development
|category1=Civic Buildings
|category2=Central Business District
|category3=Office Buildings
|category4=Current
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|project=
|address=700 Colcord
|status=under construction
|owner=City of OKC
|cost=$22 million
|architect=ADG
|start=December 2013
|finish=
|contractor=
|height=
|sq. feet=
|acerage=1.25
|other=
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|image=http://www.okctalk.com/images/wikiphotos/police1a.jpg
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Information & Latest News
1/28/14: Work begins (http://newsok.com/work-begins-on-new-oklahoma-city-police-headquarters/article/3928187)
9/23/13: $20 million building permit (http://www.okc.gov/Access/Cap/CapDetail.aspx?Module=Permits&TabName=Permits&capID1=13BRE&capID2=00000&capID3=10584&agencyCode=OKC&IsToShowInspection=)
9/10/13: Construction to start on new Police HQ (http://newsok.com/construction-to-start-in-december-on-new-22m-oklahoma-city-police-headquarters/article/3881385)
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I'd vote for it....i'd love to see a new county building as well. The current buildings are sorely inadequate and once they are replaced, should be dozed...except for any of the Deco stuff of course.

Actually, the County office building works fine and is full of empty or underutilized space. There are large parts of several floors that aren't even finished out, the clerk's records could be digitized and warehoused or disposed of and most of the 2nd floor would be free again. The facade could use some work, but I don't really get too concerned about the facade of our county office building. There are bigger fish to fry.

If I could choose, I'd move the criminal courts down to a new building which would adjoin the Jail. That'd free up a lot of courtrooms for new civil and family judges which are sorely needed. There's also a jail facility on the top floors of the courthouse which actually has a couple of floors used for records storage and only one (which I've been in) which is used to hold prisoners on their court dates. Plenty of wasted space there as well.

A new OCPD headquarters is wayyy overdue. It's an embarrassment.

OKLAHOMA CITY -- The Oklahoma City city council has approved a plan to build a new police department building downtown.

Council members voted unanimously for the project which also involves building a court plaza downtown.

The project has a 50-million dollar price tag and now the council is trying to figure out how to pay for it all. It said part of cost will be covered through a bond issue.

As for the remainder, council members are looking at several possible options.


from News9.com (http://www.news9.com/story/15615345/okc-council-approves-new-police-department-and-court-plaza)

Actually, the County office building works fine and is full of empty or underutilized space. There are large parts of several floors that aren't even finished out, the clerk's records could be digitized and warehoused or disposed of and most of the 2nd floor would be free again. The facade could use some work, but I don't really get too concerned about the facade of our county office building. There are bigger fish to fry.

If I could choose, I'd move the criminal courts down to a new building which would adjoin the Jail. That'd free up a lot of courtrooms for new civil and family judges which are sorely needed. There's also a jail facility on the top floors of the courthouse which actually has a couple of floors used for records storage and only one (which I've been in) which is used to hold prisoners on their court dates. Plenty of wasted space there as well.


The plumbing on two of the floors of the jail in the courthouse doesn't work that's why its used for storage space. Also the county building has asbestos in the ceiling and throughout the building. We have way too many civil judges that don't do anything, while the criminal judges are over worked and don't have enough space in some of there courtroom to hold there docket in. Moving the state courts closer to the jail would be a great idea but I don't think it will ever happen because of money. The courthouse has had a lot of updating in the past several years such as plumbing, Electric, and HVAC. They (the County) at one time was thinking of building a judicial complex and a new jail but I think the cost was way too much. I do agree there is a ton of wasted space up there.

Here are a couple of renderings.

I believe the first one is the police HQ and the second would be the courthouse.

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

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

my eyes aren't coping well with the tiny image at 9. Was it said where they will build? I assume in the same general area, but I am curious.

If they build it close to where it is now, maybe the city could build a parking garage for it and share it with the Civic Center. That would help during events. Otherwise, it looks to have a planned surface parking lot.

The proposal is to build the courthouse just to the north of the current complex and the police HQ to the south. Then, they would tear down the old one inbetween.

And I agree Rover, once that is razed it would be a good site for a multi-level garage.

About time they replaced the OCPD headquarters. Have you ever walked by and looked at the building from the West? When the temporary bus terminal was in the parking lot east of the county jail, there were boarded up windows and the place looked like junk. Haven't seen it lately, but I doubt it is any better now.

