Development that will make Dallas and KC Jealous?

[shawnw]

I would prefer we get the fairgrounds space needle replaced or back in shape for regular use (not just during the fair). I'd prefer the views of downtown from there rather than from within downtown. I mean, the space needle in Seattle is not downtown, so...

[hoya]

Some kind of observation tower would be fine. I don't think it would have the same impact on our city as the Space Needle did for Seattle, or that the Gateway Arch did for St. Louis. Those cities had already "arrived" and had a strong national reputation. The monuments were just the icing on the cake. You could build a 1000 foot cowboy statue in Lubbock and it's still just Lubbock.

Personally I think a giant oil derrick would look incredibly cheesy. Want to make people laugh at us? That's a great way to do it.

I think there are a lot of other things that would give us much better return on our investment dollar than a big cheesy monument.

[jccouger]

Gah, can we all just admit the Steve screwed up when he made this remark & that little to nothing is actually going to come from this? If something was really this large we would've got wind from it by now. He obviously got caught up in the momentum of OKC development & got way too far ahead of himself.

[Bellaboo]

I would prefer we get the fairgrounds space needle replaced or back in shape for regular use (not just during the fair). I'd prefer the views of downtown from there rather than from within downtown. I mean, the space needle in Seattle is not downtown, so...

Actually, it's about 1.25 miles away from the skyscrapers. I took an overhead monorail there this past summer. Also, there are lots of 4 to 5 floor housing units being built from the Space needle to the fringe of the taller buildings. Just a fyi....

[shawnw]

[/B]
Actually, it's about 1.25 miles away from the skyscrapers. I took an overhead monorail there this past summer. Also, there are lots of 4 to 5 floor housing units being built from the Space needle to the fringe of the taller buildings. Just a fyi....

Oh I know. I've been there. And I've walked it, as well as taking the monorail.

[hoya]

Gah, can we all just admit the Steve screwed up when he made this remark & that little to nothing is actually going to come from this? If something was really this large we would've got wind from it by now. He obviously got caught up in the momentum of OKC development & got way too far ahead of himself.

Well, I think there's something out there. I think people are taking the "jealous" comment too seriously. But I think there's some proposal that is probably really impressive, and it's taking a while to get everything ready, especially with lower oil prices.

[bchris02]

Gah, can we all just admit the Steve screwed up when he made this remark & that little to nothing is actually going to come from this? If something was really this large we would've got wind from it by now. He obviously got caught up in the momentum of OKC development & got way too far ahead of himself.

It's possible, but something definitely is/was planned. With lower oil prices it may be in jeopardy but something very impressive was more than likely being tracked or Steve wouldn't have said it. I agree with hoyasooner that people are taking the "jealous" comment to seriously. I think a better way to put it is it would be something people living in Dallas or Kansas City would be impressed by.

[jccouger]

I think a respected developer told Steve about his grandiose plans that the developer never really started putting together or really took seriously himself. Steve probably took it as fact based on his past record & since then he's come to terms that this was just a pie in the sky dream by said developer. He has back tracked more and more on the topic & it is now at the point that he has even admitted it may not happen. He's probably so embarrassed by it that it will almost assuredly go to the grave with him.

Over the last 3-5 years what has been unveiled that OKCtalk didn't at least catch glimpses of? NOTHING. Pete or somebody else here would've heard something by now if there was even a snippet of a chance of whatever this project was supposed to be was actually going to happen.

[soondoc]

Maybe ODOT is planning on building some new highway made out of asphalt instead of cement. That way they get the job of going back every so often or should I say (often) to patch and repair. Perhaps it can be a new Turnpike that is supposed to pay for itself but never does. OK Turnpike Authority is a racket and from I hear isn't even owned by the state but privately by someone out of state. We are going on 60 plus years of it making billions yet it's always constant patch and repair. How is that legal by the way or what ODOT does and the way they do things? Maybe that is what Dallas and KC is jealous of, more apsphalt roads and turnpikes.

[AP]

Over the last 3-5 years what has been unveiled that OKCtalk didn't at least catch glimpses of? NOTHING. Pete or somebody else here would've heard something by now if there was even a snippet of a chance of whatever this project was supposed to be was actually going to happen.

There are people on this board who know what Steve was referring to, but they, like Steve, are not going to irresponsibly share that information at this time.

[jccouger]

There are people on this board who know what Steve was referring to, but they, like Steve, are not going to irresponsibly share that information at this time.

Spill the beans.

[bchris02]

I think a respected developer told Steve about his grandiose plans that the developer never really started putting together or really took seriously himself. Steve probably took it as fact based on his past record & since then he's come to terms that this was just a pie in the sky dream by said developer. He has back tracked more and more on the topic & it is now at the point that he has even admitted it may not happen. He's probably so embarrassed by it that it will almost assuredly go to the grave with him.

The development hit some snags early on but then it seemed very likely, at least according to Steve, prior to the oil price collapse. Now it is in question.

I think it is a bit of an overstatement to say he is so embarrassed that it will go to the grave with him. If the project really isn't going to happen, all he has to do is say it died and everybody will shut up about it and before you know it, everybody will have forgotten about it. The fact that neither Steve nor others who are in the know have declared it dead, that means its still out there as a potential development.

[Bellaboo]

Maybe ODOT is planning on building some new highway made out of asphalt instead of cement. That way they get the job of going back every so often or should I say (often) to patch and repair. Perhaps it can be a new Turnpike that is supposed to pay for itself but never does. OK Turnpike Authority is a racket and from I hear isn't even owned by the state but privately by someone out of state. We are going on 60 plus years of it making billions yet it's always constant patch and repair. How is that legal by the way or what ODOT does and the way they do things? Maybe that is what Dallas and KC is jealous of, more apsphalt roads and turnpikes.

What ?

[bchris02]

Maybe ODOT is planning on building some new highway made out of asphalt instead of cement. That way they get the job of going back every so often or should I say (often) to patch and repair. Perhaps it can be a new Turnpike that is supposed to pay for itself but never does. OK Turnpike Authority is a racket and from I hear isn't even owned by the state but privately by someone out of state. We are going on 60 plus years of it making billions yet it's always constant patch and repair. How is that legal by the way or what ODOT does and the way they do things? Maybe that is what Dallas and KC is jealous of, more apsphalt roads and turnpikes.

Nobody likes what ODOT does, but it keeps right on doing it.

[soondoc]

Nobody likes what ODOT does, but it keeps right on doing it.

I was sort of joking earlier and just having some fun. However, I do think that ODOT is corrupt and borderline illegal in how they do things. I honestly don't know how they get away with it. Actually I do, it's protected by the folks down at the Capitol. You know the ones who protect the interests of a select few in the liquor business, the ones who neglect our education system, but put on their priorities to pass "gay conversion' and stuff like that. Keep in mind I am straight and Republican for the most part but these whack jobs are no different than the very far left whack jobs. The only difference is that the people making decisions down there now act all holy and righteous yet are full of sin and then some. They act as if they are the judge and juror and are basically just like the people who Jesus actually despised- "the pharisees".

I hope if only one person who is down on the Capitol reads this post gets the hint and spreads the word the word that even many Republicans are growing very tired of your act and think you have crossed the line in way too many ways. To be bought and paid for by several groups at the expense of us having the stupidest liquor laws in the nation ( and claim it's for our own well being), you are only setting us back when we should be going forward. You are costing us jobs that want re-locate here but refuse to do so because of the extreme views you hold. I am all for doing what is right and sticking to your guns to an extent, but when you get so far to one side that refuse to see your own sins or corruption, than we have a problem. People are starting to notice and talk about it and soon action will be taken. So, this Republican says shame on you to every person who reads this down at the Capitol and ask that you do more to bring jobs and opportunity to this city and state instead of more of the good ol boy system that scratches the back of the people who are paying you. (PS I am not saying that about TIF, Oil Companies, etc.) I know they bring more value and jobs so that was not whatt I'm saying. I am saying that by having 3.2 beer and only liquor stores being able to sell certain things is NOT going to save lives, perhaps just the opposite as they will buy more because of it). This state needs to get in the 21 century when it comes to stuff like this and our roads, etc. Sorry about my little rant. Maybe this is what Dallas and KC might be jealous of- staying on topic.

[soondoc]

Hey, I realize that my last post wasn't exactly on topic and I ranted a little bit. Could someone start a OKC Political thread that talks about things like I just posted. I think the people down on the Capitol do read this forum and I think world needs to spread on our ideas and thoughts and how they in my opinion are hurting this city and state in some ways. I would love to comment and post on a thread such as that. Thanks.

