Office Buildings




no



Address: 111 Dean McGee (http://goo.gl/maps/R6QQ)
Built: 1960
Demolished: no
Floors: 18
Sq. Feet: 512,546
Acreage:
Architect:

http://www.okctalk.com/images/wikiphotos/att.jpg


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County Assessor Record (http://www.oklahomacounty.org/assessor/Searches/AN-R.asp?ACCOUNTNO=R010012740)
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It is just you G.Walker. The equipment housed in that building requires it to be contructed that way. It is not an office building.

Troll

The DEQ building is much, much worse.

Just out of curiosity.....what is housed in the building that is so important? And, if it is so important why does it seem that we are the only city with such a massive building to house such important equipment? Could that equipment not be moved offsite to a more industrial part of town? If they can't demolish it, maybe they could just give it a new facade to give it the appearance of an office building.

I am sure that doing anything to the building will cost a ton of money and won't be worth it, especially if my rates go up. If anything, it's nice to have another corporate logo on our skyline.

The DEQ building is much, much worse.

Agreed. But at least it isn't very visible, it's more or less hidden from the main views of downtown.

I am sure they can find another location to house whatever special equipment is in there...they need to upgrade, that building was built in the 1920's, its 2011 for crying out loud, lets upgrade!

So you want them to demolish the building and move the equipment at the cost of millions of dollars so that you don't have to look at their building anymore?

Best of luck to ya.

How is he a troll for wanting it demolished? I'm sorry, but I don't give a crap what's inside that building. If it requires for an entire skyscraper to become literally just a windowless box, then it needs to be relocated. I'm 100% positive that there are alternatives to this, that is more efficient and doesn't result in such a visible scar. I've seen they have similar buildings in other cities; I think AT&T is pretty clueless. That building, in its current state, needs to go.

Also, some of you are pretty quick to jump to legal restrictions, rights to one's property, and etc. It's just a discussion; take it lightly. It's by far one of the most hideous buildings that detracts from the area and it's always nice to imagine our downtown picture perfect, is it not? I've thought of this very topic myself quite a few times. You don't really care what's inside that building, you just wish it wasn't there. Even though we all know it's not going anywhere anytime soon. Dream a little. Talk about some alternatives.

Could someone link us to a picture of the building being referenced.

Gwalker, I'm not sure if it's likely to expect AT&T to tear down an entire building, but I don't see at all how this makes you a troll anymore than threads started by others noting building appearances they didn't like. For what it's worth, I've encountered out-of-town visitors who ask about the equipment above the otherwise wonderful Pioneer Telephone building. I did checking a few years ago and discovered the equipment is obsolete and just junk. But AT&T appears to be unwilling to spend the $150k (this is the figure I've heard repeatedly) that it would take to remove it.

Gwalker, I'm not sure if it's likely to expect AT&T to tear down an entire building, but I don't see at all how this makes you a troll anymore than threads started by others noting building appearances they didn't like. For what it's worth, I've encountered out-of-town visitors who ask about the equipment above the otherwise wonderful Pioneer Telephone building. I did checking a few years ago and discovered the equipment is obsolete and just junk. But AT&T appears to be unwilling to spend the $150k (this is the figure I've heard repeatedly) that it would take to remove it.

I am not ranting, just so the skyline could look better, but to voice my opinion on an urban renewal level. It seems that corporations other than Devon, Chesapeake, Sandridge are not taking any corporate responsibility to revitalize blighted areas of the urban core or surrounding areas. I am sure that AT&T could find another location in OKC to construct new data center, and tear this building down, and maybe leave land open for new development, or they can take some corporate responsibility and put together a great project for that area, it doesn't necessarily have to be a skyscraper, but even a mid-rise mixed-use development would be nice to compliment the Deep Deuce area....

We don't need anymore vacant lots for speculation G, if someone wants to build, theyll find a lot or a way

It is a long history of the roll out telephone system across the country. In the early days, long distance phone call were transittmed via microwaves (still is in a lot places). Microwaves are line of site so the entire country was connected with line-of-sight microwave towers. When you do line of sight you have to picked the highest point to reduce the number of towers necessary. The Pioneer Telephone building made a logical choice to put the microwaves on top because it provided the farthest view (it actually connects to a microwave tower on Highway 9 near Chickasha). As telephone technology improved and when to electric switching it made sense to place that equipment next door to the existing phone lines. If you move that building, you have to move every phone line that comes into it.