No new general obligation bond issue to pay for this for another 6 years:
http://www.okc.gov/bonds2007/

The bonds are projected to be sold over a 10-year period, from 2008-2017.

Most of the funding WAS secured in the 2007 G.O. bond (all measures easily passed)
http://www.okc.gov/bonds2007/BondSections.aspx?propParam=7&propText=PROPOSITION%207%20(POLICE)

PROPOSITION 7 (POLICE) ($41,200,000 )
The police headquarters and courts complex, built in 1964, is in dire need of renovation to address plumbing, electrical, air and space concerns. The three-story building will be renovated to better serve officers and staff. Proposition 7 also includes funds for a police briefing station in southwest Oklahoma City and a new detox facility.

Read more: http://newsok.com/oklahoma-city-council-to-consider-options-for-new-police-headquarters-court-building/article/3610015#ixzz1ZrpxrmHt

But the council will still have work to do once it decides if and how to go about renovating or replacing the buildings, because they aren't yet funded. ... Police officials hoped for funds to be included in a 2007 general obligation bond issue, but the city council did not include enough money for an expansive renovation or replacement in the package presented to voters.
Not exactly true, most of the funding ($41,200,000) WAS approved by the voters in the 2007 G.O. bond issue, so they ARE funded. If they plan on using additional bonds, can't do that for another 6 years as the 07 one was a 10 year issue and doesn't end until 2017. Better build it now, when the construction costs are relatively low. If they wait another 6 years for the bond and who knows how long after it passes (projects can be 10 years out from passage), costs will have increased even more. In other words they will be in the same boat they are in now. They probably could have built it for the amount passed if they had done it 4 years ago! Plus aren't sales tax revenues way ahead of projections? Unless they have already spent that money, there should be enough to make up for the current "shortfall"???

thanks for looking that up Larry .. i thought i remembered that in the bond issue

Actually, the County office building works fine and is full of empty or underutilized space. There are large parts of several floors that aren't even finished out, the clerk's records could be digitized and warehoused or disposed of and most of the 2nd floor would be free again. The facade could use some work, but I don't really get too concerned about the facade of our county office building. There are bigger fish to fry.

Um no. As someone else mentioned, it's complete crap from top to bottom. Not to mention the fact that every square inch of the place is the same as it was in the 50's when they built the thing. The police station is waaaaaaaay better off than the county building.

I agree with Midtowner. I would put the county offices in the absolute worst office space available downtown. I would then find the runner-up to that glorious building, and put the police department there. But coming up with an extra $9 million to get a shiny new edifice somewhere else downtown isn't too bad of a deal if it really is needed...

I agree with Midtowner. I would put the county offices in the absolute worst office space available downtown. I would then find the runner-up to that glorious building, and put the police department there. But coming up with an extra $9 million to get a shiny new edifice somewhere else downtown isn't too bad of a deal if it really is needed...

You want to renovate those two buildings or just occupy them as is? Is this sarcastic?

Well if you want my real opinion, I think they should occupy those buildings as-is and donate the funds for a new facility to the Emerson Alternative School or to the Little Flower Catholic Church down on S. Walker... but I am NOT surprised that they're going to get a new police HQ after all. I was surprised we had our priorities right in the first place even though the study came back suggesting they spend a lot more money on a new facility. I guess they were trying to pinch pennies to get the bond issue passed. Now the FOP will be enormous hypocrites next time they oppose more quality of life spending...

I am a little tired of all this guns and badges spending when we have terrible police force overlap, all these departments (county, city, suburbs, et al.) are extraordinarily well-equipped, and yet we have the worst school and health system in the NATION. There are like 80 prisons under construction or in planning in Oklahoma right now. Everyone in the state is probably spending more on prisons than on schools right now. How could someone who cares about that NOT be weary by now? Let's just face it. This is an issue that when it comes to it, Okies just suck. I don't know what these people are thinking.

But I would really hate for any cops making $55,000/year, driving brand-new interceptors, with incredible benefits packages that bring their taxpayer cost up to $80k, to have to work in a building that is over 40 years old. That would really be embarrassing, more so than South OKC's teenage pregnancy rate...

Seriously? You just made no sense. Trimming annual budget is not related to bond issues. Bonds are one time payments....meaning you don't staff with them. You pay for things like this....capital. So saying the FOP is a hypocritical group makes no sense.

I would agree that the overlap is bad on the police force, but I blame the Sherrif's department, not OCPD. We have more officers than ever, and more people in jail than ever. But in case you missed it, crime is at the lowest point in the recorded history of man as well. Especially violent crime. And that's been proven in study after study recently. And your little rant about Okies, not cool man. Just because you go visit somewhere doesn't mean your opinion now comes from on high either, it gets old.

And if you knew anything about the officers (don't call them cops), you wouldn't say that either. They sure don't start at 55, they often start working the night shift so they don't get to see their families. They DON'T all have new cars, but the next time you want an officer to respond to a call at your house, i think you'll be happy that they aren't driving the raggad crap jallopies they had in the late 80's and early 90's. Yeah they have a pretty good benefits package like the fire department. But anyone that wears a bullet proof vest on a daily basis probably deserves that kind of assistance....just ask Katie Lawson about that one (and just for the record, she and I went to the same Elementary, Jr. High, and High school and are only 1 or 2 years apart). Although I was never personal friends with her, she is friends with some of my friends. I would say her recent experience shows that a lot of what they get is warranted. But of course you know better as youre currently visiting another city that does everything better than us stupid okies.

It seems that the City Council proposal is for a new municipal court building. I don't think that will have any bearing on our Oklahoma County Courthouse.

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

Would it kill them to be a little more ambitious and historical with their designs?

Here is the new Duval County Courthouse currently under construction here in Jax and the Orange County Courthouse that opened in Orlando a few years ago.

http://www.metrojacksonville.com/photos/thumbs/lrg-4613-courthouserendering3.jpg

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0Q4Z9qooyaA/TSjxLuoOuPI/AAAAAAAAAiQ/k4cmI5MfyWE/s1600/cths90.jpg

Would it kill them to be a little more ambitious and historical with their designs?

Just because its a goverment building doesn't mean it has to be a copy of a copy of a bad copy of greek architecture. I understand the notion of classism in government and that all of our political foundations lie in ancient greece and blah blah blah, but I hate the tendency to mimic the past (often poorly) using technology of the present. The current renderings might not be the most architecturally significant work done in the last decade, but at least it features function over facade. You can keep your nonstructural columns in jax.

I kind of like the columns, but then again, i'm going to Rome, Messina, Athens and Ephesus next week.

To each his own -

The current renderings might not be the most architecturally significant work done in the last decade, but at least it features function over facade.

Why can't something be nice and functional? The proposed design so far looks like it could be lcoated in any generic office park. Civic buildings are supposed to be held to a little higher standard - they represent the people. They should by majestic and inspiring.

Why can't something be nice and functional? The proposed design so far looks like it could be lcoated in any generic office park. Civic buildings are supposed to be held to a little higher standard - they represent the people. They should by majestic and inspiring.

I see nothing wrong with making the building majestic and inspiring, I just don't find mock ancient architecture to be inspiring in the least. I would love to take a trip to rome and greece for the architecture, the difference is, the columns on the Parthenon, actually served a purpose. There is a difference between finding beauty in function and slapping up fake collumns all around a building because "thats how a government building is supposed to look". I find a building much more inspiring when it is innovative, rather than regurgitated. Would you try to "dress up" a modern day car to make it look like a horse and buggy?

Either way, more construction => more density, so it is something to be optomistic about.

I see nothing wrong with making the building majestic and inspiring, I just don't find mock ancient architecture to be inspiring in the least. I would love to take a trip to rome and greece for the architecture, the difference is, the columns on the Parthenon, actually served a purpose. There is a difference between finding beauty in function and slapping up fake collumns all around a building because "thats how a government building is supposed to look". I find a building much more inspiring when it is innovative, rather than regurgitated. Would you try to "dress up" a modern day car to make it look like a horse and buggy?

Actually this anti classic attitude is softening among the architectural circles. It is sort of yesterday's attitude with an awareness that you can actually use old or ancient styles in modern buildings. Leveraging something classic is different than mocking the past. Just do it well if you do classic. To ignore classic design quality is like saying that the only good art these days is electronic, so throw away the oil paints. LOL. Modern day arrogance. There is a reason classics are classics.

Well if you want my real opinion, I think they should occupy those buildings as-is and donate the funds for a new facility to the Emerson Alternative School or to the Little Flower Catholic Church down on S. Walker... but I am NOT surprised that they're going to get a new police HQ after all. I was surprised we had our priorities right in the first place even though the study came back suggesting they spend a lot more money on a new facility. I guess they were trying to pinch pennies to get the bond issue passed. Now the FOP will be enormous hypocrites next time they oppose more quality of life spending...

