John Rex Elementary

[Pete]

Any new pics/updates? How's this coming along?

These are from yesterday, courtesy of catch22:

[Pete]

And these are from warreng88:

[Spartan]

I really don't understand why the massing of the corner return fronting the intersection is so reduced. It agitates me.

[Pete]

I really wish they would have used the whole block and then put the playground on the roof, as they have in many urban schools.

Especially since the open area will not be open to the public.

[BrettM2]

I really wish they would have used the whole block and then put the playground on the roof, as they have in many urban schools.

Especially since the open area will not be open to the public.

Could they possibly do that in the future by using the remaining space for a multi-floor middle school?

[5alive]

I love the detail work on this building


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[UnFrSaKn]

Every time I see those, it reminds me of how they are teaching the future Starfleet Academy.

[soonerguru]

I love how this is turning out!

[Pete]

Yeah, this is one of those rare situations where the final product seems to be better than the renderings.

Will bring so much life to downtown as well.

[CCOKC]

I was thinking the same thing this evening as I was driving by the new elementary school at 44th and Tulsa down the street from my house. Both of these schools will open at the same time but if I still had school aged children I would much prefer them to go to the school downtown.

[hoya]

I was really discouraged by the renderings. I thought the school looked really dark and depressing. In person it looks so much better. It's pretty cool looking.

[DoctorTaco]

I was thinking the same thing this evening as I was driving by the new elementary school at 44th and Tulsa down the street from my house. Both of these schools will open at the same time but if I still had school aged children I would much prefer them to go to the school downtown.

I feel similarly. We moved into Mesta Park, in no small part due to the neighborhood school (Wilson Elementary), which is regarded as one of the best in OKCPS. My oldest starts there next fall. Wilson has so much going for it. It is walkable from our house. It has an arts integration focus, which will be great for my oldest in particular, it has a great staff, etc.

But darnit Rex Elementary is just so cool!! I want my kid to go there!!

[Pete]

From the school's Facebook page:

[Spartan]

Love the stained concrete floors. (I think?)

[HOT ROD]

I'm glad we have a downtown school but I think it could have been better. I wish it had more/bigger windows along Sheridan at least, and better utilized the site or at least the building itself (ie rooftop playground, underground parking). I understand tornado proofing, but Devon uses glass too and I'm sure it is safe.

Not to be a negative Nancy, but would you naturally look and tell this was a school vs. say a jail? I think we missed the point of a downtown school - to create a show palace of education rather than just an arguably insignificant building that poorly uses valuable downtown space.

[David]

That does not even remotely look like a jail.

[5alive]

+1

[HOT ROD]

I'm glad you're happy with it then.

[betts]

Not to be a negative Nancy, but would you naturally look and tell this was a school vs. say a jail? I think we missed the point of a downtown school - to create a show palace of education rather than just an arguably insignificant building that poorly uses valuable downtown space.

Maybe one has to see it in person. I thought the renderings looked like a jail, but it really looks great. The little pops of color on the windows are very cool and it just looks like a hip, urban building. I understand what people are saying about having a rooftop playground, but if we don't need that much space, to fill the block would have given us a single story building. Trust me, this one is good. And I remember plenty of P.S.s in Manhattan with ground level playgrounds. It's partially what's around a school that makes it seem urban.

Now, if we could just get a decent boulevard so that kids could actually walk to school. If our boulevard turns out the way it is currently desgined, parents will have to drive their kids three blocks to go to school, because it will be too dangerous to cross the boulevard.

[TheTravellers]

Everybody always thought my alma mater looked like a jail, but it really has too many windows for that (even if the bottom floor windows did have bars on them during my tenure there): Northeast Academy Mid-High > Home

This one looks very nice, very cool that it's finally happening...

[CuatrodeMayo]

I'm glad we have a downtown school but I think it could have been better. I wish it had more/bigger windows along Sheridan at least, and better utilized the site or at least the building itself (ie rooftop playground, underground parking). I understand tornado proofing, but Devon uses glass too and I'm sure it is safe.

Not to be a negative Nancy, but would you naturally look and tell this was a school vs. say a jail? I think we missed the point of a downtown school - to create a show palace of education rather than just an arguably insignificant building that poorly uses valuable downtown space.

I wouldn't say it looks like a jail, but it does not really look like an elementary school either. It looks like a building designed by adults for children.

[LandRunOkie]

Northeast is a gorgeous school that to my undisciplined eye looks like an aggressive art deco style. I made the comparison that this school looks like a Soviet army hospital about a year ago (shortly after leaking the proposal for various alternative designs). They would have done well to emulate an art deco style imo.

[Pete]

It looks like a building designed by adults for children.

What are the other options???

[BrettM2]

What are the other options???

Legos...

[HOT ROD]

Good points Betts. I didn't mean my post to sound so harsh, only that I wish we'd built a modern building that showcased Education in a downtown environment as the capstone to Maps for Kids; rather than just another institutional building that doesn't look like a school.

However, I can tell by the posts that in person it must not be as bad as the pics/rendering and I suppose it isn't even finished yet, so I stand (partially) corrected.