Level Apartments

[Rover]

I guess if the name resonates with the targeted clientel then it is a good name. If Level is something that does that, great. I am not their demographic target, so what do I know.

I did just look it up on the "Urban Dictionary" and found this for level:
completely honest and above-board. givin' it to you straight, with no exceptions. straight talk. like a true brother.

So, maybe it fits.

[dankrutka]

I guess if the name resonates with the targeted clientel then it is a good name. If Level is something that does that, great. I am not their demographic target, so what do I know.

I did just look it up on the "Urban Dictionary" and found this for level:
completely honest and above-board. givin' it to you straight, with no exceptions. straight talk. like a true brother.

So, maybe it fits.

I'm probably in their targetted demographic and I am definitely interested in moving there when it opens. I think names like Level sound off at first, but once the place is built I think it will work. Level definitely makes me think of being "on the level," which has a nice feel to it. Just my opinion...

[Pete]

I hope people don't lose their enthusiasm when they see the rental rates... Which are sure to be significantly higher than Deep Deuce or much else in the area.

[BG918]

I hope people don't lose their enthusiasm when they see the rental rates... Which are sure to be significantly higher than Deep Deuce or much else in the area.

What do you think they will be? Something new and contemporary with higher end finishes in the kitchen and bathrooms (which it appears this development will include) can command a higher rate.

Will there be a pool and/or fitness center? That also can justify a higher rate, and is a big reason Deep Deuce and especially Legacy are so popular.

[Pete]

There will a pool according to the article... And several will have a view, which always commands a premium.


I make the comment in the previous post because all along people have been clamoring for lofts and condos and slick developments but in the end most people stay away because they can get more for less 15 minutes away.

Rentals have fared better but I suspect this development will cost significantly more than anything we have seen to date.

[Rover]

I am always amused about the amenities issue in the "urban" apartments. My wife and I have an apartment in NYC in the Chelsea/Meat Packing/Village district and I bet there isn't a swimming pool or gym in any of the apartment buildings in the area. Now THAT is urban. I think the younger renters here want suburban style apartment buildings not real "urban".

[Pete]

I would think that among new developments, almost all have a pool. For those that are adaptive use (like Park Harvey and The Montgomery) it's much harder to work in.

Renters like pools and it's a good investment by the developers. In tight quarters, tenants need a place to be outside and nice common areas are big selling points when prospects take the property tour.


As far as a fitness center, I think that's less important in this particular area because a very nice Y is just a couple of blocks away --easy walking distance.

[metro]

So the Aloft will be on the SW corner of NE 2 & Walnut, and this apartment complex will be on the NW corner, correct? Are they taking up the entire block from Walnut to Oklahoma, NE 2 to NE 3? Or just the half of the block facing NE 2? I seem to remember the land facing NE 3 between Walnut and Oklahoma will be more Maywood Park townhomes, but not completely sure.

Wish we could see a site plan...
On a side note, will Deep Deuce apartments ever be completely finished? There are several gaps that could be filled with
new buildings throughout the development, like along NE 3 east of Walnut (both the north and south sides of the street),
on NE 2 near Sage and Deep Deuce Grill, and on NE 1 closer to Stiles and The Hill. It would really make that area feel a
lot more dense and with these new developments will really create a nice urban neighborhood north of Bricktown.

It will be the whole block. The Maywood project was scrapped after the economy tanked. Check the other thread on this same development. Also, those vacant lots at Deep Deuce you speak of are actually ODOT right of ways, don't ask why as it makes no sense to me. You won't see them filled in with more DD apartments.

[semisimple]

I am very excited about this project! For the first time in OKC, I think we will see a solid built modern urban apartment complex, with retail ,nice parking garage and a great view.

I really hope it is solid construction. There are dozens of developments just like this one in Austin and even more in Dallas, and I know many of them have low quality construction (by far the worst problems being poor sound insulation between units and broken elevators). These "urban" apartments usually look great inside and out, but many aren't built well at all.

The complex I live in near downtown Austin falls into that category and the poor sound insulation is always the major topic of discussion at community meetings, and probably one major reason for what seems to be a high turnover rate (aside from the high rent--starting at $1300+/mo. for a small 1/1).

[Rover]

At a total project cost of appx $100,000 per unit, I doubt it will be of great quality. You can't get something for nothing.

