There is already an urban renewal district established for that area.

well that answers that question then... thanks Pete

There is so much potential for this area. I'm really hoping it maximizes it all.

USGBC Oklahoma » LEED GOLD Building Tour – OKC (http://www.usgbc-oklahoma.org/archives/ai1ec_event/leed-gold-building-tour-okc?instance_id=269)

There is a free tour of the OMRF on October 26 which will be led by the USGBC Oklahoma Chapter. Oh and its free.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=21M-98sFHTk

Neat idea coming out of the HSC with students hoping to launch a mobile, nonprofit grocery store called the OKC Mobile Market. Hope it's successful.

OUDaily.com | OU students starting nonprofit grocery story to bring healthy food to low-income areas (http://oudaily.com/news/2012/oct/31/foodbrf/)

I tend to believe that a store needs a "site" that people know how to get to in order to buy something. I think this will fail, as most of these mobile things do. Anything that flies in the face of the conventional logic that you need a home isn't going to do as well as something that has a home.

What this says is that NE OKC is so dangerous and hopeless that it's not worth establishing a home for a grocery business. I think that a home for a grocery business would really do well in the JFK area or along the NE 23rd streetscape. I know these folks mean well, but this is just the kind of idea you sometimes get when a bunch of gung-ho volunteers get some vague notion of how to help.

At least it'll be a great resume builder for the "public relations co-chair." I think anyone who has recently been in college knows this drill all too well... volunteer, volunteer!! yay!! wait, what are we volunteering for? oh cool. sooo, can i have an important title? yaaaaaaaay...

I tend to believe that a store needs a "site" that people know how to get to in order to buy something. I think this will fail, as most of these mobile things do. Anything that flies in the face of the conventional logic that you need a home isn't going to do as well as something that has a home.

What this says is that NE OKC is so dangerous and hopeless that it's not worth establishing a home for a grocery business. I think that a home for a grocery business would really do well in the JFK area or along the NE 23rd streetscape. I know these folks mean well, but this is just the kind of idea you sometimes get when a bunch of gung-ho volunteers get some vague notion of how to help.

At least it'll be a great resume builder for the "public relations co-chair." I think anyone who has recently been in college knows this drill all too well... volunteer, volunteer!! yay!! wait, what are we volunteering for? oh cool. sooo, can i have an important title? yaaaaaaaay...

Man, sometimes your endless cynicism and negativity is just nauseating. I'm sure some will label it as "Spartan's just being realistic" but my god, give it a rest. Maybe these people thought it would be a good idea to try and maybe make a difference and you just **** all over it. It's a tried and true concept out of Nashville that seems to be working well there. Maybe we give this a try before decrying it as a resume builder for a PR co-chair.

I searched but didn't find a thread for the development, but there's some good progress being made on the OK Kids Korral. A lot of the steel framework is up and progress continues every day. I know some of our posters were disappointed by the lack of "urban", but I think we can all agree that this is going to be something very nice for those children battling disease and their families.

I searched but didn't find a thread for the development, but there's some good progress being made on the OK Kids Korral. A lot of the steel framework is up and progress continues every day. I know some of our posters were disappointed by the lack of "urban", but I think we can all agree that this is going to be something very nice for those children battling disease and their families.

Here's the thread for that project:

OK Kids Korral - OKCTalk (http://www.okctalk.com/showwiki.php?title=OK+Kids+Korral)

Here's the thread for that project:

OK Kids Korral - OKCTalk (http://www.okctalk.com/showwiki.php?title=OK+Kids+Korral)

I thought I remembered one, but I just couldn't locate it. Please feel free to move my post to the appropriate thread.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=21M-98sFHTk

Excellent video. Just some stunning shots of the new development. This area is becoming quite an impressive conglomeration, both in terms of architectural design and (hopefully) medical research work as well.

Here are a few pics of the OMRF building.

