The new owners of the Sycamore Square Apartments -- who are already working on subdividing some existing units in that complex -- have now proposed to add a new building at the south end of the complex that would contain 66 new units.

The original number of units was 58, but 12 are being subdivided to bring that number to 70. With this addition, the total number of living units would be 136.

As a reminder, the Sycamore Square Condominiums are under completely separate / individual ownership and are located to the immediate north.

The Civic Center Flats (another Butzer Gardner design) is due south; the proposed 700 West (http://www.okctalk.com/showwiki.php?title=700+West) apartments are to the west.



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


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/ssnew1.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/ssnew2.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/ssnew3.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/ssnew4.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/ssnew5.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/ssnew6.jpg

Love it. Glad these developers are starting to back away from the "Dallas Donut" design and into something more unique.

Rent or own?

Interesting. Suddenly this block is something to look at (when you count the 4th/Lee development).

In that final picture, looks like they are trying to entice the hipster types.

It reminds me of various residential complexes in London, albeit on a much smaller scale.

I count 66 new units here, most quite small.

To put that number in perspective, the original development only had 58 -- same number as the Sycamore Square Condominiums to the north.

Since they are sub-dividing 12 of those units, the new owners will be going from 70 plus this 66 for 136 units vs. the original 58.

Quite an increase in density.

I like it. What are going to be the going rates for these units?

You can see of the 66 units, 63 are either efficiencies or 1 bedrooms and all are pretty small.

I suspect the rental strategy will be similar to 700 West where they are looking to offer apartments at lower rates than the other new construction downtown.

That last image is hilarious.

I like it a lot and the best part is they are replacing where cars live for a place where people live. Up with people!

Looks like people beat me to comment on the last photo. Coudln't be more obvious who this is targeted for.

Looks like people beat me to comment on the last photo. Coudln't be more obvious who this is targeted for.

The Plaza District?

I'm pretty sure the image wasn't intended to be taken seriously.

Outstanding!

These two plans will account for all but 3 of the 66 units.

Very small and hopefully affordale:

http://www.okctalk.com/attachments/development-buildings/8614d1405030168-sycamore-square-new-build-ssnew7.jpg

Looks like people beat me to comment on the last photo. Coudln't be more obvious who this is targeted for.

Need a dude on a unicycle.

Need a dude on a unicycle.

or penny farthing

Awesome surprise. I hope this comes to fruition.

Steve's article along with an interview with the managing director of GFO Properties.

http://www.oklahoman.com/article/4987659?embargo=1

I love this!

Would be very cool if they would update the exterior of the 80s units, but I love this new portion!

In that final picture, looks like they are trying to entice the hipster types.

Is he hipster or homeless?

Is he hipster or homeless?

Weed dealer.

Really, a young guy with a beard, a hoodie, and cup of coffee is a hipster or a weed dealer? If you haven't noticed, that is in style now. You all remind me of my parents who. back in the day, called everyone in their 20s "hippies".

Really, a young guy with a beard, a hoodie, and cup of coffee is a hipster or a weed dealer? If you haven't noticed, that is in style now. You all remind me of my parents who. back in the day, called everyone in their 20s "hippies".you're a weed dealer! ;)

Weed dealer.

That's going to be the lease up special..actually a great idea in this day and age where it's harder for developers to keep concessions off the market study reports.

Really, a young guy with a beard, a hoodie, and cup of coffee is a hipster or a weed dealer? If you haven't noticed, that is in style now. You all remind me of my parents who. back in the day, called everyone in their 20s "hippies".

Dude, it's called irony. Just having a little fun. But seriously, you think the dude in that rendering wouldn't know where to score some weed?

Love the fact they are small units. Efficiency units and one-bedrooms. The downtown market is craving for this.

I love this. Are the upper floors clad in corten?

Steve's update.

http://www.oklahoman.com/article/5137776?embargo=1


A plan to convert two-bedroom apartments to one-bedroom units at Sycamore Square is being put on hold, and tenants who thought they would have to find new homes are being welcomed to extend their stay.

Rohan Gupta, lead partner in the ownership group that bought the apartments earlier this year, said the conversion of six units was a success — but unexpected costs may make further conversions unlikely.

At the same time, the market for larger, family friendly units was just beginning to become evident with the opening nearby of the new John W. Rex Elementary.

So is the expansion also off?

So is the expansion also off?

If anything I expect it will be accelerated. They have enough room to do this 5 or 6 more times and maybe eventually replace the existing buildings with more interior amenities and parking (especially if the cost of renovating the existing units is cost prohibitive).

They were doing soil sampling yesterday where the new building is proposed to be located, so I would say that is still moving forward. Upgrading the existing units is what they should have been doing all along. Suggesting they might be demolished at a later date is ridiculous.

