Civic Center

[Spartan]

Wait, what "extra MAPS 3 funds?"

Am I missing something?

[FritterGirl]

Wait, what "extra MAPS 3 funds?"

Am I missing something?

Incorrect information on News9's part. Funding sources need to be investigated, with possibilities including private funding mechanisms via the Civic Center Foundation, as well as potential public funds from future Bond and/or other prospective MAPS initiatives, if there are any. Funding has not at all been identified.

[Pete]

Someone's quick on the photo trigger there, Pete! ;-)

So sorry for not giving you proper photo cred!!

[jn1780]

Wait, what "extra MAPS 3 funds?"

Am I missing something?

Yeah, there's a .001 chance Maps 3 comes under budget. lol

[Larry OKC]

The only way there will be "excess MAPS 3 funds" is if they divert the money away from some of the other projects.

[kevinpate]

The only way there will be "excess MAPS 3 funds" is if they divert the money away from some of the other projects.

or collections outpace expectations and existing budgets

[HOT ROD]

from which they should build all projects to their original budgets and renderings FIRST, then maybe expand/enhance a project or two. Then and only then could they discuss external projects.

Im all for civic center improvement and I love what they are proposing, but I want maps3 done right first, with no cutbacks!

[Larry OKC]

kevinpate: you do have a valid point. As far as I know revenues have far exceeded projections (until just recently). however, costs and "mistakes" ($40 million plus just on the Trails) have more than eliminated any revenue increases.

Hot Rod: agree completely!

[Architect2010]

kevinpate: you do have a valid point. As far as I know revenues have far exceeded projections (until just recently). however, costs and "mistakes" ($40 million plus just on the Trails) have more than eliminated any revenue increases.

Hopefully I'm reading your post right, but when did we lose $40 million on the trails due to a mistake? How?

On edit: Sorry, not attempting to derail the thread at all.

[OKCisOK4me]

This will be exceptional for the Civic Center. I know a lot of people that will be ecstatic about these renovations and add ons. I, for one, hope the Hall of Mirrors will eventually receive an update. We do bridal shows in there all the time and it is stuck in the 1970s while the rest of the venue is rather new.

[FritterGirl]

This will be exceptional for the Civic Center. I know a lot of people that will be ecstatic about these renovations and add ons. I, for one, hope the Hall of Mirrors will eventually receive an update. We do bridal shows in there all the time and it is stuck in the 1970s while the rest of the venue is rather new.

With the exception of the gray curtains on the north wall (yes, those were part of a botched reno job in the early eighties), the entire Hall of Mirrors is more or less original to the 1937 Art Deco design from when the building itself was constructed. The parquet wood floors are newer, but the stage, all of the chandeliers, wall sconces, wooden doors, window frames and mirrors are from the 1930s. Even the (newer) paint colors are original to the era. The hall is historic and its charm lies in its original Art Deco touches. There's even a mirror in the far southwest corner (again, original to the building) that was cracked from the force of the Murrah Building blast that will likely not be replaced because of its significance. There is a place and time to renovate good things, and then there are things that should remain as they are. The Hall of Mirrors falls into the latter category.

[Larry OKC]

Architect2010: so as not to ruffle someone's feathers, I will respond in a PM

[Praedura]

Skyline panoramic (view from Civic Center) by Josh DeLozier



Source: Oklahoma City Panoramics by Josh DeLozier | PANORAMICS

[KenRagsdale]

First rate photo art, DeLozier.

[traxx]

I wish they'd do something to the seating in the main theater. I know that when they re-did it as a part of MAPS it was supposed to be an improvement but the upper balcony part is worse.

I decided to do something different and a little more grown up for my oldest son's birthday last year and took him to see Les Miserbles. For reasons I won't go into here, we ended up with seats in the upper balcony. I felt like I was sitting on top of the Devon tower watching ants run around on stage. Maybe my memory is fuzzy, but i thought the view from the balcony was better before the renovation. Couple that with the fact that the production doesn't use the revolving stage anymore and it made for a crappy first time theater experience for my son.

[Rover]

I believe the balcony seats are now closer and the sound is definitely better than it was. The acoustics throughout are much better.

Not sure about a revolving stage as a permanent fixture, but I am not sure it limits any shows that want to come there. Can't think of a single Broadway theater with a permanent revolving stage. It isn't necessary for the Philharmonic, and I doubt the ballet. If the remodel cost us a revolving stage it sure hasn't cost us any shows.

