This is part of their 5 year plan, so it is a ways off right now.
The SD commons, Braniff restoration and new multipurpose building/fitness center are up first.

Holy crap. You guys are waaaaaay ahead of yourselves here. All they've done so far is tear down a bunch of buildings, and the renovations of the Braniff Bldg have been one positive. Towers aren't easy projects, especially in bad economies.

I wouldn't bet on this new tower breaking ground, and I especially can't help but laugh at people asking if renderings are already available. It just goes to show you how the good ole boy media has lifted SR up on a pedestal with expectations that are impossibly high for a small corporation like SR.

Spartan - In your opinion do you think Sandridge has no intentions of building a new tower or is it just that their eyes are bigger than their stomach so-to-speak?

Holy crap. You guys are waaaaaay ahead of yourselves here. All they've done so far is tear down a bunch of buildings, and the renovations of the Braniff Bldg have been one positive. Towers aren't easy projects, especially in bad economies.

I wouldn't bet on this new tower breaking ground, and I especially can't help but laugh at people asking if renderings are already available. It just goes to show you how the good ole boy media has lifted SR up on a pedestal with expectations that are impossibly high for a small corporation like SR.

They're not that small.............wasn't the last employee count around 740 ? With projections of their Mississippi Lime play to double their employees in the next 5 years. That would have them not too far off of Devon.

Spartan - In your opinion do you think Sandridge has no intentions of building a new tower or is it just that their eyes are bigger than their stomach so-to-speak?

No, I don't mean to say that I think they're lying about their "big plans." I just know that two years ago, the old KMG tower wasn't even half full. A year ago their stock had a good year (coming back down) and everyone suddenly thought they would build a new World Trade Center or something. I'm just keeping my opinion on ground level for now, which is still further along than plans for this new tower...

I'm being nothing more than realistic.

Where will the new skyscraper be at? Will it rival the one Devon gave birth to?

Where will the new skyscraper be at? Will it rival the one Devon gave birth to?

Current rumor is that it will be located directly east of the current tower where the parking garage still sits and extend over the area that was once the India Temple building. I don't think the are planning a skyscraper - more like a mid-rise topping out at about 20 stories. It will be shorter than the current tower.

Well, since its a 5 years planning project, I hope all the changes will bring more floors, more inches, more height, more exterior lighting, and more more more.

Three more $.5 million building permits to renovate tower floors 8, 9 & 10.

They are really pumping a lot of money into downtown now and it's really going to pick up with Braniff and the amenities building; plus their part in re-doing Kerr Park and Couch Drive.


Even without another tower (which I personally think is likely in about five years) they are spending $100 million in the middle of downtown and two full blocks that had been completely dead for decades is getting ready to have lots and lots of life.


$100 million is a tremendous amount of money, it's just that everyone is currently focused on Devon's $750 mil.

Yes, this would be the big deal going on downtown currently, if it wasn't for Devon. Private entity that is.

A friend of mine works for Sandridge, and Sandridge will build a significant building, we just don't know how tall at the moment, unless things dramatically change, I wouldn't be surprised if we see official renderings this year, and construction starting mid 2013.

After visiting with someone I know at SR who should be in a position to know, I have a MUCH more optimistic view of the new tower possibilities than Spartan. It definitely is behind the current active projects, but doesn't seem far behind. Keep in mind, the tower is MUCH smaller than the gross amount of space at Chesapeake and now at Devon. SR is behind, but on a similar path. Chesapeake is on their 15th office building and has many support facilities, PLUS buildings and leased space all over the city. To imagine SR needing more space is not a stretch, particularly where they are fairly land-locked.

SR is very active in two key areas thought to be two of the largest oil plays in the world. So are Devon, Chesapeake and Continental. And, with a recovering economy, we may not see oil again in the $90 range for any prolonged period of time. Our 4 major energy companies are well positioned.

Does anyone know if SR plans to light up their building at night like Kerr McGee did years ago? Also, does anyone know if SR plans to put a SandRidge sign atop the building once renovations are completed?

It's still lit up at night. It's just the lights have been off during the Christmas season due to the lit up cross. And, no plans for a Sandridge sign at the top.

It's still lit up at night. It's just the lights have been off during the Christmas season due to the lit up cross. And, no plans for a Sandridge sign at the top.

I have not noticed the lighting effects since they started construction......is it just me ?

