OK Kids Korral

[Pete]

Information & Latest News

NE 8th & Laird
status=Complete
owner=Toby Keith Foundation
cost=$8.5 million
start=5/18/12
finish=October 2013
height=2 stories
sq. feet=28,000
acerage=2.0523
other=16 suites

5/19/12: Toby Keith breaks ground on OK Kids Koral

OK Kids Korral will provide a home for pediatric cancer patients and their families while they are receiving treatment at The Children’s Hospital at OU Medical Center, Peggy & Charles Stephenson Cancer Center and other nearby facilities. OK Kids Korral will offer the warmth and security of home in a setting where the love and encouragement of others enlighten and inspire guests.
Links

Toby Keith Foundation
Downtown Hotel Summary
Urban Project Summary
County Assessor Record
Gallery

[Pete]

From www.todykeithfoundation.org:

"OK Kids Korral will provide a home for pediatric cancer patients and their families while they are receiving treatment at The Children’s Hospital at OU Medical Center, Peggy & Charles Stephenson Cancer Center and other nearby facilities. OK Kids Korral will offer the warmth and security of home in a setting where the love and encouragement of others enlighten and inspire guests."

[metro]

I was wondering where this was being built. TBK has a billboard up advertising it on I-40 eastbound, just before you hit downtown.

[Rover]

Fantastic venture. The kids need a place to be comfortable, safe and secure after frightening treatments. Good for Toby.

But I am sure we will get a great many complaints here that the building is too suburban, has parking, needs to butt up against the street, should be taller, shouldn't have grass or trees, should be more contemporary, mid-modern or brutalistic, needs LED lights, needs the light rail to go by, should be mixed use, and on, and on, just like the requirements for any other core development. (Sorry, just poking a little fun)

[Fantastic]

Fantastic venture. The kids need a place to be comfortable, safe and secure after frightening treatments. Good for Toby.

But I am sure we will get a great many complaints here that the building is too suburban, has parking, needs to butt up against the street, should be taller, shouldn't have grass or trees, should be more contemporary, mid-modern or brutalistic, needs LED lights, needs the light rail to go by, should be mixed use, and on, and on, just like the requirements for any other core development. (Sorry, just poking a little fun)

You're right, I really hope people don't complain about this, I think it's probably the most uplifting development I can remember happening in a long time. Alot of the things we talk about here are exciting, but this seems to go above excitement. Good causes are always something to smile about.

[RadicalModerate]

I once read--and then borrowed, later, for "illustrative puposes"--a story/modern parable about a rich man (perhaps involved in "the oil industry"?) who donated millions and millions of dollars to a college building fund and had several campus structures named after him.

(This was all a long, long time before T.Boone Pickens, btw. =)

A few years later, situations and circumstances changed and the formerly "rich" man lost all of his [available financial resources].

One day, not too long after that, he was walking across the campus with a kindly student.
The student noticed the man's name on many of the buildings.

The student said: "I guess you sometimes wish you had all of that money back . . ."

The man replied (with a smile): "No, not really . . . All I have left is what I gave away."

Kudos to Toby Keith.
I think that maybe we can see him now. =)

(as if we couldn't previously . . .)

[Rover]

Years ago, I lost a baby brother who spent many days in Children's hospital here in OKC. Though we lived 100 miles away and means were very limited, Mom was here constantly and Dad would drive down after work. I know how much mercy and kindness meant...especially to my fatally ill brother. Toby being involved in this is very special and a mercy that will mean unbelievable things for the kids. This is God's work. Thanks Toby.

[soonerguru]

Fantastic venture. The kids need a place to be comfortable, safe and secure after frightening treatments. Good for Toby.

But I am sure we will get a great many complaints here that the building is too suburban, has parking, needs to butt up against the street, should be taller, shouldn't have grass or trees, should be more contemporary, mid-modern or brutalistic, needs LED lights, needs the light rail to go by, should be mixed use, and on, and on, just like the requirements for any other core development. (Sorry, just poking a little fun)

I laughed. I'll admit it.

[MDot]

I laughed. I'll admit it.

I didn't laugh but I smiled. LOL

[Doug Loudenback]

Thumbs up to Toby. This is an extraordinary contribution to the community.

[Soonerus]

Toby has been working on this for several years...

[Spartan]

I'm going to take the uncomfortable position and defend our ideal development standards. Compliance with good form in a highly-dense urban district as the OUHSC undeniably is isn't something that would devastate this project. It would make it better.

Nobody is saying that Toby Keith ever claimed to assert this design as the most pro-urban, so the issue isn't a matter of confrontation. It's a matter of applying a fair standard to all projects that fall within an urban district. For example, the OBI project should have also been held to a better standard.

I'm not complaining about how UGLY and bland the OBI building was (and this hotel actually has a kinda cool aesthetic), but instead pointing out the negative site layout. Parking can be just as functional in the back of a building. Fixing that should be cost neutral, and possibly even cheaper for moving automobile egress/ingress away from the main vantage point.