[Spartan]

Rover, that's the initial cost per unit, not bad. Deep Deuce Apts I think was less, and even when they resold the whole complex a few years ago it fetched a state record price per unit that I think was right around $100k/unit. I would certainly love to have a unit there, but I'd have to be on the waiting list for at least 3-4 months. For example, my best friend from high school got tired of being on their waiting list for an apartment and gave up and went to the Lincoln @ Central Park instead.

So the Aloft will be on the SW corner of NE 2 & Walnut, and this apartment complex will be on the NW corner, correct? Are they taking up the entire block from Walnut to Oklahoma, NE 2 to NE 3? Or just the half of the block facing NE 2? I seem to remember the land facing NE 3 between Walnut and Oklahoma will be more Maywood Park townhomes, but not completely sure.

Wish we could see a site plan...

On a side note, will Deep Deuce apartments ever be completely finished? There are several gaps that could be filled with new buildings throughout the development, like along NE 3 east of Walnut (both the north and south sides of the street), on NE 2 near Sage and Deep Deuce Grill, and on NE 1 closer to Stiles and The Hill. It would really make that area feel a lot more dense and with these new developments will really create a nice urban neighborhood north of Bricktown.

I'm not sure I can answer these questions any better than anyone else has, but I noticed a few points were left out by others:

1. The other Maywood-related developments proposed were more brownstones, the Leslie, and Maywood Hall. There were actually supposed to be over a hundred brownstones at one point, but I never really believed that would happen, and I used to be delusional enough to think Overholser Green was a good idea which is saying something. There is still land between the lofts and the brownstones that will probably be developed after the lofts sell out.. And LEVEL will be the entire block, which is GREAT.

2. Deep Deuce Apartments will not be finished. It is the most successful rental project in the state's history and Somerset has already sold it off to other owners who are just an apartment management company, so it's not even owned by anyone with a development arm anymore. OCURA needs to get off their asses and take the land back from Somerset, but they need to do a lot of things, and the Somerset land should have been addressed yeeears ago already.

I don't know about being owned by ODOT. Those sites you mentioned aren't even close to 235.

I am always amused about the amenities issue in the "urban" apartments. My wife and I have an apartment in NYC in the Chelsea/Meat Packing/Village district and I bet there isn't a swimming pool or gym in any of the apartment buildings in the area. Now THAT is urban. I think the younger renters here want suburban style apartment buildings not real "urban".

Rover, you're absolutely right about this. But keep in mind this is the sunbelt, different culture. I think in Houston and Miami, which are just condo central these days, you can not have urban living OR suburban living without the pool. It might have more to do with that?

But you're thoughts are still on point. I've always thought common areas in apartment complexes were pretty pointless. In Calgary I paid a lot less (but still a lot) for an apartment in a building with zero common areas..nearby buildings with smaller apartments were more expensive. I just didn't understand it, and you see that a LOT in Norman too. I guess the thinking in college-dominated areas is that common areas are where the party is...except no property management group is going to go for alcohol and young people of unknown ages anywhere near their common areas. Just my perception of it, being in college myself, and knowing how people evaluate spaces based on the kind of party they think they could have there..

[Rover]

It seems like in NYC, Boston, Chicago, etc., the residents in the "urban" areas tend to use private clubs for working out, swimming, etc. and the , real coffee houses, clubs and restaurants for getting together and hanging out. The corner bakery becomes a gathering point in the morning, the street-side and sidewalk tables at restaurants the places to watch and greet each other, and the clubs to go partying at night. For families the little pocket parks are often safe havens for the them to sit and play a little, (also for the more matured). Adaptive uses of places like the High Line park in NYC are great. I just think (and even understanding the cultural differences) that the "urban" richness and lifestyle is not just sub-urban placed downtown. It is a lifestyle. It is that lifestyle that creates demand for the bakeries, local small restaurants, cool urban clubs, intimate little shops, etc. Sitting by the pool and drinking beers out of your cooler does little to add to the mosaic that should be urban living. If everyone who professes wanting the lifestyle and to be "cool" would actually act "cool", it would develop. Being urban isn't just cool names,body art and a low numbered address.

Just my observations, fwiw

[tractionokc]

As it seems everyone is interested, I invite you all to visit www.levelokc.com. I encourage you to take part in the weekly polls to help shape the future of OKC's urban living landscape, and sign up for LEVEL's emails while you're there to keep you informed as new announcements are made. And I would be remiss if I didn't point you all to www.facebook.com/levelokc and www.twitter.com/levelokc.

On the name subject; seeing the logo, you'll understand it a bit more. @metro was correct on that one. And @Kerry, you never know what the future holds, so we always build brands with flexibility and extendibility in mind.



