This has been discussed elsewhere but it deserves its own thread.

Press release:

****************

NOUN HOTEL HOLDS GROUNDBREAKING CEREMONY
THURSDAY, APRIL 22 AT 11 A.M.

WHAT: NOUN Hotel will hold the official groundbreaking ceremony for the upcoming 92-room boutique hotel located on Campus Corner next to the University of Oklahoma on Thursday, April 22 beginning at 11 a.m.

During the ceremony, guests will hear from NOUN Hotel Managing Partner Scott Lambert, President/CEO of the Norman Chamber of Commerce Scott Martin, Cleveland County Commissioner District 1 Rod Cleveland, Visit Norman Executive Director Dan Schemm, and O’Connell’s Irish Pub & Grille Owner Jeff Stewart. Among those in attendance will be partners and consultants on the project, community and business leaders from across the state of Oklahoma, University of Oklahoma students and professors, and members from key community organizations and associations.

The shovel ceremony officially breaking ground on the project will follow, and guests can stay afterward to celebrate with pizza from Volare Pizzeria and beverages.

Soon after the groundbreaking, construction will begin on the four-story boutique hotel at 542 South University Boulevard. When complete, the hotel will include 92 modern guest rooms, a 3,000 square-foot indoor/outdoor bar on the second floor, a 3,000 square-foot restaurant and bar, 3,800 square-foot meeting space, boardroom, and on-site parking. NOUN Hotel, located on Campus Corner, will be within walking distance of the University of Oklahoma and downtown Norman. Partners on the project and for this event include Gateway First Bank, Manhattan Construction, and GH2 Architects.

For more information on NOUN Hotel, please follow @nounhotel on Facebook and Instagram.


WHEN: Thursday, April 22 | 11 a.m. – noon CDT
10:30–10:50 a.m.: Press arrival
11 a.m.: Groundbreaking ceremony begins
11-11:15 a.m.: Speakers:
Scott Martin, Norman Chamber of Commerce President/CEO
Rod Cleveland, Cleveland County Commissioner District 1
Dan Schemm, Visit Norman Executive Director
Jeff Stewart, O’Connell’s Irish Pub & Grille Owner
Scott Lambert, NOUN Hotel Managing Partner
11:15 a.m.: Shovels break ground and photos
11:20 a.m.: Celebration


WHERE: 542 S. University Boulevard, Norman, OK 73069


ABOUT NOUN HOTEL
NOUN Hotel is a premier boutique hotel North of the University of Oklahoma opening in 2022. The four-story boutique hotel will feature 92 warm, modern guest rooms, a bar with both indoor and patio seating, an exciting new restaurant, 3,800-square-feet of meeting space and boardrooms, plus on-site parking to make visiting a breeze. NOUN Hotel, located on Campus Corner, will be within walking distance of the University of Oklahoma and downtown Norman, located at 542 South University Boulevard, Norman, OK 73069. For more information on NOUN Hotel, please follow @nounhotel on Facebook and Instagram.

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

This is great news for Norman and Campus Corner. Hopefully this leads to a renaissance along the University Blvd corridor. It looks like it is also positioned so that the parking lot to the south can be redeveloped in the future.

GH2 Architects has some other renderings on their website:

https://gh2.com/portfolio/NounHotel/data1/images/20200528normanhotel20190074rrrrpage001.jpg

https://gh2.com/portfolio/NounHotel/data1/images/20200528normanhotel20190074rrrrpage007.jpg

https://gh2.com/portfolio/NounHotel/NounHotel.html

This hotel will be amazing (and probably expensive) for game days weekends.
I feel this is something OU has needed on campus corner for a while

That is a lovely building, I hope the in-person results match the rendering.

Great news. Yeah, the parking lots between this hotel and President's house have always made sense to develop. It's just way too good of a location for surface parking. Looking forward to this hotel livening up this side of Campus Corner.

What I find funny about the rendering is that there are no luxury pick-up trucks as vehicles.

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/noun090521a.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/noun090521b.jpg

Really happy this is moving forward. Pete are the other projects in CC dead? I believe there were two or three other high density proposals.

