YAY! I dont actually remember the last time there were windows there!

Can't believe I'm seeing this.

Already looks better. You would think when they first bricked in the windows they could have found brick that matched better so it wasn't so painfully obvious

man... i'd love to see what those top floors look like now.

I posted this before and I don't believe they've done any work inside; these were from January:

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/sw011018j.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/sw011018c.jpg

YAY! I dont actually remember the last time there were windows there!

Doubtful many here would. Pretty sure they have been bricked for at least a half-century, long before Spaghetti Warehouse located there.

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/sw052018.jpg

I'm so excited for this project!

Noticed this weekend they've taken the Spaghetti Warehouse signs down, although as of Sunday the one of the east facade is still up.

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/sw060318.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/sw060318b.jpg

It kind of creeps me out to see the old girl without windows. Its sort of like looking into a zombie's face with no eyeballs. Horror movie in the making....

Looking forward to seeing this in a few months. Very exciting!

It kind of creeps me out to see the old girl without windows. Its sort of like looking into a zombie's face with no eyeballs. Horror movie in the making....

Looking forward to seeing this in a few months. Very exciting!

i read this as 'the old girl in the windows' at first and was also creeped out

It kind of creeps me out to see the old girl without windows. Its sort of like looking into a zombie's face with no eyeballs. Horror movie in the making....

Looking forward to seeing this in a few months. Very exciting!

It does kind of have that trypophobia effect.

i read this as 'the old girl in the windows' at first and was also creeped out

Maybe this is Effie's second home when she needs a break from haunting at the Skirvin.

So, project for someone this week with a drone: get your drone up there close enough so we can see what the condition of the interior is like. The building faces south, so maybe go up the west side in the evening when the light is just right?

From Channel 9:

http://www.news9.com/story/38419074/crews-give-tour-of-spaghetti-warehouse-restoration-in-bricktown?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

They are renaming the building "The Icon".

BTW, Carol Hefner is quoted by Channel 9 and her title is shown as Development Partner.

For those who didn't know, she is the daughter of Sam Coury who bought the building last year.

From Channel 9:

http://www.news9.com/story/38419074/crews-give-tour-of-spaghetti-warehouse-restoration-in-bricktown?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

They are renaming the building "The Icon".

Why don't people do a bit more digging to find a more historical name that would be more unique and authentic for this incredible structure? Does anyone know who the architect/investor/original owner/tenant of this building was? Using a name like that would be so much more distinctive and a connection to OKC's past. But I am an historian, not a real estate developer, and they probably can market a building called "The Icon" better.

Well, anything is a step up from “The Spaghetti Warehouse Building”.

Historically, it just seems like all the buildings downtown would just be painted/renamed for whatever was occupying it.


http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a49/DougLoudenback/bricktown/stevelackmeyer/page61_coc.jpg

The Oklahoma Furniture Manufacturing Company Building doesn't quite have the same ring to it.

Makes sense. I'm okay with the icon. But maybe a hat tip to the architect or something like that would be okay to.

This survey report calls the building the "J.W. Awalt Building", page 118.

http://www.okhistory.org/shpo/thematic/rlsindustrialokcnty.pdf

This article from 1989 also calls it the "Awalt Building". I can't find any info about who J.W. Awalt was.

https://newsok.com/article/2259700/spaghetti-warehouse-to-locate-in-bricktown-texas-based-chain-purchases-awalt-building

Awalt was also a furniture manufacturer and had a factory-direct store at that site.

I remember going there with my dad around 1982.

"Awalt Building" would be a perfectly fine name. Maybe if it becomes a boutique hotel they can call it "The Awalt", with the building still being the Icon building.

This article from 1989 also calls it the "Awalt Building". I can't find any info about who J.W. Awalt was.

https://newsok.com/article/2259700/spaghetti-warehouse-to-locate-in-bricktown-texas-based-chain-purchases-awalt-building

There you go! I like it.

Or it would be cool to name it after a historical figure who doesn't get their due like OKC Civil Rights icon Roscoe Dunjee. Honestly, he should have a street named after him. To me, he's OKC's most inspiring historical figure. He was the founding editor of one of the largest black newspapers in the nation (the Black Dispatch), he helped lead the first state-level NAACP conference in the nation, he was involved in the Sipuel and McLaurin desegregation Supreme Court cases out of OU that led to Brown v. Board, he promoted black businesses, and he bravely fought segregation laws by violating them right after they were passed. Important to this conversation, I think he was based out of what is now Bricktown, but I'm not positive on that. If so, it would make naming a Bricktown building after him even more appropriate. Here's a short bio on him: http://www.okhistory.org/publications/enc/entry.php?entry=DU007

Or it would be cool to name it after a historical figure who doesn't get their due like OKC Civil Rights icon Roscoe Dunjee. Honestly, he should have a street named after him. To me, he's OKC's most inspiring historical figure. He was the founding editor of one of the largest black newspapers in the nation (the Black Dispatch), he helped lead the first state-level NAACP conference in the nation, he was involved in the Sipuel and McLaurin desegregation Supreme Court cases out of OU that led to Brown v. Board, he promoted black businesses, and he bravely fought segregation laws by violating them right after they were passed. Important to this conversation, I think he was based out of what is now Bricktown, but I'm not positive on that. If so, it would make naming a Bricktown building after him even more appropriate. Here's a short bio on him: http://www.okhistory.org/publications/enc/entry.php?entry=DU007

That would be fantastic and appropriate, but Carol Hefner's racist and most likely wouldn't go for it...

https://www.thelostogle.com/2015/11/05/check-out-the-crazy-racist-islamophobic-facebook-posts-of-carol-hefner/

^^^
I remember seeing that post, but even re-reading it was incredibly depressing. Okay, well, maybe someone could start a movement to recognize Roscoe Dunjee in another way in the core (e.g., street name, historical markers, monument). Seriously, his name should be better known by OKC residents and visitors.

moved photos to next page

What an improvement!

