Oklahoma City's future skyline

[wschnitt]

On their website, it has said for awhile opening 2013. http://www.starwoodhotels.com/alofth...ortType=region

Mind you, I think it will be early 2013, as I've read that elsewhere.

I knew I read that somewhere. Also by looking at the site, there is still a TON of work to be done. They have hardly started.

[metro]

Very much. Yep. The SandRidge building, while still not clearly lined out to the public, has been officially confirmed. And this isn't the potential convention hotel either.

Cue the dramatic music...

[wschnitt]

I hope we are able to do this without tearing anything down like the construction of the Devon Tower

[Steve]

ugh

[dmoor82]

I hope we are able to do this without tearing anything down like the construction of the Devon Tower

huh?Didn't they tear down one parking garage and added 5 floors to the other?I'm all in favor of tearing down a parking structure if it adds an 844'ft skyscraper!I think most of us can agree that the building of the Devon Tower has helped the surrounding area alot!

[G.Walker]

The possible new skyscraper will probably be built by Boeing, or American Fidelity

[wschnitt]

I hope we are able to do this without tearing anything down like the construction of the Devon Tower

As in they build on a current surface lot, like Devon did or maybe a grassy field like Level. My ideal place would be the grassy field across from the AT&T building. Then Deep Duce and Downtown would be nicely linked.

[dmoor82]

I'd like to see that too,but this is OKC!

[wschnitt]

huh?Didn't they tear down one parking garage and added 5 floors to the other?I'm all in favor of tearing down a parking structure if it adds an 844'ft skyscraper!I think most of us can agree that the building of the Devon Tower has helped the surrounding area alot!

I do agree, I do not think I was clear. The Devon Tower would have had a lesser impact if they would have torn down The Skirvin and put it there for example. I am simply hoping for a net gain in buildings downtown instead of tear something out and replace it.

[kevinpate]

Depends on what they might need to tear down. I've no issue with the Ford place disappearing for the CC or some other grand development for example. If someone wants to tear down something dilapidated to put up a 20+ story structure, no harm, no foul.

[wschnitt]

The amount of dilapidated buildings downtown is approaching zero.

[Steve]

The amount of dilapidated buildings downtown is approaching zero.

The ONLY boarded up building I'm aware of is the one owned by Avis Scaramucci - the Rock Island Plow building at Reno and Oklahoma in Bricktown (I'm fully aware I just threw out some red meat for Spartan..)

[wschnitt]

So why don't you agree with me?!?

Not counting the Nick Preftakes block of course.

[Spartan]

The ONLY boarded up building I'm aware of is the one owned by Avis Scaramucci - the Rock Island Plow building at Reno and Oklahoma in Bricktown (I'm fully aware I just threw out some red meat for Spartan..)

Woof.

[Spartan]

So why don't you agree with me?!?

Not counting the Nick Preftakes block of course.

Those are buildings that are anything but dilapidated. If any of those buildings are to come down... that block has the potential to be the best block in all of OKC, as long as all the existing urban character is retained.

[wschnitt]

I did not say there were dilapidated. I do think that Pizza Town or whatever it is called is in fact dilapidated. I was pointing out that if something is torn down to make way for a new building, something will be lost as well as gained. Instead of building where nothing currently stands and then we only stand to gain from the new construction.

[Spartan]

There's a lot of space in the spectrum between dilapidated and immaculate. I hate that there's this perception that in order for a new business to be viable in an old building, you have to completely renovate it to the tune of millions of dollars (and make it look whitewashed and shiny on the inside like Joey's in Film Row, an example of a bldg with a ton of history).

Anything that is built on the site of that block, over the Stage Center, etc., is going to seem corporatized and bland by comparison. One thing that OKC doesn't yet understand is that it is possible to move backward. You can spend a kajillion dollars on something that represents a net loss from what was already there in terms of the cityscape. Progress isn't infallible, sometimes a "progression" is actually a huge "regression," just ask Robert Moses and I.M. Pei.

There are so many obvious history lessons that people never take heed.

[MDot]

^^Taller than Chase but shorter than Devon,right?My next door neighbor is crane operator from Texas,He was told to be on standby if He wanted the work.I hope He is correct,but We'll see!

I personally believe this, dmoor82 has been going on and on about what his neighbor told him who operates the Devon Tower crane and it actually sounds pretty credible, especially the part where he was told to stay on stand by if he wanted the work. He might of made that up but I don't see why he would waste the time to play mind games unless he's really that bored.

[ZYX2]

I personally believe this, dmoor82 has been going on and on about what his neighbor told him who operates the Devon Tower crane and it actually sounds pretty credible, especially the part where he was told to stay on stand by if he wanted the work. He might of made that up but I don't see why he would waste the time to play mind games unless he's really that bored.

It certainly is sounding very possible. I just wonder who would build it?

[Spartan]

At this point, it doesn't have to be owner-occupied. That was the economics of a non-boom downtown. Don't blink now, but suddenly we're looking at an all around real estate crunch downtown.

[Just the facts]

It wouldn't take much of a building to be the largest speculative office building currenty in development across the country. The title now goes to 2 - 10 story buildings in Charlotte.

http://www.wcnc.com/news/neighborhoo...137204808.html

The 10-story, 275,000-square-foot Gragg Building and its mirror building, the Woodward Building, together comprise the largest speculative office project in the nation slated for completion in 2012

[Spartan]

I believe the new mid-rise in Tulsa (which I think is taller than 10 floors) is spec? There's an oil company involved, but I believe they just signed a lease with Eggleston?

I could be way off on that though..

[Bellaboo]

The possible new skyscraper will probably be built by Boeing, or American Fidelity

Could also be MidFirst bank or just a spec tower.

[Spartan]

I would personally expect a spec tower more than anything. Consider that Devon's former tower will be occupied by Continental (who will also be expanding), and that Oklahoma Tower will be Devon overflow in 4-5 years. That's about how long it will take for a new spec office tower, ideally replacing Oklahoma Tower (which would make the spec tower not very speculative afterall), to be completed if first announced in 2012.

[Thunder]

I would personally expect a spec tower more than anything. Consider that Devon's former tower will be occupied by Continental (who will also be expanding), and that Oklahoma Tower will be Devon overflow in 4-5 years. That's about how long it will take for a new spec office tower, ideally replacing Oklahoma Tower (which would make the spec tower not very speculative afterall), to be completed if first announced in 2012.

Should've made the new skyscraper taller than 850...