from everything i have heard the above tower is NOT Midfirst's.

Midfirst was downtown for years... What is now the Dowell Center was Midland Center and that's where they had all their businesses.

With CEO Jeff Records's connection to the Thunder and many other civic interests, I'd hope they would be interested in moving back downtown.

I really like the little competition and high standards for development and civic improvement modeled by McClendon, Nichols and now Tom Ward. I bet Continental will be very similar and my hope is that MidFirst and American Fidelity (and others) get caught up in the same spirit.

from everything i have heard the above tower is NOT Midfirst's.

Would be great if it was CHK building some spec office space.

Another big silent player in OKC, besides Love's, Braum's and Hobby Lobby is MyDentist. They have about 150 or so at the corporate office, but employ about 400-500 in Oklahoma and have locations out of state as well. They are married to corporate office in the strip center in Casady Square though. I tried getting them to relocate to the inner city when I worked there. Now I work for a firm we are relocating to OKC from Dallas and hope to make the formal announcement soon, although the corporate office is not very large, it's still a net gain for OKC.

What day is the lighting ceremony?

Important piece of info, huh? It's Tuesday.

Thanks Warren!

I assumed you meant the day you posted but looking at the web cams of CHK construction, you can see they aren't turned on yet.

Should be really spectacular... They are starting to do more lights in NH Plaza and I imagine they'll include the Triangle properties as well.

Thanks Warren!

I assumed you meant the day you posted but looking at the web cams of CHK construction, you can see they aren't turned on yet.

Should be really spectacular... They are starting to do more lights in NH Plaza and I imagine they'll include the Triangle properties as well.

This coming Tuesday is when the lighting will happen. I have seen lights being put up all around campus and Whole Foods.

They already have lights on all their construction cranes. Here's an example:

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/chk1118.jpg

drove by new construction on my lunch break today, building 14 looks very impressive and urban, all glass, with like a darkish gray tint, very nice. They also started construction on parking garage just to the west. Hopefully all the buildings will be like building 14, it would make for a nice urban feel with the all glass mid-rise office buildings, next time I'm out that way, I will takes some pics.

The new office development on the east campus is totally opposite than the older Georgian style architecture of the west campus, it doesn't compliment it at all, it looks like a totally different company.

Everything east of Classen is very contemporary -- no brick at all.

Also, the eastern structures are of a completely different scale; all are several times the size of the largest Georgian building.

Adding to the separation is 4-lane boulevard (Classen) with median.

$800,000 permit today to renovate the 5th & 6th floors of the Atrium Tower South.

Hope they do something to the exterior of both those buildings as they are pretty hideous.

new pics shortly...

^^Ahh,red x's!

from today:

https://www.t-mobilepictures.com/myalbum/photos/photo40/87/2f/127cc2942643__1323115479000.jpg

https://www.t-mobilepictures.com/myalbum/photos/photo08/5e/76/76c79edcf860__1323114902000.jpeg

https://www.t-mobilepictures.com/myalbum/photos/photo32/9d/67/9da5a1eaa8bf__1323115146000.jpg

https://www.t-mobilepictures.com/myalbum/photos/photo42/c0/1c/042040912e5f__1323115199000.jpg

https://www.t-mobilepictures.com/myalbum/photos/photo24/31/85/0254acd27610__1323115252000.jpeg

Nichols Hills to Chesapeake: Let's start to talk about town hall
By Rose Lane
OKC Friday

Saying it believes the City of Nichols Hills and Chesapeake are on the same page in a desire to redevelop Nichols Hills Plaza, the City Council has sent a letter to the energy giant asking that the two entities explore possibilities to achieve that goal.

The first step in meeting that objective, Council members told Chesapeake senior vice president and general counsel Henry Hood, would be “to entertain the possible sale of the existing town hall and possible purchase of the church property.”

The letter comes more than a month after the City Council outlined an informal plan to relocate the town hall. Several years ago, Chesapeake approached city officials with the idea of trading the existing city office complex located at 6407 Avondale Drive for the property formerly owned by the First Church of Christ Scientist, 1203 Sherwood Drive.

