Here's what I know:

Mark Beffort told all other potential tenants they have a deal signed that will take every bit of existing space in the Braniff, save the ground floor and the energy company that just moved in on the 8th floor.

He told them there will be an official announcement in a couple of weeks.

Everyone who follows the office space market downtown agree it's Crowe Dunlevy. It's just about the perfect size and it sounds like Continental is giving them incentive to vacate their building sooner rather than later because CLR needs the space.


I also learned with the Braniff now 100% full, downtown is painfully low on decent-sized spaces. Not counting the Parkside building and project yet to start construction (like Dowell Center, the new Journal Record Building, etc.) there are only four spaces in the CBD with more than 20,000 square feet, which is one to two floors, depending on the development:

Leadership Square (the Thunder vacated an entire floor)
100 Park
101 Park
Chase Tower


That's it.

Judy Hatfield told me on Monday she was showing the space to a "huge" tenant". I bet this is it.

I'll see if I can get her to confirm.


Would be great news, not only to fill this building but to create space for Continental to grow in their existing building.

Judy is brokering the SR space?

Judy is representing a 25,000 square foot tenant who now has to look elsewhere.

Mark Beffort is (was) leasing the Braniff space.

Heard today that Crowe and Dunlvey signed a lease for basically all of the remaining space in the Braniff Building except the first floor.

this is correct.

So THIS is GREAT NEWS, BUT what does this mean in light of the news of Cotter Ranch/Chase Tower vacancies? I wonder how much longer we can go with virtually ZERO spec building, before actively looking companies choose out of state (depending on where they're from) OR to move to more readily available suburban space?

Rick Dowell needs to get off his ass and renovate his building. Same with Chase Tower.

Perhaps we'll be getting an announcement soon-ish regarding the Preftakes block.

Rick Dowell needs to get off his ass and renovate his building. Same with Chase Tower.

Perhaps we'll be getting an announcement soon-ish regarding the Preftakes block.

You obviously don't know Rick Dowell, move fast and his name usually don't belong in same sentence.

It's safe to say that he is in it for the long haul. The really, REALLY long haul.

He will wait at least until after the Parkside Building and Kerr/Couch Parks are complete.

He will wait at least until after the Parkside Building and Kerr/Couch Parks are complete.

Not to be too crass, but what's the possibility he's not dead by then? He's not exactly a spry young man... What happens if he does pass - does he have family to take over his goals, or a business partner or a trainee?

He will wait at least until after the Parkside Building and Kerr/Couch Parks are complete.

Safest prediction I have ever heard postulated on this board, ever.

Safest prediction I have ever heard postulated on this board, ever.

Yeah, not exactly going out on a limb on that one. :Smiley259

Crowe & Dunlevy to Braniff:

One of Oklahoma's largest and oldest law firms is set to fill remaining space in downtown Oklahoma City's Braniff Building | NewsOK.com (http://m.newsok.com/one-of-oklahomas-largest-and-oldest-law-firms-is-set-to-fill-remaining-space-in-downtown-oklahoma-citys-braniff-building/article/4838499)

Crowe & Dunlevy to Braniff:

One of Oklahoma's largest and oldest law firms is set to fill remaining space in downtown Oklahoma City's Braniff Building | NewsOK.com (http://m.newsok.com/one-of-oklahomas-largest-and-oldest-law-firms-is-set-to-fill-remaining-space-in-downtown-oklahoma-citys-braniff-building/article/4838499)

Took them long enough for official announcement. Was on here March 13, 2014. See post #306

Crowe & Dunlevy moving to Braniff Building
By: Molly M. Fleming The Journal Record May 19, 2014 0

OKLAHOMA CITY – SandRidge Energy’s historic Braniff Building is now 100-percent occupied, with law firm Crowe & Dunlevy planning to move in by summer’s end.

Crowe & Dunlevy will move 197 employees into 75,000 square feet, with 70,000 square feet at the Braniff Building and 5,000 square feet at City Place. The firm now has its Oklahoma City office in the Continental Resources building. Continental Resources Vice President of Public Relations Kristin Miskovsky said her rapidly growing company just broke the 1,000-employee mark and will fill the space rather than pursue another tenant.

“Crowe & Dunlevy has been an anchor tenant in the building as long as anyone can remember,” Miskovsky said. “The Braniff Building is beautiful; we’re very happy for them.”

Crowe & Dunlevy President Kevin Gordon said the firm’s lease at the Continental building doesn’t end until October 2015.
“We are interested in more space and a longer lease,” he said.

The law firm will have a 10-year lease at the Braniff Building with an option for an additional five years, said Tim Heskett, director of office services for SandRidge Energy. He said his company is excited to have the building 100-percent occupied, with SandRidge taking up 90 percent of the building and Osage Exploration occupying the eighth floor.

One office floor was previously leased to Osage Energy.

Is Osage no longer in the Braniff Building?

Is Osage no longer in the Braniff Building?

They are still there; Crowe & Dunley is just taking everything else.

Is Osage no longer in the Braniff Building?

They're on the 8th floor.

Continental over 1,000 employees. They had 255 when they moved just a few years back.

WoW.

What's the ballpark figure on how many employees Continental's building can hold?

By the time Crowe actually moves and CLR takes their space, I'm sure the building will be completely full.

There are very few options for Class A space in downtown. They will likely have to lease at the Parkside Building or old IRS Building before long.

They have to be working on a longer-term plan because it would take 2-3 years for a new building to be open for business and by that time there may not be enough space downtown for them anywhere.

Dowell needs to move on rehabing the his building (inside and out) for class A. There are enough housing projects going on but not enough office projects...

What is stopping Continental from buying the Chase building and doing a renovation to Class A? I recall Chase building (Cotter) is now at around 55% vacancy?

Could have floors renovated to Class A as they need the space, and overflow into Class B until other floors are brought up to spec?

While everything has a price, I don't see Harold wanting to pay what James would want to get.

Also, there are "only" 11 empty floors (5-14 and 19) - enough for a good sized tenant, but not for a growing Continental.

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7480/15242311894_3e55387a83_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/pdUQhW)
Braniff Building (https://flic.kr/p/pdUQhW) by lazio85 (https://www.flickr.com/people/77483833@N04/), on Flickr

I love this building so much! It was my in-laws favorite building here in OKC (they are from Houston). Devon of course has a soft spot in my heart but Devon and Braniff are my 1a and 1b favorites.