Chesapeake empire marches on

[Pete]

Also, they have some cool videos on their site:

Corporate Campus

Boathouse

[bombermwc]

The reason I asked about photos is because Metro said it looks much different in person.


Here's a rendering I found on their website that shows the garage in the background and their planned buildings in gray:

Just think what that would have looked like going vertical downtown.

[Pete]

CHK has built almost 600,000 square feet at that site to date and have immediate plans for another 300,000.

That's equivalent to a 50-story building.

[JWil]

I agree with CuatroDeMayo, if you go drive by in person, it's alot more asthetically appealing than the renderings show it. Do you honestly think Chesapeake would build something so hideous to match their Victorian style campus?

I'm pretty sure those buildings are Georgian in design, not Victorian.

Victorian...


And Georgian....

[Pete]

Fri August 3, 2007
Chesapeake purchases more property north of NW 63
(newly acquired properties shown in blue below)

By Sara Ganus
Business Writer

If it wasn't obvious already, Chesapeake Energy Corp.'s plan to increase its presence north of NW 63 has become even more evident with another property acquisition.


After purchasing Nichols Hills Plaza and the shopping strip at N Western and Avondale avenues in 2005, the company recently bought the property off the northeast corner of Western Avenue and NW 63, which includes Bank 7, 63rd Street Package Store, Irma's Burger Shack and Wild Birds Unlimited.

Tom Price Jr., Chesapeake's senior vice president of corporate development, would not disclose financial terms of the deal or tenant contracts but confirmed the company purchased the property from Andrews Family Trust.

"I'd be happy to tell you the reason why we've done it, and that is it's in very close proximity to our campus and we may use it to either further expand our campus or strictly just to control the quality and commitment of the ownership of neighboring properties to our campus here,� he said.

Price had no further comments.

Tenants said they were informed of the purchase last week.

Wilda Sawyer, owner of 63rd Street Package Store, 6409 N Olie Ave., said she wasn't surprised by the announcement. Her business relocated from across the street two years ago after Chesapeake purchased that property.

"There's no doubt in your mind that they'll be buying us out,� Sawyer said. "I'm sure that's what they're going to do. I'm sure it will affect us somewhere sooner or later.�

Still, Sawyer said she will be under contract for the next "several years� and isn't worried about relocating at the moment.

"We have quite some time yet to go,� he said.

Linda Lee, one of the owners of Irma's Burger Shack at 1035 NW 63, believes the acquisition is a positive change for the area.

"Everything that (Chesapeake Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Aubrey McClendon) has purchased and bought he's turned into beauty — he's done landscaping and all that — and I'm excited,� she said.

[bwana_bob]

Having just visited Dallas and driven along Legacy Drive by the massive campuses for JC Penney's and Frito Lay, the opening line of this thread came to mind - calling into question the Chesapeake campus sprawl. JC Penney's has a 1,930,000 sq. ft. home office, for 4,000 employees, on a 429-acre site. Frito Lay has 2,500 employees on 297 acres. EDS, also on Legacy, has a multi-building campus that totals 2,321,000 sq. ft. and can accommodate 10,000 employees (165 acres).

None of these campuses have buildings taller than Chesapeake.

The main difference is that when Frito Lay built, there wasn't an existing neighborhood or community surrounding it. While the corporate community on Legacy brags today about infrastructure, Legacy Drive has been substantially expanded and the nearby Dallas North Tollway, which now moves hundreds of thousands of vehicles fairly efficiently each day, didn't even make it to Corporate Headquarters drive until 1994. It has since been extended to TX-121 and now Gaylord Parkway (Frisco).

The points:

1. If Dallas isn't building up, why would OKC? Name the corporate HQ's in a single skyscraper along 635, 75 or DNT in Dallas that house as many employees and contain as many SQ FT as Chesapeake, Penney's or Frito Lay. Every time you pass a skyscraper outside of downtown Dallas, it is along one of those highways and while it may have one name on the outside, it houses dozens of tenants. That isn't a corporate HQ. For that matter, name a corp HQ in any city where a single corporation is the only tenant in a single skyscraper that doesn't have a concentration of at least 500 employees in some other urban sprawl campus. It's tough....

