Originally Posted by
MalibuSooner
From this article, it sounds like it will remain an office building:
Ready for another makeover
by Brandice J. O'Brien
The Journal Record
9/9/2005
Just 2.5 years after the United Founders Tower underwent an extensive makeover, it will face another one under new owner Jim Meyer. The $30 million project should take two years to complete.
As Founders Tower LLC, which he oversees as managing partner, Meyer bought the northwest Oklahoma City landmark - as well as 7.5 acres of land surrounding the 20-story building - for $4.6 million from Golan Management of Florida. Golan had acquired it in April 2002 for $3.2 million from Hebron Corp. of New Jersey, which had owned the tower since 1996.
"We have a couple of different opportunities that we're pursuing and we'll disclose the final plans within two weeks to a month," said Meyer, who is chairman, president and CEO of Bridgeport Holdings. Bridgeport Development Group, a division of Bridgeport Holdings, is the developer. "We want to bring the building back to life. We want to refine and update the retro look as in fashion and other products."
Rick Brown of Richard R. Brown & Associates, the architect for the project, agreed.
"We want to maintain the same architecture, but everything except the frame of the building will be new," he said. "There's a sense of arrival with an early 1960s style; it's a very good look, even for today. We want a new sense of detail and a new sense of arrival to the building."
Meyer plans to renovate the interior and exterior of the 5900 Moesteller Dr. building, as well as construct a 50,000-square-foot office building and an 80,000-square-foot building that could become a high-end boutique hotel.
Oklahoma-based SpiritBank will be an anchor tenant in one of the new buildings, operating with a full-service bank. Bridgeport Development Group will also have its headquarters in one of the new buildings.
The tower is 50 percent occupied and as the building is renovated tenants will be moved appropriately as to not disrupt the flow of customers. The decision as to whether current tenants including Nikz at the Top or Queen Anne Cafeteria will stay will be determined as plans are finalized.
In early 2003, the tower underwent a $1.08 million renovation that included the remodeling of the building's 20 lobbies. It was then that the building's trademark rainbow lights, which can be seen from Northwest Expressway, were installed - a feature that will be taken down when the latest renovation is complete.
The Bob Sullivan Group has managed the tower for about 2.5 years and will oversee it through the renovations.
Jeff Van Hoose of Van Hoose Construction Co. is the general contractor for the project.
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