^^^^^^^^^
I haven't paid a lot of attention but assuming historic tax credit requirements have dictated a configuration and materials comparable to the historic windows, which were well-documented visually. They LOOK correct. I have a historic postcard of this building that is postmarked 1910 (with an arrow drawn pointing to a ground floor window and the note "this is the office where I work") that I need to pull out of its frame to scan and post, but I will look more closely at it and see how much these windows mimic the original. I suspect a spot-on match.

What a gorgeous building.

The transformer has been installed in Pioneer Park and that small section of Broadway has been reopened.

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/pioneer061818.jpg

Pete, what is up with the adjacent building? Still owned by AT&T I am assuming, but haven't ever heard anything that I can recall about this building being in play. Wondering if it still has equipment and/or offices in use. I would think that technology would have shrunk their overall footprint dramatically, which is why the Pioneer Building became available. Not even sure I know the name of the blonde brick building, which is pretty remarkable. Those are two of a very few buildings downtown in which I've never set foot. It's a stunning building itself, and looks like a really good candidate for apartment and/or condo and/or boutique hotel conversion.

Pete, what is up with the adjacent building? Still owned by AT&T I am assuming, but haven't ever heard anything that I can recall about this building being in play.

It's been for sale for almost a year. Big For Sale sign on it.

The Oklahoma Historical Society calls the blonde brick building the Telephone Building.

http://www.okhistory.org/research/hmresults.php?mapnoinput=1i&action=Search

It's been for sale for almost a year. Big For Sale sign on it.

Hahaha I missed that...and it's on my way to work! :D

The Oklahoma Historical Society calls the blonde brick building the Telephone Building.

http://www.okhistory.org/research/hmresults.php?mapnoinput=1i&action=Search
Thanks! I probably should have known this from my Automobile Alley days, but I guess it's just such a nonspecific name that I assumed it wasn't the real name and didn't commit it to memory.

Also, the photo on that link is just fantastic (21412.B105.824, Z.P. Meyers/Barney Hillerman Photographic Collection, OHS [map #1I]):

http://www.okhistory.org/images/hillerman/21412.B105.824.jpg

Like the Pioneer Building, the Telephone Building has those blocked-in granite storefronts.

I've never been in any of those AT&T buildings. They all look like some sort of prison complex when you walk by.

I'm working on getting more info on the building from AT&T and will post it when I do.

Yeah I'm pleased to see Pioneer reopened to the street and hope to see the same fate for both the Telephone and OG&E buildings someday. Not 100% sure OG&E had that, but it LOOKS like it could have in the past.

Like the Pioneer Building, the Telephone Building has those blocked-in granite storefronts.

I've never been in any of those AT&T buildings. They all look like some sort of prison complex when you walk by.

I'm working on getting more info on the building from AT&T and will post it when I do.

Good luck; AT&T is notoriously tight-lipped about active facilities for network security reasons. That's much the same reason why virtually all of their older buildings with storefront windows on the ground level were blocked in. That said, if you're at all interested in the history of telecommunications, there's a really neat little museum inside that monolithic AT&T Annex / Toll building at 111 Dean A McGee called the Oklahoma Museum of Telephone History... Very limited hours (only open Monday and Wednesday from 10am to 2pm) but it's very cool. They even have a neat electromechanical telephone switch set up that you can make a call on between a couple of phones to see how it worked. It's run by former AT&T / Southwestern Bell employees. And that way you can say you've been inside one of the AT&T buildings too!

So, more on topic: I assume the last telephone switching operations in the Telephone Building were wound down and transferred to the Toll building next door around the time that AT&T removed the old microwave horn-reflector antennas from the roof back in 2015. This was also about the same time when they announced that they were moving employees into downtown from satellite offices. According to a NewsOK article (https://newsok.com/article/5460360/atts-future-takes-oklahoma-citys-telephone-building-back-to-the-past) from November 14, 2015, the antenna removal was part of a $1.1 million renovation project for the building. Maybe after they spent $2.4 million next door in the Toll building, they realized they didn't need the space in the Telephone building any longer?