As for the appearance of it, it is designed to withstand a nuclear blast that is no closer than 5 miles. It also has a Farady cage built into it to prevent damage from an electromagnetic pulse (EMP). The building is not going anywhere and they will not be impriving the looks of it by adding windows or anything else.

Here is a map of microwave sites in California.

http://www.thecentraloffice.com/Microwave/ATT_SOCAL_MAP_1987.jpg

I'm sure that if a company was interested in the property that you are referring to, that they would be more than happy "in negotiations" to pay for the cost to move AT&T to a new site and provide the cost for new equipment or split it down the middle so that they could destroy the building to build a new 500 or 600 ft. tall tower. I don't even really know if the site is big enough to build a tower that large but I'm also not getting skyscraper happy here because I honestly don't think this will ever happen. G. Walker, I think you're just gonna have to deal with it. My apologies.


As for the appearance of it, it is designed to withstand a nuclear blast that is no closer than 5 miles. It also has a Farady cage built into it to prevent damage from an electromagnetic pulse (EMP). The building is not going anywhere and they will not be impriving the looks of it by adding windows or anything else.

That is the coolest f'ing thing I have read all week!!!

It seems that corporations other than Devon, Chesapeake, Sandridge are not taking any corporate responsibility to revitalize blighted areas of the urban core or surrounding areas.

Sandridge isn't doing downtown a service by tearing down buildings that weren't blighted.

I am not ranting, just so the skyline could look better, but to voice my opinion on an urban renewal level. It seems that corporations other than Devon, Chesapeake, Sandridge are not taking any corporate responsibility to revitalize blighted areas of the urban core or surrounding areas. I am sure that AT&T could find another location in OKC to construct new data center, and tear this building down, and maybe leave land open for new development, or they can take some corporate responsibility and put together a great project for that area, it doesn't necessarily have to be a skyscraper, but even a mid-rise mixed-use development would be nice to compliment the Deep Deuce area....
This is not downtown Dallas or Houston, where someone is waiting to build a mid-rise or high-rise on every available inch of space. This is OKC. We are damn lucky to be getting the Devon tower. You have speculated on other threads that OKC should be getting new high to mid rise construction in the near future. I hope you are right, but, I'm skeptical.

maybe we can paint a mural on it. Just a thought.

Hmmm, a larger than life, but not reputation, Durant on one side, Westbrook on one side ... y'all can pick the other two teammates.

I'd be happy if they just fix the dang sign on the north side so it doesn't flicker. Been doing that for years!

This is not downtown Dallas or Houston, where someone is waiting to build a mid-rise or high-rise on every available inch of space. This is OKC. We are damn lucky to be getting the Devon tower. You have speculated on other threads that OKC should be getting new high to mid rise construction in the near future. I hope you are right, but, I'm skeptical.

I think you are underestimating the potential of Oklahoma City. People said we would never get a new 850ft tower, people said we would NEVER get an NBA team, people said that MAPS3 would never pass, and now people are saying we won't get another skyscraper anytime soon...but I beg to differ...

But your perception of Oklahoma City is not your fault, in the past and now people still think of us as and old country, dust bowl city, but now things are changing, it will take time, but we will get there...

I like the avatar G. Walker, but they gotta get rid of that thing behind the 3. Reminds me too much of BP Oil.

I think you are underestimating the potential of Oklahoma City. People said we would never get a new 850ft tower, people said we would NEVER get an NBA team, people said that MAPS3 would never pass, and now people are saying we won't get another skyscraper anytime soon...but I beg to differ...

But your perception of Oklahoma City is not your fault, in the past and now people still think of us as and old country, dust bowl city, but now things are changing, it will take time, but we will get there...
I absolutely hope your are right.

That is the coolest f'ing thing I have read all week!!!

