The Half (9000 Broadway)

[Pete]

Old OPUBCO printing plant being demolished; Flix Brewhouse work starts


Demolition has started on the massive plant that until recently printed newspapers for the Oklahoma Publishing Company.

The sprawling former headquarters for OPUBCO was purchased by American Fidelity in 2012 for just under $75 million. The sale was prompted by OPUBCO's 2011 sale to Colorado billionaire Philip Anschtuz.

OPUBCO, which relocated to downtown office space, continued to lease the printing plant until September of 2016 when they fully outsourced their printing to the Tulsa World. The plant has been vacant since that time.

American Fidelity completely remodeled the 12-story tower as their headquarters and in 2016 added a $10 million parking garage adjacent to an existing parking structure.

Recently, the company announced plans to develop a mixed-use project on the 51 acres to the south of their headquarters. Just last week, work started in the area with land being cleared and construction fences going up.

As OKCTalk reported, a Flix Brewhouse will be one of the first tenants in the sprawling complex which will also feature office space, reataurants and hotels, with some of the new buildings fronting the small lakes on the rolling property.

Flix theater auditoriums feature retractable tables which allow food and drink to be served before and during each film. The complex will also feature a large bar and restaurant.

American Fidelity has not announced plans for the former printing site but Flintco construction has stared work on demolishing the plant which was built in 1986.

At 280,000 square feet, the demolition is one of the largest ever in Central Oklahoma.

[Pete]

[Pete]

[Zuplar]

My wife told me last night they are starting to make some headway on the demo of the old printing press. Got any drone shots of that?

[Pete]

[PaddyShack]

I walked through our parking garage which has a view to the interior of the building and it is mostly if not completely gutted. Basically all there is the shell...

[Zuplar]

Thanks Pete. Is this just going to be greenspace until they decide on what to do? We hadn't heard any plans and what has been said about the other portions such as legal and security being off campus that they will most likely move into the office buildings AF builds on that southern development. Apparently they like to keep a few departments separate.

[Pete]

I believe this will just be a lot of nothing for quite some time, because any future campus plans would most likely be centered around the lake.

[PaddyShack]

We have been told that there are currently no plans for development for this area in place. Of course, things could change as quickly as the Oklahoma wind...

[Zuplar]

Honestly I think a decent greenspace would look better than that ugly printing press.

[jonny d]

I truly did not expect this to happen. I know their current campus is kind of limited, in terms of room for expansion. But I thought they would stay downtown-ish.

https://newsok.com/article/5605756/d...tomobile-alley

[stlokc]

Ordinarily that would make me mad. Downtown needs to retain and strengthen its corporate base and should be continuing momentum in that regard. Better for the city that way. Having said that, I find myself less upset than I might be, because there has been recent movement in the other direction - and honestly, the Broadway Extension area has been stale and actually somewhat depressed for most of my lifetime. If we can jump start development there, it’s certainly preferable to, say, Memorial and MacArthur, or something like that.

[Pete]

I created a new thread for the old Dolese HQ here:

http://www.okctalk.com/showthread.php?t=44512

[Pete]

First look at plans for Flix Brewhouse


Building permits have been filed and work is well underway on the future home of what will be Oklahoma's first Flix Brewhouse.

American Fidelity is developing a 55-acre tract south of its headquarters into a mixed-use project, and Flix will be the first structure.

The theater and brewery will contain nine auditoriums and seat about 950 people. Changes to Oklahoma alcohol laws opened the doors to the company which brews its own beer on site.

The Oklahoma City location will be based on a new prototype which will feature a large brewery with an adjoining outdoor patio. Completion is set for late 2019.

American Fidelity is also in the process of demolishing the old OPUBCO printing plant, with no immediate plans to redevelop that site.

Dolese recently announced they will be selling their headquarters on 13th and Broadway near downtown and relocate to the southeast corner of the mixed-use project.

[Pete]

They will be unveiling the name and branding for this entire project that includes Flix, Chicken n Pickle, and Dolese and the rest of the 52 acres.

It is being jointly developed by American Fidelity and Hogan Property Company.


My money is on Concrete Pickle Flix.

[Ross MacLochness]

1. OVER 9000! (parking spaces)

[Zuplar]

Uncle Bill's.

[Richard at Remax]

Hogan. Oh boy...

[OKC Guy]

Chicks, Flix and Concrete Mix

[Colbafone]

North Bricktown

[shawnw]

Ahem, Chisolm Creek is North Bricktown, or at least North Downtown

[HangryHippo]

Chicks, Flix and Concrete Mix

/thread

[PaddyShack]

This development will be called The Half, as in meet me at The Half... Which somehow is the halfway point between Edmond and OKC.

[shawnw]

I like it

[Johnb911]

https://thehalfokc.com/