Devon Energy Center

[ljbab728]

The tower is going to outgrow the cam within the next couple of weeks. Any plans for changes?

[HOT ROD]

ya, way too quiet on this thread. Are people in OKC getting bored or are people just busy and haven't taken any updated pics. ...

[Dustin]

ya, way too quiet on this thread. Are people in OKC getting bored or are people just busy and haven't taken any updated pics. ...

Yeah, people have lives..... GASP! Lol

[Dustin]

This was taken by Beamascope / Jim Gibbons on flickr. All kudos go to him! Great image!

[OKCisOK4me]

Judging by that picture, the top of the building will be an inch higher than the top of the pic. I dig the old school 1930s black & white look.

[sroberts24]

Crane 1 is going up right now

[HOT ROD]

very nice pic

[HOT ROD]

Are we all certain that the tower will not have a data centre anymore? I have to question why there are the vents on the 6th floor *usually meaning HVAC or a cooling floor, when they most certainly will have a mechanical floor on top of the building - hence the 75 foot vertical fins at the top hiding it. I know they built the WRWA building but that could be the primary/or backup.

Could this be evidence that the building will be built as originally spec'd or taller?

[jmarkross]

Are we all certain that the tower will not have a data centre anymore? I have to question why there are the vents on the 6th floor *usually meaning HVAC or a cooling floor, when they most certainly will have a mechanical floor on top of the building - hence the 75 foot vertical fins at the top hiding it. I know they built the WRWA building but that could be the primary/or backup.

Could this be evidence that the building will be built as originally spec'd or taller?

Never speculate on these matters--under penalties of death or dismemberment.

[HOT ROD]

Jmark, you and I stand as the eternal optimists on this issue - but I want somebody in the know to comment on my hypothesis based on the 'evidence' I claim.

haha, also Im doing my part to keep the thread alive, since I can't contribute to the pics and according to dibbya "I must have no life. GASP"

[jmarkross]

Jmark, you and I stand as the eternal optimists on this issue - but I want somebody in the know to comment on my hypothesis based on the 'evidence' I claim.

haha, also Im doing my part to keep the thread alive, since I can't contribute to the pics and according to dibbya "I must have no life. GASP"

Any further comments on this matter must come through my legal counsel...and the Fifth Amendment protection is right beside me...

[jmarkross]

"I must have no life. GASP"

I think it is a given...that not too many on these threads have a really impressive "life"...myself?...I can hide behind the veil of age and retirement--as good a Papal Dispensation...

[oncendone]

"I must have no life. GASP"

I think it is a given...that not too many on these threads have a really impressive "life"...myself?...I can hide behind the veil of age and retirement--as good a Papal Dispensation...

For hipsterdoofass' benefit, please watch those quotation marks.

[jmarkross]

For hipsterdoofass' benefit, please watch those quotation marks.

You know--I ain't writing file names so I will go with my mysterious propensity to feel insulated and safe when using them. Quotes Rule!

[Diesel54]

Are we all certain that the tower will not have a data centre anymore? I have to question why there are the vents on the 6th floor *usually meaning HVAC or a cooling floor, when they most certainly will have a mechanical floor on top of the building - hence the 75 foot vertical fins at the top hiding it. I know they built the WRWA building but that could be the primary/or backup.

Could this be evidence that the building will be built as originally spec'd or taller?

The data center has already been built near the airport.

[jmarkross]

It will always seem to me--in today's world with copying and duplicity so easy to accomplish, that moving the data center elsewhere for any safety or hardware reason...simply makes little sense. The mystery remains...why say you want to build a 925' Tower--then change your mind? Something is rotten in Denmark...

[oncendone]

It will always seem to me--in today's world with copying and duplicity so easy to accomplish, that moving the data center elsewhere for any safety or hardware reason...simply makes little sense. The mystery remains...why say you want to build a 925' Tower--then change your mind? Something is rotten in Denmark...

