Wow, it will have to be totally reconfigured.

I suspect the outside will have to be altered somewhat.

I wouldn't be surprised if work stopped for a while so they can recalibrate.

Perhaps if they hadn't taken so long to get the stupid thing built, they would have been far enough along to complete it as is. Now we've los structures in favor of some stupid crap leased building. This is the point where i wish i had a magic wand that made the company finish what they promised....sort of like Dell...where's that 3rd building?

Perhaps if they hadn't taken so long to get the stupid thing built, they would have been far enough along to complete it as is. Now we've los structures in favor of some stupid crap leased building. This is the point where i wish i had a magic wand that made the company finish what they promised....sort of like Dell...where's that 3rd building?

Could have been worse, it could have sit unfinished as is for years. At least they'll finish the building.

Hopefully, they'll still have A Good Egg group restaurant facing the park as originally planned. The rest of the stuff (gym, auditorium) would never have been seen/used by the general public anyway. SD already has a small gym and auditorium in the building directly east of their tower, and I'm sure that structure isn't going anywhere any time soon.

I also remain very concerned about Kerr/Couch Park. The rebuilding was to be paid for by SandRidge and Chesapeake and the programming was to be covered by SandRidge. Hopeully the City has commitments in writing from both companies that would have to be honored by the new boards.

The new board sound like punks;Wall Street is all about a quick dollar anymore. It's not like its uncommon for a Fortune 5000 to have amenities. In the long-run this is probably a net-win for downtown as it will add much needed Class A space to the market, and I predict will fill up quickly. It will also be less vacant space on market in the event SD was to get bought out or relocated.

The new board sound like punks;Wall Street is all about a quick dollar anymore. It's not like its uncommon for a Fortune 5000 to have amenities. In the long-run this is probably a net-win for downtown as it will add much needed Class A space to the market, and I predict will fill up quickly. It will also be less vacant space on market in the event SD was to get bought out or relocated.

Maybe for Fortune 500 companies but Im not sure Fortune 5000 companies, one with a market cap of barely $2bil should be spending $100MM on an amenities building. Just like they shouldnt have been compensating Tom Ward over $20MM/year.

I agree Metro. Wall Street has become one big progress trap. It is hard for companies to implement business strategies that take a few years to develop when the stock is traded by people trying to make a profit in nano-seconds. I think a stock transaction tax would do a lot more for this country than just raise revenue.

Anyhow, back to the subject.

If given the choice between an amenities building and 100,000 sq feet of class A space, give me the class A space. Like Metro said, this will fill quickly. Maybe McClendon will relocate his new operation.

So let me get this right: SandRidge is NOT completing the amenities building but instead they are going to proceed with construction to instead make it 100% lease-able class A office space?
Where in the world are they going to park? Companies are leaving the CBD because they can't get parking spaces for new employees!

No major companies.. They have more negotiation power.
But through lease renegotiation we are seeing smaller companies not getting added parking spaces so we are having to look elsewhere.

We really are at a stage 5 critical parking shortage downtown.

No major companies.. They have more negotiation power.
But through lease renegotiation we are seeing smaller companies not getting added parking spaces so we are having to look elsewhere.

We really are at a stage 5 critical parking shortage downtown.

2 garages will be done soon and Sandridge owns the garage right across the street so maybe they will offer spaces to whomever the tenants are. Plus, more and more housing is being built in the area so hopefully that will off-set some demand from job growth.

The amenities building will still be completed, however the interior will be reconfigured as 100% leasable space. Apparently the new board nixed the amenities/perks.

Without going into details, this report is premature. Not saying it WON'T happen. But the board has not yet made this decision.

No major companies.. They have more negotiation power.
But through lease renegotiation we are seeing smaller companies not getting added parking spaces so we are having to look elsewhere.

We really are at a stage 5 critical parking shortage downtown.

Is that like on the Fujita scale or something??

Perhaps if they hadn't taken so long to get the stupid thing built, they would have been far enough along to complete it as is. Now we've los structures in favor of some stupid crap leased building. This is the point where i wish i had a magic wand that made the company finish what they promised....sort of like Dell...where's that 3rd building?

Thus is what happens when your political philosophy is to bend over backward to advance corporations. It's the will of the people.