The renewal for Broadway Series and Lyric are great compared to almost any city, so I guess most people don't think of the theater as "crappy". And, as in most every theater, the cheaper seats aren't the best anyway.

[Teo9969]

I wish they'd do something to the seating in the main theater. I know that when they re-did it as a part of MAPS it was supposed to be an improvement but the upper balcony part is worse.

I decided to do something different and a little more grown up for my oldest son's birthday last year and took him to see Les Miserbles. For reasons I won't go into here, we ended up with seats in the upper balcony. I felt like I was sitting on top of the Devon tower watching ants run around on stage. Maybe my memory is fuzzy, but i thought the view from the balcony was better before the renovation. Couple that with the fact that the production doesn't use the revolving stage anymore and it made for a crappy first time theater experience for my son.

1. It's primarily an orchestra hall…definitely not a theater/opera hall

2. You can't blame a poor experience on a venue. Furthermore it was the productions choice not to use a revolving stage, not the venue's.

3. Sorry you got bad seats…regardless of your reasons, you had the worst seats in the house…and should have adjusted expectations going in. I'm wary of your "reasons I won't go into here"…If you chose the seats, you chose the seats.

4. There were no improvements to the Upper Balcony, because the Balcony didn't exist, as seen in the below picture.

[traxx]

1. It's primarily an orchestra hall…definitely not a theater/opera hall. But it is a catch all for most large touring shows that come through.

2. You can't blame a poor experience on a venue. Furthermore it was the productions choice not to use a revolving stage, not the venue's. Understood, as I said in my post that the production didn't use the revolving stage. I thought it was a poor choice by the production company.

3. Sorry you got bad seats…regardless of your reasons, you had the worst seats in the house…and should have adjusted expectations going in. I'm wary of your "reasons I won't go into here"…If you chose the seats, you chose the seats. I knew that they had presales for preferred Civic Center customers but I was on the website to get the best seats I could when they were available. I waited and kept refreshing and nothing happened. I called the box office and it was finally explained to me that you had to click a link which took you to another site and then you had to click another link that opened a new window etc. etc. All that to say, it was a convoluted way to run a ticket buying website and by the time I got to where I needed to be, the upper balcony was all that was left.

4. There were no improvements to the Upper Balcony, because the Balcony didn't exist, as seen in the below picture.There was a balcony in the old Civic center but there wasn't an upper balcony.I just figured if the city was going to spend that MAPS money improving the Civic Center, then they would want there to be nary a bad seat in the house. The upper balcony was built with out any regard to what one could see on the stage.

See responses above.

[warreng88]

When can we expect something on this to happen? Is there a timeline for which projects come in what order? I am curious as to how this will affect Lyric's summer season in the future years.

[Pete]

Remember that last year there was a $200K study done to identify improvements and enhancements?

Reviewing the 2015-2019 capital plan for OKC Parks & Rec there is a $43 million line item for this project.

Would done jointly with the CCHM Foundation and funding has yet to be identified, but it looks like the plan is to get this done in the next few years (more plans and renderings in the article at the top of the page):

[ChaseDweller]

I hope they get to the phase involving the Freede Little theater. We need a smaller traditional proscenium stage space in downtown OKC.

[Snowman]

I hope they get to the phase involving the Freede Little theater. We need a smaller traditional proscenium stage space in downtown OKC.

Didn't they announce a year or two ago they were going to be renovating that?

edit: http://kfor.com/2013/07/31/renovatio...lion-pricetag/

[ljbab728]

I went to a performance tonight at the Freede Little Theater. It was the first time I've been in there and they can't get it renovated quickly enough. The play was great but that theater is an embarrassment. One thing that will have to be addressed in a renovation is handicap access. Unless there is something I missed. there is no way to enter the theater without going up stairs.

[Pete]

Doing a lunch time jazz thing today in the park.

I mentioned this in another thread but spending some time at that park yesterday made me really appreciate it. The trees are already maturing nicely and in a few years will make most forget about the ones that were cut down.

Plus, the park itself is just so much nicer and lends itself to many more activities.

[okatty]

The Celebrity Attractions Broadway season starts tomorrow night with A Christmas Story. I guess the big news though is that CA was not renewed at the CC after almost 25 years. We are season subscribers and just get the mailing info but have no knowlege of the issues or decisions that led to this. This season includes Jersey Boys, Kinky Boots, Cinderella and Bullets over Broadway with some added/special shows - Beauty and the Beast and Mamma Mia. Also a Blue Man shows in April.