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/pioneer063018a.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/pioneer063018b.jpg

Lackmeyer recently commented (maybe in his chat?) about not knowing new electrical components were going in here and that may kill any chances of "fixing" this intersection. Were there ever plans to fix it? I recall a post (from Spartan?) a long time ago that showed what he would like to see, but I don't ever remember it being discussed in any official manner.

Lackmeyer recently commented (maybe in his chat?) about not knowing new electrical components were going in here and that may kill any chances of "fixing" this intersection. Were there ever plans to fix it? I recall a post (from Spartan?) a long time ago that showed what he would like to see, but I don't ever remember it being discussed in any official manner.

Yet, that same reporter published a story with quotes from Andy Burnett about how great this was for the city and failed to mention -- or obviously even recognize -- the entire reason for the park re-do was so the Pioneer Building would have a place for a huge new transformer.

This wasn't a gift to the city, it was something they pledged to do in order to have a home for their electrical equipment.

It's the danger of just running puff-piece PR without doing any research whatsoever. This was all in the plans filed with the city that I posted here some time ago.

And it also shows the importance of trying to get out in front of these public applications before they are approved and work has started. Way too late to do anything about this now.

Lackmeyer recently commented (maybe in his chat?) about not knowing new electrical components were going in here and that may kill any chances of "fixing" this intersection. Were there ever plans to fix it? I recall a post (from Spartan?) a long time ago that showed what he would like to see, but I don't ever remember it being discussed in any official manner.

I saw that too and was surprised he didn't know, since they put out the plans a while ago to redo this little park as it was necessary to install new electrical equipment.

Why are they putting such an extreme angle on the sidewalk? Hard to tell from the pic, but it looks horrible in person.

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I can't tell how bad it is in that photo. But I do know that this area is notorious for flooding easily.

I bet it has to do with ADA access. The building sits so much higher than the street, that either they would have to have a tall curb (safety issue, e.g. falling/tripping), or they would have to raise the street up ($$$), or build a strange sidewalk to avoid both cases.

The steep grade going from the street up to the "red area" is likely so that the red area is flat and can be wheelchair accessible without the wheelchair leaning to one side. It also allows the same flat sidewalk to hit the down angle to meet the street height at the corner without also being at a side-tilt. Finally, all this is likely to bring the ADA compliant red area, up to the same height as the building entrance in green.

That's what I get from looking at it, though. I may not be correct.

https://i.gyazo.com/58e1189d80259fd77d352f8ef2caaa51.jpg

I went to go check the area out.. It is a weird sidewalk, but the non-pavers part is definitely passable. And where the cones are is basically a little step next to a pseudo handicap ramp.



https://i.imgur.com/txsDI6Q.jpg







https://i.imgur.com/uh7i5NU.jpg



https://i.imgur.com/AIWyCjU.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/AIWyCjU.jpg
Ah, yes - the cock sign. lulz

Before they redid the sidewalk, the paved area and sidewalk were level. It also had a ramp and a step with a rail.

Also walk on the South side of the Pioneer building and they’ve angled the sidewalk in a similar way. Must be something new because the rest of the sidewalk on Dean A. McGee is not like this portion.

Before they redid the sidewalk, the paved area and sidewalk were level. It also had a ramp and a step with a rail.

Also walk on the South side of the Pioneer building and they’ve angled the sidewalk in a similar way. Must be something new because the rest of the sidewalk on Dean A. McGee is not like this portion.

I'm sure the renovation triggered the requirement to update to current ADA laws, which is often the case when you start dealing with older structures.

^^^^^^^^
Yep. Probably also has to do with those two access panels and utilities coming from across the street and into the building. The ledge/walkway where the cones are will almost certainly get a railing, and the ADA ramp is now integrated into the sidewalk. The area where the pavers sit was probably just a casualty to all of the above. It’s possible that they could have also made that part flat, but this would have required even more railing.

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/pioneer072918a.jpg

Ah, yes - the cock sign. lulz

They erected that pretty quickly, it wasn’t there the other day.

^^^^^^^^
I see what you did there

They erected that pretty quickly, it wasn’t there the other day.
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Yep, renovation always invokes current ADA. I’m sad to see that tiny park go. It was home to so many of my favorite transients who panhandle me on my way to lunch when I park on broadway to walk to 324

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/pioneer080518a.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/pioneer080518b.jpg

They erected that pretty quickly, it wasn’t there the other day.

