Plutonic Panda and I got to look around this area on my recent trip and there is a lot of potential there. Here is a picture of one of the light fixtures on the Fred Jones Building. There are 17 of these along the Main St side.

http://i1178.photobucket.com/albums/x378/KerryinJax/OKC%20Stuff/CAM00734_zpskx2fk4qb.jpg (http://s1178.photobucket.com/user/KerryinJax/media/OKC%20Stuff/CAM00734_zpskx2fk4qb.jpg.html)

Chip Fudge & Co. are working on plans for the buildings due west of the Hart, so these two districts are growing together.

What are the chances the Film Row streetscape could be continued west to Classen to tie these these areas together?

Even if we could get the funding I'd be worried they could do as good a job on purpose. I'd almost be content with a slightly different streetscape that tied into the theme of the museum from classen to shartel on main and sheridan.

Even if we could get the funding I'd be worried they could do as good a job on purpose. I'd almost be content with a slightly different streetscape that tied into the theme of the museum from classen to shartel on main and sheridan.

I'd be ok with that. I would just like to see better lighting, street parking, bike lanes and only two lanes of through traffic.

Special OKC Central Live Chat 10 a.m. Today | News OK (http://newsok.com/special-okc-central-live-chat-10-a.m.-today/article/3945554)

Steve Lackmeyer: New 21c Museum Hotel will spur redevelopment of other OKC buildings | News OK (http://newsok.com/steve-lackmeyer-new-21c-museum-hotel-will-spur-redevelopment-of-other-okc-buildings/article/3945616)

I just learned something very interesting...

Before settling on the old Fred Jones plant, 21c took a serious look at another downtown property. Even sent out preliminary construction bidding info.


Can anyone guess which one?

Hint: It is currently slated for renovation but not to a hotel.

Rock island plow building

^

Good guess but incorrect.


I was actually surprised to learn this and the building makes sense, it's just not one that would leap to mind.

Stage Center

Mideke Building (http://www.okctalk.com/showwiki.php?title=Mideke+Building)?

Nope and nope.


Keep guessing!

Marion?

No, not the Marion.


The building is more in the north center of the CBD.

Journal Record?

This game would be easier to play if there weren't so many buildings under renovation :P

The future OCU Law School?

Main St. Arcade Building?

Journal Record?

Winner, winner chicken dinner!


Yep, the Journal Record building was their first choice.

Not sure why they ended up at Fred Jones but I suspect the City helped put them together with the Hall family.


It's also interesting to note that they had designs on OKC independent of the building they ultimately chose.

That's a little different story than has been previously told.

I was thinking the Marion as well

Some other interesting facts about the Journal Record project...

Was to be 135 rooms, $50 million.

Architect was Deborah Berke out of NYC, the same that has done all the 21c's to date. The local architect was Hornbeek Blatt.

I suspect this will be the same team for the Fred Jones site.

Man that would have been cool. Still glad to see that the Hall Family and 21C have partnered up as that will no doubt expedite the development around the hotel.

I was thinking the Marion as well

I think the Marion would be wayyyy I small for that.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I was going to guess FNC.

Here is another very interesting thought about 21c and the Journal Record Building...

The preliminary plans said they were going to renovate all 168,000 square feet of the building which would include the western 1/3 owned and occupied by the OKC Memorial.

So, there were probably plans to integrate the museum into the hotel itself, lending a bit of a different angle on their "museum hotel" approach.

Would love to see the conceptual plans they had put together.

I'm glad they ended up taking over the Fred Jones building. We're going to see a great renovation of the Journal Record building while also seeing additional activity brought to Film Row. Win win.

Would be cool to see what they had planned for the JR building though. I'm not sure I love the idea of a hotel near that space.

I wonder if the JR building and site wasn't chosen because having that much social activity next to a memorial like that was perhaps considered bad form in the end?

Remember the Hall family is a partner in the project at the Fred Jones Plant.

You can bet they made 21c a sweet deal.

I asked about Rock Island and FNC in the Steve/21c chat so I knew it wasn't one of those. Journal Record would have definitely been interesting...

Hall Capital (owners of this building) have created an application for this building to be added to the National Registry.


The OKC Ford Motor Assembly Plant was constructed in 1916, with an addition completed in 1924. The plant was built as part of an unprecedented expansion of Ford Motor Company’s innovative assembly process across the country. Oklahoma City was one of two dozen cities identified as regional hubs for shipping “kits” of car parts by train. The cars (model T’s) were then assembled at the regional plants and distributed throughout the region.

Architect Albert Kahn designed nearly 1,000 facilities for the Ford Motor Company, as well as the private home of Edsel and Eleanor Ford, throughout his career, many of which are on the National Register or designated as National Historic Landmarks. The OKC Ford Motor Company Assembly Plant illustrates many key elements typical of Kahn’s industrial designs for the Ford Company.

Fred Jones
At twenty-four years old, Fred Jones moved to Oklahoma City from Georgia in 1916 and got a job at the newly opened Oklahoma City Ford Motor Company Assembly Plant. He quickly learned the automotive business and became one of the region’s leaders in automotive sales, service, and parts production. Jones established a Ford dealership in 1922 and began reconditioning parts for his service department in 1938, creating the Fred Jones Manufacturing Company. He continued to grow his enterprises throughout the twentieth century, and eventually purchased the former Ford Assembly Plant in 1968. The Fred Jones Manufacturing Company operated the building as a parts and distribution center until 2013. During that time they made minor modifications to the building, adapting the facilities for truck rather than rail transport.



Look at these cool old photos that the Ford Foundation provided:



http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/fj1.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/fj2.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/fj3.jpg

Holy hell. That is an Albert Kahn building. I had no idea. I mean, duh, should have expected that I suppose. But that by itself makes that building even more important to OKC's history.

Steve's story.

http://www.oklahoman.com/article/4745682?embargo=1


Just a couple years short of its centennial anniversary, the longtime home of the Fred Jones Manufacturing Co. is being considered for placement on the National Register of Historic Places.

The building, 900 W Main, originally home to a Ford Model T assembly plant, was built in 1916 and the register listing is being sought as part of preparations to convert the property into a 21C Museum Hotel.

This appears to be a follow up article by Steve based on his trip to Louisville recently. It contains a great video with interesting comments by the museum director of the hotel chain.

http://www.oklahoman.com/article/4859383?embargo=1

That link still isn't working. I think once you post a link that requires a subscription, it remains that way.

Really great article! Checking out the Louisville 21C Museum Hotel | News OK (http://newsok.com/okc-to-become-fifth-host-of-unique-hotel/article/4859383)

Holy hell. That is an Albert Kahn building. I had no idea. I mean, duh, should have expected that I suppose. But that by itself makes that building even more important to OKC's history.

We should tear it down before someone gets the gall to make it nice.

Drove by yesterday and it seemed like business as usual for the Fred Jones parts people... working away like nothing ever happened with this property. I thought they were going to move quickly?

Nevermind.

I'll post the plans soon.

I can't read Malayalam. Sorry.

Here is a first look at the floor plans for the 21c Hotel.

Of note:


The space at the far west end is labeled "future tenants" and is completely separated from the rest of the ground floor by a wall with no doors. So, those spaces will only be accessible from the entrances at that end of the building. Almost certainly, the occupants will be arts related.
The entire ground floor -- other than the restaurant and bar -- is set up as a series of art galleries. Some are large rooms but there are quite a few smaller as well. They do this in all their hotels and allows for closing off spaces of different sizes for functions. Note the 2nd entrance of Main Street directly into one of the smaller galleries.
The restaurant and bar will take a good chunk of the east end of the ground floor with a patio to the south.
There is a small workout / spa on the west end of the 3rd floor with a very small terrace.
Otherwise, all of the 2nd, 3rd and 4th floors are rooms and suites.
The plans do not seem to include the rooftop. Doesn't mean they won't do something up there but at first blush it doesn't appear so.
Not sure of the plans for the rest of the Hall's property (shown in yellow in the aerial) but almost certainly they will be developing most of the area around the hotel.



http://www.okctalk.com/attachments/development-buildings/8037d1401837056-21c-museum-hotel-fredjones2.jpg




http://www.okctalk.com/attachments/development-buildings/8033d1401835637-21c-museum-hotel-21c1st.jpg



http://www.okctalk.com/attachments/development-buildings/8034d1401835638-21c-museum-hotel-21c2nd.jpg



http://www.okctalk.com/attachments/development-buildings/8035d1401835639-21c-museum-hotel-21c3rd.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/attachments/development-buildings/8036d1401835639-21c-museum-hotel-21c4th.jpg

Gallery at 21c in Cincinnati:

http://static.squarespace.com/static/524db724e4b0b106cedaf6a3/52faba47e4b073964669390b/52fabe9fe4b024b7c8f8ec93/1392164511801/21c-Museum-Hotels-Cincinnati-Boutique-01.jpg

I've always loved this building. I'm glad that something is finally being done with it. I've got high hopes.