I have not noticed the lighting effects since they started construction......is it just me ?

That is correct, they removed the large spotlights over a year ago when demolition began. I remember being distracted one afternoon as they ripped them out. Our skyline definitely misses it.

The renderings don't show it clearly, but I would imagine the building will be lit up again when the commons are completed.

Why would SR not put a sign atop the tower?

The skyline would improve if they had the brand new logo up and the building was lit for sure. Would look even better with another skyscraper next to it. :)

By the way, you just might see me down there more often, or at all, were it not for that run-in with them. I still have not "sat down" with their PR guy and I doubt if I'll ever go near there until then.

From today:

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/sandridge010512.jpg

$100 million is a tremendous amount of money, it's just that everyone is currently focused on Devon's $750 mil.

$500 million, as you surely know. ;-)

Just having fun

http://i1178.photobucket.com/albums/x378/KerryinJax/Sand1.jpg

The skyline would improve if they had the brand new logo up and the building was lit for sure. Would look even better with another skyscraper next to it.

I agree whole heartedly, Will.

And Kerry, that looks pretty cool.

Great progress on restoring the Braniff Building (courtesy Urban Pioneer):

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/braniff1912.jpg

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/braniff1912b.jpg

Sandridge going nuts with trees (also courtesy Urban Pioneer):

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/sandridge1912.jpg

What are they doing on the east side of the Braniff building? Opening up the wall for something? A connection to the tower? You can see what I'm talking about in the picture in post 3030.

What are they doing on the east side of the Braniff building? Opening up the wall for something? A connection to the tower? You can see what I'm talking about in the picture in post 3030.

They are not making a connection to the tower. That side of the building going to have a different facade than the rest of the building to make a better esthetic connection to the more modern tower.

This center place with all the trees somewhat reminds me about the little garden right in front of the BOK tower in Tulsa

This center place with all the trees somewhat reminds me about the little garden right in front of the BOK tower in Tulsa

Wish I thought of that a few summers ago...

Lots of falling debris coming from the parking garage they are dismantling next to Kerr Park! Very entertaining to watch.
Definitely take a look if you are downtown!

On that note, I went downtown a while ago. Took some photos. Did cell phone video too but didn't turn out that great. Did not want to hang around there.

http://s83.photobucket.com/albums/j286/UnFrSaKn/Downtown%20OKC/SandRidge%20Commons/January%202012/

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j286/UnFrSaKn/Downtown%20OKC/SandRidge%20Commons/January%202012/IMG_3643.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j286/UnFrSaKn/Downtown%20OKC/SandRidge%20Commons/January%202012/IMG_3651.jpg
Pieces were falling from the very top from a jackhammer. Seems to be extremely solid building.

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j286/UnFrSaKn/Downtown%20OKC/SandRidge%20Commons/January%202012/IMG_3665.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j286/UnFrSaKn/Downtown%20OKC/SandRidge%20Commons/January%202012/IMG_3667.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j286/UnFrSaKn/Downtown%20OKC/SandRidge%20Commons/January%202012/IMG_3668.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j286/UnFrSaKn/Downtown%20OKC/SandRidge%20Commons/January%202012/IMG_3669.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j286/UnFrSaKn/Downtown%20OKC/SandRidge%20Commons/January%202012/IMG_3670.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j286/UnFrSaKn/Downtown%20OKC/SandRidge%20Commons/January%202012/IMG_3671.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j286/UnFrSaKn/Downtown%20OKC/SandRidge%20Commons/January%202012/IMG_3672.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j286/UnFrSaKn/Downtown%20OKC/SandRidge%20Commons/January%202012/IMG_3673.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j286/UnFrSaKn/Downtown%20OKC/SandRidge%20Commons/January%202012/IMG_3677.jpg

StreetView link to the building before restoration. (http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ll=35.470898,-97.516354&spn=0.003651,0.005676&t=h&z=18&vpsrc=6&layer=c&cbll=35.470894,-97.516357&panoid=75gVRMhYF3mMkIP3xjmmdA&cbp=12,141.26,,0,-18.97)

I would say they definetly have no plans to keep those round lights in the park. Saw a couple of them get smashed from falling debris on my way to my car.

To bad they don't build them like this anymore. Everything about this is better than any new tower built anywhere.