In 100,000 years there will be 2 things left in OKC from 2011 - the dirt mound at the Indian Cultrual Center and the AT&T building. I am not sure if they could tear down that building even if they wanted to. If a nuclear bomb can't bring it down they sure aren't going to be able to do with dynamite and a wrecking ball.

I think the only thing that will kill the AT&T building is when the sun goes Red Giant on the planet and eats us up!

For some reason, I read this as the BOK Plaza (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bank_of_Oklahoma_Plaza), which is almost as ugly in my opinion.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f7/BOKplaza59.jpg

Map (http://www.bing.com/maps/?v=2&cp=35.46982~-97.51675400000002&lvl=20&dir=0&sty=x~lat~35.46982~lon~-97.516754~alt~342.01~z~30~h~349.7~p~26.5~pid~5082&app=5082)

Here's a picture from Doug's blog of the AT&T Annex. There's almost no information about it I can find.

http://www.dougloudenback.com/downtown/okc92.htm

http://www.dougloudenback.com/downtown/92.jpg

Window-less building to the right.

I've always hated the ugly thing on the roof of the Southwestern Bell Building.

Map (http://www.bing.com/maps/?v=2&cp=35.470882~-97.514432&lvl=20&dir=0&sty=x~lat~35.470882~lon~-97.514432~alt~346.22~z~30~h~-42.7~p~21~pid~5082&app=5082)

Just out of curiosity.....what is housed in the building that is so important? And, if it is so important why does it seem that we are the only city with such a massive building to house such important equipment?

Almost every city has a version of that building.

Tulsa:
http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTQBxjYN9woDOX4O1nJwd0iDCWwyupuC lyZkODIAt2z4XR3m3H2bw

Kansas City:
http://www.kcphotos.com/gallery/albums/downtown//normal_kcmopl_3947.jpg

Chicago:
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_mvDzP14rOPA/TNMIJ4GxOOI/AAAAAAAACA0/zeHCAkehwQc/s1600/att+building.JPG

Denver:
http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRD-UyAWnr-9nT44xztX6CUGstNgTcE0Q8croT4aj08fIKnVlyf

Dallas:
http://www.thecentraloffice.com/Texas/Dallas%20Tandem/building_base.jpg


They are everywhere if you look.

Forgive me... I think the AT&T Building is cool. It is designed to do a very important function and serves as a cool relic of the past. It creates a "street wall" and that's ok with me.

The big, BIG, thing that nobody has mentioned is that nearly every telephone line on this side of the state goes into that building. That includes fiber-optic and other lines. AT&T's internet server farm is inside that building as well.

Not sure why the long thread on this... downtown is not a bunch of lego blocks. Buildings will be built by companies (read: Investors in those companies) or by a group of Investors or they will not. The same goes for tearing them down, they will come down when owners want them to come down, unless they are condemned for being unsound or not maintained etc... What is with all this 'they' stuff, who do you suppose is 'they' ??

Just out of curiosity.....what is housed in the building that is so important? And, if it is so important why does it seem that we are the only city with such a massive building to house such important equipment? Could that equipment not be moved offsite to a more industrial part of town? If they can't demolish it, maybe they could just give it a new facade to give it the appearance of an office building.

Actually many of them were built with identically layouts, especially the interiors and equipment layouts. Deigning them is sort of like modern day super-computers, it can be cheaper to implement a duplicate existing design even if had more capacity than necessary than start from scratch for each city. OKC's could handle a much larger city than OKC was at the time. It also reduces the training for people who go around and build, make repairs and upgrades to them.

This is the first building that stands out to me when I first got off the train from Ft. Worth. I think this building is great. Its an architecteral gem! I'm taking up for it! I think it looks neat!

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5097/5417492320_ea4ed6203c_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/44432691@N04/5417492320/)
atandtdt (http://www.flickr.com/photos/44432691@N04/5417492320/) by , on Flickr

The Oklahoma Museum of Telephone History is located in the AT&T Building. I haven't ever been, but here is a description on Wimgo-

This unique museum features telephone items dating back from 1900 through today. Switchboards, wind-up wall phones, decorator phones and a collection of tools your great-grandparents may have used.

