BOK Park Plaza

[BoulderSooner]

Yes they did. They have a duty to the people of Okc to defend the statutes that govern our city. And that is very much what this lawsuit is about. 2 separate board made a ruling based on the design regulations. And that is being challenged. They have a responsibility to defend themselves. Ed is the one choosing to cause the city to spend money.

[Pete]

The City has full-time attorneys on staff and elected to contract with someone from the outside, otherwise there would be no cost to the taxpayers.

[DowntownMan]

Barricades going around the building today

[Pete]

They have a permit to move a construction trailer to the lot immediately north of the bus station.

[Pete]

From https://twitter.com/OKCNightCourt:

[ChowRunner]

[Pete]

Here is the plan they submitted to the City with my annotations:

[Just the facts]

It is painful to watch a slow-motion mistake that will last generations.

[jn1780]

I almost expect the demolition foreman to be sitting in his office in the construction trailer waiting for a call telling him to proceed with demolition. The ink on the court ruling won't even be dry yet.

[BoulderSooner]

It is painful to watch a slow-motion mistake that will last generations.

Can't wait to watch progress. And the removal of non functional buildings

[Tier2City]

Shame they never demolished the Skirvin while it was non functional. Could certainly have helped to add more parking to the Santa Fe deck.

[gurantula35]

Can't wait to watch progress. And the removal of non functional buildings

Same here. Cant wait for the progress were making

[BDP]

Shame they never demolished the Skirvin while it was non functional. Could certainly have helped to add more parking to the Santa Fe deck.

Yeah. Bricktown... 23rd.... Tower Theater... Plaza district... Plaza Court... Paseo... Stockyards... glad they're not making those mistakes again.

Maybe they didn't tear all that down because most of those buildings were ACTUALLY non-functioning, as opposed to this situation where they bought them as functioning and intentionally turned them into non-functioning buildings

So glad we learned from all the mistakes made by our most vibrant districts. lol!

[TU 'cane]

I'm pretty sure we all know the writing has been on the wall.
However, I think we should all applaud ourselves and others for making a stand and delaying where we could.
This does send a message that OKCers are serious about preservation, although on the same coin, it does show that the planners and city have no back bone when standing next to the companies influence throughout the city.

Shadid's efforts and the new design were fabulous, in my opinion.

At this point, though, I am tired of waiting for the inevitable and just want to see this be done with. No more peeling the band aid off slowly, just rip it off and get the project done.

And I really do think that at some point in the future, they're going to regret not adding a few floors on for additional leased space, or even internal growth, when someone is looking to tear down more buildings for more office space. But, that's why I'm not the expert.

[BoulderSooner]

Trolling, or telling the truth?

Am I sad that the bus station, a building that never would be approved to be built today, is being torn down? Of course not it is not urban in any way. One North Hudson on the other hand could have and perhaps should have been saved. However it also true that the "historic" building that was once there no longer exists.

As far as this lawsuit ... I'm afraid some of you can't see the forest for the trees ..

If you are a died in the wool preservation person ie .. no building should EVER be torn down for any reason ever then you should hope Ed prevails ...

If you do not fall into that exact camp you should hope he doesn't ... as much as he or others want to say his lawsuit is not about this building or this block

It is about if design committees/board of adjustment are allow to make a judgment to allow for building demolition ..... period ... and I would submit that there are very few that want to take away that ability ....

Is the make up on the DDRC/BOA perfect? Do they always makes judgments that we all agree with? Of course not. But those are things that you work with in the city to change .... suing the city to argue with the process (one that I believe will be proven very legal) is akin to not liking the rules to a neighborhood game of horse and taking the ball and going home ... it is obstructionist ..

[gopokes88]

It is painful to watch a slow-motion mistake that will last generations.

What's great is in the future someone will want to tear down 499, and someone will be making the exact same post you are making.

There's nothing really truly significant about these buildings other then they are old and people's nostalgia.

Stage Center was at least a significant building, its sad that there was no way it could become an economically viable building.