Maybe for Fortune 500 companies but Im not sure Fortune 5000 companies, one with a market cap of barely $2bil should be spending $100MM on an amenities building. Just like they shouldnt have been compensating Tom Ward over $20MM/year.

Ding ding ding. I work for a fortune "50" company and the gym at our headquarters is about as good as the one at your local high school. But the business is run within its means and job security is second to none. Fancy buildings and world-class perks are great, but not sustainable when you're cashflow negative and blowing money on ludicrous incentive packages, a fleet of private jets, etc, etc.

I will be a little surprised if construction on this is not halted. Maybe they are simply past the point where it's worth it to stop. Maybe they can rework the plans and find a buyer.

Perhaps if they hadn't taken so long to get the stupid thing built, they would have been far enough along to complete it as is. Now we've los structures in favor of some stupid crap leased building. This is the point where i wish i had a magic wand that made the company finish what they promised....sort of like Dell...where's that 3rd building?

Which is why we should allow demolition only when there are approved plans ready to go. We lost developable buildings and could end up with nothing significant. I noticed the Hale Photo site is now for pay parking. Another empty lot on Broadway following empty promises.

Which is why we should allow demolition only when there are approved plans ready to go. We lost developable buildings and could end up with nothing significant. I noticed the Hale Photo site is now for pay parking. Another empty lot on Broadway following empty promises.

In the case of Sandridge, approved plans were ready to go and they will building everytihing in the plan that got approved. What we need to ask in the future is, are corporate plazas and urban forest a better use for downtown land than buildings, even if those buildings need to be redeveloped. If KerrMac, the YMCA, and Indian Temple were standing today I bet the current board would be wanting to sell them as fast as they could. Now they are stuck with a huge bill for maintaining non-revenue space. I imagine their landscaping bill is pretty heafty.

Which is why we should allow demolition only when there are approved plans ready to go. We lost developable buildings and could end up with nothing significant. I noticed the Hale Photo site is now for pay parking. Another empty lot on Broadway following empty promises.

the hale building was condemned ..

Is that like on the Fujita scale or something??

Yes, we have an F5 parking shortage! ha-ha!

I have not heard estimated completion dates for the upcoming garages: Dowell extension & next to City Hall garage.
Anyone heard dates?

No major companies.. They have more negotiation power.
But through lease renegotiation we are seeing smaller companies not getting added parking spaces so we are having to look elsewhere.

We really are at a stage 5 critical parking shortage downtown.

That's strange, because I can always park downtown whenever I want to.

That's strange, because I can always park downtown whenever I want to.

that's only because you don't mind crossing a street... most people in this city define no parking as in they are not able to park withint 50 ft of the door in which they need to enter

that's only because you don't mind crossing a street... most people in this city define no parking as in they are not able to park withint 50 ft of the door in which they need to enter

If they can't walk more than 50 feet and cross a street then it's on them.

2 garages will be done soon and Sandridge owns the garage right across the street so maybe they will offer spaces to whomever the tenants are. Plus, more and more housing is being built in the area so hopefully that will off-set some demand from job growth.

I park in the Sandridge garage and can tell you it's beyond full. Like someone said they haven't been renewing or extending existing leases for small companies hiring new employees. Sante Fe is packed as well. Garages during the day are packed, but at night parking is definitely no issue.


That's strange, because I can always park downtown whenever I want to.

I too had this mindset using street parking at any given time, but now that I have leases at two DT garage spaces I can assure you my thoughts have changed for daytime FT employee parking.

I've heard from two good sources that the decision has already been made to turn this building into office space.

It's a good thing they are as far along as they are, otherwise I think the plug would have been pulled completely.


I'd be surprised if the outside didn't change as well. Remember, this was all designed around a large auditorium, a basketball gym, racquetball courts... All uses with large open spans and huge ceilings.

I park in the Sandridge garage and can tell you it's beyond full. Like someone said they haven't been renewing or extending existing leases for small companies hiring new employees. Sante Fe is packed as well. Garages during the day are packed, but at night parking is definitely no issue.


I park there too and don't work for Sandridge. We have been speculating on how long we will be allowed to park there before we get booted. I think at the time they bought it they promised 3 years. But they are NOT allowing us to get new parking spaces.

