Midtown

[mheaton76]

I live in one they just finished on 12th and Classen - I totally love it...

[wsucougz]

Received another update:

Construction recently began on the historical renovation of Hadden Hall located at 215 NW 10th. Originally built in 1911, Hadden Hall will house 18 new 1bd/1ba luxury apartment units varying in size from 581 SF to 724 SF. This project will feature the high quality of finishes that you have come to expect from Midtown Renaissance! Construction is expected to be complete in December 2010. Monthly rents at this property will range from $700 - $1000.

[jbrown84]

Clearly they haven't dropped the Midtown Renaissance moniker as previously reported.

[Architect2010]

No. I don't believe they ever did. I just think it was assumed as much because Banta's name was on the Renaissance banners they had hung up on the various buildings. When he withdrew, the signs came down as well and that kind of gave the illusion of the moniker disappearing with Banta. Their site also features the 'Renaissance' name.Midtownr.com.

[jbrown84]

Hmm. They used to have a much flashier site. Also Flash-ier.

[soonerhcf]

Have you guys heard about the Plaza Court retail competition? This morning I was watching Rise and Shine Oklahoma on KAUT 43 (Hey Ali Meyer), and Mickey Clagg was on talking about this. Sounds like a cool deal.
http://midtownr.com/Contest.aspx

[CuatrodeMayo]

That's hilarious. They are trying to make filling a long-vacant storefront a "competition".

I guess the optical place next door won the last "competition".

The Midtown real estate market is so hot right now, businesses are having to "compete" for spaces? Yea right.

#lame

[BoulderSooner]

That's hilarious. They are trying to make filling a long-vacant storefront a "competition".

I guess the optical place next door won the last "competition".

The Midtown real estate market is so hot right now, businesses are having to "compete" for spaces? Yea right.

#lame

the competition part is a free year of Rent ..

[CuatrodeMayo]

But you have sign a 3-year lease.

[soonerhcf]

4th of May: If you owned a retail business or wanted to start a retail business and you could locate/relocate to a high-visibility, high-traffic location and receive 1 yr of free rent, you'd probably jump at the opportunity. Just think, you could open up a wheel shop and sell those cool spinners that you seem to be so fond of. That 1 yr of free rent is worth more than $15,000. You could buy 3 or 4 more sets of spinners with that kind of money.

All the buildings that Midtown Renaissance has completed have great occupancies, including their apartments. My lease at Park Harvey is up in Sept and I called Midtown Renaissance and they have all but one of their apartments rented. Sounds like they're doing OK.

[MIKELS129]

For that small a space that is extremely high rent. That is why it has not leased. Very few businesses except a restaurant can afford that.

[flintysooner]

For that small a space that is extremely high rent. That is why it has not leased. Very few businesses except a restaurant ccan afford that.

$12 per sf does not seem terribly high for a retail space.

[khook]

when they were talking about class A downtown being $15 during the sandridge discussion hmm I guess retail is not priced much below....

[HOT ROD]

im sure it's not $15.00 psf now for downtown class A space. ...

[flintysooner]

im sure it's not $15.00 psf now for downtown class A space. ...

The Price Edwards 2010 Mid-year office report shows CBD Class A at $17.68 with 14% vacancy. The rate was unchanged from 2009 but the vacancy rate actually declined from 14.2% in 2009. Just a cursory reading though shows that the more desirable office space is not in the CBD.

In the Mid-year retail report there is no CBD area for rather obvious reasons and the Mid-town area is not really the same meant in this discussion. Retail class designations are different as well.

[Rover]

We are absurdly spoiled with low rates in this city. $12 is low. No wonder no one wants to build new space or pay to renovate if people think $12 is high.

[bluedogok]

We are absurdly spoiled with low rates in this city. $12 is low. No wonder no one wants to build new space or pay to renovate if people think $12 is high.

Yep, our space in Northwest Austin is close to $30.00/SF, older Class B space is around $16-18/SF and Class C is in the 10-12 range. Office/Industrial is the only stuff under $10/SF. Much of it depends on how much space you are looking as you can find pockets of lower rates depending upon the space you require so it varies greatly.

