OG&E Energy Center

[Plutonic Panda]

When did those come out? It would be nice if they were a little taller but those look pretty good.

Edit: I see those were in fact OGE plans. I thought the original proposal had more art deco than these.

Side note: is it possible OG&E brings a new proposal here?

[Anonymous.]

They have to be pretty old considering they show their own structure on the now BOK Plaza site.

Also it looks like they added additional structure on top of the Hightower building, lol.

[Pete]

Here are the images -- these have not been shared before:

[Southsider2]

When did those come out? It would be nice if they were a little taller but those look pretty good.

I’m not sure I just accidentally came across them. I think what the rendering had on the BOK Park Plaza site is more architecturally pleasing than what was constructed. However, I like the OG&E proposal (that died) better than those in this set of renderings. Maybe one day.... but probably not haha...

[Plutonic Panda]

I’m not sure I just accidentally came across them. I think what the rendering had on the BOK Park Plaza site is more architecturally pleasing than what was constructed. However, I like the OG&E proposal (that died) better than those in this set of renderings. Maybe one day.... but probably not haha...

I just do not like how the new BOK building was aligned. On top of that I agree with you the materials used in that rendering are better than what we got.

I know I keep beating a dead horse but imagine if they reused the historic building stock and built this tower on the land that was available on that block. I cry every time. :'''(

I just hope we get something tall on the Stage Center site. What is gone is gone. I hope we don't get some mediocre 10 story proposal taking up the entire block. I would not mind if it was under 20 stories as long as it was a real quality development and either had streets or pedestrian paseos running through it.

[bchris02]

I remember them being different than that, too.

RIP

This was the original. They were a bit taller.



Even a scaled down version however would have been much better than the basketball court that currently sits on the site and will for the foreseeable future. This entire debacle, in my opinion, is in the running for the worst development blunder in downtown OKC since urban renewal.

[Plutonic Panda]

OKC, IMO, just tried urban renewal again when you consider factors like the amount of lots that are currently vacant, the amount of historical buildings that were torn down, and what replaced them. It is insane the city did it again.

[Anonymous.]

OKC, IMO, just tried urban renewal again when you consider factors like the amount of lots that are currently vacant, the amount of historical buildings that were torn down, and what replaced them. It is insane the city did it again.

Because the city still let's the rich and powerful call the shots.

[Plutonic Panda]

Because the city still let's the rich and powerful call the shots.

Lots has now changed so I wonder if that is still the case today. Hopefully their influenced is lessened to a degree.

[G.Walker]

Its been 5 years since they put this on hold. OG&E vowed to build a tower at this site, hopefully they make good sooner than later.

[king183]

Its been 5 years since they put this on hold. OG&E vowed to build a tower at this site, hopefully they make good sooner than later.

Not going to happen any time soon. We have a glut of office space in downtown and there are no signs it’s going to get better, especially with regards to the type of rapid absorption that would signal the need for new towers.

[Pete]

BOK Park Plaza is still well over half empty.

SandRidge Tower is 90% vacant.

Devon Tower has at least 10 fully empty floors.


We won't see new office space developed downtown in a long time.

[G.Walker]

Times are different now, not like it was 20 years ago. Towers are built cheaper & quicker than ever before. I wouldn't be surprised if we see something this decade.

[HangryHippo]

I'd love for the tower that's second from the far right to be built - the one on the site of the BOK Park Plaza.

[Rover]

Times are different now, not like it was 20 years ago. Towers are built cheaper & quicker than ever before. I wouldn't be surprised if we see somethings this decade.

New construction is not cheaper than ever. Construction cost indices put new non single family housing construction costs up about 45 basis points up from 70 to 115 just since 2005... a time which includes a Great Recession. A 64% INCREASE.

Until we fill what we have we can’t expect much vertical development downtown. It’s way cheaper building 5 story or less outside of downtown.

[Plutonic Panda]

I'd love for the tower that's second from the far right to be built - the one on the site of the BOK Park Plaza.

Yeah no kidding! Can we start a go fund me for the demo of the existing tower?

[HangryHippo]

Yeah no kidding! Can we start a go fund me for the demo of the existing tower?

Let me clarify - I was pointing out which tower I wanted to see built by saying it's on that lot, not to replace that existing one. Make sense?

[king183]

Times are different now, not like it was 20 years ago. Towers are built cheaper & quicker than ever before. I wouldn't be surprised if we see something this decade.

See Rover’s post on costs, but even if it were cheaper, no one is going to build an office tower to sit empty just because construction costs are cheaper than they were a few years ago (and they’re not). They’re going to want a tenant lined up before they even get financing. There are no tenants in that context for downtown OKC right now.

[Plutonic Panda]

Let me clarify - I was pointing out which tower I wanted to see built by saying it's on that lot, not to replace that existing one. Make sense?

Oh I understand. I want to see the new replaced with the one in the rendering and the original four towers that were more Art Deco looking built on the stage center.

Since I’m talking fantasy I might as well throw in I’d like to see the existing parking garages removed and original buildings rebuilt. Add the parking under the new tower and make it twice as high.

[chuck5815]

It just seems like we don't have that much to show for The Longest Economic Expansion in U.S. History.

Sure, we've added a few Aerospace contractors, some Paycom jobs and a few chic restaurants, but the oil companies are in shambles, the state government is still a mess, and the local banks (MidFirst, et al.) are beginning to tighten the screws on commercial real estate lending. Those guys aren't idiots; they were here in the 80s.

Should have spent more of that MAPS money on landing non-O&G employers.

[gopokes88]

It just seems like we don't have that much to show for The Longest Economic Expansion in U.S. History.

Sure, we've added a few Aerospace contractors, some Paycom jobs and a few chic restaurants, but the oil companies are in shambles, the state government is still a mess, and the local banks (MidFirst, et al.) are beginning to tighten the screws on commercial real estate lending. Those guys aren't idiots; they were here in the 80s.

Should have spent more of that MAPS money on landing non-O&G employers.

It may feel like that but the city’s GDP data tells the exact opposite story.

Like just waving off the fact a non O&G company with a $17 billion market cap grew here organically and is committed to staying here.

I know of at least 10 people who are quietly millionaires now because of paycom. There’s hundreds more I’m sure.

“Some paycom jobs”

Every other midsize city that competes with okc would murder for a paycom.

[chuck5815]

It may feel like that but the city’s GDP data tells the exact opposite story.

Like just waving off the fact a non O&G company with a $17 billion market cap grew here organically and is committed to staying here.

I know of at least 10 people who are quietly millionaires now because of paycom. There’s hundreds more I’m sure.

“Some paycom jobs”

Every other midsize city that competes with okc would murder for a paycom.

Yea, the $17B valuation is a shocker. Not sure why the market is giving PAYC a tech company valuation. Sure, they are growing but the equity trading at 100x earnings makes little sense.

[OkiePoke]

Yea, the $17B valuation is a shocker. Not sure why the market is giving PAYC a tech company valuation. Sure, they are growing but the equity trading at 100x earnings makes little sense.

They are a tech company. They support their tech with customer support.

[chuck5815]

They are a tech company. They support their tech with customer support.

Wrong. Go check the P/E multiples of its peers (ADP and Paychex).

[theanvil]

Well, we may not have gotten those beautiful high rises, but we did get a functional outdoor basketball court.