First National Center

[Plutonic Panda]

You clearly don't know Rainey Williams.

No one knows Rainy Williams, except for the people that know him, and even then, they just might not know Rainy Williams.

[ljbab728]

A new update by Steve.

A Closer Look at Plans for First National | NewsOK.com

[HOT ROD]

Awesome. I just hope the parking does not open into Park Avenue but somehow uses the laneway one the other side of the building and/or the Broadway facade.

To be viable as a retail district, Park Avenue needs to be as continuous as possible and this is only achievable on the FNC side of the street at the moment.

I also wish they wouldn't just restrict retail to the first floor, but would have at least some of it build up into the 2nd floor space; particularly restaurant and/or retail amenity that could be open to the hotel as well. And PLEASE, PLEASE let there be doors open to the outside for the street frontage. If we can rebuild the archade, even bonus but we need to have all streetfronts in downtown OKC have their own doors to the outside (so they can set their own hours, maintain their own identity).

[Anonymous.]

Residential here is going to be huge. This is a dream development.

[Pete]

By far and away the most exciting part of this will be the restoration of the Great Banking Hall and turning it into a spot where you can likely go have a drink and hangout.

It is probably the most beautiful space in OKC and I'd love to be able to take out of town visitors there.


I was a customer at that bank to the bitter end specifically so I could make use of that facility. ATM's were still not ubiquitous and I'd walk over there from my office in Leadership Square once or twice a week and always loved being in there.

I also had several interviews at First National when I graduated from OU and remember how cool that entire facility was and it was fun seeing behind the scenes.

[Urbanized]

By far and away the most exciting part of this will be the restoration of the Great Banking Hall and turning it into a spot where you can likely go have a drink and hangout...

Agree 100%. I think the lobby will translate very well as a grand hotel lobby, with the teller windows being the only complicating factor. Hopefully they find a creative way to retain them and integrate them with the design. But regarding the space overall, every time I am in there and trying to consider how it could be repurposed, use as a hotel lobby always comes to mind. It reminds me quite a bit of the lobby of the Peabody in Memphis:

[Pete]

I'll have to find it...

I had previously posted a picture of a similar bank lobby that had been turned into a restaurant and it was amazing.

[shawnw]

Yeah but imagine how loud it would be with all those hard surfaces... :-P

[Pete]

I know you are joking but there are easy fixes to loud spaces due to too many hard surfaces, it's just that no one considers this in the design then aren't sufficiently motivated after the fact.

[traxx]

This is awesome. How cool would it be to live in one of those apartments?

[catch22]

How is this thread not at the top of the list? I surely expected more enthusiasm!

Just read the good news just now. Oh what tidings of great joy Gary Brooks is delivering.

Can't wait to see more details

[Diesel54]

I went to a restaurant in Calgary called Bank and Baron a couple months ago that's a converted bank. It made me wish they'd so something similar with FNC:
Bank & Baron P.U.B.

[Urbanized]

^^^^^^^
Did a GIS for photos of the interior and it's fantastic. Of course FNC would also require a hotel lobby function in the great banking hall (unless you were to sacrifice current street-level retail space - such as the current Cafe 7 space - which is probably unacceptable), but the sq ft is considerably larger so that could easily be accomplished.

[bombermwc]

I'll have to find it...

I had previously posted a picture of a similar bank lobby that had been turned into a restaurant and it was amazing.

That was my thought. The train station in Washington D.C. has a typical food court in the basement, but there's a nice "open air" restaurant in the great hall. One of the benefits of having the place is that it makes the entire train station smell AMAZING!!!!

[pure]

This is the Courtyard Marriott San Diego Downtown, the banking hall at First National is much, much nicer so there is a lot of potential to be had. Also note what they did with the safety deposit boxes/vault.

[Pete]

^

That was it! Thanks.


Can't wait to hear about the detailed plans for this project.

[sooner88]

I can't upload pictures, but look at the Williamsburgh Savings Bank Tower in New York. It has a lot of similarities to First National.

[Pete]

^

Very cool!

Located in one of Brooklyn’s most famous landmarks, the Skylight One Hanson event space is composed of the Romanesque Beaux Arts Bank Hall and the Art Deco Vault. Throughout the restoration and redevelopment of the building, great care was taken to preserve the architectural prestige of its marble floors, carved teller stations, magnificent 63-foot vaulted ceiling and the iconic 40-foot mosaic of New York as a Dutch colony. At the same time, Magic Johnson converted the building to luxury loft condominiums in 2006–07, and the tower houses 176 apartments with 138 distinct floor plans, from 295 square foot studios to 3,263 square foot full-floor four-bedroom units. In 2008 CJ Follini and Noyack Medical Partners purchased the commercial half of the famed landmark.

[gopokes88]

Well this is super cool. That roof top pool though, that is fantastic.

[jccouger]

So am I the only one that isn't confident this will actually happen?

I mean, I've heard of "fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me" but we've been bait and switched about 10 times on FNC. I understand the current owner has a better track record but this is a property that seems to have lots of complications.

Would love to be proven wrong, but worst case scenario is they tear down a ton of buildings for parking and then all the good stuff gets left out.

[bchris02]

So am I the only one that isn't confident this will actually happen?

I mean, I've heard of "fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me" but we've been bait and switched about 10 times on FNC. I understand the current owner has a better track record but this is a property that seems to have lots of complications.

Would love to be proven wrong, but worst case scenario is they tear down a ton of buildings for parking and then all the good stuff gets left out.

I feel a lot better about this than I would have if Stephen Goodman would have been the buyer. That really made me nervous. With this, anything could happen, but Gary Brooks has an excellent track record.

[dcsooner]

So am I the only one that isn't confident this will actually happen?

I mean, I've heard of "fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me" but we've been bait and switched about 10 times on FNC. I understand the current owner has a better track record but this is a property that seems to have lots of complications.

Would love to be proven wrong, but worst case scenario is they tear down a ton of buildings for parking and then all the good stuff gets left out.

I am a pessimist like you with regard to OKC ever completing (outside of Devon Tower), world class buildings either new build or refurbishment. I celebrate at ribbon cutting.

[PhiAlpha]

So am I the only one that isn't confident this will actually happen?

I mean, I've heard of "fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me" but we've been bait and switched about 10 times on FNC. I understand the current owner has a better track record but this is a property that seems to have lots of complications.

Would love to be proven wrong, but worst case scenario is they tear down a ton of buildings for parking and then all the good stuff gets left out.

Since this is the first time a reputable local group with a proven track record and a clear plan has taken over the building, I think there is reason to be more optimistic than ever before. On the other hand, the sky high price tag and history of development failures do make it tough to get too excited yet.

[PhiAlpha]

I am a pessimist like you with regard to OKC ever completing (outside of Devon Tower), world class buildings either new build or refurbishment. I celebrate at ribbon cutting.

You? A pessimist? No way......

[Pete]

So am I the only one that isn't confident this will actually happen?

I mean, I've heard of "fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me" but we've been bait and switched about 10 times on FNC. I understand the current owner has a better track record but this is a property that seems to have lots of complications.

Would love to be proven wrong, but worst case scenario is they tear down a ton of buildings for parking and then all the good stuff gets left out.

This is a completely different situation with the most respected of local developers leading the way and the City fully on board with creating a dedicated TIF just for FNC and likely helping to coordinate all types of other incentives.

I talked to Gary Brooks last night and he is the most humble, conservative person around but he's clearly excited about this but will approach it pragmatically and will never hesitate to seek help and advice when needed. He's also incredibly experienced and qualified.

Personally, I can tell you that there is no one else I'd rather see head this project and I completely trust it will happen and be done the right way.