OG&E Tower

[Pete]

The crown of any tall building has much to do with it's overall height.

Very few have flat roofs these days, ala Chase, SandRidge, Oklahoma Tower, etc.

[Bellaboo]

Rainey Williams stated this building would be 'world class'. Hopefully this means a nice tall crown of some kind.

[Spartan]

This project has continued to sink down the depth chart of downtown development...

[OKCRT]

This project has continued to sink down the depth chart of downtown development...

If it's not the 2nd tallest building in downtown then they need to scrap it and sell the property to someone that can really build a world class skyscraper. Why would anyone want to use that prime real estate to build a small building next to the tallest one makes no sense to me. Build the thing somewhere that fits better,like around the Regency tower area. They city should require the Stage center site to have at least a 40 story building.

[bchris02]

I am hoping for something like Frost Tower in Austin. Even if it comes up a little short on height, it can still be an impressive development if it a good piece of architecture rather than a glass box.

[Plutonic Panda]

If it's not the 2nd tallest building in downtown then they need to scrap it and sell the property to someone that can really build a world class skyscraper. Why would anyone want to use that prime real estate to build a small building next to the tallest one makes no sense to me. Build the thing somewhere that fits better,like around the Regency tower area. They city should require the Stage center site to have at least a 40 story building.

Agreed

[kevinpate]

Just for grins and giggles, how would you propose the city step in and mandate that someone build a structure of a certain height on private property?

[Teo9969]

zoning laws...

[ljbab728]

zoning laws...

Zoning laws could negate buildings that are too tall but it would be rare for buildings that are too short.

[Teo9969]

I mean, I don't think it would be a reasonable thing to do, but you could make it such that all new buildings in the CBD have to be x-stories. It would be a net bad decision of course.

[Teo9969]

I'd also be disappointed if this building ends up being shorter than Chase. I could actually be understanding though if the building lines the entire block (Walker/Sheridan/Hudson/California) and was at least 10 stories high.

Whatever the case, if it's going to be worthy of replacing the Stage Center, it needs to carry it's architectural weight by departing from the run of the mill tower…as much as I love Devon Tower, it is still fairly ho-hum architecturally.

[bchris02]

I mean, I don't think it would be a reasonable thing to do, but you could make it such that all new buildings in the CBD have to be x-stories. It would be a net bad decision of course.

I agree. Enacting such a law would likely just kill development. Hopefully we will know something soon.

[Just the facts]

Just for grins and giggles, how would you propose the city step in and mandate that someone build a structure of a certain height on private property?

You should look in to Form Based codes - that essentially says new buildings should be in scale with existing buildings and minimum and maximum heights are determined by the width of the street they are on. Of course, Form Based codes regulate a lot of other stuff as they replace land-use based zoning codes.

Here is short slide show to introduce form-based codes.

What Are Form Based-Codes? | Form-Based Codes Institute

[Bellaboo]

Not long ago, Seattle passed a zoning law to limit skyscrapers to a maximum of 38 floors. This was to limit the strain on resources.

[kevinpate]

JTF, anything in that style of coding that would permit the city to mandate that the owner of Lot X must build the city's second tallest structure or sell off the property to someone who will? My comment on mandating height was in response to this notion:

If it's not the 2nd tallest building in downtown then they need to scrap it and sell the property to someone that can really build a world class skyscraper. ... city should require the Stage center site to have at least a 40 story building.

[coov23]

This project has continued to sink down the depth chart of downtown development...

Gosh, your throne in Cleveland must be so magnificent. Please, enlighten us on the economy there? Remember, you can't fool me. I just moved from Philly. I know the state of the economy there. I also have a handful of friends that are from there. Let's just say they consider Cleveland a cesspool. Economically downtrodden and a city that is losing more than I gains.

They do still cheer for all Cleveland teams, though. Ironically, another aspect of the city that seems destined for failure at all times. Enjoy your elitist mentality. It sure is an awesome aspect to this board.

[Spartan]

Gosh, your throne in Cleveland must be so magnificent. Please, enlighten us on the economy there? Remember, you can't fool me. I just moved from Philly. I know the state of the economy there. I also have a handful of friends that are from there. Let's just say they consider Cleveland a cesspool. Economically downtrodden and a city that is losing more than I gains.

They do still cheer for all Cleveland teams, though. Ironically, another aspect of the city that seems destined for failure at all times. Enjoy your elitist mentality. It sure is an awesome aspect to this board.

Huh? Lol

[bchris02]

Gosh, your throne in Cleveland must be so magnificent. Please, enlighten us on the economy there? Remember, you can't fool me. I just moved from Philly. I know the state of the economy there. I also have a handful of friends that are from there. Let's just say they consider Cleveland a cesspool. Economically downtrodden and a city that is losing more than I gains.

They do still cheer for all Cleveland teams, though. Ironically, another aspect of the city that seems destined for failure at all times. Enjoy your elitist mentality. It sure is an awesome aspect to this board.

Cleveland is one of the few US cities I would refuse to live in under any circumstance. I actually had the opportunity to move there from Charlotte and I turned it down.

[pickles]

You lived in Charlotte?!?!

[OKCisOK4me]

Huh? Lol

Coov23, this response confirms what I believe too^^

[Just the facts]

JTF, anything in that style of coding that would permit the city to mandate that the owner of Lot X must build the city's second tallest structure or sell off the property to someone who will? My comment on mandating height was in response to this notion:

Yea, that is a bit extreme but Form Based codes could definitely mandate a minimum height.

[ljbab728]

Not long ago, Seattle passed a zoning law to limit skyscrapers to a maximum of 38 floors. This was to limit the strain on resources.

Was that after these were proposed or approved?

Filling downtown Seattle skyscrapers a tall order | Business & Technology | The Seattle Times

Developer Kevin Daniels, who plans to break ground on the 43-story Fifth & Columbia in November, says his hotel and office tower will differentiate itself from the commodity high-rise spaces downtown.

A third skyscraper, the 43-story Civic Square, would occupy a full city block bounded by Cherry and James streets and Third and Fourth avenues. The tower would add 600,000 square feet of office, 40,000 square feet of retail and 190,000 square feet of residential space.

[Bellaboo]

Was that after these were proposed or approved?

Filling downtown Seattle skyscrapers a tall order | Business & Technology | The Seattle Times

Been a while, it was from 1989 thru 1999. -

NATIONAL NOTEBOOK - SEATTLE - Project Tailored To Space Limits - NYTimes.com

[coov23]

Coov23, this response confirms what I believe too^^

He insistently belittles everything that has to do with OKC/OKC metro. He then talks about how great Cleveland is and tells us that OKC needs to aspire to be more like it. I've been here for years. Don't post often. I just grown tired of his elitist attitude. I'm still not sure why he's here. There has to be a Cleveland message board he can lurk and post. No one here cares how an economically downtrodden city, that is losing population and jobs, is doing.

[lasomeday]

He insistently belittles everything that has to do with OKC/OKC metro. He then talks about how great Cleveland is and tells us that OKC needs to aspire to be more like it. I've been here for years. Don't post often. I just grown tired of his elitist attitude. I'm still not sure why he's here. There has to be a Cleveland message board he can lurk and post. No one here cares how an economically downtrodden city, that is losing population and jobs, is doing.

Let's move on. Just ignore him and focus on the topic.

So, in Steve's chat on Friday he said that we are 45 days or less away from hearing. That is before Christmas. I am hoping that we continue to have more news of developments flowing in like we have the last 6 months. It seems like we have been having one big announcement a week on average. I am ready for a huge one! GE location/structure, Stage Center, Preftakes, or something we don't know about would be huge in my book of announcements.