2. If you build it, the infrastructure will come. Preston (parallel to DNT), Legacy and other roads look great today but they are much more substantial than when these campuses began. The fact that the 1994 extension of DNT dumped you off at Corporate Headquarters Drive demonstrates the power of the installed base versus the potential worker base. If anything can move the long overdue I-44/Broadway interchange along, it should be Chesapeake. Ditto light rail from downtown OKC to Edmond. If they want it, it will happen.

3. This isn't apples and oranges. Legacy Drive is now surrounded by housing and other corporations have added their HQ campuses but no one company has had to do the land acquisition of improved properties that Chesapeake has done to-date. The points herein address the issue of low rise buildings that sprawl and are surrounded by mix development and housing. The acquisitions for Chesapeake are just a result of where they initially developed - and as someone who has frequented Western Avenue since 1978, I can say that 90% of it has been a substantial improvement. (I still miss the bridge - can't let go of those high school rivalries.) While the initial land purchase may have been shortsighted in terms of long term growth, would you rather they be doing this in Yukon, NE Edmond, South Norman or some other remote location. Where would this board be if they weren't impacting our lives everyday? LOL

[Pete]

Good points bwana but...

Dallas has also built a ton of tall buildings not only downtown but all over in the last 20 years, where OKC has not.

If every significant corporate development in Dallas were like Legacy Drive, don't you think people there would be raising some of the same issues, particularly if there downtown office market was completely stagnant for decades?

[bwana_bob]

I noted the skyscrapers - tall buildings - along I-635, the North Dallas Tollway, US-75 (aka, Central Expressway) in Dallas but the point is that those buildings are not unlike the Oil Center or 50 Penn Place that dot NW Expressway in OKC: they are designed as multi-tenant buildings, not single corporate headquarters. Many employees/employers favor the campus setting, despite the sprawl and need to walk distances, over the high rise corporate silo. Perhaps we think more expansively in a horizontal, rather than vertical, orientation. I lived in Portland, Oregon for 10 years and despite their sanctity for the environment and adoption of a master development plan that calls for the densest population growth in the US, most companies - be they Intel, Nike or whomever, develop 75+ acres sites with multiple buildings that are low rise. Ditto Oracle in CA or similar Silicon Valley corporations. My thought is that most high rise buildings are created for reasons that are not issues in OKC: high square foot cost of land, development ordinances restricting growth in urban areas, high number of Class A tenants willing to populate a single building with high percentage of offsite parking. The development of new high rise buildings in OKC will signal changes in one of these factors, most likely the latter. If an existing company wants a major local or regional office in OKC, the high rise is attractive - particularly if they can put their name on the outside. It gives their presence high visibility and instant prestige. We just don't have a high number of those situations occurring today. EDS, as an example, isn't looking to populate 10-20 floors of a 30 story building in OKC. When they do, look out!

[traxx]

As much as I'd like to see a new tower downtown, I can't really fault Chesapeake. They've built a nice looking campus and they take care of their area. I love driving down Western at Christmas to see all the lights that Chesapeake puts out. They really take pride in their campus. Now if they'd built several sparwling metal buildings, then I'd really have a problem with it. I think of this as our little version of the Microsoft campus or the Nike campus etc.

[Pete]

I can't fault CHK either, especially since they helped broker SandRidge's acquisition of the Kerr McGee building.

And as previously posted, I'm started to get excited about what they can do with Nichols Hills Plaza. Buying the NE corner means they can really make that intersection look very nice and I'm still hoping they'll build a true Utica Square-like development when the time is right.

[gcald]

xx

[gcald]

xx

[gcald]

I apologize for the preceding posts, I'm new to the site and made an error. What I was trying to convey is that along Classen north of 63rd there is a considerable spate of activity and I'm wondering if anyone has thoughts about it. First an entity acquired in the past couple of years roughly the west half of the block east of Classen between 67th and 68th streets and that land is being cleared, nearly done.
Second the medians on Classen north of 63rd are being landscaped in the Chesapeake style up to at least 68th and there is indication they may go further.
Third the Classen roadbed is being repaired from 63rd up to about 71st. A lot of activity suddenly.

[Pete]

gcald, CHK owns a lot of the property north of 63rd between Western & Classen.

In fact, other than the office building on the NW corner of 63rd & Classen, CHK owns most the property between there and 67th and a smattering up until about 72nd.

My guess is they want to make all that retail at some point to compliment the total re-do of NH Plaza.

[CCOKC]

My husband has dealings in the oil and gas industry and when he tells people from other states were he lives they all comment about the campus that Chesapeake has built themselves here. It may not be high profile in the literal sense but it surely is known around the country as being quite impressive. Just because we can't see it from several miles around does not mean it is not "seen".