Admission is free. This unique museum features telephone items dating back from 1900 through today. Switchboards, wind-up wall phones, decorator phones and a collection of tools your great-grandparents may have used.
The museum is handicap accessible and includes a meeting room.
Admission is free.

I think it is open on Thursdays. Staffed by retired SW Bell / AT&T employees.

This is the first building that stands out to me when I first got off the train from Ft. Worth. I think this building is great. Its an architecteral gem! I'm taking up for it! I think it looks neat!

That is not the building we are talking about. However, if they are not using the microwaves on top I wish they would take them off. Anyone know what the occupancy of this building currently is? It would make cool residential tower.

Must all traces of older, unusual places be demolished for some Disney-land version of Urban Renewal? I'm not 100% sure what I think of that building, but if it has the kind of features that have been listed here, I'm inclined to advocate it's continued existence (not that it's up to any of us) as a component of what makes Downtown OKC different from Memorial Road. If there is demand for a "beautiful" new skyscraper, and I'm not at all convinced that there is, there are dozens of vacant lots where one could be sited. There are precious few buildings left downtown that are not fairly sterile office or hotel properties. Leave this one be.

As for the appearance of it, it is designed to withstand a nuclear blast that is no closer than 5 miles. It also has a Farady cage built into it to prevent damage from an electromagnetic pulse (EMP). The building is not going anywhere and they will not be impriving the looks of it by adding windows or anything else.


So I guess they were only expecting Tinker to be targeted and not downtown OKC?

So I guess they were only expecting Tinker to be targeted and not downtown OKC?

They had a backup plan, but it was sold off years ago.

http://hardware.slashdot.org/story/02/09/11/230203/Discarded-ATampT-Microwave-Bunkers-For-Sale

So I guess they were only expecting Tinker to be targeted and not downtown OKC?

That would be my guess. A coupe of weeks ago I was reading about the microwave towers so it was kind of funny that this topic would come up. Interestingly enough, during the '50s and early '60s those towers were the only secure way for the militarty to send secure communications. The only way a single could be interepted is if someone built a new tower between two existing towers, and I think people would notice that.

If a nuke did happen, would we care if we had landline coverage, any survivors would die from radiation. I imagine we'd have other things to worry about if that were to happen.

Getting rid of the microwave transmitters would be awesome, but I also doubt that will ever happen. As ugly as the building is, my main problem with it is how at street level it does nothing. Sure it provides an urban canyon, but it would be nice if some sort of street level retail or office space could be built into the tower. Hopefully in the future a building will be built in the parking lot to the north of the tower and hide the building even more.

If a nuke did happen, would we care if we had landline coverage, any survivors would die from radiation. I imagine we'd have other things to worry about if that were to happen.

Metro - it wasn't designed for people living (or dying as the case may be) where the blast went off, it was designed to survive the blast so people living in Dallas and Kansas City could still communicate with each other. The whole system was line-of-sight. If the chain got broken there was no way to send communications across the country.

Here is a link to the microwave map in Pennsylvania.

http://images.greatergreaterwashington.org/images/201012/021003.png

If the relay site at Cub Hill, Maryland went down the War Department in D.C. couldn't communicate with the Naval Shipyard in Philadelphia or the Port of New York City

Maybe the solution isn't to demolish the ATT building, because that likely isn't going to happen. Maybe the solution is to block the view on the north side by building a new office tower on the north side in the Sandridge surface parking lot. How about that? Putting a 400-500ft tower there would take the focus off the north side of the ATT building while giving us another office tower downtown. Maybe as Sandridge grows, they'll need another tower and can do this.

Maybe the solution isn't to demolish the ATT building, because that likely isn't going to happen. Maybe the solution is to block the view on the north side by building a new office tower on the north side in the Sandridge surface parking lot. How about that? Putting a 400-500ft tower there would take the focus off the north side of the ATT building while giving us another office tower downtown. Maybe as Sandridge grows, they'll need another tower and can do this.

Fantastic idea!


Anyone know what the occupancy of this building currently is? It would make cool residential tower.

I've always thought so too.

