,000 in the DT/OUHSC/Capitol area.

This is false information.

Call it false all you want, but as I stated I copied it from DOKC's website. You should take your beef up with them if it bothers you, you'd probably get farther. My guess is that their numbers are more reliable than yours and a more trusted source of information. I'm personally underwhelmed at DOKC though.

If you go to www.okcchamber.com and use their GIS system you can find all the data you want.

Within 1/2 mile of Corporate Tower there are 15,393 employees. That baically goes from I-40 on the south to NW 7th on the north and from Shartel on the west to Walnut Ave on the east. If you bump it out to 1 mile from Corporate Tower it goes up to about 49,000 employees.

Within a 3/4 miles of 901 N Lincoln there are 10,350 employees. This includes all of the HSC employees and even some downtown employees.

something about those numbers don't seem right. I would think the 49,000 employees would be within the 1/2 mile of Corporate tower (aka, the CBD).

Outstanding pics Doug,

I pass through that area two-three times a month and they are really showing a lot of progress in getting these structures ready.

Just maybe they will move more toward the St. Anthony complex area and development will adjourn these areas; however, the land is inexpensive moving down 8th street west toward Douglass High School.

something about those numbers don't seem right. I would think the 49,000 employees would be within the 1/2 mile of Corporate tower (aka, the CBD).

If you consider Devon has less than 3,000 employees working downtown, I have a hard time believing the numbers are that high.

http://newsok.com/gaylord-family-gift-to-omrf/multimedia/video/651094095001

does this mean it will be called "Gaylord Family Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation". (joking)

Im happy they are helping out.

http://newsok.com/gaylord-family-gift-to-omrf/multimedia/video/651094095001

I'm not sure what this was about but the link says "unable to locate video".

Try this...

http://newsok.com/gaylord-family-gift-to-omrf/multimedia/video/651064689001

All I know is that OUHSC doles out $716,452,025.59 in gross payroll alone, money that is pumped through the state and businesses around here :)

Saw bid today for $63M OU Biomedical & Translational Research Center, to be located at HSC, anybody know about this?

Call it false all you want, but as I stated I copied it from DOKC's website. You should take your beef up with them if it bothers you, you'd probably get farther. My guess is that their numbers are more reliable than yours and a more trusted source of information. I'm personally underwhelmed at DOKC though.

I think I came across this factual discrepancy before also, and I determined that DTOKC has bad/inflated numbers.

Project News & Notes:

July 28, 2011 Planning/Approval As of 7/28/11, this project has been included in the university’s list of upcoming capital improvement projects. This project is considered a high priority project and is Phase III of the Stanton L. Young Biomedical Research Center.

July 28, 2011 Financial Information As of 7/28/11, university officials are seeking funding for this project.

Also saw another bid for $32M office building 150,000sqft, looks like the HSC is about to start their next wave of construction, good deal, can't wait to see renderings.

This project involves the construction of approximately 150,000 gross square feet for the third phase of the Stanton L. Young Biomedical Research Center. The building will be dedicated to biomedical research, cancer, and genetics research. The facility will house research laboratories, and research and building support spaces. The estimated total project cost is $63,000,000

You know things are really cranking along at the HSC and in OKC in general when you have two projects totaling $100 million in construction and it barely gets noticed.

It seems to me OU is pretty secretive about its projects, kinda like Chesapeake, they just do it, no long waiting and planning, just pay and build, lol. I guess you can do that when you have a lot of money! My wife works at the HSC, and I pick her up everyday from work, its like its own little city out there, with all the mid/high-rises going up, and with the proposed 8 story Embassy Suites, and street car route going directly through HSC, will make that area even more dynamic.

Too bad I-235 provides a barrier between Deep Deuce and HSC, it would have been cool to see the day when Deep Deuce/Triangle Development bled over into HSC, it would have felt like one big urban area, like:

Downtown>Deep Deuce>HSC instead of Downtown>Deep Deuce>I-235>HSC

but I am sure the street car route will help with the connection...and do you think they should expand/upgrade Harrison Ave with pedestrian connections?

Tons of work going on at HSC with tons of students and workers at HSC. Where do all these people live?
Seems to me there is a major housing shortage down there... Well theres lots of housing, but no decent apartments, houses, 4-plexes, or anything.

Correct me if my image of the area is wrong.

Tons of work going on at HSC with tons of students and workers at HSC. Where do all these people live?
Seems to me there is a major housing shortage down there... Well theres lots of housing, but no decent apartments, houses, 4-plexes, or anything.

Correct me if my image of the area is wrong.

You are not too far off.

About half the people that live in my building in Midtown are somehow affiliated with OUHSC. When I was looking for my place I made the mistake of trying to locate a condo or apartment right before school started. It wasn't uncommon to find a place posted on Craiglist, call an hour after it was posted, and then it was already leased up. Coming from the burbs this was way different than what I was used to.

I would say the plurality of people living in Jefferson Park, Midtown, and even Deep Deuce and the Lincoln at Central Park work at OUHSC. Quite a few commute in from Norman or Edmond, but given high gas prices the opportunity is there for more lower priced rentals and condos.

Tons of work going on at HSC with tons of students and workers at HSC. Where do all these people live?
Seems to me there is a major housing shortage down there... Well theres lots of housing, but no decent apartments, houses, 4-plexes, or anything.

Correct me if my image of the area is wrong.

There is a small student housing project on Stonewall and then a boulevard named Lincoln that provides great access to Edmond. I think if we could connect this area more to downtown, obviously that would be great. We all know this is a potential gold mine for downtown residents. It's just that right now, OUHSC is a suburban sprawly mess of big buildings and big parking lots and all of its workers live in Edmond. That's just the way it is. State employees and state buildings, I guess.

Tons of work going on at HSC with tons of students and workers at HSC. Where do all these people live?
Seems to me there is a major housing shortage down there... Well theres lots of housing, but no decent apartments, houses, 4-plexes, or anything.

Correct me if my image of the area is wrong.

A lot of OU medical and dentistry students live at the Lincoln apts. A
Lots also live in houses in Edmond. Only a few live in Deep Deuce or downtown at Park Harvey. It makes a sense, because rent at the Lincoln is cheap. Also, i find that most students think the surrounding area, including midtown, is "ghetto"

Actually, many of the students and residents live around campus, in Deep Deuce, the Legacy. One or two live in Block 42. Lots of faculty live in Heritage Hills and Mesta Park, as well as Edgemere. I heard a professor just bought a house in the Hill. I'm the lone Brownstone resident who works there although my former neighbor worked at the HSC but has moved to Edgemere. I don't consider the HSC a sprawly mess. If you know what's where, it actually makes a fair amount of sense. Every parking lot will eventually be a building or parking garage. The Health Sciences Center, compared to what it looked like when we moved here, is pretty impressive. And, if you've ever been around any of the bigger medical complexes on the east coast, they look shabby and old compared to it. President Boren had a plan to build every new building in Sooner gothic and that got shot down by the powers that be there so they're sticking with a more contemporary style and lighter brick. I was just inside the new cancer center today and it was very impressive.

Lots more HSC workers and students will be living in the central core if a streetcar line is established there.

They employ and enroll all types but by and large, their population is younger, more affluent and almost certainly more progressive than the general population. Really a good fit for possible downtown residents, and we need lots more.

I'd say midtown and Deep Deuce stand to gain the most from continued OUHSC and biomedical/research expansion east of 235. It would be nice to see more urban apartment infill around NE 10 & 235, and more of a plan from OU to develop the NE 10 corridor through the hospital. A city-funded streetscape would go a long way as well, all the way down 10th from St. Anthony through midtown to OUHSC.

I don't consider the HSC a sprawly mess. If you know what's where, it actually makes a fair amount of sense. Every parking lot will eventually be a building or parking garage.

This is what's impressive betts, is that this thing can be massive indeed. Will it ever look like the aerial of the Texas Medical Center? Probably not, but isn't far from a smaller version of that kind of effect right now, either. The thing about the streets through the HSC is that, in my personal opinion for what it's worth, the perimeter streets actually are decent corridors, lined with respectable buildings, landscaping, and architecture. The streets inside the center however are a mass, and are mostly fronted by surface parking, loading bays, and ambulance entrances--to be expected with hospitals, indeed.

One thing that was weird though is the new OMRF tower. It doesn't touch a single piece of frontage, built in the middle of that block, hidden behind their fugly 80s-style main building. The new tower is really awesome, as well. Fully LEED accredited. It's a shame it isn't showcased prominently. Just to get a view of it you have to go around the block and snake through a few connecting parking lots, if I remember correctly (when I was last snapping construction update pics).

I totally agree on the OMRF tower, it could be a centerpiece for the HSC. That building is so awesome! The rest of the buildings in 10 years will be thought of just like the 80s style buildings.

Tons of work going on at HSC with tons of students and workers at HSC. Where do all these people live?
Seems to me there is a major housing shortage down there... Well theres lots of housing, but no decent apartments, houses, 4-plexes, or anything.

Correct me if my image of the area is wrong.
I am not sure of the quantity but there are quite a number of duplexes newly built on 8th street. The location is pretty much right across the street from Mystic Oil, I think. I work right off 8th and Stonewall and drive that way everyday from Edmond, but for the life of me I cannot think of the correct name for the "oil" place. There is also a ton of new houses in that area, with several of the 3 car garage variety. Then again across the street from that you have some rundown places.

You're thinking of the old JFK neighborhood, which is an OCURA project. It's right behind the new Douglass High School.

There are also 2 mod homes being built on 8th, I think. But that is still an extremely sketchy area, very run-down.

Sure wish someone would redevelop that cool old school at NE 6th and Stonewall.

It's a great location as you can easily walk to the HSC, is surrounded by OCURA land and there is a park adjacent.

For those interested, the last big construction crane at Children's Hospital came down last weekend.

::((

I hope more cranes will be rising very soon!

::((

I hope more cranes will be rising very soon!



http://experiencelifemag.com/blogs/survival-of-the-fittest/files/2008/04/crane.jpg



(had to)

Before the Planning Commission there is a new application for a Planned Unit Development for the area south of NE 8th and north of NE 4th.

Seems this is the first step in extending the Health Sciences Center further south; pretty much everything within this boundary is old housing and lots of vacant parcels owned by OCURA:

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

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

Pete, what exactly is Planned Unit Development?

A P.U.D. is used to create blanket zoning for a large, unified area. Rather than getting each parcel re-zoned or approved for a certain use, the developer provides a general site plan and guidelines they will use throughout the development and will usually stipulate a wide variety of uses, such as office, residential, retail, etc.

Then, as their development evolves, the approval process is greatly streamlined and they have a fair amount of flexibility in what they develop, as long as it adheres to the previously agree-upon standards.

Thanks Pete

I recently read OHC's master plan, and WOW! I had no idea OHC has ~8 million square feet of floor space!

Pretty vague post. Care to elaborate more on the master plan?

Pretty vague post. Care to elaborate more on the master plan?

OHC Master Plan (http://ouhsc.edu/OHC_masterplan.asp)

Pretty vague post. Care to elaborate more on the master plan?

It's nothing new. I've read this a couple times, definitely interesting though!

Wow, I live just south of the campus in a rental home. It's a crappy home but I like the location (I'm a student). Nice to see all the new interesting things developing around the area.

View from my neighborhood on Lottie Ave: http://i.imgur.com/QV1O3.jpg

Very nice, silvergrove. You have flowers to look at when you're out walking.

Are there any new construction projects on the Horizon? Does this thread include the PHF buildings?

As for the OUHSC campus, no there aren't really any big projects planned at this time. There was a talk of a pretty big announcement being prepared, but that has since died way down. They are moving along on Toby Keith's hotel on the south side of campus though.

Are there any new construction projects on the Horizon? Does this thread include the PHF buildings?

I work at the PHF research park, and they have a master plan for the campus, with 3 more additional office buildings to be added by 2020. I know there have been talks of adding 1 additional office building on the southern side of the research park in the short-term.

I know it's not part of the Center, but is in the area, what's the status on the Embassy Suites? Indefinite hold?