One reason that I heard for moving the data rooms offsite had to do with the green certification for the building. Don't know for sure though.

[okcpulse]

It will always seem to me--in today's world with copying and duplicity so easy to accomplish, that moving the data center elsewhere for any safety or hardware reason...simply makes little sense. The mystery remains...why say you want to build a 925' Tower--then change your mind? Something is rotten in Denmark...

They decided to move the data center offsite for business continuity and disaster recovery. It makes perfect sense. If they need to do a power outage at the tower, no need to fail over to another site or worry about maintaining an alternate power source to keep the data center running during downtime. Take it from someone who is in the industry. It was a smart move.

[HOT ROD]

but that's my point oncendone. Look at the 6th floor, there are vents lining it. This is clearly an anomoly and I think indicates that there will could still be data floors. Most skyscrapers have mechanical floors on the top or in the middle, and/or basement. but the 6th floor? Sounds like a data center, especially if you consider the floor sizes for it and the 3 floors below and the attached podium. I understand Devon built a Data Centre at the airport, but usually there are more than one.

[mburlison]

Disaster Recovery is a big deal these days and a legitimate argument to have the Data Center built in a building separate and engineered all around the D.R. needs.
Why that wasn't considered 'before' announcing designs is anybody's guess, but I wouldn't hold out much hope that they go to 925'.

[Rover]

There is nothing mysterious about these kinds of changes. Big construction projects change all the time. It is unusual when they don't.

[jn1780]

but that's my point oncendone. Look at the 6th floor, there are vents lining it. This is clearly an anomoly and I think indicates that there will could still be data floors. Most skyscrapers have mechanical floors on the top or in the middle, and/or basement. but the 6th floor? Sounds like a data center, especially if you consider the floor sizes for it and the 3 floors below and the attached podium. I understand Devon built a Data Centre at the airport, but usually there are more than one.

The sixth floor directly above the podium building is a good place to hide the vents. I think that big yellow box leading up to the sixth floor vents in okcmomentum's pictures is an air shaft. Maybe parts of the podium building are being used as mechanical floors?

Originally Posted by okcmomentum:

[OKC@heart]

Hard to say without having seen the floor plans for these floors. It is not unusual at all however to have large areas of exhaust vents. The sub grade garage needs to be vented somewhere and there will be a high volume of air needing to be exhausted mechanically and so will require a large fan or series of fans to do it. That amount of air can be blasted out at the surface but with the noise created and the exhaust fumes is often less than desirable in a public space where you are trying to project serenity and a connection to the site and gardens.

Aside from that issue, there are tons of reasons to have louvers, the mechanical systems need to exhaust as well as draw in fresh air. In addition to this there needs to be fresh air intakes for the pressurized egress areas (stairwells) The pressure has to be at a constant positive pressure to prevent smoke from entering the "protected" area to allow for the safe passage of building occupants in the event of a fire. Pressure on just the bottom or just the top would never be sufficient on a building of this height and size so there will likely be multiple points where intake air will be pushed at a high rate to keep that pressure positive. As a designer you look long and hard for ways to incorporate these very necessary mechanical systems into the design in areas that mask or limit or screen the visual impact they can have without compromising those systems.

So as far as the assertion that the data center might be included just because of the large number or louvers on the exterior at the 6th floor is very thin at best. Coupled with the fact that they have already built the building over at WRWA makes it even less likely. Companies do what is best for the stockholders and millions are not tossed around willy nilly, even when the company has the vast resources that Devon does...they have them because of making prudent and wise financial decisions...on a consistent basis. I like to dream as much as the next person, but this dog doesn't hunt.

[earlywinegareth]

Drove past downtown yesterday evening...Devon looks waaay cool the way each floor is lit up with what looks like portable flood lights then you have the two cranes towering over everything with their warning lights blinking...if you like the industrial look, you should go down there after dark.

[MadMonk]

Looks like they've started on the rotunda structure: