Devon Energy Center

[cad_poke]

Mechanical/Electrical/Plumbing

[OKCisOK4me]

thank you sir/ma'am!

[Thunder]

Thanks jn1780, that is really kool!

[Architect2010]

So. Evidently the garage isn't having retail on the bottom floor. They look more like display cases or faux storefronts. A little disappointment, regardless I'm glad they had the state of mind to make the streetfront facade appealing. It looks great.

[HOT ROD]

Oh no, I hope you're wrong Architech. But if you are right, like you said - at least there might be some faux storefronts or picture frames to fill the street. But what a missed opportunity to liven up Hudson. ...

[jn1780]

Oh no, I hope you're wrong Architech. But if you are right, like you said - at least there might be some faux storefronts or picture frames to fill the street. But what a missed opportunity to liven up Hudson. ...

I drove by there the other day, the openings are walled off with cinder blocks and glass "display cases". It looked permanent to me, but I guess they could always put in stores if they wanted too.

[Spartan]

The garage will already be mixed-use, to an extent, with the fitness center on the SW corner of it. I can't imagine those not being real retail slots, either. I am pretty sure that going in and making them real retail spaces would be relatively easy because I doubt the city code requires much fire separation for parking garage street-level retail like it does between other differing land uses. They could also just be doing that because there can be no reasonable expectation of putting a retail tenant in there until 2013 with all of the construction we're looking at between now and then.

I still think a big unknown that will enhance the construction impact considerably will be what Nick Preftakes does with those buildings he now owns across Hudson. I can't imagine those buildings sitting unimproved in any way until 2013 considering that Preftakes is a developer and all of the cumulative change going on in proximity of this block. If he does embark on something, it won't be a single project..it will be an entire block and then some, so it will add another significant chunk of construction to an area of downtown that will have more construction than...can't think of any other equivalent right now.

[jmarkross]

So. Evidently the garage isn't having retail on the bottom floor. They look more like display cases or faux storefronts. A little disappointment, regardless I'm glad they had the state of mind to make the streetfront facade appealing. It looks great.

I am sure, given the amount of people who will be working and traveling to this new business spot soon--there will be plenty--and I mean PLENTY--of new retail establishments near the footprint of the building. What and where they will be may be some time off--as is the anticipated foot traffic--but there will be many new businesses nearby. I feel sure a number of ancillary buildings will pop up here and there and are in the planning stages now. Billion-dollar projects are seldom done with willy-nilly planning, and I am sure many businesses do not want to be located in a structure that is teeming with exhaust fumes and noise...except for a few odd ones. Having an Health Center of some sort there is dubious as well, I think.

[jmarkross]

Just looked at the Construct-O-Cam...pea-soup fog...I can almost hear the Foggy Bottom Boys singing "I Am A Man Of Constant Sorrow "...

[gen70]

Just looked at the Construct-O-Cam...pea-soup fog...I can almost hear the Foggy Bottom Boys singing "I Am A Man Of Constant Sorrow "...

He..He..He..

[Troypin]

Today looks just like the day the first tower crane went up.

[OKC@heart]

Typically if it is designed for future store fronts they would not have spent the money on installing the CMU block walls and then bothered to specify and install the doors. As was suggested by the original poster, I think that it is indeed a series of display cases, these are often leased out to retailers in the area who want to advertise their stores and goods. I have seen them be used in other cities for really cool seasonal displays. Winter scenes or nativity collections etc at Christmas time. They can really be a draw when done right and I have seen these become great traditions that citizens look forward to each year.

That said I have no idea if that is even close to Devon's intended use. I suppose it is possible that they could come back and cut out the walls for retail, but I personally doubt it, as much as I would like to see retail opportunities to liven up that street. I could easily have envisioned a Chipotle or some other lunch focused joint opening among others...sigh. I guess we will just have to wait and see!

[hipsterdoofus]

I drove by there the other day, the openings are walled off with cinder blocks and glass "display cases". It looked permanent to me, but I guess they could always put in stores if they wanted too.

I don't think the walls are permanent...If they were leaving it like that, they could have put something in to make it look nicer than cinder blocks.

[jn1780]

I don't think the walls are permanent...If they were leaving it like that, they could have put something in to make it look nicer than cinder blocks.

