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I wish at least one portion of these was going to be taller than 4 stories. Maybe the hotel will come in at 8 or 9 stories to give it some variation.

That's supposed to be the plan

All star game will come to the next arena. Some time around 2035

Is this going to be part of the sales pitch for a new arena?

Brooks & Co. are in the process of selling off the west parcel to a Texas group that owns and operates a bunch of existing hotels. Couldn't determine exactly which brands, but like most similar hotel groups they have a bunch of different ones.

In the agreement with OCURA (who meets tomorrow to consider this for approval) this parcel was designated for an "upscale hotel".

Of course "upscale" is a highly arbitrary term, but at least it sounds promising.


http://www.okctalk.com/attachments/development-buildings/4406d1379348519-steel-yard-eb9413a.jpg

Brooks & Co. are in the process of selling off the west parcel to a Texas group that owns and operates a bunch of existing hotels. Couldn't determine exactly which brands, but like most similar hotel groups they have a bunch of different ones.

In the agreement with OCURA (who meets tomorrow to consider this for approval) this parcel was designated for an "upscale hotel".

Of course "upscale" is a highly arbitrary term, but at least it sounds promising.

So, a Best Western, nice...

So, a Best Western, nice...
where are you getting that from?

where are you getting that from?

He's joking.

My original source stated that the brand (which I won't name, because it's been 2 years) is on par with Hampton Inn and Holiday Inn Express.

He's joking.

My original source stated that the brand (which I won't name, because it's been 2 years) is on par with Hampton Inn and Holiday Inn Express.

Wasn't it stated at one time that we were likely going to see a Hyatt Place here?

So, a Best Western, nice...

If it looks like this Best Western I say bring it on.

http://media.expedia.com/hotels/1000000/20000/11400/11363/11363_59_b.jpg

He's joking.

My original source stated that the brand (which I won't name, because it's been 2 years) is on par with Hampton Inn and Holiday Inn Express.

Yeah, I was joking. A lot of times we hear things are going to upscale and they end up not being so. I actually stayed at a Best Western in Paris but over there, they are completely different than here. Most of them anyways.

If it looks like this Best Western I say bring it on.

http://media.expedia.com/hotels/1000000/20000/11400/11363/11363_59_b.jpg

Not enough brick. :p

He's joking.

My original source stated that the brand (which I won't name, because it's been 2 years) is on par with Hampton Inn and Holiday Inn Express.

So it ISN'T an upscale hotel.

That location is actually pretty far from Bricktown proper and especially the CBD to be upscale. I hope it's a reasonably nice midrange brand though.

Wasn't it stated at one time that we were likely going to see a Hyatt Place here?


I was the one that posted that. It's not firm information but whatever goes in will likely be similar.

For the love of god, I just hope it has centralized HVAC so we don't have to hear the incessant complaints on here about the individual through-the-wall units.

For the love of god, I just hope it has centralized HVAC so we don't have to hear the incessant complaints on here about the individual through-the-wall units.Is it bad to complain about that? I don't the through-the-wall type set-up.

Not at all. It's just that it is repeated ad nauseam.

Is it bad to complain about that? I don't the through-the-wall type set-up.

I do not have an issue with them, so long as they work, preferably with a minimal noise level, when I am in the room.

I do not have an issue with them, so long as they work, preferably with a minimal noise level, when I am in the room.

I, personally prefer the noise when I'm sleeping. The White Noise drowns out the people who are oblivious to the fact that others may be trying to sleep on the other side of those doors.:mad:

Not at all. It's just that it is repeated ad nauseam.I was probably me, sorry lol.... they are one my pet peeves... along with above ground utility lines and such :0

For the love of god, I just hope it has centralized HVAC so we don't have to hear the incessant complaints on here about the individual through-the-wall units.

Wow...OKCTalk posters DO listen. :)

I, personally prefer the noise when I'm sleeping. The White Noise drowns out the people who are oblivious to the fact that others may be trying to sleep on the other side of those doors.:mad:

There's an app for that...

Wow...OKCTalk posters DO listen. :)

:p

What is it called and does it have a fan option? I can't sleep with waves or brooks.

There are quite a few actually, but these two both are pretty good (for ios):

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/white-noise/id289894882?mt=8

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/sleep-fan-get-restful-sleep/id406829815?mt=8

Thanks, Urbanized.

You're welcome!

Motel 6 Radio Ads - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1cVRMGEL5GY)

What is the drilling rig doing on the site?

What is the drilling rig doing on the site?

Core samples?

What is the drilling rig doing on the site?

Yes, core samples.

Where was/is this located?

On the west end of the property (which is the hotel site) or more towards the middle, which would be for the proposed housing?

Pete, IF these are for the hotel property. Is that a sign that they want to do a more significant structure? 8-10stories?

Yes, core samples.

Where was/is this located?

On the west end of the property (which is the hotel site) or more towards the middle, which would be for the proposed housing?

Towards the center.

Could be either environmental sampling (due diligence to prove lack of environmental encumbrance to get financing because of known past issues) or geotechnical sampling for design purposes and financing as well. Geotechnical report would be required regardless of height. It's become standard practice for loans for new construction.

