OG&E Tower

[warreng88]

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

No worries Steve. Have a great Christmas and we will see you next year. Are you chatting the next several weeks?

[Pete]

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

Slacker!

[dankrutka]

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

Patrick wrote a separate post recently indicating that his power was cut off without warning for accidentally missing a payment. That provides a context for this article.

[Pete]

This type of backlash (expressed by The Lost Ogle) was certainly predicted when we first starting talking about OG&E building a new HQ and why -- in my humble opinion -- they decided to go through a developer rather than build it directly themselves; especially on a site where the demolition is going to bring even more unwanted scrutiny:

My only complaint is that ****** OG&E is going to be a tenant. Things must be going well for the legal monopoly that they can afford a nice new shiny building. Screw lowering our rates, or coming up with a better notification system

[Steve]

Slacker!

Yeah, yeah. I'm also going to be taking a vacation from the live chat this Friday and next Friday. I suppose this will make me about as popular as Ed Shadid at a Greater Oklahoma City Chamber board meeting.

[Pete]

^

People will only be upset because we all appreciate the work you do and it will be sorely missed.

However, I hope you get a nice long vacation and some quality time with the family. Well deserved!

[UnFrSaKn]

Let the tower news settle with the populace for a little while. Smooth move...

[gopokes88]

This type of backlash (expressed by The Lost Ogle) was certainly predicted when we first starting talking about OG&E building a new HQ and why -- in my humble opinion -- they decided to go through a developer rather than build it directly themselves; especially on a site where the demolition is going to bring even more unwanted scrutiny:

Eh it's the Ogle, they aren't supposed to be taken seriously.

[CCOKC]

Have a great break Steve. You certainly do deserve it!

[Pete]

Eh it's the Ogle, they aren't supposed to be taken seriously.

I get that but they/he is expressing a sentiment that is certain to be shared by many (i.e., my rates are going up because OG&E is building some palatial new HQ!).

[Steve]

^

People will only be upset because we all appreciate the work you do and it will be sorely missed.

However, I hope you get a nice long vacation and some quality time with the family. Well deserved!

Thank you sir. You have a great Christmas as well! I'm sure you'll fill some of the void here on OKC Talk as always.

[Steve]

Let the tower news settle with the populace for a little while. Smooth move...

I actually never intended it this way... but yeah, this will make for quite the first 2014 live chat when I get back....

[OKCSteel]

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

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

It's sad this tool and others have a viewpoint like this. He obviously knows very little, if anything, about OGE and how they run their business and how they continually fight to keep customer rates near the lowest in the country. This tower won't effect rates much at all. But, the EPA/Obama driven scrubbers and other environmental regulations will. Know your facts before you make yourself look like an idiot, Patrick.

[Bellaboo]

I did see a little humor in the growing balls reference.

[BDP]

It's sad this tool and others have a viewpoint like this. He obviously knows very little, if anything, about OGE and how they run their business and how they continually fight to keep customer rates near the lowest in the country. This tower won't effect rates much at all. But, the EPA/Obama driven scrubbers and other environmental regulations will. Know your facts before you make yourself look like an idiot, Patrick.

I wouldn't mind temporary increases for a total conversion to natural gas (they should be called OCG&E) and for infrastructure improvements like buried lines. The scrubbers are okay and should help with smog and ozone pollution that can cause serious health problems especially those with cardio vascular diseases, but it seems like it would be a better long term solution to invest in the infrastructure to convert Oklahoma electricity to natural gas.

Either way, there's always going to be critics of what can be seen as superficial spending by a government sanctioned monopoly. That's a pretty easy target, especially in a state where many call themselves conservative.

[Urbanized]

I wouldn't mind temporary increases for a total conversion to natural gas (they should be called OCG&E) and for infrastructure improvements like buried lines. The scrubbers are okay and should help with smog and ozone pollution that can cause serious health problems especially those with cardio vascular diseases, but it seems like it would be a better long term solution to invest in the infrastructure to convert Oklahoma electricity to natural gas...

Like

[Chicken In The Rough]

The design is nice, but I am deeply disappointed in the height and general purpose. As with so many developments, we were sold on bigger promises. I was willing to trade my principles and lose Stage Center in exchange for something truly unique - something that would significantly add to OKC's skyline and urban fabric. This ain't it. This tract is among the most desirable in the downtown area. It deserves better.

