Boardwalk at Bricktown / Dream Hotel

[OUGrad05]

Driving westbound on I-40, you can see Devon from the US-177 interchange just west of Shawnee, and from El Reno, driving eastbound on I-40, so this would be waaaay more visible...

I drive that regularly, I've never seen Devon tower from there, but I guess I've never looked. I'll try to check that out next week.

[_Kyle]

I just wanna remind everyone of this project here and what happened. I am very hopeful this project goes through at least partially but remembering this fiasco kinda curbs my enthusiasm.

[OUGrad05]

I just wanna remind everyone of this project here and what happened. I am very hopeful this project goes through at least partially but remembering this fiasco kinda curbs my enthusiasm.

Yeah I remember that as well. I won't take it too seriously until ground is broken.

[Urbanized]

Stillwater is in a valley, so you likely won't see it from there, unless you go outside of town to a higher elevation. An example would be near the junction of I-35 and Highway 51, especially if the Oklahoma City antenna farm can be seen from there. Towers are around 1,550 ft. Maybe some of the radio and tv station transmitters would want to move to the top of Legacy. And improve reception outside of the metro area, especially to the south.

Student housing on the north side of OSU is at a higher-than-average elevation. Perhaps the tower would be seen from the top floors.

Yes, that’s why I loaded my post up qualifiers, i.e. “…depending upon corresponding elevations and elimination of visual obstructions..”

I just wanna remind everyone of this project here and what happened. I am very hopeful this project goes through at least partially but remembering this fiasco kinda curbs my enthusiasm.

And that’s why I described the tower as “currently fictitious.”

I do believe the first phase happens, FWIW. I’ve been talking with some of the people involved in this project from the outset. The people here are for real. The supertall, who knows…

[OUGrad05]

Yes, that’s why I loaded my post up qualifiers, i.e. “…depending upon corresponding elevations and elimination of visual obstructions..”


And that’s why I described the tower as “currently fictitious.”

I do believe the first phase happens, FWIW. I’ve been talking with some of the people involved in this project from the outset. The people here are for real. The supertall, who knows…

Yeah I think it's highly likely a 2 or 3 tower space gets built. Honestly I'd like something a little taller than planned even if that means two towers simply to help balance DVN. We need something in between Bancfirst and DVN in height. The discrepancy there is pretty dramatic.

But that's unlikely for this project. We need Chevron to move their HQ to OKC...well that's probably unlikely too lol.

[mugofbeer]

Or Chase bank .....

[Jeepnokc]

Made national news. Mostly rehash and ends with OKC isn't ready for this.

https://www.cnn.com/2024/01/27/inves...ity/index.html

[Teo9969]

I just wanna remind everyone of this project here and what happened. I am very hopeful this project goes through at least partially but remembering this fiasco kinda curbs my enthusiasm.

These buildings were so freaking beautiful. I really hope someone pays OGE for those plans and plops them down on any of the blocks that front either MBG or Scissortail.

[Tyson]

Still one of the biggest disappointments for me. I want buildings wrapping around all sides of the Myriad so badly.

[bchris02]

I just wanna remind everyone of this project here and what happened. I am very hopeful this project goes through at least partially but remembering this fiasco kinda curbs my enthusiasm.

The biggest OKC development dissappointment of the 2010s. When that was announced, the developer and the city were pretty confident that at least one of the towers would get built. The other three were more aspirational. In hindsight, it appears that rendering may have simply been a means to quiet public opposition to the demolition of the Stage Center.

[bchris02]

If I've learned anything about urban development from following this forum for well over a decade, it's that you should always presume a development may not happen or will be scaled back. It happens all the time. I think the chances of this super tall happening are very, very small. I'm just hopeful the other towers happen, which is not at all a sure thing.

If everything in the development happens EXCEPT for the supertall, that will still be a huge win for OKC and the kind of development that's been missing in downtown.

[jn1780]

This was on the front page of CNN today.

[Laramie]

I just wanna remind everyone of this project here and what happened. I am very hopeful this project goes through at least partially but remembering this fiasco kinda curbs my enthusiasm.

I remember when Pete posted that Clayco were in over their heads with that project.

[bison34]

I remember when Pete posted that Clayco were in over their heads with that project.

He hasn't said the same about the current project. Sure, he doubts the super tall tower, but the rest, he is optimistic on. Matteson Capital is a VERY competent group with numerous large projects to their name.

