This building is under contract to a group of local investors and set to close 8/15/14. It was sold just last year to an LLC that tracks back to Don Karchmer. We know the name of the primary investor but will withhold until closing; it is yet another local businessman (with partners) entering urban development.

Preliminary plans are to renovate the structure to office and housing

This was originally built for the OKC Board of Education in 1919 and was then home to the Toll / Turnpike authority starting in the late 50's. More recently, it's been a variety of other uses and is currently vacant. 17,632 total square feet, sits on just under .7 acres.


Update: Sale was closed on 8/11/14 for $1.6 million.

12/10/14: Plans revealed



http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/400nwalnut1.jpg


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Aloft Hotel * Block 42 * Calvary Baptist Church * Central Avenue Villas * Clark Building * Deep Deuce Apartments * Deep Deuce Grill * Embassy Suites * Flatiron Building * Hill, The * Level * Level East * Lofts at Maywood Park * Maywood Apartments * Maywood Apartments Phase II * Maywood Flatiron * Meinders Project * Metropolitan * Mosaic * Native Roots * OIPA Headquarters * OKC Geological Society * OKSEA * Rand Elliott Flatiron * Red Prime * Slaughter's Hall * The Wedge * Urban Johnnie * Urban Roots * WSKY Lounge (http://www.okctalk.com/showwiki.php?title=WSKY+Lounge)

Yet another great renovation project and another local businessman joining the development fray.

I hope its a bar selling food or smoke free. Otherwise it will have to be appreciated by my neighbors.

Pete, any way to tell what the size of the area where the restaurant will be versus the housing component? County assessor is showing it is 10,416, but I assume that is not counting the basement.

Would be awesome to use the basement as a bar and lounge.

I went to a place in California called the Victorian. An old victorian mansion. The ground floor was a general reception/party area and kitchen. The upstairs was also a reservable party area, where the old shower was converted into a bar well. And the huge basement was a packed bar with a live band. Had to be the loudest experience of my life, since the band was playing classic rock and some alternative blues in such a relatively small space, acoustically speaking. Had a huge bar. Would be awesome to have an underground music lounge/bar.

https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xpa1/v/t1.0-9/p480x480/10403205_804595339559044_3477651677089933881_n.jpg ?oh=ff1e66ada243ed53378c5029ad6a5327&oe=5443F9E5&__gda__=1415020035_3daa218a4e9c38d57163b5d638024b7 1

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This is my dream development for this property:

Kennedy School - Combined boutique hotel, basement bar, live music venue, movie theater and restaurant in Portland, OR
McMenamins - Kennedy School Theater (http://www.mcmenamins.com/1300-kennedy-school-theater)

That is so strange. I had never heard of this property until I was in Portland last week. It is a few blocks from my step brother's house. Unfortunately, we did not have time to see it in person but it sounds so cool. What a fantastic reuse of the building. I love how the history of the building was preserved.

We tried to stay there a few years ago. It was booked for weeks out.

This is my dream development for this property:

Kennedy School - Combined boutique hotel, basement bar, live music venue, movie theater and restaurant in Portland, OR
McMenamins - Kennedy School Theater (http://www.mcmenamins.com/1300-kennedy-school-theater)

Went there with a co-worker while in Portland... it's pretty amazing and a unique redevelopment. Truly wish we had something like it here

This building closed on 8/11/14 for $1.62 million.

Don Karchmer bought it for $1.05 million on 8/6/13, so nice 60% return for a one-year hold.


Should see plans to redevelop soon.

You promised to tell us the developer after it closed!

They've started cleaning out the interior of this building. There's been a lot of debris behind it the last few days.

Here are some photos from catch22; you can see they've been clearing out the interior.

Should be hearing more about their plans soon.



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I really hope they change the entrance to the building. the whole thing looks walled off and uninviting.

Looks like the entity that purchased this property was registered by Babette Patton. Is this the developer or just the lawyer who filed for registration?

I see people over there working all the time, seems like whoever is in charge is keeping a tight schedule.

I really hope they change the entrance to the building. the whole thing looks walled off and uninviting.

There is some sort of weird structure at the top of those stairs, but if that could be converted to a patio with tables and umbrellas and make a huge difference:

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/400nwalnut111314e.jpg

I wonder what that is.

Could it have been a water fountain?

Sacrificial altar?

OKCTalk - Historic Deep Deuce building to see major redevelopment (http://www.okctalk.com/content/82-historic-deep-deuce-building-see-major-redevelopment.html)

Wow. That is unrecognizable. Please tell me this is for sale units.

Being as its not the most historically significant structure in terms of design, I don't mind the change. Will be a great addition to this area!

This will be very striking and represent a big investment.

I believe they had to add the new stairwells and elevators and that's why the front had to change so radically.

Wow. That is unrecognizable. Please tell me this is for sale units.

