Preservation Oklahoma just today filed with the Board of Appeals to overturn the decision to demolish Stage Center.

Will be heard at the BOA meeting on March 6th.

On what ground did they file their appeal?

At this stage, all you can see is that they filed. The application won't be available to view until about a week before the meeting.

Noble effort - one they pretty much have to undertake to remain loyal to their mission - but the chances of that decision being overturned are less than zero.

Noble effort - one they pretty much have to undertake to remain loyal to their mission - but the chances of that decision being overturned are less than zero.

Yeah. They pretty much have to take whatever steps are available to try and preserve one of the few "one of a kind" structures in Oklahoma, no matter what interests are on the other side, if for nothing else just to stay relevant.

Group seeks to block destruction of Oklahoma City's Stage Center | News OK (http://newsok.com/group-seeks-to-block-destruction-of-oklahoma-citys-stage-center/article/3927856)

Interesting.

I wonder how long until they are forced to back down because their funding is threatened. Again.

My goodness! So we have to look at that run down building even longer? If they can't get the funding to fix it up, and upkeep, then it's futile to even try and block this. I'm all for preserving historic buildings that can be made into something with funding. These preservationists want us to pay for the upkeep that we dont really need.

Rightfully they should lose a fruitless appeal. If they want to save it buy it and renovate it themselves. Otherwise they need to get outta the way. Some buildings can be saved. This fecal pile cannot be flushed soon enough.

Rightfully they should lose a fruitless appeal. If they want to save it buy it and renovate it themselves. Otherwise they need to get outta the way. Some buildings can be saved. This fecal pile cannot be flushed soon enough.

lol

Now we know why RW built in some buffer time between demolition and construction.

If I was RW, I would give them 30 days to claim it and remove the old structure. But it would be at their expense. But the "Bulldozers" would be there on March 1 and begin the demo of the site.

My goodness! So we have to look at that run down building even longer? If they can't get the funding to fix it up, and upkeep, then it's futile to even try and block this. I'm all for preserving historic buildings that can be made into something with funding. These preservationists want us to pay for the upkeep that we dont really need.

This is a bad argument. Say we were talking about your house that you don't want to let go of (RW doesn't want to let go of his prime real estate). How would you propose I get the funding to fix your house so it's not an eyesore next to mine?

This site has been in the hands of powerful interests since Stage Center was built. The issue goes deeper than you realize. By the way I don't think you are for HP, but I could be wrong. Everyone is for HP of a shiny new building that has been preserved and MADE NEW, but very few people support the diamondin the rough.

And you can be anti-preservation, that's fine, just admit it. If you're for knocking these bldgs down then that is what you support, you're a demolitionist, not a preservationist. Not that there's anything wrong with that, as Seinfeld would say.

“We remain confident in our case and look forward to presenting it to the Board of Adjustment,” Williams said. “We have a unique opportunity to transform this abandoned property into an active, usable space, and we're very excited to do so.”

Glad to see RW's "world class" rhetoric has finally subsided, and he is admitting what we are really getting. Usable and active. I've moved into the "if it is just going to sit there and rot, let's stop fighting the inevitable and get the ball rolling" camp.

My goodness! So we have to look at that run down building even longer? If they can't get the funding to fix it up, and upkeep, then it's futile to even try and block this. I'm all for preserving historic buildings that can be made into something with funding. These preservationists want us to pay for the upkeep that we dont really need.

I've come to a realization about this city. OKC has, for a long time, had a very negative self-image. This is beginning to change but we've had this problem since basically the Dust Bowl days. As a result, the only things we really value, as a city, are those we admire in other places. If there's something in this city we love, it's because it is just like something else in another city. This is actually a fairly common sentiment in smaller cities. It's beginning to change here (note the public's general positive reaction to the Skydance Bridge), but Stage Center was already touched by those negative perceptions.

None of this means that Stage Center was a good project or a bad project, worth saving or not worth saving. It just means that a piece of what is effectively modern art built during the 70s in OKC was not going to win many hearts. If it was something that was built today I think it would have a lot better chance of getting public acceptance, if it was new and we hadn't seen it before.

