Convention Center

[Laramie]

What's up with OG&E; can someone add up all the financial package OG&E will receive from the City? Starting with the $30 million they will receive (relocate) from the substation & the gold building (control center) for the convention center site--$14.4 million.


Gold building lower left from The Peake & dismantled substation below mid center of picture above.

So far OG&E will receive $30 to relocate, $14,420,000 for the gold building & $2.28 million for substation property: $46.7 million--are there more funds in store for this electrical giant?

[shawnw]

seems like enough for a down payment on a new tower... if only they had the land for it.................

[pw405]

seems like enough for a down payment on a new tower... If only they had the land for it.................

oge = trash.

[jn1780]

I'm just as irritated as everyone else over the stage center fiasco, but I can't really hold the city wanting the land their sitting on or the substation move against them.

[Pete]

City to invite proposals for project surrounding new Omni garage

As part of the deal with Omni hotels to develop a 600-room convention center directly adjacent to the new MAPS3 convention center, the city must provide structured parking for the hotel.

Recently, the city acquired the old OG&E data center on the block directly east of the proposed Omni, and has received approval to proceed with a $40 million garage.

In order to maximize the garage property along the forthcoming OKC Boulevard and to defray some of the costs, the city will likely seek requests for proposal (RFP) for a mixed-use project that would be developed in conjunction with the garage.

The Oklahoma City Urban Renewal Authority will be working with the Oklahoma Development Authority – each headed by Cathy O'Connor – to assemble a committee and issue the RFP.

As part of this agreement the ground may sell a portion of the old OG&E block to a developer if they are chosen by an appointed selection committee.

Work is already well underway for the MAPS3 Scissortail Park to the west and the convention center and hotel should start construction later this year. Construction has also commenced on a Fairfield Inn, the first private development in the area know as Core to Shore.

Also this week, the city submitted plans to the Downtown Design Review Committee for enclosed skywalks which would connect the convention center to the Omni and the proposed parking structure.

In addition, the city is set to start clearing the land for the lower section of Scissortail Park, which will run from I-40 and the Skydance Bridge all the way to the Oklahoma River, ultimately fulfilling the long-term plan of connecting downtown to the river and its numerous recreation facilities.

[Pete]

City to invite proposals for project surrounding new Omni garage

As part of the deal with Omni hotels to develop a 600-room convention center directly adjacent to the new MAPS3 convention center, the city must provide structured parking for the hotel.

Recently, the city acquired the old OG&E data center on the block directly east of the proposed Omni, and has received approval to proceed with a $40 million garage.

In order to maximize the garage property along the forthcoming OKC Boulevard and to defray some of the costs, the city will likely seek requests for proposal (RFP) for a mixed-use project that would be developed in conjunction with the garage.

The Oklahoma City Urban Renewal Authority will be working with the Oklahoma Development Authority – each headed by Cathy O'Connor – to assemble a committee and issue the RFP.

As part of this agreement the group may sell a portion of the old OG&E block to a developer if they are chosen by an appointed selection committee.

Work is already well underway for the MAPS3 Scissortail Park to the west and the convention center and hotel should start construction later this year. Construction has also commenced on a 133-room Fairfield Inn, the first private development in the area know as Core to Shore.

Also this week, the city submitted plans to the Downtown Design Review Committee for enclosed skywalks which would connect the convention center to the Omni and the proposed parking structure.

In addition, the city is set to start clearing the land for the lower section of Scissortail Park, which will run from I-40 and the Skydance Bridge all the way to the Oklahoma River, ultimately fulfilling the long-term plan of connecting downtown to the river and its numerous recreation facilities.

[Ross MacLochness]

Wow... we must be living in Bizzaro OKC. There are nearly ten downtown housing projects announced/underway, historic properties such as the Donnay building and Villa Theresa are being redeveloped, plans for protected bike lanes are in the works, and now a city built garage will be hidden behind a wall of mixed use development. This is great! If you must have a garge, this is a great way to approach it.