The new windows have been installed:

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/sw062818a.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/sw062818b.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/sw062818c.jpg

Beautiful!!

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/sw063018a.jpg

She's got eyes again!

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/sw063018a.jpg
What's the eyesore to the right of Spaghetti Warehouse?

Club One15.

Did they put a mew roof on building? Looks very clean and white

I know they won't but I think they should keep the Spaghetti Warehouse signage as a homage to what the building was for so long, especially given its significance as a pioneer in Bricktown's revitalization.


Club One15.

It's really hard to believe that place has made it this long.

Are they still working on the windows on the back/north facing side of the building?

^^ no, those will be "open air" rooms.

^^ no, those will be "open air" rooms.

Pigeons need homes too...

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/sw072118a.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/sw072118b.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/sw072118c.jpg

While it's looking awesome in pictures, it looks even better in person.

so how much bird poop did they have to clear out from having those windows open for so long?

http://www.news9.com/story/38856806/developer-discusses-plans-for-spaghetti-warehouse-building?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

Will be interesting to see what route the developer goes. My vote is on hotel or apartments, if condos are out of the picture.

It can't be converted to condos if it's on the NRHP. Does anyone want to explain to me why?

^^^^^^^^^^
I’m not aware of any reason why it could not be added to the register and converted to condos. I think the story may be a bit jumbled. If I had to guess the complete story, they developer may have said that he intended to pursue a National Register listing, and if the building was added to the register he would then be pursuing historic tax credits. If he was receiving tax credits there would be limits set on alterations to the building, which might preclude configuration as condominiums, and there would probably also be restrictions on transfers of ownership.

I am spitballing here as it has been quite some time since I have been close to these types of projects, but that’s my best guess, and it for sure wouldn’t be the first time TV struggled to grasp/report a nuanced story.

Gaining inclusion in the National Register is easier if a building is largely historically intact at the time of the application, but once a building is on the register that status by itself provides very little protection against alteration or even demolition...UNLESS the project involves federal funds, federal tax credits, a federal highway project (in the case of tear down, for instance), etc.

^^^^^^^^^^
I’m not aware of any reason why it could not be added to the register and converted to condos. I think the story may be a bit jumbled. If I had to guess the complete story, they developer may have said that he intended to pursue a National Register listing, and if the building was added to the register he would then be pursuing historic tax credits. If he was receiving tax credits there would be limits set on alterations to the building, which might preclude configuration as condominiums, and there would probably also be restrictions on transfers of ownership.

I am spitballing here as it has been quite some time since I have been close to these types of projects, but that’s my best guess, and it for sure wouldn’t be the first time TV struggled to grasp/report a nuanced story.

Gaining inclusion in the National Register is easier if a building is largely historically intact at the time of the application, but once a building is on the register that status by itself provides very little protection against alteration or even demolition...UNLESS the project involves federal funds, federal tax credits, a federal highway project (in the case of tear down, for instance), etc.

Yeah, I think it's a mix-up on the understanding of Historic Tax Credits. IIRC, to get the tax credits, you have to have an income-producing property. If they sell as condos, there is no continued income production...

^^^^^^^^
Ah, right. Makes perfect sense.

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/sw082518a.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/sw082518b.jpg

^^^^^^^^
Ah, right. Makes perfect sense.

Also if you’re selling them as condos; you’d have potentially 20-30 different owners who own different pieces of a building. I can imagine that would create HUGE hassles for preservation.

Well, the preservation would have to be done before the condo is deeded to the owner, so I don’t see that as being a huge barrier to HP in general. You could also place covenants on mak8ng alterations to any portions deemed historic, which a condo owner would be bound by.

But there IS a problem regarding tax CREDITS. LakeEffect is correct when he says there is a requirement that a property be income producing. I found this resource online which explains further: http://www.heritage-consulting.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/August-2012-CondominiumConundrum_-_Novogradac.pdf

This has so much potential. My dream would be restaurant/retail on the bottom, apartments and condominiums moving up. Rooftop access with a lounge type deal. Also, adding LED beams around where the green is. Whatever happens though, it’s great to see this building being brought back to life.

Yeah, I think it's a mix-up on the understanding of Historic Tax Credits. IIRC, to get the tax credits, you have to have an income-producing property. If they sell as condos, there is no continued income production...

How is that issue not cured by charging annual dues for an HOA?

How is that issue not cured by charging annual dues for an HOA?

An HOA, by definition, is not a for profit entity.

I didn't realize but learned yesterday that the streetcar inside this building (which is still there) is one of the original OKC streetcars. I hope the can figure out a way to save it and use it somewhere else in the city. Even if it's just a static display at the park or in front of the streetcar maintenance facility or something...

Good idea.

I didn't realize but learned yesterday that the streetcar inside this building (which is still there) is one of the original OKC streetcars. I hope the can figure out a way to save it and use it somewhere else in the city. Even if it's just a static display at the park or in front of the streetcar maintenance facility or something...

+1

I didn't realize but learned yesterday that the streetcar inside this building (which is still there) is one of the original OKC streetcars. I hope the can figure out a way to save it and use it somewhere else in the city. Even if it's just a static display at the park or in front of the streetcar maintenance facility or something...

Tweet or Facebook that to David holt. He responds to almost everything. (If you’re insanely negative or just raging he’ll ignore but honest questions and ideas he listens too)