As time goes by in this city, and we start getting a lot of the things that other cities have (an NBA team, a streetcar, urban neighborhoods, things like that), I think the city will become more self-confident and a bit more adventurous in the type of architecture they will accept.

like.

This style is not appreciated here, nor is it elsewhere. It hasn't survived and been duplicated. It is a curiosity with certain historic implications. As a useful building it has failed. Whether it deserves to be removed...probably not. But lets not make it a referendum on Okie culture.

This is a bad argument. Say we were talking about your house that you don't want to let go of (RW doesn't want to let go of his prime real estate). How would you propose I get the funding to fix your house so it's not an eyesore next to mine?

This site has been in the hands of powerful interests since Stage Center was built. The issue goes deeper than you realize. By the way I don't think you are for HP, but I could be wrong. Everyone is for HP of a shiny new building that has been preserved and MADE NEW, but very few people support the diamondin the rough.

And you can be anti-preservation, that's fine, just admit it. If you're for knocking these bldgs down then that is what you support, you're a demolitionist, not a preservationist. Not that there's anything wrong with that, as Seinfeld would say.

No, I was all for saving the Skirvin. I'm all for saving buildings in film row. I'm all for rejuvenating First National. My deal is they were all sustainable buildings for years. The Stage Center has been nothing but a money pit for the city. It's had issues from day 1. I spent some of my childhood in that building. I bet a lot of those that are trying to save it, have not even stepped foot in the building before. All they see is a unique building. Nothing more.

So, I'm not a demolitionist. I'm for saving buildings that can be saved, while making them into something that is worthwhile. I'm sure some creative mind could think of something it could be, but would it be worth spending all the money( tax payer money I might add) to rebuild and upkeep the building, when the majority want to see it go? Does the minority always have to win in debates like this?

How do you feel about the Preftakes block being cleared? Those are useable, functional buildings so that site should be the benchmark for support of preservation.

How do you feel about the Preftakes block being cleared? Those are useable, functional buildings so that site should be the benchmark for support of preservation.

I answered your question here in the Preftakes block thread.

How do you feel about the Preftakes block being cleared? Those are useable, functional buildings so that site should be the benchmark for support of preservation.

I'm all for saving several of them. Especially, the ones that Pete and Steve have heard are being made into housing/hotel/mixed use buildings. The area that is rumored for another Devon Tower is okay for demo to me. DT needs to start to even out. The two mid-rises on Stage Center site, 4th and Hudson and Preftakes Block towers would create some much needed depth to OKC skyline. Now, I also like towers with good street interaction on bottom couple of floors. I know you agree with me on that sentiment.

I've come to a realization about this city. OKC has, for a long time, had a very negative self-image. This is beginning to change but we've had this problem since basically the Dust Bowl days. As a result, the only things we really value, as a city, are those we admire in other places. If there's something in this city we love, it's because it is just like something else in another city. This is actually a fairly common sentiment in smaller cities. It's beginning to change here (note the public's general positive reaction to the Skydance Bridge), but Stage Center was already touched by those negative perceptions.

None of this means that Stage Center was a good project or a bad project, worth saving or not worth saving. It just means that a piece of what is effectively modern art built during the 70s in OKC was not going to win many hearts. If it was something that was built today I think it would have a lot better chance of getting public acceptance, if it was new and we hadn't seen it before.

As time goes by in this city, and we start getting a lot of the things that other cities have (an NBA team, a streetcar, urban neighborhoods, things like that), I think the city will become more self-confident and a bit more adventurous in the type of architecture they will accept.

Good points. I also think its partially because OKC lacks a strong musical or artistic legacy and most of what it did have was destroyed in urban renewal. Oklahoma City is a blank slate in many respects., or at least was by the 1990s. Today, OKC keeps hitting new milestones faster and faster. For instance, a lot of people think its ridiculous there is so much excitement over one CVS going to Century Center. However, chain corner retail downtown is a huge milestone and once its built it will be on to the next big milestone. Costco will be a milestone for the city as will a full service downtown grocery store (though I have mixed feelings because I want Native Roots to survive). After that, it's on to taller residential structures. As this city comes into its own, I think uniqueness will start to be valued more.

