OG&E Tower

[catch22]

What if a developer in Dallas wanted to tear down Reunion Tower to build a 15 story office building?

Reunion tower is:

a) open to the public
b) usable
c) notable to the skyline
d) attached to a very good hotel
e) has a restaurant that is open today and provide a use

Stage Center is:

a) closed to the public
b) damaged and non functioning
c) notable only to those familiar with architecture or have otherwise educated themselves of it
d) sits by itself taking up an entire city block
e) has no public or private use


So how is a 15 story corporate tower a better use than what is currently there?

Even if the tower is open to G&E only, and has a hotel and a restaurant:

a) the ground floor would be open to the public
b) it would be functional and not a dark void
c) would have an architectural impact on the park, and a small skyline impact
d) would also take up an entire city block
e) would have some public use on the street and in the hotel, and a lot of private use elsewhere.

[Bellaboo]

What if a developer in Dallas wanted to tear down Reunion Tower to build a 15 story office building?

Reunion Tower and the Stage Center are not equal.

[bchris02]

Reunion Tower and the Stage Center are not equal.

I know. Reunion Tower is an iconic landmark in the Dallas skyline, while Stage Center is not. I was simply using it to illustrate the point that a specific site sometimes determines what should be the minimum acceptable level of development.

[bchris02]

Not going to happen! Besides it appears you have become to emotionally attached with this development. First it is Walmart and it's domination in the OKC market, then it is about how OKC does not measure to your standards. You seem to be very unhappy living in OKC. Question? What are you doing to make OKC a more viable city to live in? Why do you continue to live in OKC? As other posters have mentioned, you constantly put a negative spin on OKC so if you are so unhappy living there why do you continue to be miserable? Just saying.

People have different reasons for living where they do. Why do you choose to live in Austin? Why don't you move back to OKC? Is it because you have to for your job or is it because Austin offers a standard of living and palate of amenities you can't find in OKC?

[bchris02]

I don't see this as the end of the world or even a failure, just a huge missed opportunity.

I'm also sure the demolition and design will get approved with little real resistance.

Likely, and catch22 is right in that this tower will be of better use than the Stage Center that is currently sitting and rotting. I definitely expected more though given the hype surrounding this project.

[catcherinthewry]

And every single one of those persons is being nothing less than asinine. That might be the most ridiculous thing I've ever read on this forum.

Wow! What an intolerant attitude. Everyone has a right to their opinion and just because theirs is different from yours shouldn't make it asinine or ridiculous. Maybe there is a reason Stage Center is a "one of a kind" structure. I think SC was a bad fit from the time its design was forced on us and even less so now that it is in such disrepair, but I can respect the opinions that find it iconic.

[G.Walker]

I am surprised that Pete Delaney did not have a grander vision for this development. For being the Chairman of Greater Oklahoma City Chamber, you would think this would be a bigger development, and it seems like they are not building with any room for growth. Why would you build just enough space, and not consider growth for the future? But I guess we need to understand who is driving the height/design? OG&E or Rainey Williams? You would think a company the size of OG&E would need at least 20 stories...

[adaniel]

I don't see this as the end of the world or even a failure, just a huge missed opportunity.

I'm also sure the demolition and design will get approved with little real resistance.

With all due respect, I think this is somewhat premature thing to say considering (a) nobody really knows what was proposed for this site besides what has been presented here, (b) there is an almost guaranteed mid to high rise hotel going up on the south side of the gardens, with rumors of more to come.

Even though I would personally have liked a taller tower, I am absolutely not in favor of scuttling a pretty good development (or one that seemed pretty good 48 hours ago) for one that is nothing short of excellent, whatever that might be. Likely it would never be good enough, and the SC would still continue to rot.

[G.Walker]

What if we ended up with something like this?

[catch22]

It's not 60 floors so it's not worthy.

[Pete]

What if we ended up with something like this?

Remember, Williams was quoted as saying 14-16 stories for the OG&E tower and 8-12 for the other. In the renderings provided, the buildings are 15 and 9 stories.

In the picture you linked, both buildings are about 25 stories. Unless something changes radically, this development won't be anywhere near that scale.