So they should continue to operate in facilities that have been deemed inadequate for operations and transfer bond money voted to a specific purpose to whatever random thing decided today.


I am a little tired of all this guns and badges spending when we have terrible police force overlap, all these departments (county, city, suburbs, et al.) are extraordinarily well-equipped, and yet we have the worst school and health system in the NATION. There are like 80 prisons under construction or in planning in Oklahoma right now. Everyone in the state is probably spending more on prisons than on schools right now. How could someone who cares about that NOT be weary by now? Let's just face it. This is an issue that when it comes to it, Okies just suck. I don't know what these people are thinking.

Corrections is about 7 percent of the state budget, the average city spends more than half it's budget on schools.

I see nothing wrong with historic replication, be it in architecture or automobiles. In fact, I wish he had not just more of it, but a lot more of it.

http://images.thecarconnection.com/lrg/2011-ford-mustang-gt_100303513_l.jpg

http://www.roadandtrack.com/var/ezflow_site/storage_RT_NEW/storage/images/media/images/2011-dodge-challenger-r-t-classic/2329288-1-eng-US/2011-dodge-challenger-r-t-classic.jpg

I would agree that there isn't anything wrong with using history as an inspiration. Although I do feel like something Roman wouldn't fit in....maybe we could go for something more Art Deco for our own history.

I would agree that there isn't anything wrong with using history as an inspiration. Although I do feel like something Roman wouldn't fit in....maybe we could go for something more Art Deco for our own history.

Of course historic replication needs to fit in with local history so Art Deco would be fine with me. I could go for something like a scaled down version of Los Angeles City Hall.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3539/3485452526_61094b4ce6.jpg

http://newsok.com/oklahoma-city-council-chooses-maps-3-use-tax-for-police-hq-funding/article/3625744?custom_click=pod_headline_oklahoma-city-news

Well i can't say i'm very excited in the design of the buildings...it's just the modern version of what they built before. I don't understand why so little effort is put into municpal buildings. Just because it's government doesn't mean it has to be boring and dull.

Well i can't say i'm very excited in the design of the buildings...it's just the modern version of what they built before. I don't understand why so little effort is put into municpal buildings. Just because it's government doesn't mean it has to be boring and dull.

again, that is just a conceptual design by an artist, doesn't necessarily mean it will turn out that way. Until they secure an architect of record for the project, I wouldn't get to caught up in the conceptual renderings...

Well i can't say i'm very excited in the design of the buildings...it's just the modern version of what they built before. I don't understand why so little effort is put into municpal buildings. Just because it's government doesn't mean it has to be boring and dull.

Agreed. Since this is part of the Civic Mall they shoud be Art-Deco.

If this is going to be built downtown it definitely needs more parking. And not a parking garage either, I want a nice shiny parking lot on all sides.

If this is going to be built downtown it definitely needs more parking. And not a parking garage either, I want a nice shiny parking lot on all sides.

LOL. If you want a shinny parking lot on all sides then this needs to be relocated to the canal.

Agreed. Since this is part of the Civic Mall they shoud be Art-Deco.

I agree, Kerry. The design should at least be Art-Deco inspired or friendly.

Agreed. Since this is part of the Civic Mall they shoud be Art-Deco.

This.

But I don't fault them for wanting a building that is essentially a miniature replica of the Pentagon. Well played, OCPD.

This rendering was in the Oklahoman today and I had not seen it previously.

Looks like they plan to build a new city jail between the other two proposed buildings:

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

No Pete, that's the old city jail, which has been closed for about a decade. They will not be tearing it down, but rather will be waterproofing it and sealing it in for future consideration for who knows what...

I was comparing this earlier...

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j286/UnFrSaKn/Downtown%20OKC/OKCPD.jpg

So what is the large building in the middle of the pic (just to the left of the old City Jail that appears to be the start of the bright shiny parking lot Skyline wanted ;-)

on edit: I presume the building is the current police headquarters since it look like it is attached to the old City Jail. They are just flip-floping the building/parking locations??

I guess I have to ask - why tear down the old building at all. Build the new one and re-purpose or sell the old one.

It was going to cost more to renovate the building than to build a new one??? Also, cant just eliminate that surface parking lot, can we??? LOL

It was going to cost more to renovate the building than to build a new one??? Also, cant just eliminate that surface parking lot, can we??? LOL

Then sell it and use the money to help pay the cost of the new one.