Really happy this is moving forward. Pete are the other projects in CC dead? I believe there were two or three other high density proposals.

I'm not sure what you're referencing.

I'm not sure what you're referencing.

There was at one time a multi-story project on the NW corner of Boyd and Dean's Row where the convenience store currently is.

I'm not sure what you're referencing.
It’s been awhile but there were at least two other proposals for mixed-use retail/residential, that were to be about 3+ stories. I saw several news articles about NIMBYs kicking up a fuss and then silence so I assumed they died but was wanting to know for sure. I’ll dig them up tomorrow on my computer as I’m on my mobile right now.

I walked all around Campus Corner yesterday and Noun was the only new construction.

I walked all around Campus Corner yesterday and Noun was the only new construction.

I'd love to know the story behind Skinny Slim's Campus Corner location being 90% done for several years. I'd love to know the details? Have they been paying rent all this time? How can you get so close and not finish?

I'd love to know the story behind Skinny Slim's Campus Corner location being 90% done for several years. I'd love to know the details? Have they been paying rent all this time? How can you get so close and not finish?

Same. Every time I'm down there, I wish it were open for some Saturday morning Premiere League action. I've given up looking to see if its open, and have assumed it never will.

Same. Every time I'm down there, I wish it were open for some Saturday morning Premiere League action. I've given up looking to see if its open, and have assumed it never will.

I have some vague recollection that they were offered to open a place in a Colorado airport so they stopped to do that construction and never finished the Norman location. I could very well be wrong but for some reason that is has stuck in my head.

**EDit I was completely wrong (https://www.okctalk.com/showthread.php?t=41190&highlight=skinny+slims)

"It seems Skinny Slim's has backed out of opening a the new location in Norman. They bought the old Fat Hedz gas station with the intention of splitting the space. One half was going to be a salon operated by a current GM and the other half was going to be Skinny Slim's. However, the management put in place for the salon fell through. Ownership decided to back off since the idea of operating a Skinny Slim's out of such a large place goes against their entire business model.

Nothing has been decided on what to do with the space quite yet. They already have a lease signed and are currently seeking other concepts. "

It’s been awhile but there were at least two other proposals for mixed-use retail/residential, that were to be about 3+ stories. I saw several news articles about NIMBYs kicking up a fuss and then silence so I assumed they died but was wanting to know for sure. I’ll dig them up tomorrow on my computer as I’m on my mobile right now.

You’re thinking of 715 Asp which was a 5 story apartment building and 211 Boyd which I believe was a 6 story office building . Both had ground floor retail space. I was surprised the office proposal didn’t move forward, there isn’t very much office space available in CC

^^ Yes I’m pretty sure those were the two so those are completely dead?

From what I can find, this lot is owned by first Presbyterian church. Do we know if they sold it, or are they going to be landlords?

From what I can find, this lot is owned by first Presbyterian church. Do we know if they sold it, or are they going to be landlords?

My guess is that the hotel group is doing a long-term ground lease with the church.

My guess is that the hotel group is doing a long-term ground lease with the church.

Correct.

I went by last week and it looks like they are getting close to topping out the steel framing. This will be a great addition to Campus Corner.

From the Noun Facebook page:

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/noun121021a.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/noun121021b.jpg

They are starting to brick up (left side of photo):

HTTP://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/noun021522a.jpg

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/noun041122a.jpg

That brick is quite a bit darker. I’ll reserve judgment until I can see it in person.

That brick is quite a bit darker. I’ll reserve judgment until I can see it in person.

It's just my camera. Not dark at all in person.

It's just my camera. Not dark at all in person.

Great to know. And as always, thank you for the photos!

They are now taking reservations starting in August.

https://nounhotel.com/

Going to sell out quick for game days!

I bet it sells out for almost every day during the school year.

There are a million things happening on a large college campus and besides, tons of nearby restaurants and shops. And parents coming to visit their kids.

I can't believe it's taken this long to build a hotel near campus. I'll bet we'll see several more announced soon.

It's already sold out, there was a very long mailing list and it's gone for every home game this year. I'd bet it stays that way with a move to the SEC coming up, those teams travel and the matchups will be big draws for OU fans alike.