I'd be surprised if the outside didn't change as well. Remember, this was all designed around a large auditorium, a basketball gym, racquetball courts... All uses with large open spans and huge ceilings.

I was thinking just this and I really hope they keep the design true to the original concept and current design. We have enough yawn-inducing boxes in the CBD, so let's hope this one doesn't dissolve into a chasm of "boring-ness". Given its location and the older surrounding buildings, this building really has the opportunity to be a focal point and "freshen up" that part of the CBD.

I was thinking just this and I really hope they keep the design true to the original concept and current design. We have enough yawn-inducing boxes in the CBD, so let's hope this one doesn't dissolve into a chasm of "boring-ness". Given its location and the older surrounding buildings, this building really has the opportunity to be a focal point and "freshen up" that part of the CBD.

So eloquently put without writing a 5 paragraph essay. I agree wholeheartedly.

I wonder if this building turns into a money maker for Sandridge if they might divest themselves of other downtown properties or maybe even develop additional Class A space on their land.

I wonder if this building turns into a money maker for Sandridge if they might divest themselves of other downtown properties or maybe even develop additional Class A space on their land.

Get into the commercial real estate development biz like Chesapeake? Doubtful.

It's pretty clear by the actions of the CHK and SD boards that they are looking to shed non-core assets.

I would be very surprised if SandRidge doesn't sell some or all of the properties they own along Broadway.

Get into the commercial real estate development biz like Chesapeake? Doubtful.

I was thinking more a long the line of leasing the land to a private developer. Of course, they could always sell the amenities building when it is done.

SandRidge was due to start moving employees into the Braniff Building this spring/summer.

It will be interesting to see if they do that or instead move them into the tower, as they are in the process of remodeling the last few floors.

Wonder when we will see revised building plans for this 11 story building...

The amenities building will still be completed, however the interior will be reconfigured as 100% leasable space. Apparently the new board nixed the amenities/perks.

SandRidge changes plans for new buildings | News OK (http://newsok.com/sandridge-changes-plans-for-new-buildings/article/3804656)

Interesting that the inside will be completely reconfigured but the outside will stay pretty much the same.

And that's good news that SandRidge and Chesapeake are planning to stand by their pledges to rebuild Kerr/Couch Park.

And that's good news that SandRidge and Chesapeake are planning to stand by their pledges to rebuild Kerr/Couch Park.

Its only fitting that they rebuild it. The park can serve as a memorial to the great Sandridge and Cheaspeake boom and bust of the early 2000's. lol

Wouldn't the building have to be taller if they went to 11 stories? Believe the proposal was for 5 or 6 originally.

Maybe the nix of auditorium and gym will give them vertical room inside for additional floors?

If you look at space not finished on the east side of the Dowell Center, it matches up with the first 11 floors of that building.

Typically, modern buildings have higher floors but doesn't look like that will be the case here.

Originally Posted by CuatrodeMayo

The amenities building will still be completed, however the interior will be reconfigured as 100% leasable space. Apparently the new board nixed the amenities/perks.

As Steve pointed out and from his article...

The 120 Robert S. Kerr building, previously referred to as the “amenities building,” was scheduled to be a five-story structure home to a restaurant, auditorium, fitness center, day care center, rock climbing wall and other accommodations for SandRidge employees. ... the 120 Robert S. Kerr building construction is limited to the foundation and an elevator tower currently rising from the ground.

While they may be planning on building class A office space, doesn't sound like it is going to be immediate or building the shell and reconfiguring the space???

They could theoretically go taller on the east end to make it 11 stories, while keeping the original height where it abuts the Dowell Center.

I hope the exterior doesn't change much. I really liked the design.

Its only fitting that they rebuild it. The park can serve as a memorial to the great Sandridge and Cheaspeake boom and bust of the early 2000's. lol

The public taking a lesson would be an even better way to memorialize the bust, but that won't happen bc this is hardly the first bust. Something in the water is making us Okies, even and esp the ones in OKC, predisposed to worship big corporations. It's not even the biggest example of a corporate bust in the 2000s or even in the 2000s on this site.

The thing is that anyone in government who tries to force that change, unless elected running on the issue, is going to be in wanton neglect of the will of the people. Planners have to be public servants and the citizens, as much as they might worship big corporations, set the agenda - not planning textbooks.

