I searched here but couldn't find anything. What's going on with the old plant in downtown okc? Drove by today and looks like it's being gutted.

I searched here but couldn't find anything. What's going on with the old plant in downtown okc? Drove by today and looks like it's being gutted.

I saw a demolition permit but I thought it was just for one of the buildings, not the entire plant.

I'll go by with my drone and see what I can see.

i'm trying to place this... is this the plant at sw 21st and robinson?

i'm trying to place this... is this the plant at sw 21st and robinson?

I believe they are talking about the one downtown at 4th and western. Just north of beer city music hall.

I believe they are talking about the one downtown at 4th and western. Just north of beer city music hall.

riiiight... i forgot that was even there.

I saw a demolition permit but I thought it was just for one of the buildings, not the entire plant.

I'll go by with my drone and see what I can see.

Oh I see. One building coming down....interesting

I believe they are talking about the one downtown at 4th and western. Just north of beer city music hall.

Yup, that's the one!

Crazy, I was just thinking yesterday about how I wouldn't mind if that got torn down... excited to hear updates on this!

The demo permit was for the big 2-story warehouse closest to Western (foreground of the first image).

However, I didn't realize this entire property was sold to the Corsair group (huge local land speculators) so you have to believe they will demolish the entire plant and then put the land up for sale. Purina is completely out of there.

It's 5 acres in an area where downtown is spreading west.

If the plant comes down, with the jail moving out that would remove two big eyesores in that area west of downtown.

Just to the south is the great complex with Flycatcher, Fair Weather Friend and Beer City. Just to the east a couple of blocks is the new housing complex starting at 4th & Shartel and the newly opened Muse (and Glamour).

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forgot all about this, last time I was in the city I thought it was a concrete plant. ...

OKC sure has a number of these dog food factories. ..

Words can't express how much I would love to see that eye sore be tore down. 5 acres is way too big of a plot of land, along with it's neighboring buildings to not be put to better use.

Yippee! West Downtown will gain some potential to grow! I'd love to see the skyline expand to the west.

Yippee! West Downtown will gain some potential to grow! I'd love to see the skyline expand to the west.

Apparently the skyline is expanding due north and west. If you want to include the OKANA development, south also. The only direction it seems to remain stagnant in is Eastward, and that's mainly due to the ProCoop site. I can't wait to see what this place will look like in ten years.

I hope/pray they keep going further West, even though it's for personal reasons!!

I hope/pray they keep going further West, even though it's for personal reasons!!

That area has tremendous potential, but it's going to take time.

Is the abandoned rail line next to it privately owned and available to be developed also?

Is the abandoned rail line next to it privately owned and available to be developed also?

It's owned by the railroad.

And Purina was using it up until recently, although they were the end of the line.

Apparently the skyline is expanding due north and west. If you want to include the OKANA development, south also. The only direction it seems to remain stagnant in is Eastward, and that's mainly due to the ProCoop site. I can't wait to see what this place will look like in ten years.

Interesting that you write that. I feel like "eastward" has been the most successful and most dense expansion of downtown in any of the four directions. Bricktown, Deep Deuce, the Innovation District. (Followed very closely by Midtown development to the north). I suppose if you are only considering "skyline" as something visible from far away, I might concede the point, although I fail to see why the announcement of this plant being bought guarantees any "skyline growth." Besides it is quite far removed from the other buildings. Nevertheless I don't wish to be a wet blanket. I welcome all development in the core.

I'd keep the whole thing and turn the property into something like the Magnolia Market at the Silos in Waco, Texas.

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I was going to say that I always really liked the industrial vibe that the plant brought to the Fair Weather Friends and the other developments. It added some character. I'm not saying they should keep it just for that, but I never thought it was an eyesore from there.

I was going to say that I always really liked the industrial vibe that the plant brought to the Fair Weather Friends and the other developments. It added some character. I'm not saying they should keep it just for that, but I never thought it was an eyesore from there.

All true but it was a dog food plant that smelled and had a loud grinder working late into the evenings.

When I lived in SoSA I could hear and smell this place far too often.


