And I mean.. of course you were going to maintain the historical structure and preserve the original sign. I'm sure you had a terrific plan to abate the issue of homeless folks breaking in and stealing the wiring out of the walls. Man. What a missed opportunity!

Of course, I have a plan, just not a clear one for becoming a billionaire yet. My plan is to give you a penthouse in that complex for free, and one for anyone you choose as well. What a missed opportunity!

Of course, I have a plan, just not a clear one for becoming a billionaire yet. My plan is to give you a penthouse in that complex for free, and one for anyone you choose as well. What a missed opportunity!

SO there is / was a concept of a plan. ;)

^^^ That, and hope I can believe in but may never happen.

That stacked building looks like it is about to fall down, it is not really a good concept

And I mean.. of course you were going to maintain the historical structure and preserve the original sign. I'm sure you had a terrific plan to abate the issue of homeless folks breaking in and stealing the wiring out of the walls. Man. What a missed opportunity!

Ah, the old, why-aren't-you-a-rich-developer argument to silence anyone who doesn't want all historical OKC buildings torn down. It's almost like this attitude is why OKC has no regard for historical buildings and the role they play in the community.

I too am flaberghasted why the sign wasn't saved. OKC should really invest in a historical museum about itself - this and other iconic signs would be 'easy' pieces to display and educate on OKC's economic past. We have the state museum, but it'd be nice to have an "Oklahoma City Museum of Science and Industry" as OKC does ahve a rich industrial/economic heritage that has all but been erased from the visible scene.

Ah, the old, why-aren't-you-a-rich-developer argument to silence anyone who doesn't want all historical OKC buildings torn down. It's almost like this attitude is why OKC has no regard for historical buildings and the role they play in the community.

After a while, I started to get a sense of who those guys are on this forum, lol.

I too am flaberghasted why the sign wasn't saved. OKC should really invest in a historical museum about itself - this and other iconic signs would be 'easy' pieces to display and educate on OKC's economic past. We have the state museum, but it'd be nice to have an "Oklahoma City Museum of Science and Industry" as OKC does ahve a rich industrial/economic heritage that has all but been erased from the visible scene.

I have always believed we could do the right thing as a City and turn the Gold Dome into a museum just like you are describing. I was thinking an Oklahoma Architecture Museum, but any type that educates about Oklahoma City!

I have always believed we could do the right thing as a City and turn the Gold Dome into a museum just like you are describing. I was thinking an Oklahoma Architecture Museum, but any type that educates about Oklahoma City!

There are so many things the Gold Dome can be turned into, but there appears to be a lack of money and imagination. There are challenges, though, such as parking for tons of people that might be there at once for one, but those could probably be overcome. Look at all the churches, breweries, pubs, banks, factories around the world that have been repurposed - it can be done.

There are so many things the Gold Dome can be turned into, but there appears to be a lack of money and imagination. There are challenges, though, such as parking for tons of people that might be there at once for one, but those could probably be overcome. Look at all the churches, breweries, pubs, banks, factories around the world that have been repurposed - it can be done.
The gold dome is one building that really needs to be saved. But after the years of neglect it would take a massive undertaking, $$$$$$$$$, to restore it. I hope there's someone out there that will eventually take it on.

The gold dome is one building that really needs to be saved. But after the years of neglect it would take a massive undertaking, $$$$$$$$$, to restore it. I hope there's someone out there that will eventually take it on.

A similar project in Texas cost approximately $5.6 million to renovate the dome itself, while the entire project, including a 17,000-square-foot addition, totaled $10,671,454. The project was carried out by the City of Borger. It makes me wonder why cities don’t create dedicated funds to acquire, renovate, and lease out historic or architecturally significant buildings. Wouldn’t this be a meaningful MAPS 4 Beautification project? Imagine transforming such spaces into public libraries or other community hubs. Initiatives like these could bring vibrancy and elegance to a city, breaking away from the monotony of new, uninspired buildings.

