OG&E Energy Center

[Teo9969]

One of the phrases that has always stuck with me as a composer is "Good composers borrow. Great composers steal."

[HOT ROD]

OG&E isn't spending the money. They are leasing not building the building....a prudent move to let developers do what they do best.

As far as your previous statements, sorry but a few posters on our site isn't what makes Clayco do what they do. I LOVE OKC Talk, but it doesn't drive development at this scale.

I'm not disagreeing with you but I suspect more people were disappointed with that earlier concept (and voiced opinion) than just those of us on OKCTalk. That is why I claimed that OKC has truly changed in that not just the 'small' minority speaks up regarding development.

[Plutonic Panda]

2017 will be a game-changing year for OKC...with these new towers built, the first phase of the streetcar completed, and a myriad of other downtown improvements in the works. Increased connectivity and density will create a real urban environment downtown.

I agree. So in a year or two, we will have the street car under construction, four towers, Preftakes maybe(or being demoed), Central Park, White Water Facility, Steelyard, Downtown BLVD. . . am I missing anything?

These will be incredible shots for OKC during playoffs to showcase our transformation.

[Rover]

I'm not disagreeing with you but I suspect more people were disappointed with that earlier concept (and voiced opinion) than just those of us on OKCTalk. That is why I claimed that OKC has truly changed in that not just the 'small' minority speaks up regarding development.

When city leaders talked about becoming a "big league city", they were talking about us showing up on big developers and business radar. We have had very good press because of three main things....MAPS, the energy sector (gas), and the Thunder....all happening when the rest of the country was in the toilet. Our local developers have been pioneers to a big degree, but I think you are about to see the big guys get engaged. And they don't do that from message boards. They do that from board rooms.

Don't get me wrong, all voices are important and they indicate a willing market, but these deals aren't done by checking message boards to appease a few people.

[Urbanized]

I agree. So in a year or two, we will have the street car under construction, four towers, Preftakes maybe(or being demoed), Central Park, White Water Facility, Steelyard, Downtown BLVD. . . am I missing anything?

These will be incredible shots for OKC during playoffs to showcase our transformation.

Convention Center will also be underway, and more than likely a convention center hotel.

[Plutonic Panda]

Convention Center will also be underway, and more than likely a convention center hotel.

Yes and our airport should be undergoing an expansion, right? That won't help playoff shots, but for people flying in for the game or other events downtown, it will still add to excitement of all the construction going on.

[Laramie]

2017 will be a game-changing year for OKC...with these new towers built, the first phase of the streetcar completed, and a myriad of other downtown improvements in the works. Increased connectivity and density will create a real urban environment downtown.

So true, krisb:

There's more to come... Let's not forget the convention center hotel development which we could hear something soon.

There could be an avalanche of development that follows once construction begins.

[Teo9969]

I agree. So in a year or two, we will have the street car under construction, four towers, Preftakes maybe(or being demoed), Central Park, White Water Facility, Steelyard, Downtown BLVD. . . am I missing anything?

These will be incredible shots for OKC during playoffs to showcase our transformation.

You're missing quite a few things there…but that's okay…you got pretty much all the big stuff except for the Convention Center as Urbanized had mentioned.

[Bellaboo]

When city leaders talked about becoming a "big league city", they were talking about us showing up on big developers and business radar. We have had very good press because of three main things....MAPS, the energy sector (gas), and the Thunder....all happening when the rest of the country was in the toilet. Our local developers have been pioneers to a big degree, but I think you are about to see the big guys get engaged. And they don't do that from message boards. They do that from board rooms.

Don't get me wrong, all voices are important and they indicate a willing market, but these deals aren't done by checking message boards to appease a few people.

^^^ Exactly^^^

Also, while we've envisioned the possibility of 3 towers going up at once (BOA drive thru, Main & Hudson, Stage Center) we now have the possibility of at least 5 going up at once, as long as the M&H site comes through.

[Plutonic Panda]

You're missing quite a few things there…but that's okay…you got pretty much all the big stuff except for the Convention Center as Urbanized had mentioned.