[bchris02]

What's great is in the future someone will want to tear down 499, and someone will be making the exact same post you are making.

There's nothing really truly significant about these buildings other then they are old and people's nostalgia.

Stage Center was at least a significant building, its sad that there was no way it could become an economically viable building.

The problem I have with it is in this order.

1) OKC has so much surface parking and grass lots downtown that there is no reason to demolish these structures. I would understand it if the city had a downtown that was built out or at least close to it.

2) The project is replacing good urbanism with bad urbanism and going the cheap route at that. 499 Sheridan is a prime example of the "OKC way" of building as cheap as possible without any vision or regard for surrounding environment.

[gopokes88]

The problem I have with it is in this order.

1) OKC has so much surface parking and grass lots downtown that there is no reason to demolish these structures. I would understand it if the city had a downtown that was built out or at least close to it.

2) The project is replacing good urbanism with bad urbanism and going the cheap route at that. 499 Sheridan is a prime example of the "OKC way" of building as cheap as possible without any vision or regard for surrounding environment.

It's an office tower built by 2 of the most powerful corporations in the state neither of which really truly deeply care about good urban-ism. At least the skyline will grow a little and we're getting rid of some vacant buildings that aren't of any major historical significance.

I get the Stage Center fight, but this fight comes off as being anti-change unless its the change I want.

[Bellaboo]

What's great is in the future someone will want to tear down 499, and someone will be making the exact same post you are making.

There's nothing really truly significant about these buildings other then they are old and people's nostalgia.

Stage Center was at least a significant building, its sad that there was no way it could become an economically viable building.

^^^ ditto ^^^ The location in relevance to the park was the downfall of some of these structures, which I do hate to see some of it go, but also enjoy the fact of new skyline growth.

[Spartan]

Except Hines can't be ruled in favor of because they are not the defendent. This is Ed shadid vs the Okc board of ajustment/ddrc. The city and the attorneys they had to hire to fight this lawsuit. This is very much about the cities ability to make judgements on buildings via ddrc /boa. And has wide reaching application. If Ed wins. Pretty much no building would be able to be redeveloped with out fear of lawsuit.

Wait what are you smoking?

[Spartan]

Can't wait to watch progress. And the removal of non functional buildings

You have no integrity boldie. Have you already forgotten about Preftakes' ownership, evicting long-running businesses, and intentional deferred maintenance?

[BDP]

At least the skyline will grow a little and we're getting rid of some vacant buildings that aren't of any major historical significance.

The developer made them vacant and there was tenant interest right up until the demolition announcement. So, they basically cleared out functioning buildings for parking lots.

I just find it interesting that with all the great examples of district improvements and renovations in the city, people can still drive down Gaylord and think "we need more of this and less of that". Because pretty much this development is really just a repeat of Santa Fe garage + Chase: a block of parking with a boxy modest high rise, and a little token retail. It's like some people are thinking, "whoa, OKC is getting kinda cool, we need to get back to our roots and add some blandness we used to be known for and let's kick out some tenants and tear down some buildings while we're at it".

[Stickman]

The developer made them vacant and there was tenant interest right up until the demolition announcement. So, they basically cleared out functioning buildings for parking lots.

I just find it interesting that with all the great examples of district improvements and renovations in the city, people can still drive down Gaylord and think "we need more of this and less of that". Because pretty much this development is really just a repeat of Santa Fe garage + Chase: a block of parking with a boxy modest high rise, and a little token retail. It's like some people are thinking, "whoa, OKC is getting kinda cool, we need to get back to our roots and add some blandness we used to be known for and let's kick out some tenants and tear down some buildings while we're at it".

A bit of embellishment here. Nothing compares to the Santa Fe Garage.

[sooner88]

Ben Felder with the Gazette (@benfelder_okg) is live tweeting the court hearing between Shadid and OKC, Board of Adjustment. Started at 9 am.

[LordGerald]

Street barriers were being installed yesterday afternoon. Regardless of the court hearing, the other buildings are going to come down soon.