City officials, however, noted in the letter that construction costs for new facilities at the church property have been estimated at $6.9-8.9 million and “there are no city funds now available for the relocation of town hall.” They suggested that funding could come from the proceeds from the sale of the existing town hall, as well as “proceeds from General Obligation Bonds authorized for the purpose of funding the relocation of town hall, which must be approved at a city-wide election to be held in the future” and “proceeds of a laon made to a municipal authority to be repaid exclusively from the anticipated incremental increase in sales tax revenues generated from Nichols Hills Plaza after redevelopment.” City officials also threw out the possibility of a combination of those funding sources and “other sources proposed by Chesapeake.”

The City Council stressed that its “key objective” is “to preserve and enhance the sales tax base of the city and to enhance the quality of life of its citizens.”
“Accordingly, final terms of sale of the existing town hall must include assurances that the Plaza will be promptly redeveloped for retail purposes.”
Mayor Sody Clements and Councilmen Peter Hoffman and Steven Goetzinger told Chesapeake, however, that “the Council has not made a decision to relocate town hall to the church property.”

“The Council is considering other town hall relocation sites, including the current site of the city’s public works facilities east of Western Avenue.”
As of press time, there had been no reply from Chesapeake.

Hopefully all the buildings will be like building 14, it would make for a nice urban feel with the all glass mid-rise office buildings, next time I'm out that way, I will takes some pics.

I think it would be pretty tough for CHK to pull off anything urban on their campus at this point. They would really have to change their campus and traffic flow drastically for that. Even after adding some height to the campus, it's still pretty isolated from its surroundings with no services or retail open to outsiders. It functions more or less like an office park with a single tenant.

$800,000 permit today to renovate the 5th & 6th floors of the Atrium Tower South.

Hope they do something to the exterior of both those buildings as they are pretty hideous.

I currently work in the north tower and we're one of the last tenants left in the building from the previous ownership. A few months back they were going to start painting the building, we assumed it would look similar to the old IBC building located to the west. Once they took the window coverings off though nothing has happened since then.

They currently are remodeling parts of the first floor of the north tower. Almost all of the upper floors of the south tower have been gutted and they now have scaffolding setup in the atrium and are doing some major work up top so the permit makes sense.

Lots of rumblings about big doings at Nichols Hills Plaza...


Chesapeake has announced a new grocery store is going into the old Crescent Market space; should know who that is very soon.

The City of NH has outlined a letter of intent to sell the city hall buildings to CHK with the stipulation it be developed into retail/commercial space soon after the transfer and that no significant portion of NH Plaza be demolished at any one time.

Sounds like they are not renewing leases in the plaza and that their plan to do a large-scale remodel is heating up again. As proposed about 6 years ago, that plan was to have closed Avondale and put a large park in the middle of retail space along the periphery.

CHK has clearly been working very closely with the Chamber to lure upscale retail, as evidenced by Whole Foods and Anthropologie. They seem to have a bunch of others interested based on recent interviews.

Aubrey held a town hall meeting that was recorded before Christmas. Highlights:

The new restaurant on the top of building 14 will be called Skyline.
A pavilion is being built north of the new central park to host concerts, cookouts and will have restrooms and a kitchen facility.
The creek will be extended up to 63rd ending in a pool/fountain.
A data center is being constructed south of 63rd and west of the railroad tracks.
A retention pond is being built around 59th, west of the tracks. Next to the pond, a building will be built to house HR and the doctor and dental offices will move there eventually as well. Another fitness center will be constructed in that area.
Classes curve is 75% leased.
The area north of Whole Foods/Anthropologie will most likely house more national retail.
The south triangle will eventually house a hotel.

Where did you see the town hall, warren?

The south triangle?

Yes, the area south of Flips. I-44, Grand and Western are the borders.

So we're talking about where Tapwerks used to be. Tall hotel then?

Where did you see the town hall, warren?

i would love to see that interview ......

but either way thanks for the recap

i would love to see that interview ......

but either way thanks for the recap

Aubrey holds an internal Q&A type of meeting every couple of months which he calls a Town Hall Meeting where a few hundred employees can attend. It is then shown over the intranet. Sorry I can't show it.

So we're talking about where Tapwerks used to be. Tall hotel then?

Yes, where Tapwerks was. Not sure of the height of the hotel. It would make sense for chk to build one since people come into town for meetings and chk has to put them up somewhere else.

