Kimray New Headquarters

[ChrisHayes]

I do contract security at American Fidelity on Classes. I've heard the second tower rumor as well. If they want all their employees to work up on Britton they'll need a second tower. Not to mention they're a growing company

[Pete]

As I mentioned, they already have a building permit for a second parking structure so that's a pretty clear indication they want to add more office space.

Another growing OKC company that pays well and takes good care of its employees.

[mkjeeves]

As I mentioned, they already have a building permit for a second parking structure so that's a pretty clear indication they want to add more office space.

Another growing OKC company that pays well and takes good care of its employees.

Exactly. We were discussing the parking garage when a second tower was brought up with a wink wink. Yes, they have plans to do something and are moving in that direction.

[ChrisHayes]

They have floors 8 and 9 complete and the 12th is almost done. On Classen, people are being shuffled around and another tenant will soon be moving into the south building where an engineering firm moved in early this year.

[bchris02]

New development will bring thousands of new workers to northeast OKC | News OK

[theanvil]

Is there anything new on this? I drove by recently and nothing has changed since they put up their "Future Home of Kimray" sign several months ago.

[ljbab728]

Kimray offers buyouts to all 700 employees | News OK

Oilfield equipment manufacturer Kimray Inc. on Thursday began offering employees a voluntary buyout as part of its efforts to cut costs during the ongoing oil price slump.
The offer was made to all 700 employees at the company's Oklahoma City headquarters. Employees have 45 days to decide whether to accept the offer. Accepting employees will receive $5,000, up to two months of health insurance coverage and help with resume building and other job-placement skills.

[dcsooner]

Kimray offers buyouts to all 700 employees | News OK

Sad news for all. OKC will never overcome its boom and bust cycles relying so heavily on the oil sector. You would think leaders would put on a full court press to attract other varied job category's to try and offset these petroleum downturns

[jn1780]

Is there anything new on this? I drove by recently and nothing has changed since they put up their "Future Home of Kimray" sign several months ago.

I guess the latest news answers your question.

[bradh]

You would think leaders would put on a full court press to attract other varied job category's to try and offset these petroleum downturns

This is such an ignorant statement. People love to bash the chamber but they spend a lot of effort on this.

[bchris02]

Sad news for all. OKC will never overcome its boom and bust cycles relying so heavily on the oil sector. You would think leaders would put on a full court press to attract other varied job category's to try and offset these petroleum downturns

Oklahoma City is diverse enough to avoid the worst of the bust cycle. The worst of the 1980s bust was tied to Penn Square Bank, not oil prices. However, you are right that most of the economic growth and the momentum forward in OKC comes from the oil & gas industry. The other industries (defense, healthcare, etc) simply give the local economy cushion during oil bust cycles. Hopefully oil prices stabilize between $60 and $90. That seems to be the sweet spot for oil companies to make a profit but its still cheap enough that it doesn't break the back of the American consumer.

[mugofbeer]

Penn Square Bank AND THE FDIC were more of the reason for the last bust than oil prices. The FDIC came in with such disdain and arrogance, they had no care for what their actions did to the economy. In all fairness, if they had to do it again I bet they would handle differently. I just hope there is some rebound and stability in prices soon to allow these companies to stay in business.

[Spartan]

This is such an ignorant statement. People love to bash the chamber but they spend a lot of effort on this.

Not all effort is equal.

The state still does a lot to bend over backwards for the oil industry.

We also nearly gave up a rural corner of OKC not yet transformed into sprawl wasteland, for the sake of maybe some jobs. We need to be more proactive at encouraging economic development in the central city, over and above incentivizing more sprawl for no reason.

Tax credits and abatements for:

Kimray, Paycom, American Fidelity, Boeing, Tinker, Gulfport, Chesapeake, Love's, basically all new retail TIFs, and more have been going to the burbs.

[bradh]

Not all effort is equal.

The state still does a lot to bend over backwards for the oil industry.