[Pete]

I hope they get some decent proposals.

That property is a bit problematic because the boulevard will be slightly below grade and I'm not sure how this will be handled.

[Pete]

Here's what I mean about the street grade...

Both Shields and the boulevard will be below the property level at the corner, as you can tell by the retaining wall on Shields.

[Urbanized]

Yeah I had many frustrating interactions on this board over the years trying to describe that grade difference when discussing potential engineering for a dreamed-of canal extension.

[Pete]

Latest update:

[warreng88]

OKC convention center below budget

By: Brian Brus The Journal Record January 30, 2018

OKLAHOMA CITY – Plans for the new downtown convention center are nearly $685,000 under budget, opening the possibility of adding a couple of features that other cities are struggling with.

The MAPS 3 convention center design principles have not changed significantly over the last three years, said Adam Paulitsch, architect and associate principal at Populous. He told Oklahoma City Council members Tuesday the project is shaping up nicely with about 200,000 square feet of exhibit hall space, 40,000 square feet of meeting space and 30,000 square feet for a ballroom.

The total project estimate for the project was initially set at $195 million. Paulitsch said Populous is due to revisit the council at the end of February for final approval of the plans, trusting that market prices won’t change significantly by then.

In the meantime, Populous has started communicating with the Omni Hotels architectural team as well. Council members decided that the convention center’s success would be bolstered by a luxury hotel within a short walk and asked for proposals from the industry. Omni Hotels came out on top with a pitch for a 17-floor building with 600 rooms, restaurants and another 50,000 square feet of meeting space. The hotel will be built at Robinson Avenue and Oklahoma City Boulevard.

“Truly, you will have a coordinated project between the two facilities once they’re constructed,” Paulitsch said.

He was referring to the overall interaction between the hotel and convention center with visitors economically supporting both sites. However, the comment could also be taken as a reference to actual bridges. The conference center was always designed to allow for the extension of skywalks to keep visitors protected from the elements as they cross the street to a parking garage and hotel.

Cities across the country have been debating those cozy amenities because they create the appearance of lifelessness at street level. Cincinnati, Ohio, for example, started taking down pieces of its extensive skywalk system in 2002, beginning with a segment connecting the Riverfront Stadium to office buildings. City leaders continued dismantling bridges into 2013 as new development replaced older buildings. Baltimore, Maryland, has taken down seven bridges with plans to remove two more, and city leaders in Spokane, Washington, announced they would not allow more skywalks.

Ten years ago, urban designer and popular writer Jeff Speck visited Oklahoma City to review walkability downtown. He concluded that tunnels and tubes were counterproductive to development. His book, Walkable City: How Downtown Can Save America, One Step at a Time, was a best-seller in 2013.

“What we find is that they take away the whole livability of the street network and deprioritize investing in the accessibility of streets,” said Amanda O’Rourke, executive director at 880 Cities consulting group in Toronto, Ontario. Fellow 880 urbanist Gil Penalosa concluded the same in his reviews of walkways in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota. “Even when they protect pedestrians from extreme cold, which is what you find a lot here in Canada, they take away from interaction with the community.”

Regardless, Oklahoma City has not turned away from skywalks. Devon received approval for a bridge to the new BOK Park Plaza last year, and the Populous convention center plan has already been approved by the Planning Department and Downtown Design Review Committee. Oklahoma City Planning Department Director Aubrey McDermid said City Hall doesn’t have a black-and-white stance on the issue, not disallowing skywalks but rather highlighting a preference for street development.

“We very rarely get a development of a magnitude that the owner is going to request a skybridge,” she said. “Typically, they’re only requested between garages and places of employment where they’re introducing hundreds of people at once to the sidewalks. … It’s more of an amenity.

“The reason that skywalk space exists is because they’re bringing so much foot travel to the area, so it kind of balances,” she said.

[warreng88]

double post

[jccouger]

Under budget lol

[Pete]

Under budget lol

Paving the way for getting all the 'alternates' added back in; total of $14 million now.

[soonerguru]

Paving the way for getting all the 'alternates' added back in; total of $14 million now.

Operative word being "paving," a very popular gerund in OKC vernacular.

[OKCRT]

Operative word being "paving," a very popular gerund in OKC vernacular.

Best thing is prob extend MAPs for a few years and finish this out with 1st class facilities. Add another 10 floors to Omni and another 200k sq. ft of convention space and extend street car, at least double the miles to hot spots and become a real tier 2 city that can compete with some of the other tier 2 cities. Right now it looks like a notch below.

[stjohn]

OKC convention center below budget

By: Brian Brus The Journal Record January 30, 2018

OKLAHOMA CITY – Plans for the new downtown convention center are nearly $685,000 under budget, opening the possibility of adding a couple of features that other cities are struggling with. [...] The total project estimate for the project was initially set at $195 million.

Is it just me, or is being 0.35% under budget, prior to start of construction, a bit premature to count that as extra money in the bank?

[Pete]

Is it just me, or is being 0.35% under budget, prior to start of construction, a bit premature to count that as extra money in the bank?

Not only is it not under construction, it hasn't even been bid.

Also, those 'under budget' numbers include all of their contingency funds plus a bunch more that was moved from the general MAPS 3 contingency.

[Urbanized]

Wasn’t the part that came from the contingency budget originally a part of the cc budget, then moved to contingency, and then moved back to the cc? Or did I just dream that? I have a hard time keeping track.

[Pete]

Wasn’t the part that came from the contingency budget originally a part of the cc budget, then moved to contingency, and then moved back to the cc? Or did I just dream that? I have a hard time keeping track.

Don't worry, I'm keeping track for everyone.

I'll soon do a breakdown on all the cc costs as there have been several more things added and it looks like more are coming.

[Laramie]

Reminder: $8,865,000 approved from the 2017 Go Bonds election targeted for the Downtown City Arena which includes:

Repair, renovation, remodeling and improvement of the City’s Downtown Arena at 100 W Reno, now called
the Chesapeake Energy Arena, which may include related design, engineering, real property acquisition, infrastructure,
drainage, utilities, roadways, parking, exterior site improvements, equipment, furnishings, landscaping, irrigation, fencing
and technology improvements; and, expenses of the bond issue.

There will be extra money ($8,865,000) when the city decides to allocate this money when it becomes available.

Technology improvements, does anyone have any idea what this will entail & cost?

2014: Representatives of AT&T and Tulsa Mayor Dewey Bartlett showed off the technology Friday. The company installed new Wi-Fi antennas all over the center... ...The project took about four months to finish and cost more than a $1 million.

Tulsa Mayor, AT&T Announce BOK Center Wi-Fi Improvements: http://www.newson6.com/story/2547875...i-improvements

[Laramie]

It obvious that Oklahoma City has learned from previous MAPS & Bond initiatives to provide a little extra cushion on funds toward the projects presented to voters.

The MAPS 3 Downtown Convention Center project budget is $288 million and includes other costs like property acquisition. Our new convention & Omni Hotel will cost:


Oklahoma City Convention Center: $288 million


Omni Conference Hotel: 605 room hotel: Estimated cost - $235.5


Fairfield Inn & Suites: $50 million (Patel development)


Parking: (Placeholder). The city parking authority is to borrow about $26 million to build the garage which, including the land, is expected to have a price tag of about $40 million.

Our convention center, Omni conference hotel & parking will have an estimated valued investment: $575 million of which OKC will contribute $425 million.

[Plutonic Panda]

San Diego just announced a multi billion dollar renovation and expansion of their CC. I am in favor of at least spending a billion on ours when it’s all said and done.

[jonny d]

San Diego just announced a multi billion dollar renovation and expansion of their CC. I am in favor of at least spending a billion on ours when it’s all said and done.

You cant really compare SD to OKC. OKC has other things they need to spend money on, in my opinion.