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j286/UnFrSaKn/Downtown%20OKC/SandRidge%20Commons/January%202012/IMG_3677.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j286/UnFrSaKn/Old%20Oklahoma%20City/Braniff%20Building/braniffbuilding.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j286/UnFrSaKn/Old%20Oklahoma%20City/Braniff%20Building/22697-11.jpg

Getting sad again... Lovely building.

When I first went to Philly and saw downtown from the airport and train ride in, the tall glass buildings were really neat. But when I got down to the sidewalk they coudn't hold a candle to the smaller old buildings. In fact, it wasn't even close. Give the choice between another one of the these buildings and Devon Tower, I'll take another one of these. I could sit and look at the detail in the Braniff Building for an hour.

Here we go...

http://s83.photobucket.com/albums/j286/UnFrSaKn/Old%20Oklahoma%20City/Braniff%20Building/

1927
http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j286/UnFrSaKn/Old%20Oklahoma%20City/Braniff%20Building/21412M454BarneyHillermanCollection-Photographs-Box3OKLAHOMACITYBUILDINGSBRANIFFBUILDINGVIEWNORTHO NROBINSONPHOTOBYMEYERSPHOTOSHOPca1927.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j286/UnFrSaKn/Old%20Oklahoma%20City/Braniff%20Building/21412M175514BarneyHillermanCollection-Photographs-Box13NATIONALPUBLICACCOUNTANTSBLDGROBINSONSTBRANIF FBLDGCAPITOLFEDERALSAVINGSANDLOANBLDGPET.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j286/UnFrSaKn/Old%20Oklahoma%20City/Braniff%20Building/21412M4519BarneyHillermanCollection-Photographs-Box3BRANIFFBLDGOKLAHOMACITYBRANIFFBLDG.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j286/UnFrSaKn/Old%20Oklahoma%20City/Braniff%20Building/21412M4515BarneyHillermanCollection-Photographs-Box3OKLAHOMACITYBUILDINGSBRANIFFBLDGOKLAHOMACITYBR ANIFFBLDGNov1941.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j286/UnFrSaKn/Old%20Oklahoma%20City/Braniff%20Building/21412M457BarneyHillermanCollection-Photographs-Box3OKLAHOMACITYBUILDINGSBRANIFFBLDGOKLAHOMACITYMA SKEDFORPRINTINGBRANIFFBLDG1951.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j286/UnFrSaKn/Old%20Oklahoma%20City/Braniff%20Building/21412M451BarneyHillermanCollection-Photographs-Box3OKLAHOMACITYBUILDINGSBRANIFFBUILDINGARTISTREND ERINGPHOTOBYMEYERSPHOTOSHOPca1960.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j286/UnFrSaKn/Old%20Oklahoma%20City/Braniff%20Building/21412M453BarneyHillermanCollection-Photographs-Box3OKLAHOMACITYBUILDINGSBRANIFFBUILDINGVIEWNORTHO NROBINSONPHOTOBYMEYERSPHOTOSHOPNov1960.jpg

I would say they definetly have no plans to keep those round lights in the park. Saw a couple of them get smashed from falling debris on my way to my car.

Those lights are hideous. Hopefully they will go with something more universal like using the same lights throughout downtown like the Project 180 lights.

I love the style of those old signs that used to be on the top of old buildings..

Like this:
http://i1207.photobucket.com/albums/bb461/pineapplelilyblog/random/midtownplazacourtsignokc.jpg

I love the style of those old signs that used to be on the top of old buildings..

Like this:
http://i1207.photobucket.com/albums/bb461/pineapplelilyblog/random/midtownplazacourtsignokc.jpg

I agree. I always thought the Skirvin would look great with an old sign like that, similar to old hotels like The Peabody in Memphis.

Do people think they will add the stone horizontal divider back into those ground floor windows? I am really happy those tinted windows are being removed. They gave the building a nice 60s look, which was not good.

Do people think they will add the stone horizontal divider back into those ground floor windows? I am really happy those tinted windows are being removed. They gave the building a nice 60s look, which was not good.

Yes, as you an see from the rendering below, that external stonework separating the first and second floors will be replicated:

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/braniff5.jpg

Great. I have not seen that rendering before.

Comparison...