[betts]

gcald, CHK owns a lot of the property north of 63rd between Western & Classen.

In fact, other than the office building on the NW corner of 63rd & Classen, CHK owns most the property between there and 67th and a smattering up until about 72nd.

My guess is they want to make all that retail at some point to compliment the total re-do of NH Plaza.

I've been told Clay wants to build a "Chesapeake Village" in the area surrounding his campus, to include housing and businesses such as grocery, pharmacy, dry cleaning, etc., as well as a hospital. And I would assume the piece de resistance will be the Plaze, which will probably be primarily commercial/upscale retail, since he may not get permission to add a third floor, which would have been lofts or condos.

[John]

You mean Aubrey?

[betts]

Whoops, yes Aubrey. I guess I have Sonics on the brain.

[bombermwc]

I'm just tired of them taking places piece by piece up there than have been staple businesses of the area for decades. If they start taking places like Flips, I'm gonna go brazerk. Things like the burger joint, ok whatever, and they are paying WELL for these places. But where does it stop? At what point do you tell them ENOUGH.

[betts]

I believe Jeff Records owns the land Flips is on, so that won't be going. I don't think there's any way to say enough is enough unless people don't sell. And Aubrey pays top dollar so everyone is happy to sell. I've got a friend who swore he wouldn't, until he got the offer.

[okclee]

bombermwc, what are the businesses that are gone now, but should have remained??

Other than Pearls I can't think of any.

[Pete]

The one thing that does concern me is that they have removed lots of businesses (Pearls, Wendys, Subway, Laredo and soon to be Irmas and others) and have replaced them with their own internal services, like a company cafeteria. So effectively, they are removing public services and replacing them with private ones.

I'm sure that will change at some point but I have the feeling lots more businesses are going to close before they get to the point of adding anything back for the community.

[Midtowner]

bombermwc, what are the businesses that are gone now, but should have remained??

Other than Pearls I can't think of any.

Laredo's was a lunch staple for us. The owners started building on NW Expressway, but apparently ran into problems with their contractors/subcontractors. As far as I can tell, they've lost their asses on this project.

[bwana_bob]

(RE: Businesses - public access to private.) Very true. In the case of Pearl's, I think the new restaurant is far superior to the old one - a very modern and comfortable facility. It has great atmosphere and good traffic/turnover when I visited recently. I hope the new location works - it is a bit off the beaten track and their neighbors to the north are not likely to recommend it. I also wish it were far closer to the original site.

Irma's has quickly become a landmark - it is hard to duplicate the cramped ambience that seems essential to their brand - although midtowner's should weigh in. Chesapeake needs Western to continue to thrive as a restaurant/retail row north of 63rd and for original concepts in that area, i.e., Flip's, to continue to prosper. If not, much of the value of the area for their employees is lost because the majority will not be indulging in daily lunches at more upscale fare that will likely come to NHP, ala The Coach House.

Regarding the new Laredo's location - is that the domed project at the old Classen circle and NW Expressway? I thought that might be another Casablanca. I never saw the sign but don't frequent that intersection too much.

[FritterGirl]

Irma's has quickly become a landmark - it is hard to duplicate the cramped ambience that seems essential to their brand - although midtowner's should weigh in....

Regarding the new Laredo's location - is that the domed project at the old Classen circle and NW Expressway? I thought that might be another Casablanca. I never saw the sign but don't frequent that intersection too much.

You are right about the new Laredo's location, just next to the Chili's and IHop on the West End of the Belle Isle Plaza off of Classen. It's been in its current state for about a year now. I believe someone else in this thread noted they were having serious contractor/construction issues. I heard they'd lost their shirts more or less and that the whole thing is wrapped up in court. I don't have a source to back that up, so it may be just rumor.

As for Irma's, I tried the new Midtown restaurant for lunch last week. Staff friendly, food as good as the original, but it lacks the homey kitchen ambiance the original has, and of course, there's no patio. I wouldn't mind a repeat lunch trip to this Irma's once in a while, but it's no replacement for the real thing, that's for certain! I'd hate to see the one on 63rd go anytime soon. I actually saw Aubrey in there not too long ago eating with his wife and oldest daughter. They were on the patio next to us. Ironically, he was seated looking to the north, away from his empire, which gave me a chuckle.