Hopefully for Rover they are testing soil compaction to make sure it will support the massive centralized HVAC system... :p

Most likely geotechnical sampling. It's pretty much standard practice for commercial construction. It is used by the structural engineers to design the foundations.

Actually, in my experience, it will be almost entirely discarded by structural engineers who will say drill to refusal and build on piers founded on bedrock or to a crazy depth to deflect liability.

I, personally prefer the noise when I'm sleeping. The White Noise drowns out the people who are oblivious to the fact that others may be trying to sleep on the other side of those doors.:mad:

White noise is one thing. Clackety clackety clunk clackety clunk due to being poorly maintained is a whole nuther critter. Way worse than having teens, shriekers or tweekers in the adjacent rooms.

Hopefully for Rover they are testing soil compaction to make sure it will support the massive centralized HVAC system... :p

Maybe, but the sum total for centralized is less since it takes thermal diversity into accounts. But, I appreciate the shout out.

Actually, in my experience, it will be almost entirely discarded by structural engineers who will say drill to refusal and build on piers founded on bedrock or to a crazy depth to deflect liability.

lol...I think I know what structural engineering firm you are talking about.

White noise is one thing. Clackety clackety clunk clackety clunk due to being poorly maintained is a whole nuther critter. Way worse than having teens, shriekers or tweekers in the adjacent rooms.

True. Plus, higher end hotels don't usually NEED white noise. They are well built and little sound penetrates from room to room. Tere is a reason why PTACs go in cheaper built hotels usually. Cheapening the mechanicals often means that many things about the construction are cheapened. When you are selling PTACS as a way to cover ambient noise, that should tell you something.

You can see the drilling rig from the SandRidge webcam:

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/steelyard031014.jpg

I'm just going to say that this rig is not behaving like it is doing geotechnical work. (1) It is much much larger than either of the rigs I saw doing soil sampling preconstruction at Rex Elementary and the Bank of America parking lot. (2) It has remained parked in one spot for several days, not hopping around like a soil sampling operation would be doing.

My hunch: They encountered an undocumented 1930's-era oil well there, and had to bring in a rig to properly plug it.

There was mention of some snag they recently encountered.

Plausible. Somewhere (Doug's blog? Steve's book?) there exists a startling photo of Bricktown in the thirties (I believe) absolutely FORESTED with oil wells. When you look at it you are amazed that ANYTHING could be built here today considering modern environmental requirements.

that rig is awfully close to Sheridan, and I know there are lots of utilities running through that site that will have to be moved under Sheridan before this project begins. Perhaps they hit something?

Actually, in my experience, it will be almost entirely discarded by structural engineers who will say drill to refusal and build on piers founded on bedrock or to a crazy depth to deflect liability.

You are hiring the wrong structural. I think most geotech reports I get tend to be on the conservative side for foundation loads...

I saw today what looks like 2 cement trucks, one water truck and a large blue cement pump. This is definitely an oil well plugging job. There must be a number of complications, as they don't seem to be moving especially fast with it. Who knows what the expense of this is, but probably in the hundreds of thousands of dollars. I'm guessing this kind of thing was not in their budget.

I don't know about that. They knew there were MAJOR underground problems with the site. That is specifically the reason they received the federal grant; brownfield reclamation. Before everything was finalized I discussed the project with Craig Brown and he said they knew they would be doing remediation on site for a long, long time before anything came out of the ground.

Isn't that to be expected from a brownfield site? What a wonderful federal program, by the way.

It is a wonderful program, but funding for single projects is limited to about $80MM/yr. Individual projects are limited to $200K for assessment and $200K for abatement. That's not a lot for a site of this size and character.

It is a wonderful program, but funding for single projects is limited to about $80MM/yr. Individual projects are limited to $200K for assessment and $200K for abatement. That's not a lot for a site of this size and character.

It seems bizarre that they would choose the same amount for a max of assessment and abatement.

It seems bizarre that they would choose the same amount for a max of assessment and abatement.

Sometimes the assessment involves lots and lots of work to simply define the extent of the problem. Think of an old dry cleaner dumping tri-chlor-ethylene out the back door for years. That's a lot of drilling and monitoring and lab work, and folks that do that work don't work cheap.

Plausible. Somewhere (Doug's blog? Steve's book?) there exists a startling photo of Bricktown in the thirties (I believe) absolutely FORESTED with oil wells. When you look at it you are amazed that ANYTHING could be built here today considering modern environmental requirements.

Does anyone know how Doug has been?

Does anyone know how Doug has been?


He came out as a Shadid supporter and got flamed pretty bad in the Mayor's race thread. Haven't seen him post in weeks, and I assume this is the cause.

He came out as a Shadid supporter and got flamed pretty bad in the Mayor's race thread. Haven't seen him post in weeks, and I assume this is the cause.

Not that badly. The arguments with mkjeeves and Edgar were much more heated.

I'm still disappointed he never posted the blog post he mentioned that was going to explain his reasoning.

Does anyone know how Doug has been?

2-17-14

He's still alive and kicking and hosting RetroMetroOKC meetings...

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/9322497/Photos/IMG_9561.JPG

Not that badly. The arguments with mkjeeves and Edgar were much more heated.

Yes but those two are internet trolls. Doug is a real person. With feelings.

Yes but those two are internet trolls. Doug is a real person. With feelings.

That's funny.