[TheTravellers]

The St. Louis Arch is the gateway to the west.

...

Yeah, I got that, but it's basically a fancy observation deck, just like the Space Needle, just like whatever thing is being proposed here, so no real purpose except a tourist attraction, which our "monument" could also be.

[Bits_Of_Real_Panther]

There are people on this board who know what Steve was referring to, but they, like Steve, are not going to irresponsibly share that information at this time.

LOL! Put some mustard on that nothingburger while your at it :/

[Bellaboo]

LOL! Put some mustard on that nothingburger while your at it :/

Besides Steve, I think Urbanized knows what it is.....someone put some pressure on him.

[bombermwc]

When I hear people say crap like this, I just ignore it. In the real estate world, ideas are born and die overnight. One day's magically fantastical idea, is tomorrow's history that never happened.

Until we see something publically announced AND under construction, it's just crap from someone's imagination. Remember, even the Chicago spire ended up as just a hole in the ground...and still is.

[jccouger]

When I hear people say crap like this, I just ignore it. In the real estate world, ideas are born and die overnight. One day's magically fantastical idea, is tomorrow's history that never happened.

Until we see something publically announced AND under construction, it's just crap from someone's imagination. Remember, even the Chicago spire ended up as just a hole in the ground...and still is.

Bingo.

[bchris02]

If its dead, Steve should say it either in an article or a chat so the entire thing can be put to rest. Until he does that, people are going to keep talking about it and speculating about it.

[TU 'cane]

I don't know, I'm kind of along the same lines of jcoug on this.
There's really only a few possible things that could really make DFW and Kansas City "jealous." Again, we trust in Steve and he's not always one for highly vaulted gossip, he truly isn't. So, whatever it was, probably started out as a verbal proposal with no real footing and was only going to happen if x and/or y occurred within a certain time frame.

I'm assuming x or y did NOT occur within said time frame, thus we are seeing Steve shrink back and take back letter by letter with each passing chat. It was very obvious that he was embarrassed or annoyed by the constant questioning of it, which is why he stated he would never comment on it again until he hears something, either scrapped plans or moving forward altogether.

I'm going to highly recommend people also slowly remove themselves from this for the time being in order to keep your sanity.

[Urbanized]

I don't have any of the details, so good luck getting them out of me.

I also don't speak for Steve, but I talk WITH him on a very regular basis, and I've also known him for 20 years and trust him implicitly on this. As he has said, the moment it's real he will identify it, and if it it instead dies, the moment it is officially dead he will tell everyone what if WAS going to be.

I don't have time or patience to go back and find his original quote, but I think it was along the lines of "...I'm currently tracking...", and I think that's fair. He didn't promise anything, and it's not a stunt.

I also suspect people are probably putting too much emphasis on the idea that it is a single thing (as in a single building), and probably even the term "jealous." At this point, I take that to mean simply that it is stuff they'd like to have in their towns, but really don't. They might even have the basic stuff, but it's not grouped as elegantly.

Here's an example: Dallas has pretty much any shopping you could want, but do you think Dallasites would be a little bit jealous if they saw KC's Country Club Plaza? They'd be crazy not to be. Highland Park Village is nice, but it's closer to Utica Square than it is to The Plaza. Dallas gets pretty much every live show, but do you think they are jealous of Austin's music scene? Of 6th Street? Of course they are.

Dallas and KC (and Austin, for that matter) should ALL be jealous of The Pearl in San Antonio, but it barely even registers on this forum. If you've been there you'll know what I'm talking about.

My point is only that this could be a GROUP of things. And that it doesn't have to be a supertall skyscraper or a football stadium to be the envy of other, bigger cities.

[HOT ROD]

The Devon Tower was initially planned for 925 feet - 54 stories before the development was downsized -4s to 844 feet. Dallas Bank of America Plaza stands 921 feet.

There were some posters on a site (see link below) that didn't believe the Devon Tower would be constructed; just imagine a skyscraper in OKC taller than any structure in Dallas? One poster called OKC a suburb of Dallas (LOL).

OKC Devon Energy Tower (925 ft, 54 st)

Optimism is high that we will see some kind of structure (building or space tower) constructed comparable to the Devon Tower prior to 2025.

Actually he called OKC as Dallas's Biggest Suburb.