Impressive, pretty hard sign to build.

When Passing by the other day I noticed not only how good Pioneer building looks but the building next door is so beautiful now that those microwave tower monstrosities are off of the top of it.

When Passing by the other day I noticed not only how good Pioneer building looks but the building next door is so beautiful now that those microwave tower monstrosities are off of the top of it.

I always imagine the Stay Puft marshmallow man climbing up the side of that building, now that those microwaves are no more

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/pioneer081118a.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/pioneer081118b.jpg

Somebody PLEASE buy that other building!

Boy the juxtaposition of the AT&T building next to the more ornate buildings is pretty awful on the eyes... Does Pioneer have tenants lined up yet? Also, is the building next door empty?

I wonder why they didn't put any trees in with P180 on the east side of the building.

My apologies if this has already been discussed, but why didn't they close off the slip lane in front of the building to make a much larger pedestrian plaza? It could have been a parklet-type space, planted trees, etc. It looks like there's a lot of pedestrian conflict points with that slip lane open for people wanting to cross to the E-NE.


Also - that cock sign is horrible haha - some designer must really be into troll jobs.

The "OKC" sign/fence is blowing up on social media right now.

The "OKC" sign/fence is blowing up on social media right now.

Yes the Cock Ring is internet famous.

Yes the Cock Ring is internet famous.

You heard it here first!!!

The Ring was designed by (or at least planned by) the same landscape architecture firm that designed the monuments for the Clara Luper Corridor on 23rd Street... and I'll let you be the judge of that one.

14886

^

Certainly working a theme!

That firm comes up with some interesting con-cock-tions.

That firm comes up with some interesting con-cock-tions.

Yeah that design team is stiff competition for anyone trying to insert themselves into the monument market here. It seems we were really hard up for public art for so long and now it’s coming out of the woodwork. Excited for what comes next.

Somebody PLEASE buy that other building!

Nah, OKC will do what it always does, just bulldoze it.

Yeah that design team is stiff competition for anyone trying to insert themselves into the monument market here. It seems we were really hard up for public art for so long and now it’s coming out of the woodwork. Excited for what comes next.

How long did it take you to come up with this nonsense? 4 hours? You should see a doctor.

Yeah that design team is stiff competition for anyone trying to insert themselves into the monument market here. It seems we were really hard up for public art for so long and now it’s coming out of the woodwork. Excited for what comes next.

I think it’ll be over quick and you’ll be disappointed

Park looks relatively finished:

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/pioneer090318.jpg

Anyone want to put an over/under on how long until they replace that ring with literally any other design? Hopefully it's as soon as possible.

I miss the old tree... how big are the trees they planted going to get?

I like the ring. It's different.

I like the ring. It's different.
The cock ring?

Yes I have heard they are replacing it with a giant tree figure.

http://ichef.bbci.co.uk/wwfeatures/wm/live/1280_720/images/live/p0/5k/9x/p05k9xk9.jpg

Yes I have heard they are replacing it with a giant tree figure.

http://ichef.bbci.co.uk/wwfeatures/wm/live/1280_720/images/live/p0/5k/9x/p05k9xk9.jpg

At least that is temporary... But that is quite funny.

I really hope the keep the ring. Just embrace it. Don't let it be embarrassing, make it a sort of purposefully done joke (even if it clearly wasn't). I think this is a cool place for travelers to take some pretty goofy photos. And people will really remember it.

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/pioneer090918a.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/pioneer090918b.jpg

I think the "problem", if there is one, is the letters "O K C" don't occur in that sequence often enough. Otherwise the ring does exactly what it was designed to do and looks good IMHO :)

I actually don't see the innuendo at first, I think the first thing I see when looking at is KOCO. I only start to visualize what others see after I force myself to see the letters configured that way. But everybody is different.

Even if they made extra effort to avoid the negative aspect of those letter combinations, the human mind puts it together, like those sentences with jumbled words that you can still read.

Even if they made extra effort to avoid the negative aspect of those letter combinations, the human mind puts it together, like those sentences with jumbled words that you can still read.

Gestalt Psychology