Century Center

[catch22]

Is that rendering the full height?

Compare these two images....




I know they are from different angles, but the height seems to be the same.

[ChaseDweller]

Excellent, excellent news. Another dead block in the heart of downtown gets a makeover, we get another 350 folks working in the CBD and Don Mecoy can start buying me lunch.

[Pete]

With this news, it really just leaves First National Center as the last dead hole in the CBD.

If we could get that project back on track this year -- some how, some way -- I would be very, very happy.

[Bellaboo]

Is that rendering the full height?

Compare these two images....


I know they are from different angles, but the height seems to be the same.

They look different to me. Count the number of parking levels from the top going down on each. You'll see the difference.

[kevinpate]

Very happy this is happening. More so for who it is happening.

[s00nr1]

One of the minor caveats to this is having a few more downtown employees at hours past 5pm (deadline-meeters) which might lead to better evening restaurant hours in downtown. Very minor but possibly something to look forward to.

[Pete]

Remember that those 350 OPUBCO employees will only be taking about 2/3rds the space, so once this project is fully leased it could be more than 500 people working in what is now a completely vacant structure. That's more than Continental currently employs, so it's significant.


Still hearing Mahogany Steakhouse will probably be the restaurant that takes the SW corner of the lower level.

[skanaly]

Remember that those 350 OPUBCO employees will only be taking about 2/3rds the space, so once this project is fully leased it could be more than 500 people working in what is now a completely vacant structure. That's more than Continental currently employs, so it's significant.


Still hearing Mahogany Steakhouse will probably be the restaurant that takes the SW corner of the lower level.

So when they move in they will have to lease out another building as well? Or build one?

[metro]

What printing press, they don't own their current one anyways. go all digital. Also that calculates to $74.3K per employee, sounds like they're still top heavy.

[BoulderSooner]

So when they move in they will have to lease out another building as well? Or build one?

keep the rest of the employees at the current printing press location .. (not the tower)

[Praedura]

Put a pub in there. The OPUBCO Pub.

Might even lead to some more interesting stories being written (ahem).

[Larry OKC]

Think it was an article in the Oklahoman that mentioned that they have the largest newsroom in the state. Is that currently or after they downsize to the smaller facility?

Also, when I first heard of this, I was thinking something along the lines of Times Square with the various networks have their video feeds and "ticker tape" electonic ribbons. This rendering is rather underwelming from that standpoint (but I do like the glass walls)


Attachment 3227
click on image for larger version

[Lauri101]

In comparison to what it looks like now - this will be an awesome change to that corner of CBD!

[progressiveboy]

In comparison to what it looks like now - this will be an awesome change to that corner of CBD!

Agree! Nice positive spin! Nothing underwhelming about this development.

[Jim Kyle]

Curious as to why DOK wouldn't go in their old building on 4th and Broadway.

Had you ever worked in that building, you would not be curious. Even back in the 50s when I was there, the building was over-crowded and difficult to navigate. The entire photo department was in another building, that no longer exists, reached through a half-block-long skyway. There's absolutely no capacity for the "NewsOK" side of the operations. And to top it off, I believe they transferred ownership when they moved north...

The move downtown is great news, but I'm wondering what the plans are for the pressroom and mechanical departments. Does this signal the death of the print edition and moving everything to video? Or will the "invisible" side of the publishing business remain up north totally removed from the editorial and advertising staffs?

EDIT: I see that Steve also answered about the presses staying in Britton, but his comment "as long as" they're needed leaves my first question open...

[Steve]

The Oklahoman doesn't own the building at NW 4 and Broadway - the Gaylord family donated the property to the YMCA and it is their headquarters. It is already occupied. Also, it wouldn't work for a modern newsroom.

[hoya]

I've been in that old building. It is tiny.

[Larry OKC]

Lauri101 & Progressiveboy: I agree it is an improvement over what is there now, but it could be soooo much more...it has great potential.

[Popsy]

Lauri101 & Progressiveboy: I agree it is an improvement over what is there now, but it could be soooo much more...it has great potential.

Larry, would you mind sharing with us your vision for it's potential?

[CuatrodeMayo]

Larry, would you mind sharing with us your vision for it's potential?

[Steve]

You want me working at a Grandy's?

[Just the facts]

You want me working at a Grandy's?

Hey, I started out mopping the floor just like you guys. But now... now I'm washing lettuce. Soon I'll be on fries; then the grill. And pretty soon, I'll make assistant manager, and that's when the big bucks start rolling in.

[CaptDave]

That cracked me up JTF. One of the funniest movies ever....

[catch22]

I have overlaid two images (the rendering proposed) and a picture I took from the exact same angle, and I am 100% confident they did not add the two additional floors of parking into the rendering.

[catch22]

So, the rendering might not be portraying the exact height we would be seeing.