Just shows the demand.

More hotels could be built close to or on Main Street and still be within walking distance of the campus.

The Norman train station is also near Main.

Also, the university should consider building a hotel near the Duck Pond or even down by Lloyd Noble.

This reminds me so much of breakfast places in OKC... Late to the party, then it started happening and suddenly there are a hundred places.

17508

An imprecise exercise, but you could fit ~six of them along Imhoff and still have plenty of parking....

Tear down Lloyd noble and build a big hotel. Redo McCasland to host basketball games on campus again. So simple

But... you don't even need that huge piece of land in its entirety for a hotel of any size...

Tear down Lloyd noble and build a big hotel. Redo McCasland to host basketball games on campus again. So simple

You don't even have to tear down Lloyd Noble. I've long thought the only way to fix that surface parking desert is to build mixed use hotel and residential around Lloyd Noble on the surface parking.

But, yeah, I think the campus area could support 3-4 more hotels just like the Noun. I've never understood why this didn't happened much earlier.

But... you don't even need that huge piece of land in its entirety for a hotel of any size...

It is currently used for free parking for students who take a shuttle. I wouldn't want to take that away. I had to pay like 300 bucks a year for parking when I went to OU.

so you're saying demo lloyd noble but keep the parking?


edit sorry that wasn't you

There is lots of empty and underutilized land south of Lindsey.

They should work in a hotel as part of the new dorm reconstruction and help defray some of that cost.

It could also go to the spot currently occupied by the softball stadium, as they are hoping to build a new stadium soon. Tons of options.

It is currently used for free parking for students who take a shuttle. I wouldn't want to take that away. I had to pay like 300 bucks a year for parking when I went to OU.

There a million solutions to this problem, but keep these massive surface lots when there are better uses should not be one. An easy solution would be just to include parking garages in those developments. Make it available to commuting students at a discount or free.

Tear down Lloyd noble and build a big hotel. Redo McCasland to host basketball games on campus again. So simple

the field house is not and can not be big enough for OU basketball . it is not a viable option

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/noun062622a.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/noun062622b.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/noun062622c.jpg

I've noticed they've already started advertising on social media

I've noticed they've already started advertising on social media

Fairly certain every gameday weekend is sold out and at a hefty price per room. Shows the historically unmet demand, which will only increase when SEC comes to town.

Now if OU would build a garage to the north so those parking lots could be redeveloped..

Now if OU would build a garage to the north so those parking lots could be redeveloped..

Same with the lots east of the stadium.

Is the hotel open yet?

Is the hotel open yet?

It's supposed to be open for next weekend's OU home opener, and they have been working long hours to try and get everything done.

They are out there working today:

HTTP://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/noun082822a.jpg

Sign on the outside says "Open Sept. 22nd"

Crazy that this project had to jump through so many hoops to satisfy NIMBYs. Looks great and fits in perfectly.

Sign on the outside says "Open Sept. 22nd"

Hmm I wonder if there were any rooms already booked for the first couple home games

Hmm I wonder if there were any rooms already booked for the first couple home games

I'm pretty sure they had taken bookings for the beginning of September, so I suspect they had to cancel a bunch for the first two home games.

Based on what it looked like today when I passed by it still has some work to do. Unfortunate if they lose two home games.

Crazy that this project had to jump through so many hoops to satisfy NIMBYs. Looks great and fits in perfectly.

What modifications did they have to make?

Based on what it looked like today when I passed by it still has some work to do. Unfortunate if they lose two home games.

I bet the liquidated damages are really high for Manhattan Construction.

I bet the liquidated damages are really high for Manhattan Construction.

There may have been supply chain issues.

Seems like that is still causing lots of delays, especially furniture and kitchen equipment.

So today the sign was gone. They also took off all the outer fabric material and all the lights were on inside. Looked like furniture going in. I am guessing they are speeding this up.

I bet the liquidated damages are really high for Manhattan Construction.

Possibly, if it's their fault. Furniture and kitchen equipment could be an Owner provided item.

The construction fence is down and they are starting to landscape.

Looks like the outside is mostly complete.


I sure hope there are more, similar projects near campus because this place is going to stay booked.