But we did raze a LOT of Downtown's old ugly buildings so that SandRidge would be happy and reward the good little people of OKC with more jobs. Or something like that.

Parts of the lessons to be learned from the SandRidge Pied Piper Experiment (as I'm calling it) are that:

The SandRidge proposal was adopted because of a tip-o-the-hat to a major downtown corporate interest ... sister corporate interests rallied in their support and city offices were predisposed and inclined to give optimistic expectation that the proposal would actually be accomplished regardless of the contrasting certainty that architecturally and historically significant structures would be demolished (the balance being tipped in favor of the expectation). At one point in the process, SandRidge's attorney even suggested, perhaps threatened, that SandRidge might leave downtown were its proposal not accepted ... ha ha, but who is the joke on now?

One of the things that we've hopefully learned is that a project proponent's that talk is cheap and means very little, if anything at all.

If the city is to embrace a chamber corporate pied piper approach and its proposal for a major transformation project downtown (and perhaps elsewhere), the city must do a better job of evaluating and testing the credentials of the pied piper, e.g.: How economically viable is the particular pied piper ... will it be in the city for a long while? What might the city do to insure that the piper's promises will be kept?

I have some doubt that many in the city planning, design approval process, and city council had on any polarized sunglasses as the SandRidge proposal went through its processes. Their glasses were more likely rose colored, except that I seem to recall that the chair of the downtown design review committee would have required a performance bond as a condition of approval, even though her idea was rejected by the committee.

Not all downtown corporate citizens would fail to meet muster in the "corporate viability" test. The Devon Energy proposal put forward by Larry Nichols is an obvious case in point.

I guess that my point is that every flash-in-the-pan or other downtown corporate presence should not be given a green-light presumption, hoping as we will for the success of that company generally.

Now, we know that the rose colored glasses approach was a mistake. We, and, to be sure, the chamber of commerce, can learn from that, and do better next time around.

The one problem with your post Doug is that Sandridge will have built everything in their plan. The only thing that changes is that the buildings will be leased to other companies. In fact, converting the amenities building to office will make room for even more people downtown.

The bottom line is - Sandridge did everything they said they were going to do. Because of the conversion they might have to even do a little more - like build/expand a parking garage. Maybe they should have converted the amenities building to residential instead of office.

I agree to a point with what you all have said but as I've said a few times, while it would've been better if they had incorporated more of the buildings into their site plan or sold them as opposed to knocking them down, you can't discount the good that they've contributed. They did a first class job renovating the tower and Braniff building and it looks like the amenities/office building and Kerr park will be very nice as well. Also, the landscaping looks good even if it was completely annoying that they knocked down 2+ buildings to put it in. Though the plan could've been better, they still completely revitalized a massive hole in the CBD, so regardless of what happens this has been far from a disaster. If you're going harp on the bad, you can't throw out the good.

LOL - this is probably something all of us will never agree on. Personally, I think the original plan WAS the disaster and they executed it almost flawlessly.

Having taken a in-depth tour of the tower (and an under construction Braniff Building) I can tell you I was incredibly impressed. You'd have to see the interiors to fully appreciate what they've done.

I absolutely hate they tore down those buildings, especially the one on the corner of RSK and Robinson. But getting past that issue, everything else has been first class.


One silver lining to all this is that if SandRidge is looking to downsize and generate income from it's property holdings, perhaps at some point a building can be placed back at that corner. It could be done while keeping the upper plaza because there is a massive open space there now, and that's among the most prime real estate in the entire CBD.

Here is the area I mentioned above...

There is plenty of space on that corner and it could be developed without completely throwing away the large canopy and plaza between the tower and the Braniff Building:

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/sd5113.jpg

The one problem with your post Doug is that Sandridge will have built everything in their plan. The only thing that changes is that the buildings will be leased to other companies. In fact, converting the amenities building to office will make room for even more people downtown.

The bottom line is - Sandridge did everything they said they were going to do. Because of the conversion they might have to even do a little more - like build/expand a parking garage. Maybe they should have converted the amenities building to residential instead of office.

Well stated. Also, nobody could have predicted that SandRidge would be in this situation. In my opinion they have just slowed down growth to appease their investors then they will eventually grow into that space making it exactly what they intended it for. Just sometime down the road..