I believe they will be condos rather than apartments.

Someone remind me, what is the building just to the north of this site?

This is the building directly north:

http://www.oklahomacounty.org/assessor/Searches/sketches/picfile/2735/R020021000001rA.jpg

Are they still considering a restaurant as part of this project?

I think the bar/restaurant idea is dead.

I think with the restaurants going in at Maywood II, the possibility of development along Oklahoma, OKSEA, and the eventual Aloft restaurant, there's enough options. I like this plan.

This seems like it sucks.

Getting rid of west facing columns for a pretty basic facade. I guess it fits in better with this districts architecture, but I'm really disappointed in this.

Someone remind me, what is the building just to the north of this site?

I believe in recent years it housed an insurance company and a few state agencies on the south side of the building.

I closed on my townhouse in that building. Can't believe its almost been 6 years.

Not a fan. This is a missed opportunity to do something really special. While this building isn't historically or architecturally significant, It does have value as part of the neighborhood. These types of structures are important to cities by providing texture and interest in otherwise homogeneous neighborhoods. With the proliferation of developer architecture in Deep Deuce, this building provides a much-needed sense of place and history. I have no doubt this project can be accomplished without disfiguring this building beyond recognition. I hope the review process demands better.

Also, the parking lot is not being redeveloped either...

This development is very anti-Deep Deuce.

LEVEL and Mosaic and all the others were developed on greenfield, making modern design an appropriate contrast to the historic. Deep Deuce actually has a great precedent set currently for preserving all of the historic buildings still extant.

I think that this is more trial balloon than serious proposal.

I hope they fix the sidewalks on that side of third, they are atrocious where they even exist.

They need to fix their proposal, first.

The new over the old kinda reminds me of Central Avenue Villas. Will be interesting to see how it plays out (considering A LOT of posters would like to see Carpenter Square be the base of a skyscraper).

Anybody notice if they are still cleaning out the interior?

Since submitting the building permit application, they have yet to file their design application (which has to be approved first but typically takes less time than a BP).

I haven't seen any activity there in quite awhile.

Today they are in the basement with Bobcats. I didn't stay long but I assume they're cleaning it out.

Drove by yesterday and they were tearing out the front steps.

Drove by yesterday and they were tearing out the front steps.

Wow, they have not received design approval yet.

Bah!! Design review approval? No need for design approval when you've got a dump truck and a wreckin ball!


And just like that, more demo.....turn that historic Georgian building into bland new crap!

^^^

From today:

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/400nwalnut031015.jpg

Those steps were awkward and made the front look uninviting, but I don't think they should be allowed to remove the facade. Isn't there some sort of "cease and desist" order that could be given until they receive design approval? No neighbors have been given a chance to speak regarding this.

I'd bet my paycheck that the steps were not original to that structure.

please please please please don't touch those columns.

I agree those steps sucked, did they have a ramp up them for people with disabilities?

Yes, steps were not original but you aren't even supposed to paint a building within the DDRC boundaries without prior approval.

And unless plans change, those columns are most definitely going away:

http://www.okctalk.com/attachments/development-buildings/9707d1418230489-400-n-walnut-400nwalnutnewa.jpg

I think that's what the situation was. There are better, less-disruptive ways to good ADA compliance.

Another photo:

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/400nwalnut031115.jpg

Another photo:

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/400nwalnut031115.jpg

As a recovering soil scientist I love that cross-section view! Nice organic horizon developed there.

Yes, steps were not original but you aren't even supposed to paint a building within the DDRC boundaries without prior approval.

And unless plans change, those columns are most definitely going away:

http://www.okctalk.com/attachments/development-buildings/9707d1418230489-400-n-walnut-400nwalnutnewa.jpg

You mean if plans don't change and if DDRC approves it...granted they have recently gotten rid of regulatory HP.

Here are a bunch of new renderings in advance of this project's date with the DDRC next week.

You can see they plan to use some pretty funky materials. The City staff have pointed out there are several elements that are not in compliance with established standards and I'm sure there will be lots of discussion about various aspects by the committee.



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That's way different than what I was thinking it would be.

It's certainly different and represents a pretty big investment.

At least they aren't trying to cheap-out.

It doesn't even look like the same building. I like the fact that it comes out to the street, and really, considering the apartment complexes nearby, it's not going to take a whole lot to be in compliance with the architecture of the area. Cheap and boring is the watchword for them (apologies to those who like LEVEL and Mosaic. I think they're pretty vanilla, and Maywood Apartments are just sad).

I still think it is going to be great. I notice there is only 9 planned residences here. And 9 single car garages.

I would like the rear of the garages to line the sidewalk and have some type of decoration/nice finish facing outward - thus leaving the parking lot hidden from the street. I would much rather walk along an interesting wall than a parking lot.

I was told they may add another building to the east end of the property at a later date.