We also nearly gave up a rural corner of OKC not yet transformed into sprawl wasteland, for the sake of maybe some jobs. We need to be more proactive at encouraging economic development in the central city, over and above incentivizing more sprawl for no reason.

Tax credits and abatements for:

Kimray, Paycom, American Fidelity, Boeing, Tinker, Gulfport, Chesapeake, Love's, basically all new retail TIFs, and more have been going to the burbs.

i just get tired of people crying "we aren't trying to diversify" when it's a fallacy, but if you have to be right for the sake of arguing you win.

[hoya]

Diversifying an economy is hard. Everybody wants to be diverse. But one of the best ways to attract new business to a city is to have a successful community of the same type of business. That's why Houston gets so many oil companies. It's why New York gets so many financial companies. It's why all the movie studios are in Hollywood. It is why cities tend to specialize in one or two areas. Because diversifying an economy is hard.

We should really push for more defense-related businesses. Boeing and the like are probably the easiest non-oil companies to lure to OKC.

[Spartan]

Of course location quotient informs a lot of that, including where development is concentrated, as well as where there is more opportunity for expansion. OKC has a much lower than avg IT presence for instance.

The realty about the Chamber is that it is very different depending on its board makeup. Back when Fred Hall was chairman, the Chamber really was pursuing diversification. Which makes the oil guys feel sad. When they took over many of Hall's priorities became a laughing stock.

[Pete]

Kimray moving forward with new headquarters

Kimray announced in early 2014 they planned to move their operations and headquarters to 136 acres at Britton Road and Eastern Avenue.




Those plans were later put on hold and the company performed wide-sweeping layoffs that resulted in a ten percent reduction in their then 700-employee workforce.

Now, the manufacturer of oil and gas equipment is once again moving forward with plans for an elaborate new campus to include professional offices, a sales office and a manufacturing plant.

The company purchased the undeveloped land from Aubrey McClendon in June 2014 for $2.312 million.




As previously announced in a press release, Kimray had recreated a plan to relocate from its current location at 52 Nw 42nd and consolidate their facilities which currently span 20 acres and multiple buildings between I-235 and Santa Fe Avenue.

The new plans represent a significant departure from what had been originally proposed, with their primary building being moved further to the north and west rather than built near the intersection.

The change also includes the addition of ponds, fountains and extensive landscaping with the ability to expand their main sturcture and add other buildings on the campus.






Tom Hill, Kimray's Chairman and CEO, had said in a previous press release, “Very few companies have the opportunity to design their ideal space for the future and also impact a new area of the community in a positive way. We are excited for this change and what it will mean for our employees, customers and community.”

The project architect is REES.

[Plutonic Panda]

This is great! I like this better than the first proposal. I hope it happens this time.

[Pete]

This is great! I like this better than the first proposal. I hope it happens this time.

They already have a contractor. It seems to be a go.

136 acres! That's nearly a full quarter section.

[Plutonic Panda]

They already have a contractor. It seems to be a go.

136 acres! That's nearly a full quarter section.

Will they be starting on the infrastructure for the pad sites or will that wait until their HQ is built.

[Pete]

^

Second image from bottom shows what they will build first.

[Plutonic Panda]

Okay I understand. Good deal. This could potentially be a catalyst that gets that entire area in that ring of freeways to take off with development. This is exciting. Thank you for posting this among the other updates that were revealed.

[ChrisHayes]

I was wondering if Kimray would ever build it's new headquarters, so I'm glad to see this going forward. As Plupan stated, this is much better than the original proposal. And also has he stated, I hope this is a spur for much more development in the huge swath of open land up there. Hopefully a lot more commerical/industrial rather than residential.

[Plutonic Panda]

This would be cool if this area turned into a nice industrial park. OKC needs a nicer higher end industrial park rather than the random clusters that are really shoddy or the just strung out along its freeways.

[OKC Guy]

So, I wonder what happens with the current 20 acre site? Its in a prime location with regards to downtown/capitol?

I like the new design.