It was going to cost more to renovate the building than to build a new one??? Also, cant just eliminate that surface parking lot, can we??? LOL

Scary, stop the presses, breaking news:

Either way, more construction => more density, so it is something to be optomistic about.

Not really. They'll be tearing down the old facilities, so we'll have another surface parking lot where the old buildings stood. Of course, the new building is being built on a surface parking lot.

Just reading all of this. I know they said Bond Issue, but does anyone else hear a subliminal MAPS 4? Not to be flippant, but I assume this sort of thing would appeal the the police union and minimize the fallout experienced last time.

Granted, I have no real idea. It just seems as though such needs/proposals time out nicely with a future initiative. Thinking about it, we are only 5 years away with the items identified in four- if history is any guide.

Just reading all of this. I know they said Bond Issue, but does anyone else hear a subliminal MAPS 4? Not to be flippant, but I assume this sort of thing would appeal the the police union and minimize the fallout experienced last time.

Granted, I have no real idea. It just seems as though such needs/proposals time out nicely with a future initiative. Thinking about it, we are only 5 years away with the items identified in four- if history is any guide.

this will be under construction well before it's time for a MAPS4 election.

The current timeline for MAPS 3 runs through 2021 so I don't think we'll be seeing a MAPS 4 for at least 10 more years.

While the MAPS 3 construction will be ongoing, the tax ends at "12:00 am on January 1, 2018". Presume an election will be held a few months before that so the next MAPS (if passed) will pick up where the current one leaves off...not allowing it to lapse by even 1 day or it would be an obvious tax increase even though the rate would remain unchanged...yeah, I know it is a game of semantics, but a game that the City knows very well how to play. Just like this MAPS took effect immediately upon the ending of the Arena tax and it took effect immediately upon the ending of MAPS 4 Kids. We should be having a MAPS 4 election sometime in 2018, just 6 years away.

With the tax ending 01/01/18, any M4 election would come in 2017, likely fall and 5.5 years away. They won't wait until after the tax stops to have another vote

With the tax ending 01/01/18, any M4 election would come in 2017, likely fall and 5.5 years away. They won't wait until after the tax stops to have another vote

Still most of the cost is being payed with 2007 bonds and they had several options presented for how to cover the rest, unless they phase the project then waiting just makes it cost more both in inflation and one of them (I think the courts) needs some expensive work done soon if a replacement is not happening in the near future.

The current timeline for MAPS 3 runs through 2021 so I don't think we'll be seeing a MAPS 4 for at least 10 more years.

Yeah, but the collection itself is over 7 1/2. They will want to have an initiative in place as to not have the penny leave the scene.

I did not know 2007 bond issue money was involved. It's simply amazing all of the projects that are on the list from that election in 2007.

Still, I would not be surprised that this (or some part of it), might end up being a MAPS "carrot" of some kind.

fwiw, I'm not suggesting the court or police project will have any Maps funds. I was just addressing Larry's dates and the past practice of the city to set a new tax to take effect as the old one is expiring. To have a new collection process in place, the election has to come before 01/01/2018

With the tax ending 01/01/18, any M4 election would come in 2017, likely fall and 5.5 years away. They won't wait until after the tax stops to have another vote

Fubar on my part...you are absolutely right...thanks for correcting it

From the jail article from today: "Design work is under way now for a new headquarters and municipal courts building."

Read more: http://newsok.com/oklahoma-city-seeks-proposals-to-redevelop-old-city-jail/article/3693814#ixzz21BTFDXgz

Does this mean that they're back to the drawing board or just moving along with this concept?

I hope they are re-workig that entire abomination they threw out there the first time.

Does this mean that they're back to the drawing board or just moving along with this concept?

The original renderings we saw were just conceptual.

I'm sure they still have lots of work to do with the final design. I take this as a sign everything is moving forward.

The original renderings we saw were just conceptual.

This has always been one of my complaints with the City of OKC. Why are all of the conceptual renderings ALWAYS some crappy design that is not fit for the area. It doesn't matter if it is a boulevard, core to shore housing, the convention center, the new city jail/courthouse, or radiant apartment buildings by the river. They can never seem to move past the idea of large setbacks, 100' wide streets, buildings in a park, surface parking lots, etc. Who does these renderings or approves them to be released to the public?