Devon Energy Center

[kevinpate]

Its very important. Its not just the sight of it. Its the numbers on record. This is extremely disappointing.

nah, extremely disappointing would have been the building going up in Texas or Canada. Coming in under some arbitrary number is downright meaningless. But, if it really matters to you, just tell yourself it's over 850 and pretend the separate data center is there and not across town.

[Rover]

Its very important. Its not just the sight of it. Its the numbers on record. This is extremely disappointing.

You are being sarcastic, right?



I have a date with Ms. Universe tonight, but I am really disappointed. The polish on one of her nails is chipped.

[redrunner]

Just saw a teaser for the channel 5 evening news about pieces of the Devon tower falling off. Must have been a glass panel. Watch at 5pm.

[Dustin]

You are being sarcastic, right?



I have a date with Ms. Universe tonight, but I am really disappointed. The polish on one of her nails is chipped.

Sadly, I think he is serious..

[jn1780]

Just saw a teaser for the channel 5 evening news about pieces of the Devon tower falling off.

Must be that missing 6 feet Thunder was worried about.

[kevinpate]

Must be that missing 6 feet Thunder was worried about.

I'm not too proud to admit it. I laughed.

[UnFrSaKn]

Here's an old article from the last incident.

Falling Devon Debris Damages Building Below

[SoonerAce311]

Hey guys, don't hammer on Thunder too much. He is just talking about that we had to deal with the downsizing from 925ft to 850ft, and we just got set on that number for awhile now and didn't want it to get any smaller. So when that 844 popped up, he was like, "hey, no more suprises on the height!" I think its going to be 870 to 890 with the remaining floors and crown to go, with the tower almost at 800ft right now.

[Snowman]

Seriously? I thought Oklahoma have tough dirt and that designers have that in mind to build something at the bottom to withhold this gigantic building.

For the larger buildings in OKC they generally create pillars down to the bedrock that the foundation sets on.

[metro]

Must be that missing 6 feet Thunder was worried about.

LOL! Good one.

[SSEiYah]

View from the top of the Walker bridge is pretty good. Why cant they build the interstate at the rate they are building the tower..

[ljbab728]

View from the top of the Walker bridge is pretty good. Why cant they build the interstate at the rate they are building the tower..

Difference between private and public construction projects.

[geterdone]

I would rather have 4 feet than lose 4 feet.

[plmccordj]

Difference between private and public construction projects.

Remember this when they want to run your healthcare.

[metro]

Remember this when they want to run your healthcare.

Very true

[mburlison]

Very true

I certainly agree w/ Plm's point as well, but it's also a question of putting the right contractors and enough resources to (any) project --- which probably all points back to the private vs. government-run too I suppose. Here in Dallas, I'm amazed at the 121 Hwy project over the last 4 years, it was government, and went private and over the last few years, it has just been incredible the progress to completion speed that has been accomplished. Example is the Highway 75 & Highway 121 intersection - amazing amount of work in about 18 months. They've been working on the remaining 121/North Dallas Tollway intersection and it's all but done, that's also less than 2 years. I'm not comparing the 2 cities or states, just saying it is all a function of how well funded and managed the projects are. I'm truly impressed by this Devon project. A first class operation through and through, though no project is without it's problems. We'll look back on this era as the beginning of the end of complacency about Oklahoma City. Forget Memphis, Amarillo, Little Rock or Albuquerque, OKC is the pride of I-40. Bricktown, downtown OKC can be a destination point for regional vacations - just need to market it more (like the Casinos of OK do in TX!) LOL - Anyway, I'm proud of what has been accomplished, everything points up for Oklahoma City.

[Snowman]

Most of the highway delays occurred before construction started and phases needing to use space which has things on it that can not be built on until an alternate is completed. While Devon's construction no doubt has red tape, significant engineering work and complications in construction they can hardly be compared.

[Dulahey]

There are MANY reasons why highways take longer than the Devon Tower.

Some of the obvious and biggest reasons:
Right-of-way - Big difference between the government buying hundreds of different properties from citizens and a business buying one plot of land.
Funding - Devon already had the money to build the project in full. Government gets a set amount of money each year. That amount is also relatively unknown. If ODOT would have funded the crosstown all at once, there wouldn't have been any other road construction in the state for a couple years.
Laws - It is against the law for ODOT to have allowed one huge contractor build the entire crosstown. There are hundreds of specifics here, I'm not getting into them.
Railroad - Working with the railroad is just plain awful. They trump everybody else and you are at their mercy.
Design, Constructability, blah blah blah the differences are massive.

[mburlison]

Just to be clear on my earlier comments, I'm not comparing Hwy to Building construction, but only saying that between two comparable projects, there can be big differences, as has been pointed out by others as well, in how a project is funded, scheduled, in short "managed" and that these differences can sometimes result in a long, drawn out project that takes long than it should have. (I am sure we have all been around a few of each!)

[dmoor82]

Saw this Devon Tower construction postcard!http://www.zazzle.ca/reflective+postcards

[bluedogok]

Funding - Devon already had the money to build the project in full. Government gets a set amount of money each year. That amount is also relatively unknown. If ODOT would have funded the crosstown all at once, there wouldn't have been any other road construction in the state for a couple years.

That is the reason why toll roads are built so quickly, they are started as soon as the bonds are issued so the projects assigned to that set of bonds are fully funded from day one.

[UnFrSaKn]

Link # 1 #2 #3

[dmoor82]

Photo by:Jeff Basara

[dmoor82]

photo from Waymarking.com http://www.waymarking.com/gallery/de...4599f325&gid=2

[SoonerAce311]

hey you guys USG'60, therondo, and OKCisOK4me are exactly right! we can't be having negative nellys on our excellent and positive okc talk website. We need to gang up on and kick out anyone that doesn't have anything good to say about our city and new tower. I mean this is totally ridiculous! What do say? This "lake hefner breeze" has really pushed the wrong button here and really needs to hear about it! Anyone needs to chime in and let people like "lake hefner breeze" know that you either have good things to say or your gonna hear it from everybody!