Also, you are right in that the inferiority complex is common in many small cities. When I lived in Little Rock it was very strong except there wasn't the perception there that things were getting better like there is in OKC.

Good points. I also think its partially because OKC lacks a strong musical or artistic legacy and most of what it did have was destroyed in urban renewal. Oklahoma City is a blank slate in many respects., or at least was by the 1990s. Today, OKC keeps hitting new milestones faster and faster. For instance, a lot of people think its ridiculous there is so much excitement over one CVS going to Century Center. However, chain corner retail downtown is a huge milestone and once its built it will be on to the next big milestone. Costco will be a milestone for the city as will a full service downtown grocery store (though I have mixed feelings because I want Native Roots to survive). After that, it's on to taller residential structures. As this city comes into its own, I think uniqueness will start to be valued more.

Also, you are right in that the inferiority complex is common in many small cities. When I lived in Little Rock it was very strong except there wasn't the perception there that things were getting better like there is in OKC.

You lost me when you said OKC doesn't haveva strong musical legacy.

You lost me when you said OKC doesn't haveva strong musical legacy.

You're absolutely correct. OCU has long been one of the premier performing arts universities in the country.

You're absolutely correct. OCU has long been one of the premier performing arts universities in the country.

Don't think for a second that facts or thinking beyond surface stereotypes will stop bchris02 from his normal routine.

I went to OCU for my undergrad ('06) and worked as staff (admission counselor) for a year ('08-'09). The kids I recruited for the performing arts came from everywhere. Sophomores and juniors would make OCU one of their most important visits and the auditions we had were always packed with kids from all over the country.

Count Basie's Orchestra and the modern jazz rhythm section have roots in Deep Deuce, before they ended up in Kansas City (which claimed the history). Charlie Christian was the first featured soloist on an electric guitar and a major influence on everyone from Chuck Berry and BB King to Jimi Hendrix. He was playing a Gibson ES-150 with the "Charlie Christian pickup" years before Les Paul designed his solid body electric, and he's in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as an early influencer.

Bob Wills relocated to OKC from Waco before he found his biggest fame, and his jilted Texas sponsor hadn't extorted the OKC radio station carrying his show, OKC's Farmers Public Market Building would probably today be known as The Home of Bob Wills instead of Cain's in Tulsa.

OKC was very influential in the early Rock and Roll movement, including being home to the first female rock star, Rockabilly queen Wanda Jackson, who still lives here and is ALSO in the RnR HOF. As mentioned, great performing arts history out of OCU, which has produced multiple Broadway performers/stars.

When you factor the influence OKC and the surrounding metro has had on country music including Vince Gill, Toby Keith, Garth Brooks (the greatest-selling artist of all time list reads: 1. Beatles 2. Elvis 3. Garth), I think it's fair to say that OKC has actually had a pretty profound influence on music and the performing arts.

... I think it's fair to say that OKC has actually had a pretty profound influence on music and the performing arts.

There you go, again, spouting fact after fact. Two Words: STOP IT.

There you go, again, spouting fact after fact. Two Words: STOP IT.

That's not fact. OKC is a blue collar town and there is are no arts here. /sarcasm

OKC gets little recognition for its music history. You think Seattle, you think grunge. You think New Orleans, you think jazz. We don't have any association like that. The average person doesn't think OKC equals any of the people he just listed off.

That's not saying we don't have good musical talent that has come out of here. But people don't traditionally associate us with it.

And I am highly offended he left off Color Me Badd.

You're absolutely correct. OCU has long been one of the premier performing arts universities in the country.

That's a credit to the dance school, which is Top 5-10 in the country, not the music school, which as a whole is somewhere between Top 40 and Top 60. The Opera/Music Theater program is the strongest focus and is a Top 20 - 25 school in the country for that focus, but the instrumental program has some major deficiencies.