I know you find the layout offensive, JTF, but people who haven't been inside Sycamore don't understand that it has an innate luxury feel that is not being duplicated with today's construction; it only needs some updated surfaces within the units to get very high rents. Most of the units were going for $1200-1500/mo BEFORE all of this started. And right up until they started intentionally displacing residents, the property AS-IS almost always had a waiting list, and has been that way for years.

Not to mention that the two bedroom layouts are the envy of every apartment manager downtown. I routinely talk with downtown property and leasing managers for work reasons, and to a person the ones that I have discussed this project with have scratched their heads and felt like the push for conversion to efficiencies was a huge case of missing/misunderstanding the market. The inability to reconfigure the two bedrooms to efficiencies, forcing their hand on interior upgrades, is going to prove a blessing in disguise for out-of-state developers who didn't initially understand the OKC market or the asset they possessed.

If anything I expect it will be accelerated. They have enough room to do this 5 or 6 more times and maybe eventually replace the existing buildings with more interior amenities and parking (especially if the cost of renovating the existing units is cost prohibitive).

Meanwhile back in reality... Is the new addition still on?

Lol just kidding Kerry. I wish I could be as unrelenting with urbanism as you are.

Yes. Appears to be on still. They were doing soil samples yesterday within the footprint of the proposed building when I rode past.

I know you find the layout offensive, JTF, but people who haven't been inside Sycamore don't understand that it has an innate luxury feel that is not being duplicated with today's construction; it only needs some updated surfaces within the units to get very high rents. Most of the units were going for $1200-1500/mo BEFORE all of this started. And right up until they started intentionally displacing residents, the property AS-IS almost always had a waiting list, and has been that way for years.

I wasn't really commenting on the quality of the existing construction as much as I was on the fact there is a huge amount non-revenue producing land on-site.

They were doing soil sampling yesterday where the new building is proposed to be located, so I would say that is still moving forward. Upgrading the existing units is what they should have been doing all along. Suggesting they might be demolished at a later date is ridiculous.

I know you find the layout offensive, JTF, but people who haven't been inside Sycamore don't understand that it has an innate luxury feel that is not being duplicated with today's construction; it only needs some updated surfaces within the units to get very high rents. Most of the units were going for $1200-1500/mo BEFORE all of this started. And right up until they started intentionally displacing residents, the property AS-IS almost always had a waiting list, and has been that way for years.

Not to mention that the two bedroom layouts are the envy of every apartment manager downtown. I routinely talk with downtown property and leasing managers for work reasons, and to a person the ones that I have discussed this project with have scratched their heads and felt like the push for conversion to efficiencies was a huge case of missing/misunderstanding the market. The inability to reconfigure the two bedrooms to efficiencies, forcing their hand on interior upgrades, is going to prove a blessing in disguise for out-of-state developers who didn't initially understand the OKC market or the asset they possessed.

We lived there for 5 years and what you say is 100% accurate. It was a well-managed, very well-maintained property. I did notice some slipping from the time we arrived to when we left. They took away our natural gas grills which used to be fixed amenities in front of every apartment, the washer/dryer units they supplied were terrible and the appliances outdated. But yeah, if they were to spend 10K-20K per unit, they'd be able to ask a LOT for those properties. They are all very nice and spacious.

Sorry if there's an update of some sort around here that I missed, but what's the latest on these?

Looks like this project is moving forward again.

They submitted landscape plans to the DDRC for approval. They had already received approval for the building plans.


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/sycamorenew081115.jpg

I was just wondering about this. I'm glad to see it moving forward. I'm a pretty big fan of the design.

Is this really sycamore or is this Haven? Or will they give it a third name?

The apartments (the south half of the block) are now called The Haven; the condos (north half of block) are still called Sycamore Square.

This project is called Sycamore Square New Build by the architects but I'm sure that name came about before the apartments renamed themselves.

Is this still moving forward?

There has been recent activity in terms of getting final approvals on landscaping and some other things.

Sure seems like it is moving forward, just slowly.

Excellent. These on top of the Civic Center Flats and the new municipal courthouse will make this street pretty cool.

Has this stalled again?

Any update on this?

Any update on this?

I was just thinking about this project as I was reading The Haven thread yesterday.

They have all the required approvals but never have proceeded.

I believe the ownership group got a bit ahead of themselves but I have no idea if this is even in their plans at this time.

Interesting, it is still a really slick design and great infill on land I hadn't expected.. I thought it would compliment the Civic well also.

Yeah this is a rather special project for OKC imo, but since then these have popped up at the Plaza and now Midtown with that new residential project. I really like these smaller projects vs the bigger ones because I've noticed the really big cities like LA and NYC etc have more of those vs megablock structures.