I realize that big real estate development is a difficult and messy process, but I am also troubled by back-tracking and lack of concrete, forward-thinking plans. In the past, this has led to new surface parking!

[UnFrSaKn]

The design is nice, but I am deeply disappointed in the height and general purpose. As with so many developments, we were sold on bigger promises. I was willing to trade my principles and lose Stage Center in exchange for something truly unique - something that would significantly add to OKC's skyline and urban fabric. This ain't it. This tract is among the most desirable in the downtown area. It deserves better.

I realize that big real estate development is a difficult and messy process, but I am also troubled by back-tracking and lack of concrete, forward-thinking plans. In the past, this has led to new surface parking!

Like

[OKCisOK4me]

The design is nice, but I am deeply disappointed in the height and general purpose. As with so many developments, we were sold on bigger promises. I was willing to trade my principles and lose Stage Center in exchange for something truly unique - something that would significantly add to OKC's skyline and urban fabric. This ain't it. This tract is among the most desirable in the downtown area. It deserves better.

I realize that big real estate development is a difficult and messy process, but I am also troubled by back-tracking and lack of concrete, forward-thinking plans. In the past, this has led to new surface parking!

This is why I said, I'd lay down on the property in front of the bulldozer. It's a nice design, just not worthy IMHO.

[Snowman]

This is why I said, I'd lay down on the property in front of the bulldozer. It's a nice design, just not worthy IMHO.

Well that helps explain why we now have Jearsy barriers & tall chain link fences around major construction downtown.

[metro]

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?

Not trying to be snarky, but having a hard time figuring out why one can't write more than 1"big news" article and contact necessary sources in a 2 week span? Taking holiday time for Christmas is one thing, and encourage those able to take time off to do so, but just for the sake of " it's hard work" is another. Journalists in "Big League Cities" write big stories multiple times a week if not daily.

[OKCisOK4me]

Well that helps explain why we now have Jearsy barriers & tall chain link fences around major construction downtown.

Jearsy ;-) Poking fun goes both ways, haha.

[G.Walker]

The design is nice, but I am deeply disappointed in the height and general purpose. As with so many developments, we were sold on bigger promises. I was willing to trade my principles and lose Stage Center in exchange for something truly unique - something that would significantly add to OKC's skyline and urban fabric. This ain't it. This tract is among the most desirable in the downtown area. It deserves better.

I realize that big real estate development is a difficult and messy process, but I am also troubled by back-tracking and lack of concrete, forward-thinking plans. In the past, this has led to new surface parking!

I say we wait and see what the final design will look like. Again, these are conceptual plans only, and the true design work has not even started. When its all said and done, this tower might end up 'at least 20 stories'. And the parcel designated for the other tower is open any developer and that high-rise might end up being our first true modern residential high-rise in downtown. I think they just wanted to get something in front of the DDRC as soon as possible to get the Stage Center demolition process going, because they know it will take some time to get approved. I would not be surprised if the DDRC rejects his application for demolition, until he presents more concrete plans/designs for the site.

[Oklachusetts]

Not trying to be snarky, but having a hard time figuring out why one can't write more than 1"big news" article and contact necessary sources in a 2 week span? Taking holiday time for Christmas is one thing, and encourage those able to take time off to do so, but just for the sake of " it's hard work" is another. Journalists in "Big League Cities" write big stories multiple times a week if not daily.

Wow, Metro. Come on. Your disclaimer that you "don't mean to sound snarky" cannot hide your snarkiness here. The man is entitled to a vacation. If he wants to take it now, or in March, or in September, what is it to you? Using the "Big League City" theme to criticize Steve for not delivering articles on your timeline is unfair. After all, "Big League Cities" might have more than one person covering a particular beat. In fact, hey! So does The Oklahoman. Isn't William Crum now on the downtown beat?

[warreng88]

Wow, Metro. Come on. Your disclaimer that you "don't mean to sound snarky" cannot hide your snarkiness here. The man is entitled to a vacation. If he wants to take it now, or in March, or in September, what is it to you? Using the "Big League City" theme to criticize Steve for not delivering articles on your timeline is unfair. After all, "Big League Cities" might have more than one person covering a particular beat. In fact, hey! So does The Oklahoman. Isn't William Crum now on the downtown beat?

Don't forget Brianna Bailey.