Count Basie's Orchestra and the modern jazz rhythm section have roots in Deep Deuce, before they ended up in Kansas City (which claimed the history). Charlie Christian was the first featured soloist on an electric guitar and a major influence on everyone from Chuck Berry and BB King to Jimi Hendrix. He was playing a Gibson ES-150 with the "Charlie Christian pickup" years before Les Paul designed his solid body electric, and he's in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as an early influencer.

Bob Wills relocated to OKC from Waco before he found his biggest fame, and his jilted Texas sponsor hadn't extorted the OKC radio station carrying his show, OKC's Farmers Public Market Building would probably today be known as The Home of Bob Wills instead of Cain's in Tulsa.

OKC was very influential in the early Rock and Roll movement, including being home to the first female rock star, Rockabilly queen Wanda Jackson, who still lives here and is ALSO in the RnR HOF. As mentioned, great performing arts history out of OCU, which has produced multiple Broadway performers/stars.

When you factor the influence OKC and the surrounding metro has had on country music including Vince Gill, Toby Keith, Garth Brooks (the greatest-selling artist of all time list reads: 1. Beatles 2. Elvis 3. Garth), I think it's fair to say that OKC has actually had a pretty profound influence on music and the performing arts.

So…tell me where in OKC I can go to see a world-class musical act once every week?

The history means nothing if the culture doesn't care to embrace it and foster it.

Same thing with the Stage Center. We have a significant piece of architecture sitting on our porch, but that means nothing to anyone either from inside or outside the city because our culture doesn't embrace and foster it.

So…tell me where in OKC I can go to see a world-class musical act once every week?

The history means nothing if the culture doesn't care to embrace it and foster it.

Same thing with the Stage Center. We have a significant piece of architecture sitting on our porch, but that means nothing to anyone either from inside or outside the city because our culture doesn't embrace and foster it.
What does that say about the arts community itself, that it couldn't seem to sufficiently fund and properly support this "treasured" piece of architecture?

What does that say about the arts community itself, that it couldn't seem to sufficiently fund and properly support this "treasured" piece of architecture?

An open secret within the arts community is they have never had much use for the building and secretly most of them would probably prefer to see it GONE. Structural art is not something the snooty pinky finger extended crowd cares very much about.

OKC gets little recognition for its music history. You think Seattle, you think grunge. You think New Orleans, you think jazz. We don't have any association like that. The average person doesn't think OKC equals any of the people he just listed off.

That's not saying we don't have good musical talent that has come out of here. But people don't traditionally associate us with it.

And I am highly offended he left off Color Me Badd.

This.

It's not that OKC has not had any great talent or music come out of here. Quite the contrary. This simply isn't a city known for its musical legacy like many others. People outside of OKC probably know the Flaming Lips, Toby Keith, and Garth Brooks but it pretty much ends there.

What does that say about the arts community itself, that it couldn't seem to sufficiently fund and properly support this "treasured" piece of architecture?

lol…the arts community…

There is a fundamental misunderstanding of the Arts by the majority of this country. The Arts are not a commodity created/manufactured and disbursed to individuals…that is called entertainment. The Arts are a COLLABORATION between those who study and train to express themselves in a variety of media (artists) and those who are interested enough to engage the artists and seek to find expressions that edify and describe the world around them (community).

When the majority of the community cannot be bothered to collaborate because entertainment is a far easier (and "less expensive") avenue to satisfy their visual/aural/spatial/etc. cravings there's so little artists can really do to bring art to life in a meaningful way. (http://www.okgazette.com/oklahoma/article-20342-art-funding-cuts-proposed.html)

The subject of the linked article is the second such attempt in as many years.

The Arts are still recovering from a very tumultuous century, and not all communities are making the strides to see that recovery…Entertainment has taken over in the last 75 years, and in this particular market the sports variety of entertainment has seen huge gains thanks to OU football.


ON EDIT: In other words, Artists can't be expected to be business people, and they are NEVER EVER EVER going to look at something from the perspective of "Does this make financial sense". Ever. Never will that happen. Expecting them to come up with a fiscally viable plan is symptomatic of a complete misunderstanding of the Arts.

An open secret within the arts community is they have never had much use for the building and secretly most of them would probably prefer to see it GONE. Structural art is not something the snooty pinky finger extended crowd cares very much about.

