Founders National Bank building

[catch22]

This is completely maddening. The process in Oklahoma City is broken.

[Pete]

Since it falls outside any design review district, just like Classen Circle or anywhere else in 98% of OKC, obtaining the right to demo any structure is as easy as getting a garage sale permit.

Midwest Wrecking is particularly adept at filing, getting the permit and starting work in the same morning.

There was a protest being organized on Facebook similar to Classen Circle but demolition had started before anyone could even get out there.

[Plutonic Panda]

My blood is boiling right now. This is beyond infuriating and a huge bummer to kill the day. Well, I’m sure whatever will be built here won’t be anything to write home about, so someone in the future who is really passionate about this building could tear whatever they build down and recreate this.

[LocoAko]

Ridiculous.

[PhiAlpha]

Pretty sad

[baralheia]

Just saw video of the demolition on Twitter. I'm at a loss for words. My Monday just got worse. :-/

[Pete]

I took video too but didn't see the point in posting it.

It was coming down very fast.

I'm sure the goal was to get it completely pulled down ASAP.

[jedicurt]

I'm sure the goal was to get it completely pulled down ASAP.

much harder to protest if it's already gone

[TheTravellers]

Never ever ever going to do business with whatever goes in there, or anything owned by the slimeballs that did this. Absolutely disgusting, just completely absurd that this happened.

[Bellaboo]

That is just wrong to destroy that building.

[Visitor]

Wow, the permitting process goes quickly when they want to tear it down!

[SEMIweather]

Incredibly disappointing.

[emtefury]

I posted a similar statement with the prior Braum's protest. If you didn't want to see the building torn down, then you should have raised the capital and purchased it. It is easy to say don't do this and don't do that, but until you put up the money there is not much to complain about.

[Celebrator]

I am out of town and someone texted me a photo of this. I am so disappointed by this as it is right in my work neighborhood. Let me tell you our neighborhood association tried to save it through awareness campaign and other efforts. Just couldn't seem to attract a buyer who wanted to embrace it with deep pockets for a project. It could have been something so cool. A adaptive reuse for an events center would have been so cool. Our neighborhood is mourning. What a shame.

[hoya]

I posted a similar statement with the prior Braum's protest. If you didn't want to see the building torn down, then you should have raised the capital and purchased it. It is easy to say don't do this and don't do that, but until you put up the money there is not much to complain about.

Your argument was dumb then, and it's dumb now.

[rezman]

This makes me sick. ... What a crying shame!

[catch22]

I posted a similar statement with the prior Braum's protest. If you didn't want to see the building torn down, then you should have raised the capital and purchased it. It is easy to say don't do this and don't do that, but until you put up the money there is not much to complain about.

Sure there is! The process in OKC is a sham. There is no public comment period, which should be required for all prominent structures. You shouldn’t be able to walk into city hall and submit a form and simultaneously crank up the bulldozers as the rubber stamp is hitting the paper. In theory, Founders Tower could be demolished tomorrow under the same process and there is not a single thing anyone can do about it. I think it’s a shame. There’s more of a process if your yard is overgrown than there is to demolish a structure, and that is ridiculous. This is 100% on the City of OKC and our leaders for not having a proactive solution to preventing this type of travesty.

[Of Sound Mind]

i posted a similar statement with the prior braum's protest. If you didn't want to see the building torn down, then you should have raised the capital and purchased it. It is easy to say don't do this and don't do that, but until you put up the money there is not much to complain about.

bingo!

[jn1780]

I posted a similar statement with the prior Braum's protest. If you didn't want to see the building torn down, then you should have raised the capital and purchased it. It is easy to say don't do this and don't do that, but until you put up the money there is not much to complain about.

That building is still there so apparently complaining is an effective strategy to save a building if given enough time to voice your concerns. I will also add that protesting can often get the attention of people who do have capital to save a building.

[soonerguru]

This has me enraged. Vomit-inducing anger and disgust with the pathology that led the developer to commit this crime under the cover of night.

[soonerguru]

I posted a similar statement with the prior Braum's protest. If you didn't want to see the building torn down, then you should have raised the capital and purchased it. It is easy to say don't do this and don't do that, but until you put up the money there is not much to complain about.

Don’t be a jerk. Seriously.

[Bill Robertson]

I posted a similar statement with the prior Braum's protest. If you didn't want to see the building torn down, then you should have raised the capital and purchased it. It is easy to say don't do this and don't do that, but until you put up the money there is not much to complain about.

I see something to this. There have been a few buildings in the last few years that the community wanted saved. But while passion was high among those desiring to preserve history or tradition no passion seems to be present among those with the funds to do anything. So buildings are purchased by those with money to do whatever they want. If buyers can’t be found that want to repurpose the existing buildings then the buyers should be able to do what they want with their investment. The city should not be able to tell an investor that their building must sit vacant and useless because it’s of a certain design of which no one wants to occupy.

[Of Sound Mind]

Don’t be a jerk. Seriously.

He's not being a jerk. Seriously. Just because you don't like what he has to say doesn't make him a jerk. Seriously.

[Of Sound Mind]

I see something to this. There have been a few buildings in the last few years that the community wanted saved. But while passion was high among those desiring to preserve history or tradition no passion seems to be present among those with the funds to do anything. So buildings are purchased by those with money to do whatever they want. If buyers can’t be found that want to repurpose the existing buildings then the buyers should be able to do what they want with their investment. The city should not be able to tell an investor that their building must sit vacant and useless because it’s of a certain design of which no one wants to occupy.

Exactly.

From a memories standpoint, it's personally sad to see it torn down — much more so than the Stage Center monstrosity. But there are multiple local examples of historic, architecturally remarkable buildings that sit empty and deteriorate for years/decades because it's not practical to repurpose and/or no one wants to buy a building that has more headaches than financially feasible to sustain. As emtefury pointed out, it's easy to sit back and second-guess such decisions when you have no actual skin in the game other than fond memories, nostalgia and/or idealistic dreams.

[CCOKC]

Wow. I just saw this. It made me a sick to my stomach. I used to bank there back in the day. I grew up very close to this location and spent a great deal of my life in the businesses surrounding this building. I didn't have any time to go see it a last time to try to get used to it being gone.