Some cities have embraced this approach successfully, Over-the-Rhine is a prime example. When cities fail to get involved, developers often resort to the all-too-familiar tactic: claiming renovations are too expensive and opting to demolish significant structures to make way for something like a gas station.

https://cmsv2-assets.apptegy.net/uploads/14043/file/1549307/46e715ef-90c6-4e8a-99b0-f65dfea22580.png19350


https://www.visitborger.com/o/borger/page/the-dome-civic-and-convention-center
https://cmsv2-assets.apptegy.net/uploads/14043/file/1557696/33141104-007b-4632-a528-162834011aec.jpeg

A similar project in Texas cost approximately $5.6 million to renovate the dome itself, while the entire project, including a 17,000-square-foot addition, totaled $10,671,454. The project was carried out by the City of Borger. It makes me wonder why cities don’t create dedicated funds to acquire, renovate, and lease out historic or architecturally significant buildings. Wouldn’t this be a meaningful MAPS 4 Beautification project? Imagine transforming such spaces into public libraries or other community hubs. Initiatives like these could bring vibrancy and elegance to a city, breaking away from the monotony of new, uninspired buildings.

Some cities have embraced this approach successfully, Over-the-Rhine is a prime example. When cities fail to get involved, developers often resort to the all-too-familiar tactic: claiming renovations are too expensive and opting to demolish significant structures to make way for something like a gas station.

https://cmsv2-assets.apptegy.net/uploads/14043/file/1549307/46e715ef-90c6-4e8a-99b0-f65dfea22580.png19350


https://www.visitborger.com/o/borger/page/the-dome-civic-and-convention-center
https://cmsv2-assets.apptegy.net/uploads/14043/file/1557696/33141104-007b-4632-a528-162834011aec.jpeg
That is cool. And very similar inside and outside to our gold dome.

The gold dome is one building that really needs to be saved. But after the years of neglect it would take a massive undertaking, $$$$$$$$$, to restore it. I hope there's someone out there that will eventually take it on.

If the gold dome is never going to be restored then the gold dome should be bulldozed and build into something useful, I have been saying the same thing about Crossroads Mall for years

If the gold dome is never going to be restored then the gold dome should be bulldozed and build into something useful, I have been saying the same thing about Crossroads Mall for yearsAs much as I'd like to see the dome restored I have to agree. If it's going to sit rotting (corroding?) away then build something else there.

A similar project in Texas cost approximately $5.6 million to renovate the dome itself, while the entire project, including a 17,000-square-foot addition, totaled $10,671,454. The project was carried out by the City of Borger. It makes me wonder why cities don’t create dedicated funds to acquire, renovate, and lease out historic or architecturally significant buildings. Wouldn’t this be a meaningful MAPS 4 Beautification project? Imagine transforming such spaces into public libraries or other community hubs. Initiatives like these could bring vibrancy and elegance to a city, breaking away from the monotony of new, uninspired buildings.

Some cities have embraced this approach successfully, Over-the-Rhine is a prime example. When cities fail to get involved, developers often resort to the all-too-familiar tactic: claiming renovations are too expensive and opting to demolish significant structures to make way for something like a gas station.


Because cities are terrible real estate developers. If it was for a dedicated public use like a library, thats different but to try to buy, renovate and lease out would most likely not end well. If the private sector hasnt done it, city of OKC surely wouldnt get it done. Private sector is struggling to make it happen even with TIF money being dangled.

If the private sector hasnt done it, city of OKC surely wouldnt get it done. Private sector is struggling to make it happen even with TIF money being dangled.

They did a great job with the Belle Isle Library, and this one shouldn’t be much different—if there's a will, there's a way. Projects like these are best handled by either the public sector or developers with deep pockets, where neighborhood revitalization, rather than profit, is the priority. Don’t assume that if the private sector can’t do it, no one can. It really depends on which private sector players you're talking about, there are both good and bad guys, they're struggling because the best guys haven't shown up at the table yet, probably.

If the gold dome is never going to be restored then the gold dome should be bulldozed and build into something useful, I have been saying the same thing about Crossroads Mall for years

How do you know if it will ever be restored if you bulldoze it? I'm guessing you would have bulldozed the Skirvin before it has the change to be renovated too, huh? No, there's plenty of land in the core for building "useful things," and a severe lack of unique, historic buildings. This type of building gives an area character. It deserves patience.

:iagree:

How do you know if it will ever be restored if you bulldoze it? I'm guessing you would have bulldozed the Skirvin before it has the change to be renovated too, huh? No, there's plenty of land in the core for building "useful things," and a severe lack of unique, historic buildings. This type of building gives an area character. It deserves patience.