And this, my friends, is the average Oklahoman's perspective:

Arts Community = The Snooty Pinky Finger Extended Crowd

This.

It's not that OKC has not had any great talent or music come out of here. Quite the contrary. This simply isn't a city known for its musical legacy like many others. People outside of OKC probably know the Flaming Lips, Toby Keith, and Garth Brooks but it pretty much ends there.

...Reba... Carrie Underwood.... Neal Schon ( Journey ) They were kinda big for the past few decades.

...Reba... Carrie Underwood.... Neal Schon ( Journey ) They were kinda big for the past few decades.

I didn't realize Checotah and Chockie were in the immediate OKC metro...

Jeff Speck's take on the Stage Center Tower graphics currently available:

The replacement bldg is banal, unimaginative, and adds nothing to the streetscape. A better bldg would make this easier.

Way, way off topic here gang.

This thread is about the Stage Center Tower.

Thanks.

Jeff Speck's take on the Stage Center Tower graphics currently available:

The replacement bldg is banal, unimaginative, and adds nothing to the streetscape. A better bldg would make this easier.

Just so I can save Steve the time, Jeff Speck hasn't seen the plans for the new building. None of us have.

This is why we should just do away with demo permit process and make the demo implied in the issuance of a building permit. No demos until everything is in place to build something else.

Just so I can save Steve the time, Jeff Speck hasn't seen the plans for the new building. None of us have.

This is why we should just do away with demo permit process and make the demo implied in the issuance of a building permit. No demos until everything is in place to build something else.

Exactly. I like Jeff, but he is wrong on this.

That's a credit to the dance school, which is Top 5-10 in the country, not the music school, which as a whole is somewhere between Top 40 and Top 60. The Opera/Music Theater program is the strongest focus and is a Top 20 - 25 school in the country for that focus, but the instrumental program has some major deficiencies.

Voice/performing arts is considered top 10 in the country. Very hard to get a scholarship position. BTW, OU performing arts is top 10 as well.

Just so I can save Steve the time, Jeff Speck hasn't seen the plans for the new building. None of us have.

This is why we should just do away with demo permit process and make the demo implied in the issuance of a building permit. No demos until everything is in place to build something else.

Agreed. This is standard in most cities that have this urban process unfolding.

I so hate to keep using Cleveland as an example, but its a good demolition case study bc by 1900 the current city limits were completely filled out and most of the city was built by 1850. My hood is a former Civil War campground. Cleveland's history is nothing more than this insane churning of history and neighborhoods and structures, entire chunks of a huge city shifting uses every few decades, industry moving around and spreading its impact around, and so on. The reason I bring Cleveland up with regards to zoning issues is bc it and NYC are the origin of Euclidian zoning (ie., Euclid, OH of Euclid v. Ambler fame).

Euclid Avenue (Cleve's "Main Street") is arguably the most historically dynamic street in American history with the extremely dramatic changes it has experienced, some tragic, some magnificent. This whole process relies entirely on a demolition permitting procedure.

Thus, having a good demolition permitting procedure is absolutely the smallest thing you can do to make the greatest impact in how an existing built environment changes. When you link the process of taking the old and replacing with new what you do is create a bargaining position that didn't exist before. Suddenly the new is viewed within context of the old and clear, cogent decisions are made. The public review process works to ensure that the new is as good as the old, not worse.

Just so I can save Steve the time, Jeff Speck hasn't seen the plans for the new building. None of us have.

This is why we should just do away with demo permit process and make the demo implied in the issuance of a building permit. No demos until everything is in place to build something else.

Right. He's seen precisely as much as the DDRC did when they voted to demo. Which was part of the reason for posting Jeff's comment.

I agree. Why allow a demo if you are being told there are no architectural renderings for what will replace it and the placeholder sketches are banal and unimaginative?

Voice/performing arts is considered top 10 in the country. Very hard to get a scholarship position. BTW, OU performing arts is top 10 as well.

LOL @ OCU being in the Top 10.