In 100,000 years there will be 2 things left in OKC from 2011 - the dirt mound at the Indian Cultrual Center and the AT&T building. I am not sure if they could tear down that building even if they wanted to. If a nuclear bomb can't bring it down they sure aren't going to be able to do with dynamite and a wrecking ball.
Anything built can be demolished...of course it may not be a cheap and easy as some would like. I remember when the Ace Pawn Shop at NW 23rd & May was demolished, it took them forever to tear down the vault, that was a massive concrete box that was probably built to similar standards at the AT&T switch buildings.

Most of the AT&T switch buildings no longer need the square footage they have, digital switching has changed the space requirements greatly as discussed in another thread. That type of switching could also make relocation much easier than it would have been in the past but I don't ever see AT&T doing that because they don't need or have the desire to spend that kind of money. The only way that something like that would have occurred was if the building was in the Chesapeake campus target zone.

Getting rid of the microwave transmitters would be awesome, but I also doubt that will ever happen. As ugly as the building is, my main problem with it is how at street level it does nothing. Sure it provides an urban canyon, but it would be nice if some sort of street level retail or office space could be built into the tower. Hopefully in the future a building will be built in the parking lot to the north of the tower and hide the building even more.

Most of the time if anything is done, it is putting the transmitters for cell voice & data in the tower.

I can tell everyone what's inside the big windowless 14 storey buiding next to the old Southwestern Bell building. It is the AT&T MAIN Long distance POP for Oklahoma, and as already been noted, most major cities have one or more of them. NYC has an equally hideous 21 storey VERIZON POP building right at the entrance to Lower Manhattan Financial district. I know this, because I used to be the fiber manager for Denver, and used to work next to the AT&T Pop that was posted in this thread (Denver). The one in Tulsa is a backup.

Inside the building, you will find lots and lots of transmissions lines and fiber optic muxes. All transmissions for Oklahoma City (and the state) come through that building). Since it is switches, fiber and copper lines, muxes, and equipment inside, there's no need for windows. Take it down, and almost every long distance conversation/communication regardless of carrier goes down. Back in the day (and as a even today backup), microwave would shoot from the top and get demuxed down for the whole state. Now, fiber goes in and out, and copper/fiber gets handed off to the local POTS Central Offices and subscription companies.

I agree the building is hideaous and perhaps AT&T could improve their pops by adding in facades, but every big city has them and at least ours is somewhat hidden by the Art Modern SBC building and doesn't stick out like a sore thumb like in other cities.

Makes you wonder about the nuclear blast idea since the populace was told to just "duck-n-cover"...modern day equivalent is plastic tarp and duct tape....LOL

Makes you wonder about the nuclear blast idea since the populace was told to just "duck-n-cover"...modern day equivalent is plastic tarp and duct tape....LOL

Larry, there was more to it of course.
However, as society was more prim and proper then, the 'an kiss yer arse goodbye' was merely implied and (almost) never spoken out loud.

In 100,000 years there will be 2 things left in OKC from 2011 - the dirt mound at the Indian Cultrual Center and the AT&T building. I am not sure if they could tear down that building even if they wanted to. If a nuclear bomb can't bring it down they sure aren't going to be able to do with dynamite and a wrecking ball.

Haven't you heard? The world ends next year.

Haven't you heard? The world ends next year.

Did you have lunch with George Lucas too?

http://www.torontosun.com/entertainment/movies/2011/01/18/16927446-wenn-story.html



Funnyman Seth Rogen was left stunned by a recent encounter with his moviemaking hero George Lucas - because the Star Wars director spent 20 minutes telling him the world would end in 2012.

Rogen was left speechless when Lucas and Steven Spielberg joined a movie meeting he was a part of - but the encounter has left him worried his life will be over next year.

He recalls, “George Lucas sits down and seriously proceeds to talk for around 25 minutes about how he thinks the world is gonna end in the year 2012, like, for real. He thinks it.

“He’s going on about the tectonic plates and all the time Spielberg is, like, rolling his eyes, like, ’My nerdy friend won’t shut up, I’m sorry...’