A little bit older one courtesy of downtownokc.com (hardly any wind turbines installed yet):

http://www.downtownokc.com/Portals/0/Skyline%20Snapshots/U%20of%20O%20Medical%20Research%20Foundation%20Res earch%20Tower.jpg


And some newer ones:

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8475/8089164399_8c82e58dd9_b_d.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/myshaofengwang/8089164399)

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8335/8089163663_9623082415_b_d.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/myshaofengwang/8089163663)

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8049/8089158722_322ce2c72c_b_d.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/myshaofengwang/8089158722)

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8471/8089158067_006c56c723_b_d.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/myshaofengwang/8089158067)

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8050/8089165217_29857d0ba4_b_d.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/myshaofengwang/8089165217)

photos by shaofeng wang (http://www.flickr.com/photos/myshaofengwang) who works at the OMRF

very nice shots of the Beacon of Hope:

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8158/7452392840_f5ce91a852_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/vincefryhover/7452392840)

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8149/7452388488_190d68b970_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/vincefryhover/7452388488)

taken back in the spring

photo by Vincent Fryhover (http://www.flickr.com/photos/vincefryhover)

I absolutely hate the design of the new OU Children's Physician Building and some design things they botched pretty badly, but there's a lot of good things going on on campus and I hope the momentum continues.

Some photos of the Peggy and Charles Stephenson Cancer Center (http://www.oumedicine.com/cancer/about-the-cancer-center)

http://hainanrehabilitationcenter.files.wordpress.com/2012/09/550099_10150676506191394_724565068_n.jpg (http://hainanrehabilitationcenter.wordpress.com/2012/09/28/tos-associates-ou-stephenson-cancer-center-precedent-study)

http://www.amasonry.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/IMG_3735.jpg

http://www.amasonry.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Cancer-Center-2.jpg

http://www.amasonry.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Cancer-Center-5.jpg

http://www.amasonry.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Cancer-Center-1.jpg

http://www.amasonry.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/IMG_3737.jpg

photo source: Peggy and Charles Stephenson Cancer Center (http://www.amasonry.com/oklahoma-cancer-center)


Also, you can read about this building in this doc:
http://hainanrehabilitationcenter.files.wordpress.com/2012/09/stephenson-cancer-center-precedent-study.pdf

very nice shots of the Beacon of Hope:

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8158/7452392840_f5ce91a852_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/vincefryhover/7452392840)

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8149/7452388488_190d68b970_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/vincefryhover/7452388488)

taken back in the spring

photo by Vincent Fryhover (http://www.flickr.com/photos/vincefryhover)Does it is still light up at night?

For those who care, it looks like they're putting a Kamp's Deli in the new OU Children's Atrium. No word on when it's expected to open.

Does it is still light up at night?

I have seen it after the Thunder games, but it is so dim it doesn't really matter...

I have seen it after the Thunder games, but it is so dim it doesn't really matter...I thought it used to light up so bright it shot up like a high power beam into the sky.

Light has to have something to reflect off of. When there is a haze or moisture in the air (or smog) it appears to be bright. If the air is clear, clean and low humidity then you won't see much light at all. It is not the brightness of the source but the object receiving the light energy.

Light has to have something to reflect off of. When there is a haze or moisture in the air (or smog) it appears to be bright. If the air is clear, clean and low humidity then you won't see much light at all. It is not the brightness of the source but the object receiving the light energy.I understand that. But, I just remember when I lived in Dallas and we would drive down here it would be super bright. I drive past there all the time at night and I have not seen it lit up really bright for years it seems like.

I have seen it lit often. Just blame the clean air here in OKC.

http://www.okgazette.com/oklahoma/article-17557-zoning-out.html

I wonder what this means for the continued expansion of the Oklahoma Health Center?

I wonder what this means for the continued expansion of the Oklahoma Health Center?

it doesn't change anything ... this would have just saved the HSC money in the long term .. but even still very few things will be built in this area the HSC is still going to expand south and when they do they will buy the property or get it by ED

A relative of mine lives in Forest Park but owns several rental properties in that area. While yes the area has a lot of historical significance, a lot of the property owners are just squatting. They would bolt in a heartbeat if the price is right, although some want just a ridiculous amount of money from OU for what their property is worth.

