OG&E Tower

[bombermwc]

I personally like the new design, I just wish it was more in the 25 floor range....maybe take the two developments and put them into one tower. I can appreciate that they are trying to keep the two types of uses separate, but why not make it mixed use and get the height? Oh well. It's great to see something happening. I've never been a fan of the Stage Center for a great many reasons beyond it's "modern" design, so I can't say that i'll be sad to see it go.

I am curious what they will do with the old historic OGE tower though.

[Spartan]

Ah, hadn't seen the Walker elevation and I found something I hope planning picks up on...

The auto entrances on the west side should be reduced to one. There is some kind of entrance just to the south of the "down" opening. Is that not "up"?

My request would be to minimize curb cuts or eliminate them entirely and use the California easement.

Correct me if I'm wrong but the curb cut-to-building ratio on this site is still less than one if you look at multiple components as separate buildings

[hipsterdoofus]

Wow, someone that includes parking as part of the plan for their building, what a novel idea!

[OKVision4U]

I like it. Nice work ADG. ...but when it is through growing, it needs to be @ 20 stories. That would let it feel stronger against the Devon Tower. Not trying to compete w/ the DT, but equal the height of a few of the others in downtown. Great look!

[OKCRT]

I like it. Nice work ADG. ...but when it is through growing, it needs to be @ 20 stories. That would let it feel stronger against the Devon Tower. Not trying to compete w/ the DT, but equal the height of a few of the others in downtown. Great look!

Yes that sure does look nice. Just not nearly tall enough. Looks like it should have been built up around the Regency tower.

[OKCSteel]

From the renderings, the tower looks like it will be LEED certified.

Also, no matter the configuration of the tower, OGE will need very secure space. That will be an important factor with how the design comes together.

[Pete]

From the renderings, the tower looks like it will be LEED certified.

Also, no matter the configuration of the tower, OGE will need very secure space. That will be an important factor with how the design comes together.

All the more reason to believe they will be the only tenant in the tower.

[shawnw]

The building at 420 S Broadway is their data center, right? So do we know for sure their data center is moving to the new building?

[kevinpate]

Well, over 20 floors in two buildings instead of one. Let's face it, unless someone is needing to run around with a tape measure crowing mine's bigger, 20+ floors in new space built over the soon to be ground to dust bones of a now long defunct playhouse (which yeah, I will miss), it is a nice freaking structure that will bring lots of eyes and bodies where few once ventured, and in the process won't block too many of the office views from the pappy of okc towers.

It's far better than a mere it'll do folks. It's pretty dang sweet when ya get right down to it.

[Bellaboo]

The building at 420 S Broadway is their data center, right? So do we know for sure their data center is moving to the new building?

I think I read where Cathy O'conner stated that the South Broadway building would be ripe for development......that tells me it'll be vacated.

[shawnw]

Understood. That's in Steve's most recently article about the tower complex this morning. I was just wondering if that was confirmed or speculation on Cathy's part.

[G.Walker]

I wonder if ADG will be the lead architect? Actual design work has not started, ADG just prepared the conceptual site plan. Usually projects of this magnitude have more than one architect. Reports never actually stated they will be designing the structure...

[Rover]

From the renderings, the tower looks like it will be LEED certified.

Also, no matter the configuration of the tower, OGE will need very secure space. That will be an important factor with how the design comes together.

You can't really tell whether it's leed certified ambitious by the drawing, however you get guess that OGE would try to be.. Certainly the green space on the roof helps in that regard, but it is harder with all glass face. Plus, there are levels of LEED. LEED is very misunderstood by most.

[PhiAlpha]

One thing I haven't seen mentioned too much yet is the impact this will have on the rest of the core. OGE owns some prime space in the middle of the CBD in some really cool historic buildings with a lot of currently closed off street frontage. If those buildings are converted to housing or used as additional class A space to lure another corporate HQ or multiple companies downtown, this could be an even bigger win for the CBD than initially thought. If they convert some of the street frontage to retail/restaurants, that would be an awesome cherry on top. I think that intersection is one of the coolest downtown (Harvey and 2nd?), adding some life to it would make it even better.

[shawnw]

It would be amazing to bring back more street frontage to Harvey.

[warreng88]

Patrick and thelostogle.com weighed in the OG&E tower:

OG&E is getting a shiny new building downtown? | The Lost Ogle

[warreng88]

Do you think the tower will have to adhere to smart hours?

[OKCisOK4me]

Patrick and thelostogle.com weighed in the OG&E tower:

OG&E is getting a shiny new building downtown? | The Lost Ogle

Classic write-up!

[HangryHippo]

Do you think the tower will have to adhere to smart hours?

Haha, well done.

[Snowman]

Well, over 20 floors in two buildings instead of one. Let's face it, unless someone is needing to run around with a tape measure crowing mine's bigger, 20+ floors in new space built over the soon to be ground to dust bones of a now long defunct playhouse (which yeah, I will miss), it is a nice freaking structure that will bring lots of eyes and bodies where few once ventured, and in the process won't block too many of the office views from the pappy of okc towers.

It's far better than a mere it'll do folks. It's pretty dang sweet when ya get right down to it.

+1 (since the like button is missing)

[David]

Patrick and thelostogle.com weighed in the OG&E tower:

OG&E is getting a shiny new building downtown? | The Lost Ogle

Well he won me as a fan with the LotR references.

[Just the facts]

After reading that I can only assume someone didn't make their electric bill payment - multiple times.

[adaniel]

^
Just catty snarkiness from TLO, nothing unusual. Sometimes I wished they just stuck to writing about hot newsbabes.

[warreng88]

After the news came out yesterday, Steve tweeted: "That was a long day. I think another $10 million in development is all I've got energy to report until I take off for vacation... Other fun stuff might have to wait until the new year." What are the best guesses for the $10 million in development? Housing on top of the Main Street Parking garage? I think a MidtownR apartment complex would be more than that. Maybe we will finally hear about what else will be coming to Century Center with the Oklahoman? Maybe an updated rendering of the parking garage Don Karchmer wants to build? Other ideas?

[Steve]

Guys, I'm gonna have to hold off until after the holidays. My bad.