OKC's skyline ranked ahead of New York...

[BG918]

Both cities have impressive, but outdated, skylines. In OKC, Chase Tower could really use a facelift and needs MUCH better nighttime lighting. That building ruins an otherwise beautiful nighttime OKC skyline. Tulsa has too many tall boxes and desperately needs a new signature tower that is anything but a box. Something with some color or lots of glass would be nice too. It would be nice to see some new office towers but I think both will see residential towers built first.

[okcpulse]

I have written bulding management on several occasions abnout better lighting on downtown Oklahoma City's buildings, emphasizing that more dynamic and colorful lighting helps better sell downtown to prospects. However, all I recieved in return was a lecture on how expensive it is to illuminate a skyscraper.

Not of these complete idiots realize that... yes... floodlights burn a alot of juice. Neons burn far less energy. So do argon lights.

[aintaokie]

Want to see a neat OKC skyline? Drive in from the east on I40 just as the sun rises on a clear morning. The reflection off of the skyline is awsome. Same thing from on the west side when the sun sets.

[HOT ROD]

I totally agree, Chicago Skyline is the best in this country, if not the world!!! Hands down!

But in oklahoma, I think OKC edges out Tulsa. Tulsa has a few that are taller but 163feet is hardly that much taller.

I think what hurts Tulsa is what helps OKC, density. Downtown OKC is much much more dense than Tulsa - and has that big city feel inside of it.

Tulsa might look impressive from that hill (to the NE of downtown i believe) but OKC would look even better if it were in a similar geography.

Look at Seattle's skyline - not that impressive if it were in a region like OKC (flat, lack of highrise hills), but in its setting - it looks absolutely stunning.

So my point it - it doesnt often matter the height of the buildings. Chicago has height and it needed it - for it to be #1 in almost everyone's book, in addition to its density and 2+ mile wide/length size. Tulsa/like Seattle, captured its natural setting to create scapes which make it look bigger than it is. Which also works.

OKC built a dense model which ran out of funding, otherwise, it would be much more similar in nature to that of Calgary, AB - arguable the BEST skyline for a city the size of 1M. They have OKC's density with all of their planned buildings built (unlike OKC which collapsed before all could be built).

Yes, I agree that OKC needs the next signature tall boy for the state - but I also think OKC's dense skyline is the already the best in the state.

[Luke]

With Devon spread out among the various towers downtown because of their growth, I would think they would be itching to build a new tower. Surely it would be more convenient for them to have all employees in one place. And we know they're not hurting for dough.

[osupa05]

I don't guess that I ever saw Chicago's skyline at night when I was there, but Cinci has a pretty impressive nighttime skyline when you are driving from the airport (in KY?)... Also the view along the river is neat!

[Easy180]

Just came across this thread...Any chance Devon is giving any serious thought of building their own tower?

Something modern like the Enron Tower in Houston

[Midtowner]

Maybe SandRidge will build a tower?

[Spartan]

Their owner is more interested in the corporate campus concept.

Just came across this thread...Any chance Devon is giving any serious thought of building their own tower?

Something modern like the Enron Tower in Houston

They fund a lot of economic development projects in OKC. They've been vital to OKC's rebirth. But they are totally uninterested in building a new tower. They love being stretched at opposite ends of downtown.

While I meant that sarcastically, they really don't seem to mind so much. They've organized departments so that it doesn't disrupt the flow of business for them.

By the way, the Enron Tower would look hideous in OKC. Oh and for the record, as an old timer Houstonian, I reserve the right to call a tower whatever I wish...

[Easy180]

Well we know they have much more cash sitting around than debt ridden Chesapeake...Is Sandridge big enough midtowner?...If not is our only chance of someone coming into OKC and building one?

[Spartan]

No because you're missing the concept and scale in which skyscrapers are built these days. More likely than not, corporations build corporate campuses, and apartments and condos fill new skyscrapers. It's a reverse sprawl/urbanization movement that's pretty interesting in itself.

Riata/SandRidge has about a tenth of the employees that Chesapeake has.

[Kerry]

Cities of all sizes building high-rise residential

USATODAY.com - Nice view: Cities of all sizes embracing high-rise living

[Midtowner]

We ain't Tampa

[writerranger]

I love our condensed skyline, but I just drove back from Houston (again) and passed the Houston skyline (wow!) and then 4 hours later passed the Dallas skyline and - revelation - I realized how small our towers downtown really are.

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[Easy180]

writerranger...Went to Houston a few weeks back for the first time...I don't normally notice towers/skyscrapers, but I found myself saying wow and cool a lot while driving around

Reliant stadium was very nice as well...Not so sure on living there, but it looks like they know how to design bldgs down there

[Spartan]

For ten years I lived in Houston's inner west side. At first in student housing and then after I started dating my wife I had a townhome in the Medical District.

Coming from a place like Houston, it puts perspective on how slow the boom here is occuring, and how we've really laid waste to our urban character. We're just set to become another Dallas or LA, when we could be a Houston or Minneapolis. But it aint too late...

[jbrown84]

Spartan, I went to Houston a couple months ago and I was curious about the Williams Tower in the Galleria area. This isn't the same Williams that's based in Tulsa, is it? It's a very impressive tower.

[writerranger]

It used to be the Transco Tower. Williams (yes, the Williams of Tulsa) purchased Transco about 10 years ago and the name was changed in '98 or so. You are right - it's quite impressive.






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[Spartan]

Tallest building in the world located outside of a central business district. I still call it the Transco.


A pic that a guy on a Houston forum I'm active on posted...it shows Uptown, Montrose, and the western half of downtown. Oddly enough you can see the rooftops of my alma mater as well.

[writerranger]

That's an interesting shot, Spartan!

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[traxx]

Kind of a misleading topic title. My mind went immediately to NY, NY and I thought who would rank our skyline better than NYC.

[ChristianConservative]

How nice, Williams actually keeping a tower after they purchased the company that owned it. Now why can't Anadarko Petroleum do that?

[Spartan]

Didn't you? Anadarko's CEO has a grudge against OKC.