The demolition permit was only for the warehouse on the east side of the silos. Perhaps the plan is to keep the silos and let the next buyer figure out if they can repurpose them in some way. At the very least, keeping them as landmarks and lighting them up would be great marketing for whatever is built on the remainder of the property.

^^^ I don't know if it has any historical relevance, but it is not an attractive element on the skyline, something of note from when I lived in the Regency.

^^^ I don't know if it has any historical relevance, but it is not an attractive element on the skyline, something of note from when I lived in the Regency.

I have always thought it added a really cool industrial vibe, just hated the dog food part of it.

That area west of Western could be very cool and the project with Beer City is a great start. Same with the Dead People's Stuff complex on Linwood.

Would much prefer to see all these buildings repurposed.

Can we get some spare parts from there sent to BCMH so they can raise the stage so people more than 5 feet back (or shorter than 6'6") can see the drummers? :p

So why did it close in the first place?

So why did it close in the first place?

Probably was coming due to either have a major machinery overhaul or sell it off. Between being downtown property, a older facility (so smaller property in general and not really ideal for modern transports), and having a much more modern/larger facility in like 20 miles away. It is almost surprising it was still operating as recently as it was.

It was amazing the plant still had rail service, the UP probably ran 2 times a week (a guess), would bring 4-6 carloads, run around them and take the empty cars. The plant used a ‘track mobile’ to then switch the cars in and out. It was a little journey on 10 mph track from the main at Reno making a nice half circle past fairgrounds. The BNSF sends the dog food job up to Edmond 5 days a week with 8-12+ cars 5 days a week with two locos. And they do all the plant switching.

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18381

^

Awesome, thanks.

As of now, the only demo permit is for that big warehouse that is coming down.

I hope they keep the elevators in the hopes the next owner can repurpose them; would look cool all lit up.

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They may not come down right away, but it feels like odds of keeping the remaining structures is low given these most recent photos.

They may not come down right away, but it feels like odds of keeping the remaining structures is low given these most recent photos.

I'm afraid you're right, especially because there is no fencing about the main structures and you can almost bet the homeless are going to be climbing in there and lighting fires on the next cold night.

The developer at OAK told me he decided to demolish the old office park sooner then they had planned due to break-ins and liability, and that was at 50th & Penn, not an already blighted area.

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Looks like they may be done with demolition for now:

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Would be cool to see the checkerboard preserved and incorporated into whatever replaces this

If they are going to leave any part of that structure, they had better put up a very good fence.

There are a ton of homeless all around there and they will be looking for a place to stay warm over the winter and as things stand now, there is nothing to stop them from climbing into that building.

Also, a huge environmental cleanup is going to be required before they repurpose any part of that property.

They continue to dismantle this plant. Not sure if they are going to take it all down or leave parts; their demolition permit was vague.

They had a big crane out there yesterday as well as a bunch of other equipment, so clearly they aren't finished.

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They are probably carefully dismantling it, as some of the remaining equipment probably can be sold and reused.

I wish WACO would relocate their salvage yard to another location other Classen Blvd.

I wish WACO would relocate their salvage yard to another location other Classen Blvd.

Buy them and move them. Looks like they been operating there for 60 years without anyone complaining. I'm guessing over $5 million for property, equipment and business.

The remaining structures almost look like candidates for implosion, for a number of reasons. I wonder if they are stripping everything that can be easily stripped, before going down that road.

The remaining structures almost look like candidates for implosion, for a number of reasons. I wonder if they are stripping everything that can be easily stripped, before going down that road.

I can't imagine implosion in that dense area is cheaper or less risky, when all potential side effects are factored.

They continue to dismantle this plant. Not sure if they are going to take it all down or leave parts; their demolition permit was vague.

They had a big crane out there yesterday as well as a bunch of other equipment, so clearly they aren't finished.

I was at Fairweather Saturday and they were taking the wrecking ball to the main concrete tower structure.

18512

^
Kapow!

Thanks for the photo.

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Goner:

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Woohoo!

I see a number of other buildings that I'd like to see gone as well. In my dream world, we get a very nice upscale mixed use development in this area. Something like Oak would be ideal.