Here is a space available for sublease that our interiors department did.

[CuatrodeMayo]

4th of May: If you owned a retail business or wanted to start a retail business and you could locate/relocate to a high-visibility, high-traffic location and receive 1 yr of free rent, you'd probably jump at the opportunity. Just think, you could open up a wheel shop and sell those cool spinners that you seem to be so fond of. That 1 yr of free rent is worth more than $15,000. You could buy 3 or 4 more sets of spinners with that kind of money.

All the buildings that Midtown Renaissance has completed have great occupancies, including their apartments. My lease at Park Harvey is up in Sept and I called Midtown Renaissance and they have all but one of their apartments rented. Sounds like they're doing OK.

B+ on using condescension. Well done.

If the space is that great, then it should have been off the market years ago. A year of free rent is all fine and dandy, but call it for what it is: the same tactic seedy apartment complexes use to fill roach-laden units, not a "competition".

[Rover]

I applaud them for actively trying to fill their space and bring businesses into the area. The criticism here to call it seedy is just the same inane criticism we see anytime anybody tries anything. People seem to criticize EVERYTHING. I guess it is easier to act superior on a web posting than to actually go be productive. These people invested in the neigborhood, have taken a run down building and made it an anchor, and are doing whatever they can to fill it......and yet some people STILL have to criticize. LOL.

[CuatrodeMayo]

My point is that it is misleading, that is all.

[soonerhcf]

4th of May: I'm glad you liked my condescension.

If your point is that the free rent "competition" is misleading, why must you say/imply so much other negativity?

Those guys have done a great job with that area of town and nowhere in your posts do you ever acknowledge that. NegativeNancy would be a better user name for you.

[jbrown84]

4th of May:

You must be Randy Terrill.

[Spartan]

I missed this place.

[warreng88]

Rooftop garden provides fertile ground for community growth
By April Wilkerson

OKLAHOMA CITY – The line between the indoors and the outdoors has become a little more blurred, thanks to a new space atop an Automobile Alley building.

A recently completed rooftop patio and garden, the brainchild of Steve Mason of Mason Realty and Cardinal Engineering, brings green space to the area and a sense of community to those who frequent it. That’s just what Mason ordered.

“What’s happening in Automobile Alley and the town is that we have a community that is building and growing,” Mason said. “A vibrant community has a lot of facets, and one part of it is green spaces.”

The rooftop patio and garden is atop the building that Rawhide occupies at 1007 N. Broadway. The area has benches, chaise lounges and other furniture, along with a bar area. Landscaping is a prominent piece of the design, with Mexican sedum, ice plants and feather grass, and part of the area is garden space, complete with irrigation.

“Next summer, we’ll be growing tomatoes,” Mason said.

The architect for the project was the Office of James Burnett in Houston, which also works with Mason on Project 180. Jereck Boss, principal, said he was excited to be a part of something new and unique to Oklahoma City. The clean lines of the architecture were designed to blend with the landscaping, he said, and the space invites camaraderie.

“As we continue to see city projects and as people have more interest in being connected with the outdoors and with landscaping, and as land prices start to be more expensive, we’re maximizing all of the opportunities associated with properties and projects,” Boss said. “It provides a great amenity to people.”

The technology associated with a rooftop garden has become more sophisticated and proven, Boss said, so people are increasingly comfortable with putting volumes of dirt, irrigation and plants on a rooftop without fear of leaking.

Mason said the rooftop garden provides a different feel than the Oklahoma City Museum of Art rooftop space because of the elevation. Because it’s higher, the museum patio provides a vista view, he said, while his area is closer to street level, so people feel immersed in the city.

Mason said the space is mostly for people who work in his buildings – there’s Wi-Fi available for laptop productivity while catching some rays – and he anticipates nonprofit organizations using the rooftop for events.

“Right now, there’s a nice breeze out there around 9 at night,” he said. “In another month, it will be beautiful out there.”

[jbrown84]

Very cool. I'm a big fan of OJB. They are all great guys too. I imagine they will continue to get a lot of work in the city, especially after the gardens are done.