Thanks for the info, warren!


The only thing not previously announced is the hotel, which was always rumored to be located just north of Whole Foods.

Sounds like they now want that area all retail... I wonder how long before they Glenbrook West building comes down.

Bill Marriott - the octogenerian (sp?) who is leaving the helm of the hotel chain - remarked recently that their post-war niche was to locate hotels near suburban employers. When vendors and contractors would visit, they'd discover that they could stay near their customer at a Marriott, not at a downtown hotel. Sounds simple in hindsight, but it was revolutionary at the time.

Any guess on who CHK will hire to be the operator?

I think CHK is a long way from developing that site as a hotel.

They don't yet own all the properties in that triangle and several of the office buildings they do own are still well occupied.

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/chk4.jpg

i would love to see a CHK master plan for the area ..

i know it is a big tasking but if you have time or if you already have it i would love to see an over lay of all of CHK's property and anounced plans

These are all re-posted from earlier in the thread -- nothing much has changed except the Hertz Data Center deal has reportedly fallen through.

Their holdings shown in yellow / pink; green are properties they are actively trying to acquire.

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

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

1. MAIN CAMPUS
http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/chk1.jpg

1A. SOUTH CAMPUS
http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/chk1a.jpg

2. TRIANGLE AT CLASSEN CURVE
http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/chk2.jpg

3. CLASSEN CURVE
http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/chk3.jpg

4. WESTERN TRIANGLE
http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/chk4.jpg

5. NICHOLS HILLS PLAZA
http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/chk5.jpg

6. NORTH WESTERN AREA
http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/chk6.jpg

8. NW 63RD & PORTLAND
http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/chk8.jpg

10. CENTRAL PARK I & II
http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/chk10.jpg

11. NW 50TH & WESTERN
http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/chk11.jpg

thanks pete

Has it been mentioned that the Conoco at NW 50th and Western is being razed and a brand new Oncue Will be built in its place? The carwash just south of the Conoco was recently razed and groundwork is going on right now.

redrunner, I didn't know any of that.

There hasn't been a demolition permit issued for that Conoco nor has their been a building permit for anything else on that site.

Guess they snuck that one in, huh? ;-)

In regards to #4 - Western Triangle, if they were to build a hotel on that site after businesses had moved from buildings and so forth, surely Deep Fork Grill would be able to stay... That so seems like a prime location for business, unless Chesapeake builds them some new diggs.

Surely, the land to the north of the Deep Fork Creek is plenty large enough to build a hotel with a moat of parking around it.

Yes, they would have more than enough space for a hotel without using the Deep Fork property.

However, DF is on prime interstate frontage.

Should that make much difference? 44 is squeezed pretty tightly there.

Even if an OnCue is going where the Conoco was, I don't know why they would have razed the building to the east on the south side of 50th.

Has the Conoco actually be demolished or is redrunner just speculating that it will be?

I found the demo permits for the car wash to the south and the small office building to the east, but nothing for the corner, either a demo or building permit.


An OnCue would need substantially more area than that old Conoco which would explain the other demolition but I am having a hard time understanding why CHK would go through all this trouble for an OnCue. Besides, they still own that land and OnCue always buys their properties.

Has the Conoco actually be demolished or is redrunner just speculating that it will be?

I found the demo permits for the car wash to the south and the small office building to the east, but nothing for the corner, either a demo or building permit.


An OnCue would need substantially more area than that old Conoco which would explain the other demolition but I am having a hard time understanding why CHK would go through all this trouble for an OnCue. Besides, they still own that land and OnCue always buys their properties.

I was told about Oncue from the current leaseholder of that Conoco. January is their last month of business and I'm sure things will start to get rolling with Oncue. It's no secret that Oncue and CHK are partners with the CNG station just down the street. There is not a decent gas station or convenience store on that strip of Western so I could definitely see why CHK would have an interest in going through all of this trouble for an Oncue.

Thanks for the info redrunner!

I wonder if Oncue is going to take all the CHK property as there is quite a bit there.

I know OnCue is based in Stillwater but they need to make the one on Western a flagship store.

I know OnCue is based in Stillwater but they need to make the one on Western a flagship store.

That's the plan:)

Should that make much difference? 44 is squeezed pretty tightly there.