Having taken a in-depth tour of the tower (and an under construction Braniff Building) I can tell you I was incredibly impressed. You'd have to see the interiors to fully appreciate what they've done.

I absolutely hate they tore down those buildings, especially the one on the corner of RSK and Robinson. But getting past that issue, everything else has been first class.


One silver lining to all this is that if SandRidge is looking to downsize and generate income from it's property holdings, perhaps at some point a building can be placed back at that corner. It could be done while keep the upper plaza because there is a massive open space there now, and that's among the most prime real estate in the entire CBD.

I've been inside both as well and was thoroughly impressed. I hope someone redevelops that corner, that was also my biggest problem with the plan. A new building there wouldn't hurt there plaza concept much at all. Hopefully, it will work out that way.

I've been inside both as well and was thoroughly impressed. I hope someone redevelops that corner, that was also my biggest problem with the plan. A new building there wouldn't hurt there plaza concept much at all. Hopefully, it will work out that way.

Is there a picture of the building that stood at that corner of RSK and Robinson? I don't remember it...

Not the best shot but past the 3 level, half way through the 4th. How many are there?3693

Is there a picture of the building that stood at that corner of RSK and Robinson? I don't remember it...

Here is what the corner used to look like. This was before Kerr McGee messed it up.

http://blog.newsok.com/okccentral/files/2010/01/pollard.JPG

Okay, so it was the Kermac building. I can't tell from Steve's blog, but was there a building east of the Kermac, situated just to the south of what is now SandRidge's headquarters?

It's a shame that Kerr McGee screwed that corner up so badly in the first place. Just sickening.

another link? "Forbidden"

Try this one: 2010 January | OKC Central (http://blog.newsok.com/okccentral/2010/01/)

What a lost opportunity with the destruction of the KerMac building. I can only imagine what a flat on the upper floors of that building would sell/rent for at that location. Ah well, maybe some day that corner will be redeveloped.

Not the best shot but past the 3 level, half way through the 4th. How many are there?3693

Eleven. It was revealed in the Journal Record (credit to Molly Fleming) that Sandridge would be using 8 floors, so only 3 are actually going to be leased out.

Also, on a slightly related note, in the same article, there have already been 3 companies, all energy-related, that have expressed interest in leasing some of the space in Braniff. So that space will probably go relatively quickly.

Um.... I'm sticking with what I wrote - the entire Parkside building (formerly Amenities building) is set to be leased out. There are two floors of the building that will consist of utilities, mechanical systems.

Could have been worse, it could have sit unfinished as is for years. At least they'll finish the building.
They could have had the same fate that so many other buildings had, be turned into a surface parking lot.


No major companies.. They have more negotiation power.
But through lease renegotiation we are seeing smaller companies not getting added parking spaces so we are having to look elsewhere.

We really are at a stage 5 critical parking shortage downtown.
Most companies elsewhere don't get more than a few spots included in their lease, us regular employees are left on our own to find parking. That is how it has been for me in Downtown Dallas and the LoDo area of Downtown Denver. Most of my friends who work in Downtown Austin also have the same issue, parking is an extra we employees get to pay on our own for the "privilege" of working downtown. When I was at TAP that was the only time my parking was included in the job, in Dallas 20 years ago I had an allowance that covered a good portion of my parking fee and these days very few companies offer anything for parking.

The one problem with your post Doug is that Sandridge will have built everything in their plan. The only thing that changes is that the buildings will be leased to other companies. In fact, converting the amenities building to office will make room for even more people downtown.

The bottom line is - Sandridge did everything they said they were going to do. Because of the conversion they might have to even do a little more - like build/expand a parking garage. Maybe they should have converted the amenities building to residential instead of office.
Error should be admitted and acknowledged. When I wrote my post, I was speaking from my gut and emotions and not from my head. I was mistaken to do so.

Is there a picture of the building that stood at that corner of RSK and Robinson? I don't remember it...

If you go to the googlemaps.com streetview to the east and west of the buildings, you can see what it used to look like. They haven't updated the streetview in years. The Devon tower is no where to be seen, the Myriad Gardens have not been touched and Bob Howard, just west of the arena, is still in business. If you look at EBONS (East of Broadway on Ninth Street), those buildings haven't been touched and the county assessor shows the Iguana building being renovated in their 2008 picture.