SandRidge Center & Commons

[Pete]

I deleted a bunch of posts that were way too personal.

Let's please get back to discussing this project instead of posters.

[Rover]

I think this is a project which needs to be finished now before a fair assessment of its style and impact on this part of downtown can be fairly measured. It has destroyed some sentimental favorites, but is also adding life. The worth of the project has to be take in total. Once the canopy, the Branniff building, the amenities building are all complete, the vegetation has a year or two to start maturing, and the usage patterns start becoming clear, THEN we can objectively measure.

[Rover]

Is there any updated estimate of total investment SR is making on this project, at least through this current phase? Someone suggested the new Hilton Garden is the second most important project for downtown, but I think this eclipses it by multiple times.

Any new rumblings on the next tower they plan?

[Pete]

They estimated a total cost of $100 million for renovating the tower, the Braniff Building, building the amenities building and general landscaping.

Add to that the purchase and future renovation/expansion of the Broadway Kerr Parking garage, building another tower, plus any development they do on the vacant lots along Broadway. In addition, they will be teaming with Chesapeake to redevelop Kerr Park.

I'd say all this is at least another $100 million.

[Spartan]

I would say easily $100 million. The actual square footage that they're putting up, and not counting any chickens that haven't yet hatched in that department (ie., new tower), is all top-notch. I'm quite sure they're going for the higher LEED certifications, for example. If they actually do complete their vision along Broadway it will be very impressive.

I would almost even hope for no tower, just build huge linear buildings (a la CHK) that line Broadway and overwhelm the passerby with a sense of STREET rather than a sense of SKY. I think that having something shiny and sleek that funnels downtown up into A-Alley would create an excellent environmental impression (ie., sense of place).

Is there any updated estimate of total investment SR is making on this project, at least through this current phase? Someone suggested the new Hilton Garden is the second most important project for downtown, but I think this eclipses it by multiple times.

Any new rumblings on the next tower they plan?

Rover, why do you keep trying to get some kind of confrontation out of me?? Demolitions, 1 renovation, and 1 6-story... vs. 11 story (bulky) infill. I will just say that the past is the past, and now I just like others, am anxiously awaiting the next round of building announcements from SR but I'm not counting on them. I'm counting what we know.

[gracefor24]

I would say easily $100 million. The actual square footage that they're putting up, and not counting any chickens that haven't yet hatched in that department (ie., new tower), is all top-notch. I'm quite sure they're going for the higher LEED certifications, for example. If they actually do complete their vision along Broadway it will be very impressive.

I would almost even hope for no tower, just build huge linear buildings (a la CHK) that line Broadway and overwhelm the passerby with a sense of STREET rather than a sense of SKY. I think that having something shiny and sleek that funnels downtown up into A-Alley would create an excellent environmental impression (ie., sense of place).



Rover, why do you keep trying to get some kind of confrontation out of me?? Demolitions, 1 renovation, and 1 6-story... vs. 11 story (bulky) infill. I will just say that the past is the past, and now I just like others, am anxiously awaiting the next round of building announcements from SR but I'm not counting on them. I'm counting what we know.

I totally agree with the first part. I actually think their lots on Broadway that are separate from the headquarters are the most important. Bottom line is the Tower is in the CBD that is always going to be a struggle to have it be mixed use and get retail.

A-Alley, on the other hand, has the potential to be the best street in all of OKC. I'm hoping that each of SD's lots get at minimum a 5 story building that fills the entire street face with retail/restaurant on the bottom, offices above, with apartments on the top floors. That would be HUGE for street life there and creating another vibrant downtown neighborhood.

[Rover]

The thing that is so positive here is that SR has great potential to keep adding mass to the inner city, not only in what they themselves build, but in the complementary requirements in the proximity. Growth in corporate space means more employees and more requirements for quality housing, markets, etc. When I look at projects like this and Devon, I envision a much more robust midtown, Bricktown, et al. In the end, when a greater mass is achieved and the scale is changed, every small plaza is less significant. There is a lot of plaza area in NYC for example, but streets like Ave of the Americas is a great urban canyon whose mass of buildings still create intimacy including the plazas. I think the scale of our downtown is still so small that the plazas like at SR seem exaggerated.

I agree with Spartan that a big 10 story building at SR would be preferable to a thin tall building. We need street level mass, not skyscrapers.

[LockeDown42]

The heavy machinery is finally out - lots of progress today


Click to enlarge

[Lazio85]

[IMG] SandRidge Amenities building by lazio85, on Flickr[/IMG]

[Pete]

Thanks guys!


Holly heck they are getting busy now.

I suppose now that all the work is done to the east side of the Dowell Center, they can let 'er rip. They had said it should all be down sometime in June, and now it looks like they'll meet that goal.

Certainly didn't take long to tear up all of Kerr Park.

[Lazio85]

SandRidge Amentities building by lazio85, on Flickr

[Pete]

Wow! Thanks so much Lazio.

If it's not too much to ask, could you get a photo of the metal canopy going up between SR Tower and the Braniff Building?

[LockeDown42]

[Pete]

Thanks so much.

Wow, that's a big structure... Surprised it's being assembled on the ground first. Will be very interesting to see how they raise it.

[Lazio85]

SandRidge Canopy by lazio85, on Flickr

[Lazio85]

Braniff building by lazio85, on Flickr

Brackets are installed on the Northeast corner of Braniff building.

[wschnitt]

Brackets for the glass that will cover that face?

[Pete]

Thanks guys!

Here's a zoomed view of that last photo showing the mentioned brackets. I'm sure they are to hold the glass panels that will be installed on the east and south facades:

[Spartan]

Thanks so much.

Wow, that's a big structure... Surprised it's being assembled on the ground first. Will be very interesting to see how they raise it.

That was my impression, but I definitely underestimated the scale of the canopy structure.

[Pete]

From yesterday courtesy of Urban Pioneer:

[Lazio85]

SandRidge Amentities building by lazio85, on Flickr

[wschnitt]

Windows in on the 3rd floor and going in on the 4th. Looks Killer.

[Pete]

Windows in on the 3rd floor and going in on the 4th. Looks Killer.

You mean on the Braniff Building?

On the old facades or on the next all-glass sides?

[wschnitt]

You mean on the Braniff Building?

On the old facades or on the next all-glass sides?

The old facade. Just like that test window.

[Pete]

Photos please!

Has the metal canopy gone up yet?