Indiana, Eastman, Rice, Houston, Michigan, Curtis Institute, San Francisco Conservatory, Yale, Manhattan School of Music, Oberlin, Peabody, Colorado, Northwestern, North Texas, Texas @ Austin, Cincinnati CoM, USC, University of Missouri - Kansas City, Illionois are all substantially better music schools overall with ≥ vocal programs.

There are at least a handful more of schools I can't think of right now are better overall music schools than OCU but whose vocal programs are either about even with OCU's or slightly worse..

And I'd love to know who told you OU is remotely close to a Top 10 PA school…They're not even a better than average school amongst the Big 12.

LOL @ OCU being in the Top 10.

Indiana, Eastman, Rice, Houston, Michigan, Curtis Institute, San Francisco Conservatory, Yale, Manhattan School of Music, Oberlin, Peabody, Colorado, Northwestern, North Texas, Texas @ Austin, Cincinnati CoM, USC, University of Missouri - Kansas City, Illionois are all substantially better music schools overall with ≥ vocal programs.

There are at least a handful more of schools I can't think of right now are better overall music schools than OCU but whose vocal programs are either about even with OCU's or slightly worse..

And I'd love to know who told you OU is remotely close to a Top 10 PA school…They're not even a better than average school amongst the Big 12.

Not trying to argue, but your list is off as far as vocal music performance goes. I have a very close relative there now and went through all the recruiting, researching, etc. with her. Most professional vocal coaches would not agree with your list regarding vocal performance.

Stage Center Tower is a project that I would welcome on nearly any other (mostly) open block in OKC. I would not trade it for Stage Center. I have been going to Stage Center since before I completed my degree in the late 80's. I have seen music, performances, plays, storytelling, and professional presentations at Stage Center. Stage Center used to house our local AIA chapter offices. Stage Center used to house OVAC. Stage Center was the designated host facility for the Statewide Historic Preservation Conference in the early 90's (pre-renovation, I think). In addition to great sight lines in the performance spaces, it offers many spaces that during intermissions and fund raising events lend themselves to casual interaction both inside and out. Rainey Williams can go anywhere with OG&E. This is a zero sum gain. Trade one building (or several) for a shiny new one.

I am an architect. I dig tall buildings. I like the idea of local firms getting opportunities to flex their design muscles. I believe we can compete with the best that there is out there from a design standpoint. The Stage Center Tower can begin to fill up some of the acres of open space in the CBD. I just don't want to have this at the expense of a singularly important (if not ugly) work of architecture. If we don't want to consider historic buildings in the Downtown Design District, just remove the language form the ordinance and I will shut up.

^ here here

Stage Center Tower is a project that I would welcome on nearly any other (mostly) open block in OKC. I would not trade it for Stage Center. I have been going to Stage Center since before I completed my degree in the late 80's. I have seen music, performances, plays, storytelling, and professional presentations at Stage Center. Stage Center used to house our local AIA chapter offices. Stage Center used to house OVAC. Stage Center was the designated host facility for the Statewide Historic Preservation Conference in the early 90's (pre-renovation, I think). In addition to great sight lines in the performance spaces, it offers many spaces that during intermissions and fund raising events lend themselves to casual interaction both inside and out. Rainey Williams can go anywhere with OG&E. This is a zero sum gain. Trade one building (or several) for a shiny new one.

I am an architect. I dig tall buildings. I like the idea of local firms getting opportunities to flex their design muscles. I believe we can compete with the best that there is out there from a design standpoint. The Stage Center Tower can begin to fill up some of the acres of open space in the CBD. I just don't want to have this at the expense of a singularly important (if not ugly) work of architecture. If we don't want to consider historic buildings in the Downtown Design District, just remove the language form the ordinance and I will shut up.

There in lies the problem. Only a select few view that rundown building as, "historic". It had its time--very,very short time-- but it's not historic like film exchange, or Skirvin, was historic. That building has been more of an issue than it has been worth it. Again, are we deemed to pay for the minorities view on this, again? If so, it's another in a long line of few get their way over the many. Such a shame in society.

So spell this out for me, are you making a civil rights based argument for demolishing Stage Center?