I agree with Boulder though, it doesn't really change a lot. If the OUHSC wants to expand that way they are going to get it.

In today's OKCCentral Chat with Steve, someone said something about the possibility of a new 10-12 story hospital tower and another new 9 story academic tower being built on the OUHSC campus. Is anyone else hearing these same rumors?

I was at the planning commission meeting yesterday and the city avoided all questions on the matter of the withdrawal. They will eventually go back to rezone this area. The HSC is a big part of that area and the city will do anything they can to help that organization. Like said above, it will just prolong it and cost the HSC more.

In today's OKCCentral Chat with Steve, someone said something about the possibility of a new 10-12 story hospital tower

yes. Not exactly sure on the size of the addition, but I was told by someone very close to the decision making process within OUMC that it is planned and going to happen. They simply need more space at Presbyterian tower. Parking is an issue however.

HCA is doing a new $180m new hospital tower. Perkins & Will, who designed OMRF's tower, is the design architect. The University's Hospital Trust & Authority also just selected an architect, Bockus Payne, to design a new academic type building, approximately $30m

HCA is doing a new $180m new hospital tower. Perkins & Will, who designed OMRF's tower, is the design architect. The University's Hospital Trust & Authority also just selected an architect, Bockus Payne, to design a new academic type building, approximately $30m

Any idea on how tall these will be? I would love to see them building taller and taller. Maybe 15-20 stories? This area needs to be more densely developed and not sprawled out so much. They should look at more of a development mix with Hotels next to hospital towers. Keeping the sprawl from happening so much. It will also make it safer with less area for the police to patrol. I know when I am there for multiple reasons, it seeems kind of unsafe at night. I can't imagine if they sprawl more to the east how much more security and issues they could have.....

Lucca, has this been documented anywhere that you can share? Or are you just hearing rumors?

I asked around and found out that the hospital "tower" is actually only going to be about 5 stories and will extend out to the north from the east end of the current Presbyterian building. It appears it might break ground in early 2014 if all goes according to plan. The academic building is in flux but may happen in 2014 as well.

Any idea which school in the HSC the academic building would be for?

I haven't yet heard but I've asked again.

I'm assuming some of this has been brought up already, but I just watched the OU med school's State of the College from November and in it the Dean said they're building an academic office building where the faculty/admins will be housed, and it's going on a surface parking lot just west of the seed sower statue.

Also said that with OUHSC taking over PHF campus it will be labeled under some OU research moniker b/c PHF is moving back to its original mission of giving research grants with less real estate involvement like they're doing now. OU will be using a bond to purchase it, and letting the people leasing space to stay as a way to make that money back. Will eventually build additional research facilities on the east side of Lincoln next to the PHF area.

Also mentioned there will be a definite hospital expansion, but no details.

iMax, I just don't see where they could put a new academic building west of the Seed Sower unless they're going to build on the lot that the residents use that's just right off the south side of SL Young Blvd. And that would be a long, narrow lot. There are renderings that I'm waiting to share of the hospital addition, but I haven't yet seen any of the academic building.

iMax, I just don't see where they could put a new academic building west of the Seed Sower unless they're going to build on the lot that the residents use that's just right off the south side of SL Young Blvd. And that would be a long, narrow lot. There are renderings that I'm waiting to share of the hospital addition, but I haven't yet seen any of the academic building.

Why is the academic building in flux? Or what does "flux" mean? They just recently issued an RFP, received proposals, short listed, interviewed 4 architecture firms, and selected Bockus Payne Architects to design it. It would be too early for renderings of the academic building unless some existed before they selected the architect. I would assume given all that, it's not in flux, it's just beginning design unless for some reason their funding is in question after going through the AE selection process.

On projects greater than $50m, such as the hospital, they do not solicit proposals, HCA just directly hires Perkins & Will and the general public generally won't see anything until they're close to beginning constrcution.

Any knowledge on if this hospital will have any cancer component? A couple if years ago, or actually less than that, President Boren was trying to build a Cancer Hospital directly east of the existing cancer center, but as I understand it, they(OU) could not work anything out with HCA in terms of funding, etc.

