BROAD is the name given to the old Mercedes dealership which will be the new home to HoganTaylor accounting firm.

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/broad1.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/broad2.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/broad3.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/broad4.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/broad5.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/broad6.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/broad7.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/mb050318c.jpg

Why oh why are they not planning to add sidewalks along 11th, 12th, and Broadway Place? Seems like an inevitability that more density will be coming to the area now that the dealership is gone. They should be anticipating development fronting each side of the building.

^^^^This

This development is a bit underwhelming. I was hoping for more. This would make a great Whole Foods or REI. Not sure if an accounting firm will activate the area anymore than the dealership did. I also echo the comments about not including a sidewalk. Maybe they intend to build one anyways. This would be a great building for a Trader Joe's or Whole Foods because of the parking lot in the back. I will be emailing both companies and letting them know of this opportunity, even though it's a tad late for anything like that to happen.

^^^I agree and I've been sayin the same thing about a grocery store. This location has much potential...

By the renderings you'd think it is still a Mercedes dealership.

By the renderings you'd think it is still a Mercedes dealership.

I hadn't noticed that just about every car in the rendering is a Merc, haha!

Pete, did Howard/Midtown sell the building, or are they just leasing it to BROAD/HoganTaylor?

Having 65-70 well paid accountants in that area cannot be bad. They will spend money at the local restaurants. Sure, everyone prefers retail over office, but money talks.

^^^ True. It's definitely better than a vacant lot or even a car dealership.

Work has started.

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/hogantaylor030319a.jpg

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/broad042219a.jpg

Possibly my least favorite development in the entire city

Possibly my least favorite development in the entire city

I don't understand this at all. Sure, it could be more exciting, but at the building stands now it's nearly an eyesore squatting on Broadway and north Automobile Alley, not to mention occupying a corner of the streetcar route. Refreshing the look and bringing in a big new tenant for the area is a nice change.

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/broad061519b.jpg

I can't not read the name of this development in a Joe Pesci esque voice. Broad.

Actually, now they are using Benz as the building name.

Actually, now they are using Benz as the building name.
Seriously? Yikes...

actually, now they are using benz as the building name.

lol!

Kind of a lateral shift rather than worse or better.

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/benz070619a.jpg

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/benz090419a.jpg

The parking lot to the west is being completely re-worked as well:

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/benz102719a.jpg

Hogan Taylor has moved in on the 2nd floor.

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/benz111019a.jpg

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/benz120819a.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/benz120819b.jpg

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/benz040420a.jpg

So in this picture there are no "Available" signs on the windows, but I rode by on my bike tonight and there were several "Available" signs on the windows plus a wood one out front. Was there a change of plans for this building?

So in this picture there are no "Available" signs on the windows, but I rode by on my bike tonight and there were several "Available" signs on the windows plus a wood one out front. Was there a change of plans for this building?

Virtually the entire first floor and the south end of the 2nd is unleased.

I don't think anything has changed.

Oh I thought the entire thing was a single tenant

Oh I thought the entire thing was a single tenant

No, only about 1/3rd:

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/benz061120a.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/benz061120b.jpg

didn't even notice the restaurant space earlier, makes an even better adaptive reuse

https://oklahoman.com/article/5668010/bank-and-restaurant-latest-additions-to-former-downtown-car-dealership-development

Bank and Hal Smith restaurant going in.

I'll have all the details on the Hal Smith place later.

It's a new concept for them and will have a large patio.

I'll have all the details on the Hal Smith place later.

It's a new concept for them and will have a large patio.

Whose concept is he going to copy?

Whose concept is he going to copy?

Is there anything truly new under the sun? Not sure what you were going for.

Whose concept is he going to copy?

Would love to hear where this is going.. What are you insinuating?

Would love to hear where this is going.. What are you insinuating?

Not passing any judgment. He's good at what he does. A friend in the business told me that Louie's and Charleston's are modeled after restaurants that he liked around the country. And El Huevo is suspiciously like Juan del Fuego in Norman.

Heard Tesla is going in the Volvo space next door

Not passing any judgment. He's good at what he does. A friend in the business told me that Louie's and Charleston's are modeled after restaurants that he liked around the country. And El Huevo is suspiciously like Juan del Fuego in Norman.

Originally, Charlestons was almost exactly like a chain named Houstons. However, Houston's wasn't in OKC and wasn't coming here.

Heard Tesla is going in the Volvo space next door

I heard that this week. I didn’t think to ask if it was going to be service and parts only. I haven’t heard that Oklahoma law has been changed to allow sales. Maybe it has.

I heard that this week. I didn’t think to ask if it was going to be service and parts only. I haven’t heard that Oklahoma law has been changed to allow sales. Maybe it has.

No, it would have to be a service center like the one proposed for Tulsa.

I've been sitting on this forever because I've been waiting for HSRG to finalize a name, menu, etc.

It will go in the former showroom space, which is super cool. And there will be a large patio as well.

I believe the bank is going into the space directly behind (to the west).


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/benz073020a.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/benz073020d.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/benz073020c.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/benz073020b.jpg

Originally, Charlestons was almost exactly like a chain named Houstons. However, Houston's wasn't in OKC and wasn't coming here.

Hal Smith used to be involved with Outback way back in day, and before that Steak and Ale. you can see he influences of those restaurants in his current ones, at least when he was just getting HSR going. not as much anymore.

Not passing any judgment. He's good at what he does. A friend in the business told me that Louie's and Charleston's are modeled after restaurants that he liked around the country. And El Huevo is suspiciously like Juan del Fuego in Norman.

Almost every restaurant that he's come out with is modeled after various chains. For example, look at Bandera's menu in Chicago compared to Red Rock (https://hillstone.com/menus/bandera/Bandera%20Chicago%20Dinner.pdf?version=v-1596466550).

This new concept will also be modeled after an existing national chain that is very popular.

^

It's not just Hal Smith.

Most OKC operators travel frequently to Dallas, Austin, Los Angeles and New York to get their ideas.

^

It's not just Hal Smith.

Most OKC operators travel frequently to Dallas, Austin, Los Angeles and New York to get their ideas.

Right. That was not a knock on Hal at all, more just highlighting what is a common practice.

This is the restaurant space; in the 2nd photo you can see they've started to build the outdoor fireplace.

And from the looks of things, it seems the bank is going into the space above the restaurant.

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/benz080920c.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/benz080920d.jpg

Had a crane hoisting some fairly large ventilation equipment for the restaurant space to the roof yesterday. Looks like they are putting a lot of money in that build out.

https://twitter.com/hogantaylorllp/status/1410683275656536067

There is a small physical therapy office going in behind the restaurant.

Otherwise, the entire 1st level is almost empty, and Broadway Park across the street remains completely vacant.

If Broadway Park would just open for business (e.g. post a leasing site) I'm sure it'd get some HT emps. But I haven't seen any signage to that effect to this point.

General contractor Flintco is taking 8,700 square feet on the first floor of this building:

HTTP://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/flintco051722a.jpg

Why did the name change from Broad to Benz?