So how patient should we be? How long has the dome has been vacant, 10 years or so? Should we wait another 10 or 20 years for a rescuer to come along? Each year that passes reduces the chance of a revitalization. At some point you need to move on.

So how patient should we be? How long has the dome has been vacant, 10 years or so? Should we wait another 10 or 20 years for a rescuer to come along? Each year that passes reduces the chance of a revitalization. At some point you need to move on.

As I've said I love the building and have memories of my parents banking there and my first years of banking being there. But I'm also realistic. The gold dome has been essentially empty and abandoned since around 2001 when Bank One owned it and intended to demolish it but public outcry saved it. So 24ish years of being empty. There was a very short lived operation of The Speakeasy which didn't live long and a plan when TEEMCO owned it that never happened.
This is a situation like the First Christian Egg Building.
We've all seen the chart where two circles intersect and the intersecting part is what matters. In these cases there's the circle of us that want unique historical buildings to be saved. The other circle is people that have the money to actually save the buildings. In the egg building case and in the gold dome case the circles don't come close to intersecting.

So how patient should we be? How long has the dome has been vacant, 10 years or so? Should we wait another 10 or 20 years for a rescuer to come along? Each year that passes reduces the chance of a revitalization. At some point you need to move on.

The Skrivin was closed for 20 years and thank goodness it wasn't demolished.

What difference does it make if it continues to sit empty? There are hundreds of empty buildings all over OKC.

So how patient should we be? How long has the dome has been vacant, 10 years or so? Should we wait another 10 or 20 years for a rescuer to come along? Each year that passes reduces the chance of a revitalization. At some point you need to move on.

Yes. 20 years would be fine if it means it could be restored and renovated.

No. Not 20 twenty years.

As I've said I love the building and have memories of my parents banking there and my first years of banking being there. But I'm also realistic. The gold dome has been essentially empty and abandoned since around 2001 when Bank One owned it and intended to demolish it but public outcry saved it. So 24ish years of being empty. There was a very short lived operation of The Speakeasy which didn't live long and a plan when TEEMCO owned it that never happened.
This is a situation like the First Christian Egg Building.
We've all seen the chart where two circles intersect and the intersecting part is what matters. In these cases there's the circle of us that want unique historical buildings to be saved. The other circle is people that have the money to actually save the buildings. In the egg building case and in the gold dome case the circles don't come close to intersecting.

Actually, the boob church and gold dome aren't really the same situation - the church was pretty much purpose-built for one thing, and that made it pretty hard to re-use it for anything else (and I believe there were asbestos problems too), and not in a great location for foot traffic, visibility, etc.. Gold dome is just a shell, big enough to do things you couldn't do with the church, and pretty sure it doesn't have asbestos problems, and is smack-dab in the middle of things/people.

The issue with the Skirvin was financial. The issue with the dome is how can it be used. Completely different situation. If no one has come up with a viable plan by now, they probably won’t. Why didn’t the developer that refurbished the tower and converted it to apartments in the mid 2000’s not repurpose the dome also? Is anyone maintaining the dome? Does it leak? Are there mold issues? Do homeless live there? How long will it remain structurally sound? For me, it is time to move on.

IIRC, pre-Teemco there was an engineering analysis of the dome that determined that the anodizing on the structure was compromised and rehab would cost a couple million and advised strongly against painting. Teemco painted it and it looks all weird. A couple million right off the bat before you start work to repurpose is a pretty hefty impediment to financial feasibility. The round shape presents a challenge for efficient use of space and layout.

I recall that one of the remediation efforts of the last 20 years has also compromised the metal of the roof. Something like they sand blasted it and that has fatigued the steel to where it is cracked where any of the tubing comes through and/or wherever anything bolts together. And that $2 million number is probably double today.

Isn't the Gold Dome in the new Classen TIF district? That might present an opportunity for saving it eventually.

I tried searching but couldn’t find anything. Whats being done on the former LoveLink Ministries site on Linwood and Western?

I tried searching but couldn’t find anything. Whats being done on the former LoveLink Ministries site on Linwood and Western?

I merged your question with an existing thread.

This post has details:

https://www.okctalk.com/showthread.php?t=45444&page=2&p=1282620#post1282620

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/nuway010125a.jpg