This is absolutely 100% ridiculous. This whole thing.

If I had an original Picasso, and announced to the world I was going to light it on fire. Someone would probably come out and buy it off my hands to save it.

The city of Detroit had private individuals rally to raise $300,000,000 to save some form of art up there. I don't recall what it was right now. But the people of that city raised $300 million to rescue the arts.

This developer has come in, and said, I want to tear down the Stage Center. The people with the resources to save it, turned their eye.

The people who had ideas to repurpose the Stage Center, couldn't convince anyone to fund their ideas.

What are you going to do to save it? Come out with more ideas? If the people who want to save this, can convince investors, or use their own finances to save this. Go for it. This has been literally rotting for the past several years. It's not like this was hidden and just now revealed to us. If someone wanted to save it, there has been plenty of time to do it. There has been plenty of time to draw up some plans, and gather financing. Again, this wasn't hiding behind a tarp or a fake facade (like the Uhaul Building) only now to be discovered. It has been sitting in front of us for years, never once being a profitable building. Never once being a regularly occupied building. And quite recently, acting as a storm water containment facility. Where have the people been to save this building when it wasn't under threat of demolition?

Is it only now important because it's being threatened? It was not important enough for anyone to generate a viable plan, while it rotted for years. Only now people want to save it?

No one has done it. Now that someone has purchased the property and the (literally) vacant and rotting building. People are up in arms. This is ridiculous.

Kickstarter!

It's probably way too late for that.

This is absolutely 100% ridiculous. This whole thing.

If I had an original Picasso, and announced to the world I was going to light it on fire. Someone would probably come out and buy it off my hands to save it.

The city of Detroit had private individuals rally to raise $300,000,000 to save some form of art up there. I don't recall what it was right now. But the people of that city raised $300 million to rescue the arts.

This developer has come in, and said, I want to tear down the Stage Center. The people with the resources to save it, turned their eye.

The people who had ideas to repurpose the Stage Center, couldn't convince anyone to fund their ideas.

What are you going to do to save it? Come out with more ideas? If the people who want to save this, can convince investors, or use their own finances to save this. Go for it. This has been literally rotting for the past several years. It's not like this was hidden and just now revealed to us. If someone wanted to save it, there has been plenty of time to do it. There has been plenty of time to draw up some plans, and gather financing. Again, this wasn't hiding behind a tarp or a fake facade (like the Uhaul Building) only now to be discovered. It has been sitting in front of us for years, never once being a profitable building. Never once being a regularly occupied building. And quite recently, acting as a storm water containment facility. Where have the people been to save this building when it wasn't under threat of demolition?

Is it only now important because it's being threatened? It was not important enough for anyone to generate a viable plan, while it rotted for years. Only now people want to save it?

No one has done it. Now that someone has purchased the property and the (literally) vacant and rotting building. People are up in arms. This is ridiculous.

Well there was a flood. Then there was a sham RFP. Then it was sold to a developer.

Help me understand how your narrative fits into what really happened.

This is absolutely 100% ridiculous. This whole thing.

If I had an original Picasso, and announced to the world I was going to light it on fire. Someone would probably come out and buy it off my hands to save it.

...

If you had an original Picasso it could be relocated relatively easily to any interested party around the world, plus at this point it would not be an original but a refurbished version that has been damaged again and needs to be redone entirely

A sham RFP? If you respond to an RFP with no funding plan, why would someone accept that?

Even if there's not a formal RFP out, you can still go to the owner and try and broker a deal.

None of that happened.

In fact, there's still no proposal. No one is proposing something that saves it. This is ridiculous.

So spell this out for me, are you making a civil rights based argument for demolishing Stage Center?

I'm making a tax payer argument. It's a nation-wide issue that we pander to the few for just about everything. If you don't believe that, you're living in a different America than me.

Well there was a flood. Then there was a sham RFP. Then it was sold to a developer.

Help me understand how your narrative fits into what really happened.

I have to ask, if you don't live in OKC, and can't vote on any issue, why give your two cents on every issue? Serious question.

Wait...did I miss the part where someone was suggesting taxpayer dollars be brought to bear?