Pete, I didn't want this to get looked over since it was the last post...

Should that make much difference? 44 is squeezed pretty tightly there.

With the lake not there now, that section is wide enough already to handle eight lanes if they move the ramps to Classen in a diamond configuration, removing the old center lane ramps and adjust the main alignment to take the space of the old ramps. Which would also allow 50th to connect to NW Expressway in both directions and reduce the congestion from ramps on the left lanes with short break zones before sharp turns.

Snowman, thanks for the previous comments. Two things really grabbed my attention: I-44/Classen ramps on the left side rather than right side and 50th/Classen fiasco. Not sure an elaboration of that discussion belongs right here, but more thoughts about the reconfiguration that Snowman has mentioned would be much appreciated. Seems like almost any changes would be better than what is there now, however, I think the 50th st thing is worse than before. Thanks.

Guess they snuck that one in, huh? ;-)

In regards to #4 - Western Triangle, if they were to build a hotel on that site after businesses had moved from buildings and so forth, surely Deep Fork Grill would be able to stay... That so seems like a prime location for business, unless Chesapeake builds them some new diggs.

Surely, the land to the north of the Deep Fork Creek is plenty large enough to build a hotel with a moat of parking around it.

DFG is one of AM's favorite places to go eat. He takes people from out of town there. I seriously doubt that place along with Irma's and Flip's are going anywhere.

In regards to the station at 50th and Western, the plan is to tear it down and build a flagship CNG station.

There will need to be some urban design considerations made for this Oncue. This is the historic strip part of Western Avenue that we're talking about.

Build a flagship CNG station when they just built a CNG station right next to this parcel?


McClendon has been quoted as saying that Irma's will eventually come down. As for Flip's they refuse to sell so CHK has no direct control of that business.

I'm sure if they build there they will integrate it with the existing CNG station. As for design considerations, I'm sure they will design it however AM wants. After all, the existing station is a uninspiring old building (I frequent this place because of the convenient location to me, and the friendly workers.) To the south of it is the CNG station, and to the North is the High School. East and west is suburban housing.

There will need to be some urban design considerations made for this Oncue. This is the historic strip part of Western Avenue that we're talking about.

"Historic strip of western????" What's historic about a run down gas station, a recently redone high school, fire station, abandoned drive through bank and random law office building across the street?

"Historic strip of western????" What's historic about a run down gas station, a recently redone high school, fire station, abandoned drive through bank and random law office building across the street?

Holy crap. The level of disregard that you hold OKC in is stunning. In the 90s people looked at Bricktown and all over downtown and described a much worse state of affairs, yet, they still saw the potential that it held. They were visionaries, and OKC is a much better place today because people saw the lasting architectural value in old areas. Do you consider anything in OKC to be a worthwhile endeavor from an urban design standpoint?

Here is the exact same stretch (not even going more than 2 blocks to the south) of Western Avenue that you described:

http://img20.imageshack.us/img20/4862/westernave1.jpg
http://img856.imageshack.us/img856/8722/westernave2.jpg
http://img542.imageshack.us/img542/5848/westernave3.jpg
http://img221.imageshack.us/img221/3227/westernave4w.jpg
http://img163.imageshack.us/img163/368/westernave5.jpg

And that high school you mention, while it lacks impressive frontage directly on Western, is only regarded as one of the best private schools in all of Oklahoma. Let's not forget that this is an upscale corridor.

This is not flashy, extravagant urban architecture. This is very, very simple urban design, yet it works, and yet it maintains a certain charm. Western Avenue is a hub of creative local businesses that don't seem to flourish anywhere else. It is a local treasure, whether you believe it or not. The city is also about to make a large investment in the area with a major streetscape project, paid for in the last GO bond issue. It should commence in a year or two, design is very much underway right now.

There has been quality urban development along Western between 41st and 45th--in order for the northside to develop organically, Western needs to continue to develop and act as a bridge to all of the Chesapeake development. OKC will be a lot nicer city if Chesapeake's empire isn't developed in a vacuum, but instead is a seamless continuation of the rest of OKC (perhaps even a gradual build-up). OKC could easily use the disparate parts it has NOW (Penn/Expwy/Belle Isle area, CHK campus, Western Avenue) and string together one of the best uptown areas in the nation just with better connections between these three parts.