I'm going to be down in Cincinnati for a Reds game on a company trip in July, right after I get back to Ohio from OKC (my annual 4th of July family reunion). I will bring some perspective back to the forum on 21C there.

A Closer Look at the Future 21C Museum Hotel | News OK (http://newsok.com/a-closer-look-at-the-future-21c-museum-hotel/article/4936646)

Construction to begin in fall on converting Oklahoma City's Fred Jones Assembly Plant to 21C Museum Hotel | News OK (http://newsok.com/construction-to-begin-in-fall-on-converting-oklahoma-citys-fred-jones-assembly-plant-to-21c-museum-hotel/article/4936634)

This is one fun quote from that article.


“A lot of what we are embracing is visible today,” Swyers said. “We are keeping the penthouse on the top and the water tower, and restoring the penthouse into a 21C Suite.”

The 3,000-square-foot suite, Swyers said, will include a rooftop terrace, two bedrooms, and “a pretty gracious living and dining room.”

This is one fun quote from that article.That is awesome! I wasn't able to read the article :(

It doesn't mention any other potential use for the rooftop, which could be a fantastic space.

It doesn't mention any other potential use for the rooftop, which could be a fantastic space.

From the article:


“A lot of what we are embracing is visible today,” Swyers said. “We are keeping the penthouse on the top and the water tower, and restoring the penthouse into a 21C Suite.”

The 3,000-square-foot suite, Swyers said, will include a rooftop terrace, two bedrooms, and “a pretty gracious living and dining room.”

Why not make this space into an indoor/outdoor rooftop bar instead of a private suite??

The rooftop bars in Louisville and Cincinnati 21c's are huge draws and featured prominently in all their promotional materials.

We have the perfect pre-existing infrastructure in this building and they specifically make it private? Very disappointing.


This is a new rendering looking north:



http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/21croof1.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/21croof2.jpg

I don't understand the lack of a rooftop bar at all.

Maybe the feel there are too many roof top bars already. I'm not sure the 'view' from up there would even be that great - unless people really want to see the jail.

Maybe the feel there are too many roof top bars already. I'm not sure the 'view' from up there would even be that great - unless people really want to see the jail.

OKC could use more rooftop bars, just in places that have a good view.

I love the Aloft rooftop area but wish alcohol was served there rather than being simply a lounging area.

Maybe the feel there are too many roof top bars already. I'm not sure the 'view' from up there would even be that great - unless people really want to see the jail.

And the view going West isn't exactly inspiring either.

The rooftop has a fantastic view of the skyline:

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

And the view going West isn't exactly inspiring either.

Then you make it mostly east facing. Construct a wall on the west side, half of a wall on the north side with the bar to the west with some covered areas but most of it facing east. You see the same thing on beaches and rooftop bars in bigger cities. Even at Vast, virtually every seat, if available, is going to be facing out to see the view from the 50th floor. When we went, we sat at a two person booth that instead of facing in or at each other, the seating faced out.

East facing makes the most sense during "outdoor" months too, since the sun beats on a place until very late in the evening.

The "penthouse" structure that is already on the roof and that will be adapted to a private suite has a big wall of glass that faces east and the proposed terrace is on the east side as well.

How cool would it be to sit up there under that illuminated water tower (you know 21c will do something cool with it) and look out over the skyline?

Unless you have craploads of money or get invited by someone who does, I guess we'll never know.


Just don't understand why they would go this route, especially when it's contrary to their very successful formula.

One guess would be the roof couldn't support large groups but of course, it had no trouble supporting a huge tank full of water, so that can't be it.

You are right Pete. The view east will be even better once the new tower(s) are built. Personally, I think its not very forward thinking for them not to include a rooftop bar here. Is there anything that can persuade them to do it this late in the game?

I'm going to contact 21c and lobby them about this.

IMO, it's a pretty big deal and would be a great opportunity forever lost.

Green roof with a rooftop bar on the east end and maybe an aeroponic garden for their restaurant on the west? They sound like the type of business that would embrace this.

My guess is the Hall family didn't want a rooftop bar.

I know some of the Halls and they don't seem like the anti-rooftop bar type.