If it was, you'd be seeing a lot less disappointment.

[G.Walker]

Those buildings are 21 & 20 stories respectively.

[Pete]

Regardless, what is shown for this project is 15 and 9 stories, with a maximum of 16 and 12.

[Bellaboo]

I am surprised that Pete Delaney did not have a grander vision for this development. For being the Chairman of Greater Oklahoma City Chamber, you would think this would be a bigger development, and it seems like they are not building with any room for growth. Why would you build just enough space, and not consider growth for the future? But I guess we need to understand who is driving the height/design? OG&E or Rainey Williams? You would think a company the size of OG&E would need at least 20 stories...

It's not about the height, it's about the amount of square footage required for the building. With such a long horizontal footprint, it more than likely cost a lot less to build wide than tall. What's restricting the height is the 3 plus acres available to build on.

[Plutonic Panda]

Will you ever be satisfied then?

What if someone proposed a 60 floor building, would you support the project? You probably wouldn't because you would be afraid financing would fall through after the Stage Center was demo'd.

People need to remove their emotions from this. This thread has gotten ridiculous. Also proves a point that this forum largely has a one track mind, if there appears to be a motion to go a different direction, everyone will suddenly change their minds and go that way, whatever that direction is.

Bchris is right. This thing sucks. Really disappointed in this and now we going to be stuck with it for years and years. Ugggghhh! >_<

[Plutonic Panda]

It's not 60 floors so it's not worthy.

At 21 floors, no it not worthy. Who the hell said it has to be 60 floors for it to be worthy? I said it should at LEAST be 35 floors and even 25 floors would be acceptable.

[Plutonic Panda]

Reunion Tower and the Stage Center are not equal.

Neither is referencing to the Khalifa Tower or Empire State Building, but people have been doing that.

[architect5311]

This project reminds me of the Sheraton Century Center development. I don't like the city block sized 3 story building base with the poor integration of the towers, appear to be a stuck on afterthought.

I like this buildings integration of building base of retail, parking and tower...

[BigD Misey]

what would be great at this point, is if OGE demolished the stage center, then took their multimillion dollar project, and the second possible tower with its tenant and built a 50 story building in Tulsa instead, citing citizen disapproval as their reason.

[dankrutka]

Setting standards for development low out of fear of losing projects is the sign of a small city. "Big league" cities set standards high and expect them to be met. OG&E is NOT leaving OKC anyway. And the Seattle comparison is a poor one - the problem wasn't with the poor design of a building by a private company in an area with heavy public investment, but lack of an updated public arena. Totally different.

[mblues]

Lots of people don't know what they're talking about either.

Well, I can tell you that I have hosted many from both Houston and Denver (most from the groups enjoy the arts) and virtually none (not all, but most) of them have an appreciation of the Stage Center. They just don't seem to understand Oklahoma City's fascination with this building!

[PWitty]

Well, I can tell you that I have hosted many from both Houston and Denver (most from the groups enjoy the arts) and virtually none (not all, but most) of them have an appreciation of the Stage Center. They just don't seem to understand Oklahoma City's fascination with this building!

Yeah, I have to agree with that. I've only ever been by it a few times when I was in town, but it was never anything that wowed me. Of course I'm not a huge arts guy, but I still appreciate good architecture. Yes, the building is unique. It is unique because it is something that has an abstract look that isn't very common. And there's a reason for that. It's pretty dang ugly and serves no functional uses. If you disapprove of this development than that's fine. But no development should be disapproved of solely because it is replacing this building. And using that logic to help weigh down your argument just doesn't do it for me. Just my opinion.

[Just the facts]

Funny how the same people who like the dilapidated building registry are the same ones who want to prevent the removal of a dilapidated building. It's not like Stage Center could ever be anything other than what it is right now.

[Urbanized]

The dilapidated building registry frightens the bejesus out of me. It's currently a one-legged stool.

[BigD Misey]

save #47!
Carpenter Square Theatre at Stage Center - Oklahoma City - Reviews of Carpenter Square Theatre at Stage Center - TripAdvisor