Convergence (formerly Innovation Plaza)

[Urbanized]

Haha thanks Pete. Probably just a drive-by, but again I appreciate the love. Mostly just couldn’t pass up an opportunity to tell the Stiles Park story, which I’ve always found interesting and which isn’t as well known as it should be.

I suddenly am finding that area even more interesting personally after I found that a 2x great grandfather lived out his final years in a house about a block away. He’d been sent to prison in Arkansas during the 1890s, escaped twice, the second time to Indian Territory, abandoning his family in the bargain. He was captured many years later, requested a pardon from the Arkansas governor, and received one.

He lived in SE Oklahoma until moving to OKC, apparently reunited with his estranged family who’d moved from Arkansas to Luther in the 1920s. Anyway, it made me feel a bit more connected to that neighborhood.

Looking forward to getting to the other side of this nonsense year, and you’ll be high on the list of people with whom I’ll look forward to sharing beers and catching up.

Edit: thanks to you too, David.

[PoliSciGuy]

Other than Wheeler Labs I wonder if they have any other tenants already expressing interest. It’d be awesome to see this come to fruition.

[warreng88]

This is the property.

Looks like they bought some of it from Baker Hughes and the part to the east of the circle from the OK Dept. of Commerce:

So, from this, it looks like it will take up the parking lot west of OBI and then west to the highway. But, post #20, it looks like the parking lot will remain. What am I missing here?

Oh and I work just east of this development so I will be happy to go by and get pics when the constructions starts.

[PaddyShack]

Pete, is there any data or details as the the supply and demand of lab space in OKC? I would love to see a home-grown bio-tech company grow and maybe they could move into the CHK property or continue building out the Innovation district.

[dankrutka]

Urbanized - it’s GREAT to see you post! I’ve missed your contributions.

+1000

[Pete]

So, from this, it looks like it will take up the parking lot west of OBI and then west to the highway. But, post #20, it looks like the parking lot will remain. What am I missing here?

Oh and I work just east of this development so I will be happy to go by and get pics when the constructions starts.

I'm not sure of the plans for the surface lot. I would suspect it will become a parking structure.

[Anonymous.]

I LOVE the waypoint signage and lights on the onramp. Isn't this the area where the theoretical I-235 cap is to be?

[Pete]

I LOVE the waypoint signage and lights on the onramp. Isn't this the area where the theoretical I-235 cap is to be?

No, that was proposed for NW 10th to the north.

[Pete]

Cool animation:

[David]

I wonder where they're planning on projecting the light show around the Beacon from.

[mugofbeer]

Love the concept all the way around. I hope the visibility from the highway is just as it's depicted on the renderings. Very impressive and it's great they already have committed tenants.

[gopokes88]

Outstanding project.

[DoctorTaco]

Pete: on a scale of 1 to 10, how likely do you think this is to happen? With 1 equaling the OGE Tower being revived on Stage Center Block and 10 equaling the River District continuing to lose money?

[jccouger]

Urbanized being back is bigger news than this project lol

[Pete]

Pete: on a scale of 1 to 10, how likely do you think this is to happen? With 1 equaling the OGE Tower being revived on Stage Center Block and 10 equaling the River District continuing to lose money?

The developers have purchased the land, so that's a good sign.

I'd be shocked if they don't ask for big incentives from the city, which I'm sure they will get. The "Innovation District" is a darling of the Chamber and other powerful people in OKC that have a lot of sway over where economic incentives go.

Tanenbaum does things at his own pace; he put out several renderings on Lincoln Plaza before finally moving forward. Beffort is much more of an investor than a developer (Leadership Square, OK Tower, City Place).

The wildcard in this is Wheeler Labs backed by oilman Christian Kanady (Echo Energy) who is also backing the Cox Center movie studio. He's now running this new venture capital fund which is behind Wheeler Labs.

The good news this was all arranged in the middle of the pandemic, which means they aren't too worried about that.

Oklahoma Dept. of Commerce and the Chamber and Alliance for Economic Development love these types of projects because there is a big emphasis on diversification as a hedge against the wild fluctuations of the energy sector. I expect tons of support to be thrown behind this.

[HangryHippo]

...With 1 equaling the OGE Tower being revived on Stage Center Block and 10 equaling the River District continuing to lose money?

Hahaha!

[G.Walker]

Too early to get my hopes on this. We have seen projects in the past with grand renderings that either get put on hold, scrapped, or built half ass. I won't hold my breath. Nice renderings though, lol.

[Pete]

Too early to get my hopes on this. We have seen projects in the past with grand renderings that either get put on hold, scrapped, or built half ass. I won't hold my breath. Nice renderings though, lol.

When I saw your name I knew what you were going to write even before I read your post.

[G.Walker]

Touche'

[soonerguru]

The renderings are ridiculously awesome. Love the high ceiling arcade space. Pretty gobsmacking all around if it gets built to. this standard.

[shawnw]

can't wait to see us complain when it looks nothing like the rendering :-P

[HOT ROD]

this represents the single biggest investment in OKC history on the level of Devon Tower and much more sustainable (given Devon's current fossil fuel centric business model anyway). I pray this happens - every job here will be well north of $60K and most will be at least six figures - pushing OKC's median upward and likely fostering the next wave of net in-migration.

My only question - do other cities with Innovation Districts call them "The Innovation District"? We have one here in Seattle and it is not called "The Innovation District" but instead is what the area was originally called. Just curious because OKC seems to always jump on the bandwagon with district this or district that naming conventions based on current use often without preserving the HISTORY of the area inspite of it;'s current use - ie: Core2Shore (Union District - I like this better tho), Arts District, Convention District, insert next big buzz word "district".

I'd like to see OKC's new Innovation District remain named Oklahoma Health Center.

[Rover]

If I just missed it, please redirect me to the info. But,

What is the total estimated budget?

Total square feet and sq ft. by use?

Since it was compared to Devon it would be interesting to know how it compares in dollars of same value.

[stlokc]

this represents the single biggest investment in OKC history on the level of Devon Tower and much more sustainable (given Devon's current fossil fuel centric business model anyway). I pray this happens - every job here will be well north of $60K and most will be at least six figures - pushing OKC's median upward and likely fostering the next wave of net in-migration.

My only question - do other cities with Innovation Districts call them "The Innovation District"? We have one here in Seattle and it is not called "The Innovation District" but instead is what the area was originally called. Just curious because OKC seems to always jump on the bandwagon with district this or district that naming conventions based on current use often without preserving the HISTORY of the area inspite of it;'s current use - ie: Core2Shore (Union District - I like this better tho), Arts District, Convention District, insert next big buzz word "district".

I'd like to see OKC's new Innovation District remain named Oklahoma Health Center.

In St. Louis, there are two innovation districts. One is called "Cortex" and the other is "39 North" (a nod to the latitude). Cortex seems to be traditional tech/health sciences and 39 North is agriculture/agtech.

[Pete]

If I just missed it, please redirect me to the info. But,

What is the total estimated budget?

Total square feet and sq ft. by use?

Since it was compared to Devon it would be interesting to know how it compares in dollars of same value.

That info has yet to be released.

From the renderings it looks like the main office building (the one with the Wheeler Labs sign), the hotel to the south, then "Innovation Hall" which is the low-slung building and one more office building to the east of Stiles Circle.

Parking is through the hotel and underneath the plaza and the Wheeler Labs building. I suspect there will be another parking structure to the east, where there is currently a surface lot next to the OK Dept of Commerce building (the converted and expanded church).

I'll get out there and take some drone photos.

And my guess is the Wheeler Labs building would go first since them have a committed tenant and then hopefully the rest would follow.