Glad to see everyone interested in LEVEL Urban Apartments thus far. We're excited to be working with Richard McKown on the project, and look forward to the build process starting this month.

[soonerguru]

100k per unit seems like a plentiful budget to build something very well.

[Rover]

100k per unit seems like a plentiful budget to build something very well.

That is about the level of a cost of a Marriott Courtyard per room. Given this includes retail spaces on one of the 4 floors, that seems low unless the apartments are small.

[Spartan]

It seems like in NYC, Boston, Chicago, etc., the residents in the "urban" areas tend to use private clubs for working out, swimming, etc. and the , real coffee houses, clubs and restaurants for getting together and hanging out. The corner bakery becomes a gathering point in the morning, the street-side and sidewalk tables at restaurants the places to watch and greet each other, and the clubs to go partying at night. For families the little pocket parks are often safe havens for the them to sit and play a little, (also for the more matured). Adaptive uses of places like the High Line park in NYC are great. I just think (and even understanding the cultural differences) that the "urban" richness and lifestyle is not just sub-urban placed downtown. It is a lifestyle. It is that lifestyle that creates demand for the bakeries, local small restaurants, cool urban clubs, intimate little shops, etc. Sitting by the pool and drinking beers out of your cooler does little to add to the mosaic that should be urban living. If everyone who professes wanting the lifestyle and to be "cool" would actually act "cool", it would develop. Being urban isn't just cool names,body art and a low numbered address.

Just my observations, fwiw

Well, McKowns is building a corner grocery market on the street level. He is also designing this project to be as complimentary as possible to the Aloft across the street, even told me he sees the two as a wedding cake couple on top of hill. So in other words they'll function together. The Aloft will have a restaurant, a bar, and I believe a coffee shop. There is still that brownstone space overlooking the sculpture in Maywood Park that would be an amazingly good fit for a coffee shop. Commercial spaces in the Maywood Lofts still available, too. Sage, Deep Deuce Bar & Grill, The Wedge, and more are all just 1 block walking distance away. The Clark Bldg across from the lofts may end up being mixed-use as well depending on who the Waters' lease the bottom floor to.

I agree with the idea that the common areas, and possibly even the pool although I tend to think Boston/NYC/Chicago would be more pool-centric themselves if they were just warmer, will probably be a waste of space and an irrelevant amenity. But for 100k/unit and in the style he is committed to, they will be quality units and I don't think there will be many other wasteful spaces.

I wouldn't put it past him to realize that the amenities are a waste but you do need those in Oklahoma and it is important to not break as many local real estate laws as you can at once in one project. And I do think some young professionals will gravitate toward the complex based more on what they pay for and less on the urban concept. I realize people think differently than me, some don't think their residence through so much or grasp the urban living concept..they'll just see a cool apartment with good amenities making them think it's a good deal, and move in.

[Pete]

I really like the logo and the name.

Good luck tractionokc and keep us posted.

[dankrutka]

I think a pool is an excellent amenity. A lot of young people like to go to the pool and have a drink in the summer and this can really go a long way towards raising the profile of the place. If this area is looking to house the same demographics as uptown in Dallas then a pool can be a very nice amenity. Just my opinion...

[betts]

I think I remember this, too. But even if it is going to be EIFS at least the first floor will be brick (according to the renderings). EIFS on the first floor of buildings is the worst!

EIFS on any floor is the worst, IMO. I would hope, hope, hope that I remember correctly on this one.

And I think a pool is just fine. This is Oklahoma, where in July, August and part of September it's too hot to do anything outside that not involved with water. Anything that fosters community is good, I believe.

[bluedogok]

That is about the level of a cost of a Marriott Courtyard per room. Given this includes retail spaces on one of the 4 floors, that seems low unless the apartments are small.

I am sure the retail space finish-out is not included in those cost projections. They should be in shell condition and the finish out costs considered part of lease negotiation because TI costs can vary greatly depending upon what the tenant wants.

[betts]

I like the logo, although my brain keeps telling me I'm looking at it incorrectly. Maybe that's part of its appeal.

[betts]

I noticed they've started putting up the construction debris fences and have taken down all the old signage on the block. I'm always amazed when construction appears to be starting as announced.

[benman]

Are any more renderings available that are different than what has been previously posted?

[Pete]

Here are some bigger renderings from the architect's website.

The first two are southern exposure and the third is the north side:

[Pete]

Found a couple of site plans and other renderings on the OKC Planning Commission website: