OU Projects

[HangryHippo]

I wouldn't mind apartment living being taken over by a private entity, provided it was one with high standards. The Traditions apartments that OU built are pretty disappointing and I believe a private company could do worlds better. The dorm situation is probably better left to OU, but who knows. If they'd level the towers and blocks south of there, that would open up TONS of land for private apartments and new dorms and whatever else OU saw fit to have built.

[Geographer]

I wouldn't mind apartment living being taken over by a private entity, provided it was one with high standards. The dorm situation is probably better left to OU, but who knows. If they'd level the towers and blocks south of there, that would open up TONS of land for private apartments and new dorms and whatever else OU saw fit to have built.

Something that NEEDS to happen is leveling the terrible Kraettli apartments that mostly international students live in. They are all ratty, create a super block, and have terrible overall design. If these could be razed and some better apartment/village style living could be put there instead that would help a ton as well. It's a great location, on the bus route, and not far from campus class buildings.

[HangryHippo]

Something that NEEDS to happen is leveling the terrible Kraettli apartments that mostly international students live in. They are all ratty, create a super block, and have terrible overall design. If these could be razed and some better apartment/village style living could be put there instead that would help a ton as well. It's a great location, on the bus route, and not far from campus class buildings.

Yep, those definitely need to go. Along with the dorm towers, Sooner Suites, the Cate and Cross Centers, the Thurman White forum, hell even the Honors College needs a serious redo - all of that just needs to go and they need to start over and do it right.

And if they want to creep north across Lindsey St. and tear down the Dale Hall and Tower monstrosity and redo that, that's cool with me too.

[Geographer]

Yep, those definitely need to go. Along with the dorm towers, Sooner Suites, the Cate and Cross Centers, the Thurman White forum, hell even the Honors College needs a serious redo - all of that just needs to go and they need to start over and do it right.

And if they want to creep north across Lindsey St. and tear down the Dale Hall and Tower monstrosity and redo that, that's cool with me too.

..and the Physical Science center haha.

Basically anything built from 1960-1980.

But seriously, I don't think Dale Hall will be torn down anytime soon. It has too many big classrooms that would be hard to place elsewhere on campus in the mean time. Dale Hall Tower just received a "renovation" as well. I do like DHT for the views...I had Spanish IV at the top of DHT.

[SoonerDave]

Hey....curiosity here...

What's the typical monthly rate to live in the dorms at OU?

[Geographer]

It just depends on which dorm, but for the Towers it is $4,359 (which includes the meal plan cost of $1,973). So for roughly 4 months for room and food, its $1,089.75.

[BG918]

OU needs to update its master plan, and focus on revamping its student housing options. Many other state universities are razing their old dorms and building on-campus student apartments, including OSU. What would really create the demand for new housing would be OU making all freshmen AND sophomores live on campus, either in university or Greek housing.

Other than housing what are OU's primary needs as far as new or renovated facilities?
- Huffman Rec Center - renovation and aquatics center expansion
- Bizzell Library - renovation
- New science building - replacement for GL Cross
- New health center - replacement for Goddard on adjacent parking lot
- New larger social sciences/classroom building - possible replacement and expansion of Dale and Copeland Halls
- New engineering/technology building - new construction in the Engineering Quad along Jenkins
- New larger building for eTEc (Emerging Technology Entrepreneural Center) in Campus Corner; joint venture between OU and City of Norman
- Stadium west side upper deck renovation/expansion to match the east side completed in '03

[Geographer]

OU needs to update its master plan, and focus on revamping its student housing options. Many other state universities are razing their old dorms and building on-campus student apartments, including OSU. What would really create the demand for new housing would be OU making all freshmen AND sophomores live on campus, either in university or Greek housing.

Other than housing what are OU's primary needs as far as new or renovated facilities?
- Huffman Rec Center - renovation and aquatics center expansion
- Bizzell Library - renovation
- New science building - replacement for GL Cross
- New health center - replacement for Goddard on adjacent parking lot
- New larger social sciences/classroom building - possible replacement and expansion of Dale and Copeland Halls
- New engineering/technology building - new construction in the Engineering Quad along Jenkins
- New larger building for eTEc (Emerging Technology Entrepreneural Center) in Campus Corner; joint venture between OU and City of Norman
- Stadium west side upper deck renovation/expansion to match the east side completed in '03

I agree. Some of those south oval buildings on the west side need to be revamped. Hester Hall on Elm is currently being renovated.