[Rover]

For once, we should be thinking of the occupant of the structure and the kind of layout that comforts them. Buildings are for people, not for themselves, not for ideologies, not for art, but for people. The only design elements essential here is that the kids feel good coming here and feel as normal as they can. Bricks and mortar be damned...flesh and blood be cherished.

[Soonerus]

For once, we should be thinking of the occupant of the structure and the kind of layout that comforts them. Buildings are for people, not for themselves, not for ideologies, not for art, but for people. The only design elements essential here is that the kids feel good coming here and feel as normal as they can. Bricks and mortar be damned...flesh and blood be cherished.

Great post...

[MikeOKC]

For once, we should be thinking of the occupant of the structure and the kind of layout that comforts them. Buildings are for people, not for themselves, not for ideologies, not for art, but for people. The only design elements essential here is that the kids feel good coming here and feel as normal as they can. Bricks and mortar be damned...flesh and blood be cherished.

Wow. Nicely said.

[Spartan]

For once, we should be thinking of the occupant of the structure and the kind of layout that comforts them. Buildings are for people, not for themselves, not for ideologies, not for art, but for people. The only design elements essential here is that the kids feel good coming here and feel as normal as they can. Bricks and mortar be damned...flesh and blood be cherished.

Not to disrupt your egalitarian pontificating, but what exactly has urban development done to harm grieving families? I'm not going to get into a contest with you to write the most touching poem about the building. It's a great undertaking, and I'm sure it will be an excellent addition. I like the way that we are creating community within the medical district, so that families of patients can be part of a community. That community benefits from having a quality environment, so let's also endeavor toward making this district better than our abysmally low building standards.

[RadicalModerate]

Function ALWAYS trumps Form.

But maybe "the critics" might like to build another such facility--serving the same function--with their money . . .

[Just the facts]

Fantastic venture. The kids need a place to be comfortable, safe and secure after frightening treatments. Good for Toby.

But I am sure we will get a great many complaints here that the building is too suburban, has parking, needs to butt up against the street, should be taller, shouldn't have grass or trees, should be more contemporary, mid-modern or brutalistic, needs LED lights, needs the light rail to go by, should be mixed use, and on, and on, just like the requirements for any other core development. (Sorry, just poking a little fun)

I'll say it - great cause but the design is terrible. I understand the "special needs" angle but all joking aside, this should be held to the same design criteria as everything else.

However, I will chalk this up to an urbanism victory because everyone who looked at that proposal instantly thought "suburban design" and for some of you that is progress. At least everyone can now tell the difference between suburban and urban design when they see it.

[RadicalModerate]

This has "Urban" written all over it. (At least it did before the sandblasting.)
Hook three or four of these together and the improvement is obvious.

Connecting the buildings with HamsterHabitatesque tunnels would be even better.

(Good job not listening to the naysayers, Toby. Or should that be baa-sayers?)

[Just the facts]

A structure doesn't have to be modern architecture to be urban. Instead of putting all the landscaping along the street he could have created an inner courtyard and put all the landscaping there so it could be enjoyed without cars going by at 50 mph. The whole thing is also surrounded by fence thus ensuring that taking a simple walk will have as many obstacles as possible.

[lasomeday]

This is a suburban design. The building is fine, it is just the location on the site. It should be moved closer to the street with parking in the back. Spartan knows what he is talking about. This is a simple fix that will add to the district and make it feel/be more walkable for the people working and staying at the hotel. This hotel is supposed to be walkable to the children's hospital. That is the point of the hospital. So, make the emphasis of the hotel walking instead of the car.

I know Rover doesn't understand urban design.... He just sees pretty pictures and that is what excites him. He can't get into the details of design.

[ou48A]

Toby has been working on this for several years...

This is what I heard.^

I recently talked to someone who works at the OUHSC and knows some of the things that are planned.
In the coming months and years we should expect to be hearing more great things about the OU cancer center.
I expect to eventually see the OU cancer center to become regarded as a world class cancer research institution.

[Roadhawg]

For once, we should be thinking of the occupant of the structure and the kind of layout that comforts them. Buildings are for people, not for themselves, not for ideologies, not for art, but for people. The only design elements essential here is that the kids feel good coming here and feel as normal as they can. Bricks and mortar be damned...flesh and blood be cherished.

well said

[Just the facts]

For once, we should be thinking of the occupant of the structure and the kind of layout that comforts them. Buildings are for people, not for themselves, not for ideologies, not for art, but for people. The only design elements essential here is that the kids feel good coming here and feel as normal as they can. Bricks and mortar be damned...flesh and blood be cherished.

What a load of crap. Bad design even for that right reason is still bad design. Urban development is a far more "people" oriented design philosophy than parking lots and 6 foot fences.

[MDot]

What a load of crap. Bad design even for that right reason is still bad design. Urban development is a far more "people" oriented design philosophy than parking lots and 6 foot fences.

He never said it wasn't a bad design. LOL it's a very bad design for something being built in the urban core. Honestly it belongs in the suburbs and it would be "perfect" but I'm not going to complain about it too much, it seems you have that covered. LOL