I have seen it lit often. Just blame the clean air here in OKC.Yeap, saw it lit up the other night. I guess I just wasn't paying attention or looking in the right area.

Why is the academic building in flux? Or what does "flux" mean? They just recently issued an RFP, received proposals, short listed, interviewed 4 architecture firms, and selected Bockus Payne Architects to design it. It would be too early for renderings of the academic building unless some existed before they selected the architect. I would assume given all that, it's not in flux, it's just beginning design unless for some reason their funding is in question after going through the AE selection process.

On projects greater than $50m, such as the hospital, they do not solicit proposals, HCA just directly hires Perkins & Will and the general public generally won't see anything until they're close to beginning constrcution.

Any knowledge on if this hospital will have any cancer component? A couple if years ago, or actually less than that, President Boren was trying to build a Cancer Hospital directly east of the existing cancer center, but as I understand it, they(OU) could not work anything out with HCA in terms of funding, etc.

When I asked around about the academic building, I was told that at a recent meeting, they had talked about designing it but that funding had become an issue and they weren't sure it was going to be built on the originally proposed timeframe. That's what I meant when I said flux. I was told by someone in attendance that there were some renderings presented at a meeting of what they hoped it would look like, but I'm sure those were preliminary and without a doubt subject to change.

There were also renderings shown of the hospital addition, but as you said, with HCA, the public probably won't see a thing until they're ready to start building.

Funny you mention that, I had heard talk of a cancer component but I think that's dead in the water now. As far as I know, President Boren still wants a cancer hospital built on campus as part of the push to become an NCI center. The original site was going to be east of the cancer center, but the last I'd heard, the site had since changed to be west of the cancer built on what is currently the employee lot behind Harold Hamm Diabetes Center. Boren really wants this built and I'm told is looking at funding and other issues, but apparently, he came up against some very serious resistance to the idea from HCA who was worried about the business it would siphon off from their existing facilities.

There were also renderings shown of the hospital addition, but as you said, with HCA, the public probably won't see a thing until they're ready to start building.

Funny you mention that, I had heard talk of a cancer component but I think that's dead in the water now. As far as I know, President Boren still wants a cancer hospital built on campus as part of the push to become an NCI center. The original site was going to be east of the cancer center, but the last I'd heard, the site had since changed to be west of the cancer built on what is currently the employee lot behind Harold Hamm Diabetes Center. Boren really wants this built and I'm told is looking at funding and other issues, but apparently, he came up against some very serious resistance to the idea from HCA who was worried about the business it would siphon off from their existing facilities.

The bed tower will be 5 stories, but will be engineered to support additional floors in the future, if needed. The plan is to devote two floors to surgical suites and three floors to cancer beds.

The bed tower will be 5 stories, but will be engineered to support additional floors in the future, if needed. The plan is to devote two floors to surgical suites and three floors to cancer beds.

Did you get this information from a source you can link or word of mouth? I was very recently told the cancer beds are not happening at this time.

Did you get this information from a source you can link or word of mouth? I was very recently told the cancer beds are not happening at this time.

I was in an employee meeting with the CEO of OU Medical Center yesterday (3/7/13), and he told us that the new tower will have approximately 168 beds, most of which will be reserved for cancer patients. He also said that they're probably going to go ahead and build the additional floors, but leave the interiors unfinished until needed.

Preliminary work will be starting sometime this fall. Radiation therapy and imaging services in the lower level of the existing building will have to be relocated, as their existing areas will become part of the foundation of the new tower.

OptumRx is going to be expanding at PHF Research Park (http://www.cnbc.com/id/100587754). Nice to see us gaining more jobs downtown. Here's an article from NewsOK about the same OptumRx expansion (http://newsok.com/health-care-company-prescribes-135-new-jobs-for-oklahoma-city/article/3771262).

