New issue of Territory magazine (#5, I think) has a good article/interview with Fred Hall on the history of the plant, owners, etc. Not online, so can't post it, but find an issue somewhere, definitely worth reading.

Pete,

Do you have an opening date for the hotel yet? I'm surprised by the amount of people that visit FlashBack and still don't know that a hotel is going to open there this year.

Don't think they've set a date but are aiming for spring/summer.

They have made a lot of progress... I go by there just about every night and can see inside now that lights are on.


\

Film Row is going to explode once the hotel and attached housing come online. I would not be surprised that if between now and 2020, Film Row sees a more dramatic transformation than any other neighborhood/corridor in OKC.

An extensive interview with video, as only Steve can do, with Steve Wilson.

http://www.oklahoman.com/article/5471571?embargo_redirect=yes

The video shows already what an amazing space this will be.

BTW, those glass block structures within the hotel are light wells that go from the roof then stop at the ceiling of the ground floor to throw natural light into the art galleries.

Nm

an extensive interview with video, as only steve can do, with steve wilson.

http://www.oklahoman.com/article/5471571?embargo_redirect=yes

the video shows already what an amazing space this will be.

lol

lol

Why am I not surprised at your comment? LOL

Where else are you seeing interviews with a video like this other than some random quick features on the local TV stations?

^^^^^^
Take it to the OPUBCO thread.

From the ADG Twitter feed; from the looks of active computers on desks, it seems they have moved in:

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CYeIIUIUEAAWgO5.jpg:large

While I very happy to see this part of the building come to life, it is just a little too "unfinished" for my taste.

From https://twitter.com/dtOKCbuilds...

South side of the hotel being painted; it's not brick but concrete and will also be largely obstructed by the new apartments and structured parking.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CZHogpZUgAA4rSP.jpg:large

It was painted concrete this whole time? Definitely fooled me!

Only that one side and a portion of the west end. The rest is all brick.

I actually like that paint since they aren't going to brick it. It gives a little more interest and contrast to the building.

^^^^^
Believe it or not, bricking it would actually be frowned upon from an HP standpoint.

I can see this building from my apartment and it's cool to see the upper floors with the lights on.

They appear to be pretty far along with the rooms and are now concentrating on the restaurant, bar and lobby.

I can see this building from my apartment and it's cool to see the upper floors with the lights on.

They appear to be pretty far along with the rooms and are now concentrating on the restaurant, bar and lobby.

Is the restaurant/bar operated by 21C or do they bring in someone outside to operate it?

^^^^^
Believe it or not, bricking it would actually be frowned upon from an HP standpoint.

What about paint over concrete?

I didn't like it at first but It's growing on me.

Is the restaurant/bar operated by 21C or do they bring in someone outside to operate it?

I believe they operate the restaurant and bar themselves.

are they planning cool signage for the water tower? I love this building and looking forward to seeing it complete!

are they planning cool signage for the water tower? I love this building and looking forward to seeing it complete!

I bet they want to keep the Fred Jones signage on the tower.

They have not proposed changing anything about the tower thus far.

I would think they'll leave it largely as-is. The other 21c's have very discrete signage.

What about paint over concrete?

I didn't like it at first but It's growing on me.

In this case there would be nothing wrong with it from an HP standpoint as it was already painted. HP standards frown on any paint being applied to a historically unpainted surface, but if it's already painted all bets are off. Stripping would probably be preferred, but not required.

The same would be true for brick, BTW. But painted concrete or brick would disallow that portion of the building from being included in a historic tax credit calculation, UNLESS the paint itself was historic; for instance a ghost sign. In those instances the recommendation would be that the historic painted surface be stabilized and preserved in its current condition.

An interior example of this is the stenciled detail in the lobby of the Skirvin, on the wall near the elevator. It is difficult to make out, but original, so its preservation was a part of the tax credit calculation.

In this case there would be nothing wrong with it from an HP standpoint as it was already painted. HP standards frown on any paint being applied to a historically unpainted surface, but if it's already painted all bets are off. Stripping would probably be preferred, but not required.

The same would be true for brick, BTW. But painted concrete or brick would disallow that portion of the building from being included in a historic tax credit calculation, UNLESS the paint itself was historic; for instance a ghost sign. In those instances the recommendation would be that the historic painted surface be stabilized and preserved in its current condition.

An interior example of this is the stenciled detail in the lobby of the Skirvin, on the wall near the elevator. It is difficult to make out, but original, so its preservation was a part of the tax credit calculation.

I couldn't remember and thought it was bare concrete, but was just by there and see it was painted before. (Couldn't tell from the photo.) i suppose grey is a little more true to the underlying material than concrete painted the color of brick.

Yes, it was previously painted. Which is why REpainting it isn't a problem in the least.

The biggest knock on painting, BTW, is the unintentional FUTURE damage it causes to otherwise largely weatherproof materials. Paint traps water behind it, water turns to ice, freeze, thaw...etc.. Also paint has to be maintained going forward, so if you are painting a surface that has been UNpainted for a century, you are unnecessarily saddling future owners with new upkeep. Some future owners will be up to the additional painting demands, others not. The ones who are NOT up to it (or another subsequent owner) will one day complain that the building looks ratty or has structural problems - which it WILL have developed courtesy the damaging processes listed above - and will shrug their shoulders and ask for a demolition permit, which they will probably receive. That has been the life cycle for many historic structures not only here but throughout the U.S.. This is a major reason that the HP standard is to leave historically unpainted surfaces alone. The HP standard is attempting to head off a problem before it exists, which hopefully preservationists AND non-preservationists alike can agree is good policy.

But again, once a surface has paint, maintaining or repainting it is generally not making the problem worse, though if at all possible outright removal is of course encouraged.

In the first photo from today, you can see they are installing the last pieces of glass on the NE corner of the building, which will be home to the bar and restaurant.

In the second photo, they installing a mother of a HVAC unit on the roof. It's so shiny and huge it looks like a spacecraft.



http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/21c012316a.jpg



http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/21c012316b.jpg

The interior photos below are of the lobby and gallery area, which is rapidly progressing.

The last photo shows the outdoor bar and dining area; note the accordion doors that will open from the hotel restaurant.



http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/21c020716a.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/21c020716b.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/21c020716c.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/21c020716d.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/21c020716e.jpg

In the first photo from today, you can see they are installing the last pieces of glass on the NE corner of the building, which will be home to the bar and restaurant.

In the second photo, they installing a mother of a HVAC unit on the roof. It's so shiny and huge it looks like a spacecraft.



http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/21c012316a.jpg



http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/21c012316b.jpg


That last shot is pretty neat in that you can see interior partition and room view in reverse. Corner suites on the ends, suites next to those and then single rooms. I'll have a corner suite. I wonder what window treatments they will use for privacy? The big piece of equipment being set it probably kitchen refrigeration. The roof HVAC was all set months ago.

^

A lot of the rooms are now lit up at night and it looks pretty cool.

As the final details of this project start coming together, I'm started to get very excited.

I'm looking forward to seeing it full of art. Meanwhile...here's looking outside from the fourth floor.


http://s7.postimg.org/imw27qtjf/IMG_5033.jpg

Very cool!

Were you up there? And if so, how are things looking?

Very cool!

Were you up there? And if so, how are things looking?

Yep. It's getting there. Rooms are mostly complete. Common areas are finishing up behind. Just finishes mostly remaining. And furnishings, and art.

I noticed tonight when driving on Main Street that it was one lane in each direction now with the two South lanes fenced off next to the 21C. It wasn't that way when I was there a week ago.

^

They have had a small crane out on Main Street for a week or so.

Think they have been lifting mechanical equipment onto the roof.

^

They have had a small crane out on Main Street for a week or so.

Think they have been lifting mechanical equipment onto the roof.
There may have been a crane there at some point but the lanes were not blocked off one week earlier like they were on Saturday night. I would have noticed that when I was driving down Main. I looked closely to see why it might have been blocked off and saw nothing in those two lanes. Perhaps they were finished with the crane and just hadn't open it back up yet.

Looks like they will be open no later than July 15th.

21c Museum Hotel in Oklahoma City accepting reservations for opening | News OK (http://newsok.com/21c-museum-hotel-in-oklahoma-city-accepting-reservations-for-opening/article/5480786)

More:



http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/21c022216.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/21c022216b.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/21c022216c.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/21c022216d.jpg

very nice

Having a hard time deciphering where the windows are in some of these rooms like the deluxe king. Is it behind the headboard?

Yes. The bed is set back a few feet from the window and faces away from it. The squiggle line represents curtains, but none are installed yet. The light well rooms have one wall against the glass block light wells in the interior and no outside windows.

Deluxe King

http://s14.postimg.org/lf0x8u1bl/room21c.jpg

Sitting room in a suite. A flatscreen will go in the recess where the outlets are.

http://s9.postimg.org/cpzuxcxxr/room21c2.jpg

Deluxe King without the couch and table in the room.

http://s21.postimg.org/u6nm0z793/21croom.jpg

Thanks, Mkjeeves, for the pictures and information. This is beyond exciting!

This seems to be moving pretty quickly now.

Is there any information about the restaurant and bar?

Great stuff! This is going to be awesome and so unique in Oklahoma City. Absolutely nothing else like it. Can't wait!

Thanks for sharing those pictures...OKC is just keeps on getting better and better every day. Truly is becoming a Big league City.

Thanks for sharing those pictures...OKC is just keeps on getting better and better every day. Truly is becoming a Big league City.

