BOK Park Plaza

[Pete]

Ben Felder ‏@benfelder_okg 1m1 minute ago
Larry Nichols now talking about Devon's support for more parking in downtown.

[jccouger]

Seems like there was some contradictory information regarding the OGE north residential tower? Seems to me the prospect of it is kind of shaky. If this is the case, I think its pretty safe to assume the south tower has a very slim chance of coming about.

[Pete]

Ben Felder ‏@benfelder_okg 1m1 minute ago
35 min into presentation and we are still talking parking, not presentation on design aspect or how projects will fit in downtown.

[Pete]

Ben Felder ‏@benfelder_okg 31s31 seconds ago
Getting the amount of parking the developers want is possible without removing bus station, city says.

[Pete]

Hines now proposing to include bus station sign on parking garage.

From https://twitter.com/JR_MollzFlem :

[Pete]

Here is an adjusted view of that image:

[LocoAko]

WILLIAM CRUM @WILLIAMCRUM · 7m 7 minutes ago
Architect: 499 W Sheridan changes "meaningful," come at cost to client; bus station sign preserved & creates "conversation" with Rex school.

[soondoc]

100% correct. One only needs to look at two places in Center City Philadelphia, Walnut Street with its sidewalk facing retail and The Mall at East Market, after 5PM. Separated by only a few blocks but worlds apart.

Watch this video for more information of the demise of the shopping mall and why street based retail will be the future (and then keep that in mind with this crap from Devon).
Retail mogul: Tech converging with brick & mortar.

Amazingly it is done in cities all over the country not named OKC. Another example of OKC doing things by cutting corners.

[Pete]

Molly M. Fleming ‏@JR_MollzFlem 1m1 minute ago
Speaking of existing structures:
"These structures - charming as they may be - are way beyond their economic life."
-architect Jon Pickard

[soondoc]

Ben Felder ‏@benfelder_okg 9s10 seconds ago
Cost per parking space doubles when you put a parking lot under building, even more if underground, developer says.

Amazingly it is done in cities all over the country not named OKC. Another example of OKC doing things by cutting corners.

I meant for my last post to be in response to this- my bad.

[bchris02]

Molly M. Fleming ‏@JR_MollzFlem 1m1 minute ago
Speaking of existing structures:
"These structures - charming as they may be - are way beyond their economic life."
-architect Jon Pickard

I can't believe he expects people to buy that.

[okclee]

OMG save the sign!

[hfry]

Interestingly the buildings have went from "functionally obsolete" to now not economical feasible...

[CaptDave]

Here is an adjusted view of that image:

That's lame to be kind. Throwing a bus station sign on the side of a parking garage is pretty much a pat on the head. I really think the city needs to stand its ground on this corner particularly. It appears they could "wrap" the garage around the Union Bus Station and increase the number of levels to get the desired capacity. They could even build the garage fairly close to the bus station as long as they reserve a few slots for whatever business goes into the station. Doing this would break up the canyon of parking garages and likely satisfy many of the people opposing the current plan.

[Pete]

^
It would also go a long way toward making Walker something other than a blank wall of parking garages.

[CaptDave]

^
It would also go a long way toward making Walker something other than a blank wall of parking garages.

Exactly. I might even go so far as to suggest the building itself could be built around Hotel Black in a similar fashion. You might even get a few more floors if done that way. You still lose the Auto Hotel and Carpenter Square, but I can actually believe they are less "economically feasible" than the other two.

[TU 'cane]

That's lame to be kind. Throwing a bus station sign on the side of a parking garage is pretty much a pat on the head. I really think the city needs to stand its ground on this corner particularly. It appears they could "wrap" the garage around the Union Bus Station and increase the number of levels to get the desired capacity.They could even build the garage fairly close to the bus station as long as they reserve a few slots for whatever business goes into the station. Doing this would break up the canyon of parking garages and likely satisfy many of the people opposing the current plan.

A pat on the head is the nice of way of putting it.
"A slap in the face" or "throwing us a measly bone" would probably qualify this a little more.

Their first revision was expanding the retail footage on the parking garage.
Now, they're considering this as a token to the efforts and feedback put forth from those requesting some type of preservation. I don't think they're taking this revision as seriously because it'll reach a point where people will be more than willing to request to just keep it off, then Hines will fire back saying "we tried to appease you!"

Every thought I had about Pickard Chilton and Hines have been downgraded severely. This development is lazy at best and their arrogance (perhaps circulating from Nichols?) is stinking up this entire project. Parking garages are nice and necessary, yes, I agree. And you'll need them to draw business to downtown. However, this entire block will be dominated by parking garages. It'd be one thing if the tower was actually going to be the dominating factor, but it won't be. The garages will be, and that's sad.

As to their comments about the buildings being obsolete, and now economically passed their usage, does anyone want to walk them over to Bricktown?

[BoulderSooner]

The majority of the public doesn't pay attention. They didn't pay attention when we destroyed the Baum Building, the Criterion, the old City Hall, etc. either. That doesn't mean, with hindsight it was anything but a terrible idea to tear them down either. Those who serve the city are supposed to act in the best interest of the city, not just cater to the interests of a few who happen to have money and the political power it clearly bestows.

As aposed to catering to the few that want to force a property owner to save building

[LocoAko]

Steve's OKC Central ‏@stevelackmeyer 1m1 minute ago
"This city has an amazing history of preserving buildings and districts" - attorney David Box.

[hfry]

Boulder it's not about saving every building. It's getting the best usage out of this site downtown. It could be a bunch of parking lots and it would be acceptable to ask why its necessary to build two large parking garages and a tower to cover the majority of a city block. Regardless of saving building there are better site plans that could be employed to make a better use of this block and could potentialy allow for development in the future. It's not forcing him to save buildings, it's requiring him to hold to a higher standard on development downtown.

[Pete]

Ben Felder ‏@benfelder_okg 2m2 minutes ago
Developers present petition with over 2,600 signatures supporting 499 development and removal of current buildings.

[BoulderSooner]

Steve's OKC Central ‏@stevelackmeyer 1m1 minute ago
"This city has an amazing history of preserving buildings and districts" - attorney David Box.

All depends on how far you go back. 20 years 30 years. 50 a hundred?

[Anonymous.]

2600 signatures in favor of the current plan? Shocker.

[BoulderSooner]

Boulder it's not about saving every building. It's getting the best usage out of this site downtown. It could be a bunch of parking lots and it would be acceptable to ask why its necessary to build two large parking garages and a tower to cover the majority of a city block. Regardless of saving building there are better site plans that could be employed to make a better use of this block and could potentialy allow for development in the future. It's not forcing him to save buildings, it's requiring him to hold to a higher standard on development downtown.

Any new tower downtown is going to require massive parking. That is a fact.

And ground floor interaction like what is provided makes a real difference

[sooner88]

Ben Felder ‏@benfelder_okg 2m2 minutes ago
Developers present petition with over 2,600 signatures supporting 499 development and removal of current buildings.

6,000 employees at Devon and 1,500 at State of the City address alone.

How many did the opposition have?