True. All of the other developments going on will add up to the picture. I was thinking mainly of the big stuff though that will be seen on shots of the city during playoffs and such.

[AP]

You're missing quite a few things there…but that's okay…you got pretty much all the big stuff except for the Convention Center as Urbanized had mentioned.

LIFT and Metropolitan are pretty big too.

[CCOKC]

I am by no means an expert in architecture but my first impression was this is amazing. These towers seem to have a timeless sort of quality to them. Maybe it is the backlighting in the renderings, like they came from heaven or something (lol).

[gopokes88]

I agree. So in a year or two, we will have the street car under construction, four towers, Preftakes maybe(or being demoed), Central Park, White Water Facility, Steelyard, Downtown BLVD. . . am I missing anything?

These will be incredible shots for OKC during playoffs to showcase our transformation.

That was one of my thoughts too. To have all the cranes going during the cutaways will be great great optics for the city.

[Pete]

This is the cross-section for the OG&E tower. It looks like it is slightly taller (just over 400 feet) and note that OG&E is only occupying the top floors:

[metro]

Makes you think the guys at 21C maybe had an inkling of what is happening in west downtown, doesn't it? Remember everyone scratching their heads as to why they chose where they did? Guess they weren't alone in thinking there is great development pressure there.

No not really, Film Row is well developed, Classen is also making a comeback. Hotel demand is way up, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that property would make a huge payoff just 3 blocks away from Devon, especially considering no hotels exist on the west side of downtown, but could easily support one.

[hoya]

Looks like my 25 story 400 ft prediction was very close.

[catch22]

About 250 units per tower... So 500 units. Add in couples and roommates and there could very well be 800-850+ people living on these two blocks.

[Pete]

Here's how the tallest downtown buildings would stack up:

Devon 844'
Chase 500'
First National 493'
City Place 440'
OK Tower 434'
OG&E Tower 405'
South Parcel Tower 395'
SandRidge 393'
North Parcel Residential ~380'
South Parcel Residential ~380'
B of OK Tower 310'

[ljbab728]

Steve's update.

Residential towers proposed by two firms for property south of former Stage Center site | News OK

On edit, I didn't know that this had been posted previously. Good news is always worth repeating though.

[Bellaboo]

Steve's article says $530 million total cost.

[pickles]

Steve's article says $530 million total cost.

Wow - spectacular news for Oklahoma City.

[Teo9969]

Half a billion dollars of investment downtown, with 2 high-rise residential buildings…I can think of 900 people that this development can tap into to recoup some of that investment

Think of where this city was in 2000…Think of where it will be in just one quarter century from that point.

[BDP]

Question number two, "does this proposal justify the destruction?" I would answer no to. The main reason being that we have so much open space downtown that a similar development could have taken place without laying a finger on SC. It just made for a convenient excuse to tear it down. But that is now water under the bridge, so I don't think that being bummed about SC dictates not being excited about this.

Interestingly, you could fit the towers on those two lots and there'd still be room for SC. It's the parking garages that are swallowing up a good portion of the land. But I think your point is what's missed a lot: Most SC advocates simply wished SC and OKC were strong enough to have both the theater AND a development like this, which given our current land use, was possible had SC not gotten in trouble. The demolition of SC was always about the value the community placed on it and its purpose, not because there was some dire need for land to develop in the core.

[HOT ROD]

Honestly, this is really great!

Imagine just the tower prospective: these 4 towers from Clayco, at least 1 more tower from Pickard Chilton at M&H, the Convention Center hotel(s), FNC redevelopment/Park Place, the possible BoA tower of some sort, the 4th & EKG tower possibility, Continental's eventual tower (2nd tallest in Oklahoma perhaps?), more spec office/residential/hotel to come. ....

Not to mention the infill projects: the Met, Steelyard + Hyatt Place, DD and AA infill, Bricktown upper floors, possible Bricktown Marriott Hotel, Midtown expansion, West Downtown infill, and we haven't even scratched the surface on what C2S could be.

Very exciting times for OKC.

[HOT ROD]

I wonder what the floor height will be for the office vs. residential towers.

What if office is 18 feet and residential is 15 feet?