I was up for the weekend and there were a few times -- as we enjoyed the beautiful weather -- that my friends and I marveled at how far OKC has come in recent years. Whether hanging out at an outdoor venue like The Pump, Bleu Garten, of Fassler Hall -- or eating at the vast number of great restaurants, there are just so many options that didn't exist 5, 10, or 15 years ago.

First photo is of the restaurant area which connects to the patio to the south; second is of the bar area which is on the NE corner of the property.



http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/21c030216a.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/21c030216b.jpg

Nice little story on News9 tonight. May be on their web site.

Nice little story on News9 tonight. May be on their web site.

Is it considered to be a part of the Film Row District? I can understand that it is included nowadays but not historically. As for the pricing,,,, $219 and up per night--I'd rather turn in my application for a 10-year conceal carry permit!

But, the hotel is extremely rocking and will be an awesome anchor for the west end district. I will definitely check out their art exhibits when the time comes.

Looks like they've announced who and what the restaurant will be.

21c Museum Hotel to house Mary Eddy's Kitchen + Lounge | NewsOK.com (http://m.newsok.com/article/5483523)

Nm

Meh, I've paid $219 and more to stay in properties like Springhill Suites and Holiday Inn Express in other markets. That might be an upper-tier price for a room in OKC, but it is a bargain for a large city.

$219 is probably the "rack rate" and they will discount from there.

Even better. This place is looking way more attainable than I suspected. I was thinking I might rarely stay there if ever, and now thinking it might be a regular in-town getaway.

First photo is the Mary Eddy's bar area, second is the restaurant space and third is the outdoor patio with integrated quasi shipping container bar:



http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/21c031616a.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/21c031616b.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/21c031616c.jpg

Outdoor patio and bar:

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/21c032016.jpg

Reasons to stay: Separate doorway can help hotel restaurants attract diners

By: Molly M. Fleming The Journal Record March 30, 2016

OKLAHOMA CITY – The 21c Museum Hotel leaders expect Mary Eddy’s restaurant on W. Main Street to stand on its own financially. The restaurant’s entrance to success could be found through a door.

“In some places, the food and beverage take a back seat,” said Sarah Robbins, chief hospitality officer for 21c Museum Hotels. “We see (food and beverage) not only as the top and bottom driver for the property, but it goes back to the best experience.”

The hotel’s food and beverage director, James Tortoreti, and the property’s general manager, Matt Cowden, are on the same level in terms of internal leadership. The art museum director will report to the corporate staff in Louisville, but that person has not been named yet.

While it certainly won’t be the first hotel with a restaurant in the city, some area hoteliers said the restaurant’s layout will help it succeed as its own destination.

Ambassador Hotel Collection Chairman Paul Coury said a separate entrance helps create a separate identity. His Oklahoma City Ambassador Hotel shares a door with its restaurant, the Viceroy Grille. His company also manages The Colcord hotel and its Flint restaurant. Guests enter the hotel without seeing the restaurant, and the same can be said for restaurant customers, who can eat without seeing luggage dragged by their feet.

He said The Ambassador has drawn guests from its Midtown neighborhood, and The O Bar is becoming a hot spot because of the view.

“We haven’t hit the level (of customers) we’d like to, but we just redid the menu,” he said. “Everyone that comes there for the menu really likes it.”

He said since he couldn’t have a separate entrance for the Viceroy, he said he thinks his second best option would have been to put it on the top floor, making it a destination.

“If you can’t do a separate entry, the next best thing is a rooftop,” he said.

However, the restaurant is on the first floor.

At the newly renovated Waterford Renaissance, the Ember Modern American Tavern restaurant has become a neighborhood attraction, said General Manager John Williams. The restaurant does not have its own entrance; it’s clearly visible when someone walks into the hotel. He worked at The Colcord before Flint was there and the restaurant space had a separate entrance. He said the change helped the eatery.

“It’s a huge differentiator when you can position the restaurant as not being a hotel restaurant,” he said. “There are many negative perceptions about hotel restaurants. Many of them are well-justified.”

Robbins said having the food and beverage manager separate from the property leadership helps each person focus on their best areas. She said in some smaller properties, food and beverage may account for almost 50 percent in sales.

“(With a separate F&B manager) you don’t have that person who has been a hotelier all their life and doesn’t love food and beverage,” she said.

Cowden has been in the hospitality business for 25 years. He said he has some food and beverage experience. But the culinary expectations of Chef Jason Campbell are high; therefore, it takes the right manager to keep the food and beverage under control.

While that is important, Cowden said the facility’s main attraction is in its name: it’s a contemporary art museum. Robbins said the company ideally wants people to come in, look at the art and stay around for a drink or dinner.

“Once you come in, you might be there for one of the three, but you get to enjoy the other two,” she said. “They all really work in a complimentary way.”