Fordson Hotel (formerly 21c Museum Hotel)

[Urbanized]

...It also means that Main Street really needs to pick up it's game; and the fact we will be using taxpayer money to build a fortress of an elevation for the new police station now looks even more misguided.

I agree and have been thinking the same thing as thus development has been revealed. Just a few weeks ago some were saying in the police station thread that it wasn't especially important for the area around the police station to be walkable.

Yet as this hotel comes online a only a block from the proposed station, it will become more obvious that we are creating an unnecessary pedestrian disconnect from places like the Civic Center, the OKC National Memorial and the NW part of downtown. Will it be possible to walk from one place to the other? Of course. But will the sidewalk draw a person there, or make them feel especially safe walking that way? No.

[Pete]

As a reminder, this is the Main Street facade of the new police station:

[catch22]

^ ugh

[lasomeday]

^ ugh

The 60s called. They want their bad architecture back.

[Just the facts]

The 60s called. They want their bad architecture back.

Even the 60's doesn't want that anymore. The City needs to start holding itself to a higher standard.

[UnFrSaKn]

Why oh why can't we get this...

[Just the facts]

...because too many people in charge in OKC have a 'sophistication and style' deficit. As someone else said, the 'culture of cheapness" is rooted in OKC.

[Mississippi Blues]

That's funny. Any particular reason why? Do you have an affinity for that old building or that area?

I've been in & around the western edge of downtown throughout my life. My dad was in that restoration church (on Linwood Blvd) for a couple of years before he died & when I would go to see him, we would always travel around that area & the Fred Jones Building always grabbed me.

[Rover]

...because too many people in charge in okc have a 'sophistication and style' deficit. As someone else said, the 'culture of cheapness" is rooted in okc.

nm.

[kevin lee]

...or it might be that it's 2013 and a building design like the EPD's version doesn't fit with this day and age of lunatic, 15 minutes of fame psychos out there. Could the design better fit the streetscape? Yes; but if I where working in that building dealing with certain people with nothing to loose, the more security the better.

You could basically shoot up the whole front entrance of the EPD and not even leave the car. Hell, if you planned it out right you could even shoot the place up then make the next green light. So i'm sure that plays more of a part when it comes to these designs than what people on the internet hope and wish these sort of places would look like. Safety first; accessibility second (GOLDEN RULE).

[Rover]

There are people out there that look at things in a broader vision and the developers of this project know this will be a great area....with or without the jail.

[Just the facts]

nm - getting off topic

[Urbanized]

There are people out there that look at things in a broader vision and the developers of this project know this will be a great area....with or without the jail.

You're right...and wrong. Looking at things in a broader vision can/should also mean that the City and developers work to ensure that each piece works together to elevate - rather than diminish - the neighborhood as a whole.

No question the area will still be great, but that will now to some extent be IN SPITE of the police station rather than (potentially) BECAUSE of it.

And the whole "you fantasizing hacks on the Internet know nothing about security and there is no way to build a secure police building that also has a good street presence" is a straw argument. WTC-1 (the Freedom Tower) INTENTIONALLY LOCATED on street frontage (rather than in a huge plaza like the previous twin towers) to make a statement about engaging with the city around it despite its inarguable status as a major target of terrorists. Is it ridiculously hardened? Of course. But paradoxically it also is being built to interact directly with the street.

Just because you can't think of a way to make it work with the street AND be safe doesn't meant a talented architect or urban planner could not do so.

Finally, regarding the Edmond building, it's fine for Edmond because of style of the the surrounding neighborhood, but would be thoroughly inappropriate and gimmicky for the OKC center, where that particular style of territorial-era architecture has not existed for more than half a century.

There. Did I manage to piss EVERYBODY off?

[Spartan]

Wow, didn't realize the galleries were free. This will be a world class downtown amenity.

[Spartan]

I will check out the one down in Cincy sometime.

[Spartan]

As a reminder, this is the Main Street facade of the new police station:

Oh my, that is going to be ugly. I actually appreciate the front perspective of this project bc I do appreciate art moderne/international/mid century.

However it's not a particular arch style, but rather the lack of any, that makes this rear view difficult to look at. The building has no street interaction at all.

[rezman]

I've always liked that old Fred Jones building. Ever since I was a kid. For years I've thought that place would make great loft or studio apartments.

[Plutonic Panda]

...or it might be that it's 2013 and a building design like the EPD's version doesn't fit with this day and age of lunatic, 15 minutes of fame psychos out there. Could the design better fit the streetscape? Yes; but if I where working in that building dealing with certain people with nothing to loose, the more security the better.

You could basically shoot up the whole front entrance of the EPD and not even leave the car. Hell, if you planned it out right you could even shoot the place up then make the next green light. So i'm sure that plays more of a part when it comes to these designs than what people on the internet hope and wish these sort of places would look like. Safety first; accessibility second (GOLDEN RULE).

You obviously have no clue what so ever to the specifics of the new Edmond Police Station. No one is going to successfully "shoot up the entrance". I'm not even going to get into it though.

[CuatrodeMayo]

What I find interesting is the proximity of this project to the much-debated Classen, Western, Reno intersection with the boulevard.

[Urbanized]

Excellent point.

[warreng88]

I really hope the reuse of this building amps up an effort to redo Classen to make it more pedestrian friendly. That road does not need three lanes going either way. Widen the median, make it prettier and add bike lanes and sidewalks on either side, especially from Reno up to 23rd street.

[GaryOKC6]

I really hope the reuse of this building amps up an effort to redo Classen to make it more pedestrian friendly. That road does not need three lanes going either way. Widen the median, make it prettier and add bike lanes and sidewalks on either side, especially from Reno up to 23rd street.

I drive Classen too and From Work every day. On most days I wish it had 4 lanes going each way. Classen is also the snow route.

[soonerguru]

This is incredibly exciting. It's worth it to watch the NewsOK video that accompanies Steve's article. The owners really seem to get it. This will be OKC's coolest downtown hotel.

[betts]

I really hope the reuse of this building amps up an effort to redo Classen to make it more pedestrian friendly. That road does not need three lanes going either way. Widen the median, make it prettier and add bike lanes and sidewalks on either side, especially from Reno up to 23rd street.

Classen south of 23rd could use a big dose of pretty. This sounds like a good idea to me.

[Pete]

Somebody else mentioned making Classen a very bike-friendly thoroughfare and I think that is a genius idea.

Would really link all the historic neighborhoods farther north and west to the central core.

It would be great if we could find another corporate benefactor to do a Project 180 for bikes.