This is a very cool thing for medical treatment in OKC, but I didn't happen to catch notice when it occurred (about a month ago):

A 53-ton superconducting synchrocyclotron proton therapy unit was installed at the Peggy and Charles Stephenson Cancer Center:

https://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn2/970517_477410895668339_513135683_n.jpg (https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=477410895668339&set=a.398685610207535.90894.113057165437049&type=1)

Newsok article here:

40 tons of equipment delivered in Oklahoma City to treat cancer | News OK (http://newsok.com/40-tons-of-equipment-delivered-in-oklahoma-city-to-treat-cancer/article/3836641)

It's the first one this particular company has ever built, which is why it's taking them longer than the ProCure facility....even though OU started first.

This one will actually be able to handle more patients than ProCure can. And hopefully, it won't be inaccurately treating patients for months like ProCure did either.

Anyone know the latest on the buildings that were coming for OUHSC's campus? I know one is supposedly in the final design stages, but I haven't heard a thing about the other one recently.

Oklahoma City's new innovation district could demonstrate power of place | News OK (http://newsok.com/oklahoma-citys-new-innovation-district-could-demonstrate-power-of-place/article/5456188)

I'm not sure if this is the exact right thread - apologies if it is not - but it's in the immediate neighborhood.

Today on my way to work I noticed that the house at 928 NE 4th St (SW corner of NE 4th and N Kelley Ave) - an unoccupied house that I had nicknamed "The Rasta House" due to it's paint scheme - is in the process of being torn down. As of this morning (8 AM) all that was left of that house was the outer walls fronting NE 4th. It appears the property was purchased in September by "Downtown Brownstone LLC", and then a demolition permit was filed shortly thereafter. I can't find much of anything on the property owner, except their registered address is the same as the law firm of Riggs Abney. Given it's proximity to the Page Woodson School project, and the name of the LLC, it would not surprise me if the plan here was for urban housing. However, that is the only lot Downtown Brownstone owns in that block; the similarly named Brownstone Real Estate LLC demolished the house at 830 NE 4th St in 2013 and no further development has occurred there. The owner of the majority of the parcels in this block is PHF Redevelopment, LLC - owned (as the name implies) by the Presbyterian Health Foundation.

Driving down 10th street today, I came to the conclusion that the crosswalks may be doing more harm than good. At the very least, I think they're not the answer.

I know that cars are supposed to yield to pedestrians at those crosswalks. But I think in knowing that, it gives pedestrians a false sense of safety. When driving down the street and it's barely light out yet, it's difficult to see pedestrians, especially when they're wearing dark colored clothing. Then, if you have cars going the other direction, their headlights are shining at you which only adds to the difficulty. But the pedestrians, knowing they have the right of way, step right out into the road with nary a thought of whether the driver can see them or not. If I see you, I will stop. Otherwise I continue on.

Really, the streets around OUHSC need a redesign. When you have 3 wide open lanes going both ways, the design is telling cars to drive fast. Putting up signs and flashing lights doesn't solve the problem. Especially if they lights are always flashing. It contributes to sign fatigue to where people don't pay attention to it anymore.

The entire campus is a 24/7 school zone, isn't it?

I really hope we put all that extensive research and insight from the Brooking Institute to use. We could really make this a phenomenal community and even attract other global companies too.....the way things are trending we might be wasting all that good research!

New signage in the area (from https://twitter.com/OKCinnovation):

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/ouhsc051418.jpg

Everyone keeps comparing them to highway signs, but I think they look more like airport signs...

Everyone keeps comparing them to highway signs, but I think they look more like airport signs...

By 'everyone' do you mean Steve Lackmeyer?

By 'everyone' do you mean Steve Lackmeyer?

Touche...

And several other people who I know who work in the area that hate them. I can see the one Pete posted above from my office window.

I like them. There, said something positive:banned2::banned2:

I think they're really handy, I wish they were around the first time I tried to find the Allergy clinic.
I think an area with a lot of hospitals can definitely use signage that might be overboard because visitors could be under duress and not familiar with the area.

Seems to me that as the most important medical center in the state drawing patients from all over who aren’t familiar with the area, that these type signs will be effective. Patient care and ease is a primary objective.

Touche...

And several other people who I know who work in the area that hate them. I can see the one Pete posted above from my office window.

lol, just seems like I see that verbiage in every weekly downtown chat