Founders National Bank building

[shawnw]

Pretty sure Braum's is in the market for something historic to tear down and this lot wouldn't need rezoning so they could totally sneak in a demo.

:-P

[rezman]

For all the attention Classen Circle has received, razing this structure would be a major heartbreak. I would love to see it returned to original as shown in post #3.

[Laramie]

Might make a great place to lease for a high class beauty salon.

[Celebrator]

Just know that Founders District, as a neighborhood association, is doing all we can to save this building from demolition.

[shawnw]

Good to know, thank you.

[Celebrator]

Just thought I would throw this out there to bring this fantastic building back into thought...What adaptive reuse project would you like to see happen for Founders National Bank Building?

I'd love to see an event/conference center take shape in this building. Just pondering the possibilities.

[catch22]

I'd like to see it be the NW OKC intermodal transit hub. Send a streetcar up Classen from downtown to NW Expressway and May. Connect to bus lines covering the NW side of town.

[mugofbeer]

Why couldn't it be a bank branch?

[Celebrator]

Why couldn't it be a bank branch?

Helpful.

[Urbanized]

I’m going to take mugofbeer’s question at face value and assume he was asking honestly why it just couldn’t be repurposed by a different bank. And I think the answer to that is that most branch banks just aren’t being built to that scale anymore due to changing banking habits (online banking, debit card use, ATMs, auto-deposit, etc.).

Not that no new banks are being built with lobbies and drive-thrus but usually those are main banks. The footprint of a branch bank is much smaller these days and this is an odd fit anyway. I think it would require a miracle for a new bank to see themselves in that building and even then it probably wouldn’t be a lon-term fit in a changing bank landscape.

[mugofbeer]

Helpful.

I was being serious and I appreciate the serious answer. I used to work in that bank back when Penn Square Bank failed. Quite a week that eventually did great damage to OKC and caused me to eventually leave for better work in Dallas in the investments business. What it could be used for, or the SW corner of Penn and NW Expy, would be a local branch of an investments firm. I know of one who has offices nationwide and except for New Orleans, OKC is by far the biggest city in the US without one. Even Tulsa has one. The property owners need to reach out to this firm.

[HOT ROD]

OKC is bigger than New Orleans, so OKC would be the largest city and metro without. ...

[mugofbeer]

OK. Either way ... it would make a good investments firm office with remodeling. Good location and parking.

[Celebrator]

I was being serious and I appreciate the serious answer. I used to work in that bank back when Penn Square Bank failed. Quite a week that eventually did great damage to OKC and caused me to eventually leave for better work in Dallas in the investments business. What it could be used for, or the SW corner of Penn and NW Expy, would be a local branch of an investments firm. I know of one who has offices nationwide and except for New Orleans, OKC is by far the biggest city in the US without one. Even Tulsa has one. The property owners need to reach out to this firm.

Ok, my bad. But I was hoping for something a bit more dynamic than financial services at this point in its life.

Yeah, I wish the owners were local and had a better vision about what's going on in the Metro. They are out of Austin and probably just see it as a location rather than a great location with a very unique and significant building. My worst nightmare is that I drive by and see it razed and hear of plans for a strip mall. I pray that does not happen.

[mugofbeer]

Find the right company, one that is interested in historical preservation, and I'm sure you'll find one that is interested in preserving the uniqueness of that building.

[shawnw]

Anybody know what the asking price or rent is on this building?

[Ross MacLochness]

Is this building being demoed?

[Swanky]

Is this building being demoed?

I keep hoping that somehow, some way, this isn't actually happening.

[shawnw]

Yes

https://newsok.com/article/5611004/m...eing-torn-down

[Ross MacLochness]

sad.

[Pete]

Just took this.

Demo permit was issued today and they were out there working by 9AM.

[warreng88]

Who owns the property?

[catch22]

Another unique piece of architecture in Oklahoma City comes crashing down.

What a joke.

[ABryant]

Like a thief in the night.

[Pete]

Who owns the property?

It's owned by some investors.

I knew it was doomed when I saw it was being listed by the same company that redeveloped what is now Del Taco and AAA. Also doing the old Johnnies on NW Expressway which is becoming a new Johnnies and another Del Taco.

Basically, property owners partner with them to take larger, underutilized properties and rework them.