[OUGrad05]

If everything in the development happens EXCEPT for the supertall, that will still be a huge win for OKC and the kind of development that's been missing in downtown.

I agree 100% with this. Even if we only get a 2 tower version that's still a big win. Mid-rise development in OKC is still a win whether it's 1, 2 or 3 towers.

[Bunty]

Made national news. Mostly rehash and ends with OKC isn't ready for this.

https://www.cnn.com/2024/01/27/inves...ity/index.html

It said the entire development project is estimated to cost $1.6 billion, including $770 million for the tower. Compare that to the $5.5 billion dollar new refinery in Cushing.

[bison34]

I agree 100% with this. Even if we only get a 2 tower version that's still a big win. Mid-rise development in OKC is still a win whether it's 1, 2 or 3 towers.

Also, 30+ story towers are not mid-rise. Those are high-rise, especially by OKC standards.

[ChrisHayes]

Also, 30+ story towers are not mid-rise. Those are high-rise, especially by OKC standards.

I can't help but wonder what classifies as a high rise for some people. The Empire State Building or taller?

[HFAA Alum]

I can't help but wonder what classifies as a high rise for some people. The Empire State Building or taller?

As quoted from iccsafe.org: As indicated in the definition for a high-rise building in Section 202 of the 2015 International Building Code (IBC), a building is considered a high-rise when there is an “occupied floor” more than 75 feet above the lowest level of fire department vehicle access.

[ChrisHayes]

As quoted from iccsafe.org: As indicated in the definition for a high-rise building in Section 202 of the 2015 International Building Code (IBC), a building is considered a high-rise when there is an “occupied floor” more than 75 feet above the lowest level of fire department vehicle access.

Then, the way I interpret that is, any building where there's an occupied floor 75 feet or higher off the ground. You don't even need to be 10 stories up for that. I stick with the generic less than 5, 5-9, and 10+ building definitions. Less than 5 being low rise. 5-9 being mid rise. 10 or greater being a high rise. By my definition, we've had 5 high rises built in OKC since the completion of Devon. BOK Park Plaza, Omni Hotel, the hotel in Bricktown, Okana Resort's hotel, and The Citizen.

[Shortsyeararound]

I just wanna remind everyone of this project here and what happened. I am very hopeful this project goes through at least partially but remembering this fiasco kinda curbs my enthusiasm.

My wife and I were completely bummed when the Stage Center closed and then demo'd. The plans for what was to replace softened the loss, but when it fell through, we knew the rug of lies was pulled. Def felt that this was done just to get rid of SC and shut people up like BChris02 said.

[HFAA Alum]

Then, the way I interpret that is, any building where there's an occupied floor 75 feet or higher off the ground. You don't even need to be 10 stories up for that. I stick with the generic less than 5, 5-9, and 10+ building definitions. Less than 5 being low rise. 5-9 being mid rise. 10 or greater being a high rise. By my definition, we've had 5 high rises built in OKC since the completion of Devon. BOK Park Plaza, Omni Hotel, the hotel in Bricktown, Okana Resort's hotel, and The Citizen.

The OAK hotel and the Innovation District hotel both count by means of the IBC definition. And BTW, the Empire State Building is not a highrise, it's a 'supertall' by the means of the international benchmark of 300 meters (984 feet). A 'megatall' goes by the benchmark of 600 meters (1968 feet). So this proposed development barely shaves under the 'megatall' status.

That's insanity. If developers hypothetically decide to make it 1995 feet as a means to commemorate the bombing, we would have the country's first and only megatall.

[Trent Lowery]

I think by lowest level of vehicle access you're probably looking at 75' above what your tallest ladder truck with pumping apparatus can reach... in big cities that's pretty high... I used to work with guys who used a French made fire truck (fiberglass work on wind turbine blades) with 300'+ of reach. I would assume 75' above that.

as far as Oklahoma city goes, you'd have to look up what kind of trucks we have servicing the downtown area and what their reach is to service or execute entry/egress from a burning building I would say...

[_Kyle]

https://www.usatoday.com/story/money...r/72371121007/
Haha check this one out.

[LocoAko]

https://www.usatoday.com/story/money...r/72371121007/
Haha check this one out.

This snark and incredulity really represents the bulk of the response I've seen from this wave of national stories.

And using the TIF award as evidence of local optimism for the tower seems disingenuous. Wasn't that approved for the original plans that showed no such tower? I'm not saying it wouldn't have been awarded if this has been in the original plans but the logic seems reversed here.