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j286/UnFrSaKn/Downtown%20OKC/SandRidge%20Commons/January%202012/IMG_3672.jpg

As much as I love skyscrapers the Braniff Building restoration has me pretty stoked. Like Kerry said, skyscrapers are eye candy and amazing from afar and are pretty impressive when standing close to them but you can't really appreciate them up close the way you can smaller but beautiful buildings that you won't see unless you're driving or walking right by it and the Braniff Building will be one of those small but beautiful buildings once the renovation is complete.

I'm very excited about the Braniff Building as well, especially because it occupies such a visible corner.

As I pointed out way early in this thread, that entire area of downtown has been completely dead for decades. Seeing the beautifully restored north and west profiles along with the modernized south and east and the restaurant/retail on the ground floor is going to do wonders for that area and the Robinson corridor in general.

While I was in opposition to the SandRidge proposal for urban design reasons, I do appreciate how this area is being activated. It's the only part of downtown that feels like an urban canyon.

While I was in opposition to the SandRidge proposal for urban design reasons, I do appreciate how this area is being activated. It's the only part of downtown that feels like an urban canyon.

Harvey has a really nice streetwall and Park Avenue is definitely the best "urban canyon" in terms of surrounding height.

The new entrance to the Sandridge tower is done as well. It looks really good.

Steve just tweeted that Sandridge is the title sponsor of the proposed Oklahoma River Youth Pavilion.

Great to see them getting behind more civic ventures and following the great lead set by Devon and Chesapeake.

Comparison...

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j286/UnFrSaKn/Downtown%20OKC/SandRidge%20Commons/January%202012/IMG_3672.jpg

That brick stacked on the concrete floor above the second floor was being removed yesterday.

...
Great to see them getting behind more civic ventures and following the great lead set by Devon and Chesapeake.


Paging Continental (and others) .. many sponsoring opportunities exist along the river, including the museum project.

If you can put aside the terrible PR gaffes early in their downtown campaign, they are doing a fantastic amount for OKC and that entire quadrant of downtown.

I just put this together to remind people the state of that area before Sandridge started investing. Walking those streets just two years ago I could have sworn I was in some sort of post-apocalyptic soviet block city... Nothing but dead, concrete everywhere I turned.

Although some of these properties are still lifeless, many are coming back or soon will be:

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

Wow! that's alot for any corporation to try to salvage. May need additonal private investment to make a huge impact to that large an area

If you can put aside the terrible PR gaffes early in their downtown campaign, they are doing a fantastic amount for OKC and that entire quadrant of downtown.

I just put this together to remind people the state of that area before Sandridge started investing. Walking those streets just two years ago I could have sworn I was in some sort of post-apocalyptic soviet block city... Nothing but dead, concrete everywhere I turned.

Although some of these properties are still lifeless, many are coming back or soon will be:

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

The Tower was not empty. It had some office space leased. Also there were offers on the table for the buildings they knocked down. You have to take things in perspective, not twist it to one side.

The Tower was not empty. It had some office space leased. Also there were offers on the table for the buildings they knocked down. You have to take things in perspective, not twist it to one side.

I knew there were some prospective buyers for the Kermac and India Temple to possibly turn into housing back in 05/06, but I didn't know there were any interested buyers after Sandridge acquired them. That sucks.

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j286/UnFrSaKn/Old%20Oklahoma%20City/Braniff%20Building/BraniffBuildingandNewDennisHotelSouthSideof100Bloc kofNW3rdJul121956.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j286/UnFrSaKn/Downtown%20OKC/SandRidge%20Commons/January%202012/IMG_3406.jpg

It's amazing how many small hotels used to be scattered around downtown many years ago. "Dennis Hotel"

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j286/UnFrSaKn/Downtown%20OKC/SandRidge%20Commons/January%202012/IMG_3406.jpg

For some reason, I ABSOLUTEL LOVE THIS PICTURE!!

The Tower was not empty. It had some office space leased.

The tower and the entire former McGee campus was empty when Sandridge made their purchase:


Byline: Steve Lackmeyer

Jul. 6, 2007--One year after Kerr-McGee Corp. was acquired by Houston-based Anadarko Petroleum, its downtown Oklahoma City campus is empty, its fate still unknown.

The tower and the entire former McGee campus was empty when Sandridge made their purchase:

Tronix had been spun off and was in Leadership Square at this point.

I thought Tronox was still leasing until 2009. I forgot they moved into Leadership Square in 2007.

Which buildings are coming back? I am down there every day and it is pretty dead and isolated due to construction.