Most Tulsans personally regard the QT station on Peoria (in the midst of Brookside, albeit in the lower-density part of Brookside) as one of the biggest failures of Tulsa urban design. This has the potential to be the exact same thing. I believe if Chesapeake is really going to do all of this first-class, then they need to do this project to a much higher standard. The City needs to hold new development to a higher standard along this vitally important stretch of Western, where density is still being built-up.

Holy crap. The level of disregard that you hold OKC in is stunning.

Pretty hilarious coming from Spartan, who regularly posts lies and gross exaggerations in his efforts to show his own disregard for OKC.

"Historic strip of western????" What's historic about a run down gas station, a recently redone high school, fire station, abandoned drive through bank and random law office building across the street?

Perhaps what Spartan meant to say was that it is "near" an historic strip of Western. Or that the site, if developed with some urban design considerations can help extend a nicely-developing strip of Western...

Perhaps what Spartan meant to say was that it is "near" an historic strip of Western. Or that the site, if developed with some urban design considerations can help extend a nicely-developing strip of Western...

Aside from the usual polemical ad hominems, I agree with you, Oil Capital.

By the way, I'm usually being little more than realistic. I see Western Ave infill as not just realistic, but inevitable. I do not see OKC getting an airline hub or improving its flight connections as realistic in any way whatsoever. I'm all for dreaming, I just think it needs to be done on earth.

You're right, I am sometimes negative (perhaps almost as negative as you). Yet, I don't think I intentionally negatively mischaracterize districts like Western Avenue so that gas stations can get built instead of quality infill. I just hope that whatever this Oncue ends up looking like, that we don't make the mistake Tulsa is now regretting when it comes to the Brookside QT.

Aside from the usual polemical ad hominems, I agree with you, Oil Capital.

.

Let me make sure everyone can understand what you are now saying... You now say you agree that what you meant was that the OnCue is "near" an historic strip of Western, rather than that it is "the historic strip of Western". So... your rather unhinged diatribe directed at Swilki for his/her failure to see the centrality of the OnCue site to the historic strip was intended to do what, exactly? I mean other than proving to yourself how far beyond the other posters (and all Oklahoma Citians) you are when it comes to understanding urban development.

Lets just agree that OnCue can build something on the corner of 50th and Western that will look far more approachable than the Conoco that used to sit there...

Let me make sure everyone can understand what you are now saying... You now say you agree that what you meant was that the OnCue is "near" an historic strip of Western, rather than that it is "the historic strip of Western". So... your rather unhinged diatribe directed at Swilki for his/her failure to see the centrality of the OnCue site to the historic strip was intended to do what, exactly? I mean other than proving to yourself how far beyond the other posters (and all Oklahoma Citians) you are when it comes to understanding urban development.

Now that's an unhinged diatribe

The Conoco that is there is horrible and should have been torn down the second that ND Foods left their little spot behind it. I also forgot to mention that "beautiful" car wash which is next door and the 7-11 down the street that is even closer to the historic area in my original post. Western is a wonderful area and is one of the most unique in the city, however, there is still much to be desired about some of the businesses that have opened up shop along the route. Hopefully, as more and more young professionals and young families move into Crown Heights and the surrounding area, Western will see a rebirth with more unique businesses opening up shop.

Spartan, I agree that it is NEAR an historic district and hopefully CHK and OnCue will design something that is much more unique than a typical gas station. Since CHK is involved in the project, I would imagine that it will be something different and unique (about as unique as you can get for a gas station).

As far as your personal attack about the level of disregard I hold for OKC, that's offensive. I grew up in Crown Heights, my family owned a store in the shopping center at 50th and Shartel, went to grade school at BJCS, worked at the CVS for want seemed like an eternity while I was in High School and College and, oh yeah, I went to that High School across the street from the CONOCO. So I would say that my roots are firmly planted in OKC and, specifically the Western area. Did I mention that I work at a nonprofit which is helping communities throughout Oklahoma with beautification, environmental and sustainable projects that will have a positive impact (economic and pride)???? Please stop assuming that you are the only one on here with valid points and the only one that cares about OUR city. We are all allowed to have our opinions and don't deserve to be shot down each time we decide to speak up.