City Jail

[Executionist]

So keep trying? Better than giving up.

Easy to say when it's not your money.

[Plutonic Panda]

Easy to say when it's not your money.

What an amazing point. You’re right. Let’s tear it down.

[hoya]

I think they should just leave it standing until somebody's got a better idea. It's not like it's hurting anyone by being there. And it's not like people are pushing and shoving to buy that piece of land right there.

[Sooner.Arch]

I think they should just leave it standing until somebody's got a better idea. It's not like it's hurting anyone by being there. And it's not like people are pushing and shoving to buy that piece of land right there.

I agree, why can’t they just gut the interior structure and start new.
As in maybe being able to combine the floors, or being able to create
a building within the facade. There are countless architectural ways to keep the beauty of the masonry and bring a new life to the building.

[rezman]

Seems to me like the city shot themselves in the foot with the limitations and conditions in the RFP right out of the box. First they try to preserve the building through the controlling process , but when that fails, hell lets just demolish it and put in a parking lot.

Why can’t they just get it sold to one of the developers downtown who have worked their magic with other structures, and let ‘em at it?.

[Pete]

The city wants the parking and is not interested in saving this building.

There are all types of resources that could be made available but they would prefer just to have this building gone so employees can have a surface parking lot.

Not matter there is a sea of surface parking just to the south. Although largely owned by the Police Union, this all goes back to the city blocking their parking garage and so now here we are.

[GoGators]

Why would any building in downtown OKC be allowed to be torn down for a surface parking lot?

[dankrutka]

OKC: The city without a past.

It’s unreal that the city seems to learn no lessons.

[Plutonic Panda]

OKC: The city without a past.

It’s unreal that the city seems to learn no lessons.

Forget all of those buildings. It’s easy to say that when it isn’t your money.

[BBatesokc]

If the only thing to be gained is parking space and the cost to simply leave in place is minimal, why not just leave it be? Maybe we will luck out and the horror show that is the Oklahoma County Jail will be demolished and relocated in the coming years, making the city jail a more desirable makeover. Regardless, at some point, someone will have a more desirable idea than "parking spaces."

[bombermwc]

With half the floors only having a 6' ceiling, this place doesn't have a future as anything. It's not a practical structure for any purpose. Really all I could see is to gut the floors and turn it into open warehouse storage space. Those aren't freight elevators (the one that works) and there's no ROI in that. I mean honestly, that's really the only practical thing i can come up with at only 6'. NO ONE wants an office with 6' ceilings. And with such cheap warehouse space elsewhere, why would someone want to pay for it at this location and then also have to deal with elevators?

The outside of the building is nice and I wish we could do something here. But when looking to save something, there really has to be some potential to turn it into something. I personally dont think this one is going to be able to do that. Do i want a parking lot? Not really, but i also understand the desire for parking between the two new structures.

[rezman]

Would it be cost prohibitive, or architecturally impossible to go in and knock out a couple floors and make it a 3 or 4 story loft apartment or office building?

[PhiAlpha]

Would it be cost prohibitive, or architecturally impossible to go in and knock out a couple floors and make it a 3 or 4 story loft apartment or office building?

That's exactly what i was thinking. Knock out the floor between 3 & 4 and 5 & 6 and you would have 14 foot ceilings and could do some really interesting things with that space.

[BDP]

Would it be cost prohibitive, or architecturally impossible to go in and knock out a couple floors and make it a 3 or 4 story loft apartment or office building?

Cost is always a factor and "architecturally impossible" is usually a designation that has more to do with cost and will, than it does with architecture.

Here's some examples of re-purposed prisons:

https://recyclenation.com/2010/10/re...posed-prisons/

I'm sure a few of these presented architectural challenges at least as difficult as this building would present.

Sometimes it's just a matter of creative problem solving and a desire to do it. And, really, you basically have to have the latter before the right people who can offer the former show up. Honestly, from what Pete has said, it sounds like the city doesn't have any real desire to see something other than a parking lot.

[Rover]

Given its location and what is around it, what kinds of marketable uses would work there?

[Midtowner]

Given its location and what is around it, what kinds of marketable uses would work there?

Surface level parking lot.

[BDP]

Given its location and what is around it, what kinds of marketable uses would work there?

That always depends on who you ask, I guess. Thankfully, 21c and film row people came up with a different answer than the one that most had come up with for the 20 or so years prior...

[Pete]

There are plenty of uses. Tons of bars and restaurants and offices all around there.

And that County Jail will ultimately go away.


That our own city wants to tear down a historic building just to add a few more surface parking spots... Well, that says a lot.

[GoGators]

Given its location and what is around it, what kinds of marketable uses would work there?

Given its location and what is around it id say it was one of the most prime locations in OKC.

[BDP]

Given its location and what is around it id say it was one of the most prime locations in OKC.

It really is. The transformation to this side of downtown has been impressive. I think it'd be cool as another boutique hotel. It's basically in between the Civic Center and everything going on in and around the Jones and 21c. At this point, I imagine the new activity has brought up demand for rooms in the immediate area enough to support both 21c and something here. Also, maybe stuff at the court house generates demand for lodging?? I can see Main adding a lot more attractions in the coming years as well.

Basically, it's surrounded by stuff that people looked at for years as not worthy of investment. It's sort of weird to still ask this question every time we discuss renovating or re-purposing OKC's older buildings. There are just too many of examples of it working. It actually seems like the only time there is a failed re-purposing of a piece of land these days is when something is torn down.

So, it doesn't seem like the market would be a problem. It's just will and resources.

[Pete]

Think about how long the Skirvin, First National, Plaza Court, etc. etc. sat vacant before finding the right developer and use.

This is the way things go. You wait.

They could tear down the other buildings and still provide parking without tearing this down.


This is especially egregious because there is a sea of surface parking all around this spot.

[Rover]

What's the plan for the old police and court building lot at it's back when it is demolished? That should be happening soon, right? Why aren't we trying to rehab that building?

[MagzOK]

How about gut it out leaving the facade and making it a parking garage leaving the architecture in place, take out all the glass in the windows, etc. This way you don't have the 6' ceilings to worry about. Just gut and build up from the inside. Not only do you increase parking, you get more parking than you would on a surface lot, and it would look pretty.

[HOT ROD]

I too was thinking parking GARAGE (not lot).

[Geographer]

Together Square West? :-)