They won't just leave the cinder block walls like that even if they are not permanent. They will either paint the walls white or put some other material over the cinder blocks. The walls will be there at least 2 to 3 years otherwise why would they bother building a temporary wall out of cinder blocks.

[Spartan]

They won't just leave the cinder block walls like that even if they are not permanent. They will either paint the walls white or put some other material over the cinder blocks. The walls will be there at least 2 to 3 years otherwise why would they bother building a temporary wall out of cinder blocks.

Yeah, I think the thing that we overlook is the construction impact, and how long this will last. Stores won't even be able to even start to go in until 2013, and that's 3 years that you have to preserve that space while it just sits there while the street, the tower, the amphitheatre, the park across the street, the historic block across the street..and more are contributing a huge amount of construction headaches for the area.

It's really quite exciting to imagine what it will be like in one or two years.

[MadMonk]

Just looked at the Construct-O-Cam...pea-soup fog...I can almost hear the Foggy Bottom Boys singing "I Am A Man Of Constant Sorrow "...

It's the Soggy Bottom Boys.

Great movie!

[MadMonk]

Just finished up a couple monthly time-lapse videos for your enjoyment.

May:


June:

[OKCDrummer77]

Excellent work as always, MadMonk. I like how you can actually see the elevator core forms rising in these videos.

[MadMonk]

Thanks! It's fun to go back and watch these from a few months back. I just took a look at one I did from January and it's amazing how much work has been done in that relatively short time span.

[jn1780]

Thanks! It's fun to go back and watch these from a few months back. I just took a look at one I did from January and it's amazing how much work has been done in that relatively short time span.

Mid-June the pace really started to pick up.

[jmarkross]

It's the Soggy Bottom Boys.

Great movie!

Thanks for the crx MadMonk--and the youtube videos...the ravages of time have addled my memory...and pretty much everything else...

[Architect2010]

I never even considered construction as a variable for the possibility of those storefronts being built out; can't believe I didn't think of that. Anyways, I'm still not hopeful. I don't remember there being retail spaces along the groundfloor in the original plans either, and if there is could someone give me a link? I'd love to read it. But if they were to be expanded, Spartan is right, it should hopefully be easy. Also the Fitness Center, while nice, isn't what I'm looking for. Its second floor position and exclusitivity for Devon Employees takes the energy from the street level and up a floor while at the same time not being an attraction for non-affiliated downtowners. I'm still glad they had the presence to at least do something attractive to break up the facade. It's still a great project and I'm glad they're doing all the right things it seems. Only time will tell on these I suppose until someone more educated on this project can jump in and solve this for us! And discussion is always healthy.

And great time-lapse videos Madmonk! Perfect!

[OKC@heart]

From the angle of the construction cam it appears that we may have or are very close to passing the expanded parking garage in height with the most recent south core having just risen to the next level. Pretty exciting stuff!

Regarding the discussion with the Diplay bays...I would love it if they are indeed intended to be street level retail!!! I am so hopefull that this will be the case but would like to have that verified before I get all excited. The display cases are better than nothing, and will soften the impact of the large mass of the garage on the street but nowhere near like it would if they were actually real retail locations! It would totally solidify the vitality in and around the devon HQ! What a different approach than some of our other corporate citizens! (SR) Again I would love to have it verified one way or the other. I do think that the fitness center does add to the street in the sense that it is not so removed that people can't see activity, and yet just far away enough that those working out will not feel like exhibitionists while trying to improve their fitness.

[jmarkross]

A project of this magnitude will be analyzed ad nauseum by everyone who can make a profit...and it will dictate some very fine additions and I think everyone will be very happy with the results. In my opinion, these things sort of "take care of themselves" and are dictated by economic realities and possibilities. Especially in any major Top 50 downtown area in America...and many deals are being negotiated with many important vendors and services at this time. It is capitalism at work--in a good way. I think the building will be a great center of many new things to come--and with that nice park across the steet and the quaint hotel attached...it is a real natural. It is, however, annoying to have to wait for all the deals and details to come to fruition. Core-To-Shore is now coming front and center...and the timing appears to be correct as well...

[JLCinOKC]

I can't find the Devon webcam on here.... my old link is broken. Is the OKCTalk cam still working? Can someone post the link?