Holiday Inn Express

[Rover]

I think he's saying that power lines can make a city look organic, like it developed naturally and wasn't built by Disney. It's messy and ugly and real. Like a homeless guy sleeping on a park bench.

So, our ambition is that we should have more homeless people and go back to 1920 technology? That would prove we are finally a city?

[hoya]

Just saying a little clutter is okay. Otherwise you end up living here:



"OKC is a perrr-feeeect plaaaace!"

[ourulz2000]

Update on this? When does construction start?

[catch22]

They are still doing site work as of yesterday when I drove by. Technically construction has started.

[LordGerald]

They are still doing site work as of yesterday when I drove by. Technically construction has started.

Yes, it's been an active site, despite the rain last week. Over the past week, they lined the "pit" with aggregate and have been trucking in red dirt and rolling it in layers. Looks like they are laying down the pre-foundation.

Also, the power lines (will be) coming down on the north side of Main Street, so the renderings without the overhead lines are pseudo-correct.

[cagoklahoma]

FYI, I just looked at this site from my office and it looks like there is a crane and some materials on the building footprint area.

[Pete]

This photo from the Aloft shows the Holiday Inn site in the upper right corner:

[Praedura]

LOVE the line of lush, full trees in that shot.

What is that quonset hut being used for? Will it stay? It's not much of a scenic neighbor for the hotel.

[Urbanized]

What I saw over there were what appeared to be pieces of a tower crane and also some augers for drilling foundation piers.

[Pete]

What is that quonset hut being used for? Will it stay? It's not much of a scenic neighbor for the hotel.

That is 123 E. Main; it's a garage and owned by the same group that has the building immediately east:

[Urbanized]

...What is that quonset hut being used for? Will it stay? It's not much of a scenic neighbor for the hotel.

The quonset hut is in daily use by the owner. I think the property owner is an artist or something. It is neat as a pin, and looks pretty cool from the outside, especially when the overhead door is open.

Frankly, I think it is a great neighbor. It is an authentic representative of the historic industrial use of the district, and adds authenticity, just like the still-in-business Federal Corporation across the street. I'm glad to see a few things like this remain, and think it would be regrettable to see Bricktown completely sterilized of its industrial history.

[Urbanized]

That is 123 E. Main; it's a garage and owned by the same group that has the building immediately east...

Oh really? It must've changed hands. How long have they owned it Pete? Still, I would prefer to see it stay. I think it's a great little structure, especially the facade. But the quonset roof is cool too, and now unique in the district thanks to recent demolitions.

[Pete]

Jeff Allen's group (Allen Contracting) bought 123 E. Main about a year after 129 (2008 and 2009).

Allen had been quoted as saying they were going to renovate 129 into their new offices, but they recently bought and renovated 516 W. California for that purpose, so I don't know what is going to happen to these two buildings.

http://www.okctalk.com/general-civic...ain-sells.html

[Urbanized]

Hopefully nothing bad.

[Praedura]

Ah well, it's a completely different story at the street level. Thanks for the pics. That's a fantastic edifice.

I was thinking it was maybe some old garage or parts place that might not even be in use anymore. If it's still active -- that, in combination with the great decorative entrance on the front, make it a quite nice neighbor. Both of those buildings, in fact -- being authentic and historic for the area.

I'm not sure how well the adjacent parking lot works with the new hotel, though.

[Pete]

The fact that Allen -- a contractor himself -- decided not to renovate that structure scares me a bit.

I'm sure it's a huge mess, as it's an old industrial building that has been sitting vacant for some time.

But, it would be great for lofts with 123 serving as a parking garage.

[HangryHippo]

Maybe they just didn't have the time to deal with it and needed office space faster? I don't like their building on California, but that's just because it doesn't have much character. It just looks like a suburban office building. Anyway, would be very curious to learn why they didn't actually renovate 129 Main and what the long term plans are. It's a beautiful building.

[LakeEffect]

The fact that Allen -- a contractor himself -- decided not to renovate that structure scares me a bit.

I'm sure it's a huge mess, as it's an old industrial building that has been sitting vacant for some time.

But, it would be great for lofts with 123 serving as a parking garage.

Jeff is a heavy civil contractor, so he doesn't have too much experience with buildings personally. Their proposed design was quite ambitious, and the BUDC beat the designer over the head over some of the cool rooftop stuff he wanted to do.

[HangryHippo]

Jeff is a heavy civil contractor, so he doesn't have too much experience with buildings personally. Their proposed design was quite ambitious, and the BUDC beat the designer over the head over some of the cool rooftop stuff he wanted to do.

Are there plans to come back to those designs with the requested changes or will it continue to sit vacant?

[LakeEffect]

Are there plans to come back to those designs with the requested changes or will it continue to sit vacant?

He'd have to apply all over again. All the approval he did have has now expired.

[Praedura]

A time-lapse camera was installed to capture the construction of the HIE. So that will be a cool video when all is done.



This photo was taken in early March.

Source: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...7625673&type=1

[Bellaboo]

The camera does not intimidate those two grackles.

[Praedura]

The camera does not intimidate those two grackles.

I think they were stunned by the heat ray sent their way by the truck.

[Praedura]

Btw, this is one of the best (largest) images I've seen of the rendering, from NewcrestImage:



This pretty much matches what the HIE facebook page uses for the cover photo here:

https://www.facebook.com/HIEBricktown

So is this the final design? Or is it still being hashed over?

I remember the conversation about this (much controversy over nothing, apparently). But I don't remember how it ended. I think the rendering above looks awesome.

[Pete]

Yes, this is the final design.

It was approved by the Bricktown Design Review Committee.