[HangryHippo]

..and the Physical Science center haha.

Basically anything built from 1960-1980.

But seriously, I don't think Dale Hall will be torn down anytime soon. It has too many big classrooms that would be hard to place elsewhere on campus in the mean time. Dale Hall Tower just received a "renovation" as well. I do like DHT for the views...I had Spanish IV at the top of DHT.

Oh yeah, the blender needs to go. But I'm pretty sure it just underwent a renovation too.

I don't think Dale Hall is going anywhere either. It just wouldn't bother me AT ALL if it was dozed. It does have some of the biggest classrooms on campus though, so they'd need new space before they even remotely seriously considered it.

Dale Hall Tower does have some very nice views! I had Spanish up there as well and found myself more often than not just staring out the windows.

[HangryHippo]

OU needs to update its master plan, and focus on revamping its student housing options. Many other state universities are razing their old dorms and building on-campus student apartments, including OSU. What would really create the demand for new housing would be OU making all freshmen AND sophomores live on campus, either in university or Greek housing.

Other than housing what are OU's primary needs as far as new or renovated facilities?
- Huffman Rec Center - renovation and aquatics center expansion
- Bizzell Library - renovation
- New science building - replacement for GL Cross
- New health center - replacement for Goddard on adjacent parking lot
- New larger social sciences/classroom building - possible replacement and expansion of Dale and Copeland Halls
- New engineering/technology building - new construction in the Engineering Quad along Jenkins
- New larger building for eTEc (Emerging Technology Entrepreneural Center) in Campus Corner; joint venture between OU and City of Norman
- Stadium west side upper deck renovation/expansion to match the east side completed in '03

I'm really hoping OU and Boren start to really utilize the IQC and Blair Humphreys as they move forward renovating campus. That's a phenomenal resource right on campus!

I agree with most of your suggestions, but how likely are these to happen? Are these concrete ideas you've heard they're considering? For example, they've been talking about redoing Goddard since at least 2002, but we see how much progress that has made. And I would LOVE to see the eTEc move to Campus Corner, but I doubt Boren lets them leave the Research Campus.

[BG918]

eTec is already on Campus Corner, but in a small non-descript office building on Asp (where they want to build the new "high density apartments) as well as a second location with more warehouse/industrial space on University north of Main. This is a great resource and business incubator for Norman that could be even larger with a new building, especially something mixed-use integrated into Campus Corner. The research campus has their own incubators that are growing but are mainly for biotech and weather-related start-ups in the Partners buildings.

And those were just my ideas. OU doesn't have any large projects currently proposed and I'm just speculating what the next round will be. The campus has already been transformed by over a billion dollars in new construction over the past decade but there is still a lot that can be done to improve if OU wants to be an elite state university.

[Spartan]

It's all about the profit motive now..

[ou48A]

I won't reveal my sources, but the Athletics Department has a 30 year loan on Headington Hall, so even with all those contributions, there is still a sizeable amount to be paid. There is still money out on the east side expansion as well, I don't know where the local media got that report from.

Acording to this link 70 million was raised for renovations and expansion to Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium, upgrades to the Barry Switzer Center football facility include a new locker room, upgraded training space and equipment areas, as well as high-tech meeting rooms and film rooms, and new coaches’ offices.
Sooner Magazine, Summer 2010 -- Great Expectations Realized

According to this link.... Phase I of the expansion and renovation centered around a towering new east side that includes an upper deck, 27 luxury sky suites, the Kerr McGee Stadium Club and a club seating section. New perimeter fencing, a new scoreboard and clock tower, enlarged east and north concourse areas with improved amenities, and renovations to the press box and existing luxury suites were also high on the project list, along with plans to give the stadium exterior a major makeover of brick and glass. The projected price tag of the initial phase is $73 million, with Phase II costs expected to be near $10 million.
Total project cost for phase 1 & 2 = $83 million.
University of Oklahoma Foundation, Inc. - Printer Friendly Version

That leaves 13 million to be financed. OU increased its football ticket prices by $5 a ticket to help pay for the expansion / improvements.
OU's budget has roughly tripled in the past 13 years.
When it comes to the stadium, for their to still be out standing bond debt for the east side project, it's something that just isn't adding up right for ther to still be bond debt on this?

[Geographer]

double post. oops

[Geographer]

Acording to this link 70 million was raised for renovations and expansion to Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium, upgrades to the Barry Switzer Center football facility include a new locker room, upgraded training space and equipment areas, as well as high-tech meeting rooms and film rooms, and new coaches’ offices.
Sooner Magazine, Summer 2010 -- Great Expectations Realized

According to this link.... Phase I of the expansion and renovation centered around a towering new east side that includes an upper deck, 27 luxury sky suites, the Kerr McGee Stadium Club and a club seating section. New perimeter fencing, a new scoreboard and clock tower, enlarged east and north concourse areas with improved amenities, and renovations to the press box and existing luxury suites were also high on the project list, along with plans to give the stadium exterior a major makeover of brick and glass. The projected price tag of the initial phase is $73 million, with Phase II costs expected to be near $10 million.
Total project cost for phase 1 & 2 = $83 million.
University of Oklahoma Foundation, Inc. - Printer Friendly Version

That leaves 13 million to be financed. OU increased its football ticket prices by $5 a ticket to help pay for the expansion / improvements.
OU's budget has roughly tripled in the past 13 years.
When it comes to the stadium, for their to still be out standing bond debt for the east side project, it's something that just isn't adding up right for ther to still be bond debt on this?

I don't know what to tell ya, all I can tell you is that there is still money out on the east side expansion.

[ou48A]

I don't know what to tell ya, all I can tell you is that there is still money out on the east side expansion.

Without telling me who your sources are can you tell me/ us why they would know any more than whats been publicly published?
Because unless there is something I don't understand, and there may be, this just isn't adding up in my mind...

[venture]

Without telling me who your sources are can you tell me/ us why they would know any more than whats been publicly published?
Because unless there is something I don't understand, and there may be, this just isn't adding up in my mind...

Just accept there are people more connected to you to the situation. I don't think he should risk himself by divulging information that isn't public. If you want to find out more, probably fill out a FOIA request.

[ou48A]

Just accept there are people more connected to you to the situation. I don't think he should risk himself by divulging information that isn't public. If you want to find out more, probably fill out a FOIA request.

I do know that I know a lot more than you do on this and I do know that the public commits that I linked differ greatly from what he has said and I do know that I have some pretty decent personal and family contacts who could find out the truth with a phone call that any OU President would answer in a second,, but I would never bug any of them over such a trivial message board matter.

[CuatrodeMayo]

I do know that I know a lot more than you do on this and I do know..

I know you. You know you. And I know you know that I know you.

[SoonerDave]

Think we *may* be closer to hearing something about the west deck/press box stuff for OMS, at least I hear its "on the radar" again. What that means, exactly, is anyone's guess

[Geographer]

Think we *may* be closer to hearing something about the west deck/press box stuff for OMS, at least I hear its "on the radar" again. What that means, exactly, is anyone's guess

Now this is definitely something I can give somewhat validity towards.

[HangryHippo]

Think we *may* be closer to hearing something about the west deck/press box stuff for OMS, at least I hear its "on the radar" again. What that means, exactly, is anyone's guess

Why had it gone off the radar? Money for other projects? Lack of interest?

[ou48A]

I almost didn't make that post because I knew how it would sound and I knew somebody would respond with something like you did.
But that's ok! LOL

[ou48A]

Think we *may* be closer to hearing something about the west deck/press box stuff for OMS, at least I hear its "on the radar" again. What that means, exactly, is anyone's guess

That's very good to hear, but how could that be...........?

People are posting things on this thread like the “OU Athletics department is only allowed a certain amount of debt to revenue ratio” and “the athletics department is rather near the threshold so any project would be way down the line”


If we are to believe these types of post OU wouldn’t have enough bond money room left to do very much on that size of scale. A major west side stadium project for OU would seem out of the question not to mention a new replacement for the LNC or it's renovation that would spend 10's of millions and where Joe C just said that all options were on the table.

[SOONER8693]

Yep, those definitely need to go. Along with the dorm towers, Sooner Suites, the Cate and Cross Centers, the Thurman White forum, hell even the Honors College needs a serious redo - all of that just needs to go and they need to start over and do it right.

And if they want to creep north across Lindsey St. and tear down the Dale Hall and Tower monstrosity and redo that, that's cool with me too.

And, I'm sure you'll be the first in line to pony up the money for those things to happen.