“I first thought he (Lucas) was joking... and then I totally realized he was serious and then I started thinking, ’If you’re George Lucas and you actually think the world is gonna end in a year, there’s no way you haven’t built a spaceship for yourself... So I asked him... ’Can I have a seat on it?’

“He claimed he didn’t have a spaceship, but there’s no doubt there’s a Millennium Falcon in a garage somewhere with a pilot just waiting to go... It’s gonna be him and Steven Spielberg and I’ll be blown up like the rest of us.”


To be fair to Lucas, he later said in a press release that he was only joking for the whole 25 minute rant. (yeah - right).

[QUOTE=Kerry;400079] ... To be fair to Lucas, he later said in a press release that he was only joking for the whole 25 minute rant. (yeah - right). [/URL]


He might of been joking. Shoot, I've seen rants that seem more joke than real last 2-3 days on this board <VBG>

I probably owe the board an attempt to get a thread back on topic. Although I think the AT&T building is unlovely, it's there and it's part of downtown. I think we should let downtown evolve naturally. When AT&T doesn't need that building and/or someone wants the land badly enough to make them an offer they can't refuse, it will likely go away. Or someone will convert it to tornado-proof condos. Either way, there is open land I'd like to see developed before anything else.

Betts, the fact that we are talking about George Lucas and the end of the world in 2012 means this topic has run its course. There is no need to get back on topic.

It sure isn't a tribute to classical architecture, but in its own way, it was a little comforting how sturdy it is built.

au contraire mon frère - it is a perfect example of brutalism architecture. Sadly, there is no shortage of that in downtown OKC. It is the defining characteristic.

Is there any example of one of these buildings "going away" in another city? Thanks to this thread, I realize how important the building is. Just curious if it has been done elsewhere and, if so, why it did indeed get demolished.

swilki - probably not any example elsewhere. lol

Molly Fleming of the Journal Record had an article today stating AT&T was going to remove its microwave tower from the building. The company is going to be replacing cooling units atop the buildings and will use the same cranes to remove the other equipment. The work is expected to me completed by years end.

Fantastic news!

Fantastic news!

Pete, I just sent you the article in an email to post.

AT&T removing downtown OKC microwave tower
By: Molly M. Fleming The Journal Record September 16, 2015

AT&T will remove its microwave tower from its downtown corporate headquarters along Dean A. McGee Avenue and N. Broadway Avenue in Oklahoma City.

The company is in a three-building complex, comprised of the Telephone Building on the north and the Pioneer Building on the south. The Telephone Building was constructed 1927 and the Pioneer Building was built in 1907.

The tower has been inactive for several years, said Dale Ingram, director of news relations for the company. He said starting in October, the company will replace aging cooling units atop the buildings. While that project is underway, the cranes will remove the microwave tower. Ingram said the project is expected to be complete by year’s end. He said the company could not disclose a cost for the work.

AT&T installed 107 microwave towers nationwide in the late 1940s. The system took three years to build, with the first call being placed on Aug. 17, 1951. The towers were used to transmit telephone and television signals nationwide. When fiber optics replaced microwaves, the towers became obsolete.

I really think some ivy on that north facing wall would lighten up the look of that building too, make it classy.

at&t removing downtown okc microwave tower
by: Molly m. Fleming the journal record september 16, 2015

at&t will remove its microwave tower from its downtown corporate headquarters along dean a. Mcgee avenue and n. Broadway avenue in oklahoma city.

The company is in a three-building complex, comprised of the telephone building on the north and the pioneer building on the south. The telephone building was constructed 1927 and the pioneer building was built in 1907.

The tower has been inactive for several years, said dale ingram, director of news relations for the company. He said starting in october, the company will replace aging cooling units atop the buildings. While that project is underway, the cranes will remove the microwave tower. Ingram said the project is expected to be complete by year’s end. He said the company could not disclose a cost for the work.

At&t installed 107 microwave towers nationwide in the late 1940s. The system took three years to build, with the first call being placed on aug. 17, 1951. The towers were used to transmit telephone and television signals nationwide. When fiber optics replaced microwaves, the towers became obsolete.

like!