Downtown Sheraton getting new look...

[metro]

When driving around yesterday working on a few downtown projects, I happened to notice that the downtown Sheraton was getting a paint job. I have mixed feelings on the color, it looks more like stucco or adobe now, when it is a concrete building, however at the same time it is bringing some much needed color to the downtown skyline.





and a distance shot:

[kevinpate]

it'll certainly blend in better as it becomes just another creme and tan concoction. Should have gone with a stand out and take a look color scheme instead but nah, conformity, that's the name of the game anymore.

[Rover]

Stand out? Bright blue... purple? Finally they are "conforming". They are joining the nice looking and more stylish look downtown. I am glad they are caring enough to style it up a little. Being different just to "stand out" is not necessarily good design or art...just odd and different.

[bwana_bob]

Those with an architectural background, how would you characterize the exterior of the Sheraton? Brutalist? Either way, do you find the painting of the exposed concrete as contrary to the spirit of the building? While many found the building boring in its previous state, the paint actually seems to make it irrelevant - it will provoke as much thought as the latest design of a McDonald's.

[Kerry]

Those with an architectural background, how would you characterize the exterior of the Sheraton? Brutalist? Either way, do you find the painting of the exposed concrete as contrary to the spirit of the building? While many found the building boring in its previous state, the paint actually seems to make it irrelevant - it will provoke as much thought as the latest design of a McDonald's.

I was thinking Brutal International. It looks like the Chase Building and the Myriad got together and gave birth to a hotel.

[CuatrodeMayo]

Brutalist...yes.
Contrary to the design concept...absolutley.

Yay for one more tan building in OKC...

[bombermwc]

I'm all for anything that tosses the exposed concrete look. Now it doesn't look like a 70's era Soviet apartment building.

[HOT ROD]

ahhh, commie-blocks!

[bwana_bob]

Now it doesn't look like a 70's era Soviet apartment building.

Well, it ain't Albuquerque either, Dorothy! This is no more of an improvement than painting the drab Oklahoma Tower and its sibling orange or powder puff blue.

Does anyone remember when they painted the then-Hilton at NW Expwy and May Ave gray? At the time, it took a rather unattractive and forgettable building and made it unforgettably unattractive. All mirrored windows and gray - AAAAARGH!

It has been remodeled several times since (adding an arched pediment and portico that refine the geometry), re-badged as a Crowne Plaza and is undergoing a multi-million dollar renovation currently. Point being - the paint didn't improve the aesthetics: it only accentuated the flaws. It has taken some thoughtful redesign and big bucks to pull this former clunker back into the realm of respectability.

If the folks at the Sheraton want to change the aesthetics for their property, they would have better served by following through on the promised rework of the Century Center portion of the complex - including serious rework of the facade.

[jbrown84]

Hopefully they still will.

[Blairman]

Has anybody stayed there lately ? Would they recommend it ?

[bombermwc]

Their convention space is awful, and that "mall". Man I am embarassed for OKC everytime I'm in there. That whole area needs to be gutted. It's not even accessible from a logic doorway inside the hotel.

[dop]

Very nice job....an improvement for downtown, fo sho!

[bwana_bob]

The plan of the current ownership group is to convert the majority of the space into Oklahoma's largest ballroom and lease out the ground level as office space. That according to news reports going back quite some time. Perhaps Steve or someone connected with the hotel could comment.

[HOT ROD]

why not lease out the ground floor as RETAIL SPACE!!!!!

[Pete]

Here's a link to the thread about the proposed renovation to the mall portion about a year ago.

I would hope with Devon's announcement just across the street, they will get more traction with retail tenants. I still maintain it's the perfect location for a Walgreen's / CVS, especially since there is parking directly above:

http://www.okctalk.com/okc-metro-are...century+center

[Patrick]

I'm still holding out for a 2 level Nordstroms, Saks, Neimann Marcus, or some other upscale dept. store.

[HOT ROD]

I'm still holding out for a 2 level Nordstroms, Saks, Neimann Marcus, or some other upscale dept. store.

Here, here, Patrick!

[Kerry]

I think you will be holding out for a long time.

[metro]

I'm holding out for a working solution to our economy problems, not a 2 story Nordstroms we might not see for another 10 years.

[jbrown84]

I think if and when we get a Saks, Nordstroms, or similar downtown, they will want to be somewhere with other retail, not all alone attached to a hotel.

[jbrown84]

A man working on painting the garage was killed today. There seems to be conflicting info on whether he was in the cherry picker that tipped over, of whether it fell on him.

http://www.newsok.com/man-dies-in-ok...ad_story_title

[Luke]

Sad stuff...

[jbrown84]

Indeed.

[Platemaker]

jbrown... he was in the basket. Unfortunately, I saw the scene after it happened.