OU Projects

[bombermwc]

How are the new dorms going?

[Pete]

How are the new dorms going?

The north building has topped out and they have started to close it in.

The south building is still just a pit with a big crane.

[FighttheGoodFight]

How are the new dorms going?

You can also see the construction from the cams they have set up

http://ou.digicamstaging.com/sites/7...d2VXh7IfcXyLSA

http://ou.digicamstaging.com/sites/7..._id=85&v2=true

[bombermwc]

Thanks for those links!

I wonder why they have a webcam looking at the roof of the physics building???

Anyone else know what they're doing in the plaza outside the south endzone? Looks like they ripped out all the landscaping.

[The]

Those are not current views. Look at the Gallogly one - that’s from construction.

[FighttheGoodFight]

Thanks for those links!

I wonder why they have a webcam looking at the roof of the physics building???

Anyone else know what they're doing in the plaza outside the south endzone? Looks like they ripped out all the landscaping.

Yes all the other cams are very old. Shows the date on them. They end when construction ends on the projects.

[jonblatho]

It could be nothing but OU cut down a few trees on the lot SE of LNC. They left the trees along the road but cut ones in the middle of field.

Attachment 18800Attachment 18801

I guess it depends on your definition of "nothing." It won't be a building but rather some Mesonet research equipment.

[BG918]

When does OU plan to demolish Walker Center and start work on the second phase of the Freshman Residence Hall Master Plan? The current residence halls under construction will be finished in fall 2025. The third phase would replace Couch Center along with the Couch Cafeteria. A fourth and final phase would replace Cate Center.

I've heard there are two large student housing companies looking at sites along Boyd near Campus Corner to build new student apartment buildings ranging from 5-7 stories.

[Pete]

The tower replacement is supposed to be done on a rolling basis.

Once the two buildings on the site of Adams are finished, I believe they will tear down the next tower and embark on a similar construction program. I'm not convinced the south replacement building will be finished by fall of 2025... For some very odd reason it's nothing but a muddy pit and has been that way for about 6 months, while the north building is already having the windows installed.

OU has its largest enrollment and all freshmen are required to live on campus, so without the new Cross Center they couldn't keep demolishing existing housing.

I loved living in Walker Tower but it was pretty grim way back in the late 70s; now it's completely unacceptable. These replacements can't happen soon enough.

[Urbanized]

I never lived in Walker, but I do have some great mid-late 80s memories in that building, some of which were only possible thanks to RAs completely falling down on the job.

[Rover]

The tower replacement is supposed to be done on a rolling basis.

Once the two buildings on the site of Adams are finished, I believe they will tear down the next tower and embark on a similar construction program. I'm not convinced the south replacement building will be finished by fall of 2025... For some very odd reason it's nothing but a muddy pit and has been that way for about 6 months, while the north building is already having the windows installed.

OU has its largest enrollment and all freshmen are required to live on campus, so without the new Cross Center they couldn't keep demolishing existing housing.

I loved living in Walker Tower but it was pretty grim way back in the late 70s; now it's completely unacceptable. These replacements can't happen soon enough.

Yep. Lived in Walker in 71-72 when it was firebombed. Was pretty basic dorm then.

[Martin]

several of my friends lived in walker in the mid 90's... whenever i'd visit, it felt like going into a prison. from that standpoint, i definitely didn't regret choosing to live with my folks during those years.

[FighttheGoodFight]

I have great memories from Walker. It was a dump but I loved it. This new living will attract more students to possibly stay on campus post freshmen year, which I assume is the plan.

I have heard OU was looking to sell off Traditions to a private company. Not sure if that is still going forward or not.

[Pete]

Just read that the south building on the Adams site isn't planning to open until 2026, so I'm sure no other tower will be demoed until it is open for business.

[OkieBerto]

From the Mackey Mitchell Architects LinkedIn Account. "New student housing is on the rise at the University of Oklahoma! Our team recently toured the progress on the first new residence hall in a multi-phase project that reimagines OU’s first-year housing experience. The north residence hall will offer pod-style living for 559 students with vibrant spaces designed to support students academically and socially, including study lounges, community kitchens, multipurpose and recreation areas, and a coffee shop. The outdoor space is envisioned as a shared outdoor living room, offering flexibility for large campus gatherings as well as smaller spontaneous activities. Once complete, the new first-year village will establish a connected housing neighborhood for over 2,000 students, fostering belonging and inclusivity, which is crucial for student attraction, retention, and academic success. The project is being designed in collaboration with Oklahoma-based ADG Blatt and OLIN."

1718977433839.jpg 1718977432791.jpg

https://www.mackeymitchell.com/proje...using-phase-i/

[OkieBerto]

Duplicate. The site seems very slow right now.

[Pete]

^

Interesting that it says 2,000 students, because the two buildings on the Adams site alone will accommodate about 1,100.

If Walker is replaced in the same way, that would be around 2,200 students. Perhaps they are planning to do something else with Couch?

[OkieBerto]

^

Interesting that it says 2,000 students, because the two buildings on the Adams site alone will accommodate about 1,100.

If Walker is replaced in the same way, that would be around 2,200 students. Perhaps they are planning to do something else with Couch?

In this rendering they posted it looks like Couch is in the background. I might be wrong though.

1718977434999.jpg

[BoulderSooner]

In this rendering they posted it looks like Couch is in the background. I might be wrong though.

1718977434999.jpg

the couch site is not in the image you posted (it would be at the top right out of frame)

[Pete]

Yes, this rendering does not show Couch but it does show a couple of interesting things: 1) Walker would be replaced by 3 buildings; and 2) the dorm at the southeast corner of Cate Center would be demolished:

[FighttheGoodFight]

Yes, this rendering does not show Couch but it does show a couple of interesting things: 1) Walker would be replaced by 3 buildings; and 2) the dorm at the southeast corner of Cate Center would be demolished

The road there looks to also be taken out. (Hoover/1st Street that goes in front of Adams/Walker between CATE.)

[BimmerSooner]

Thanks for posting that, Pete. I had not seen this before.

Man, I wish they would take out all of the old Cate buildings. Just not any curb appeal whatsoever driving through arguably the most important thoroughfare through campus. I know they are not dorms anymore, but nevertheless, something that makes a more impressive drive. I've long dreamed of a long stretch of buildings replacing those that are like residential colleges of Dunham and Headington. I personally think that would look incredible.

[FighttheGoodFight]

Thanks for posting that, Pete. I had not seen this before.

Man, I wish they would take out all of the old Cate buildings. Just not any curb appeal whatsoever driving through arguably the most important thoroughfare through campus. I know they are not dorms anymore, but nevertheless, something that makes a more impressive drive. I've long dreamed of a long stretch of buildings replacing those that are like residential colleges of Dunham and Headington. I personally think that would look incredible.

A lot of them are at full capacity with either office space or classrooms. Classroom space on campus is pretty much at full capacity for both semesters now. Same with office space. They probably need to expand some campus academic buildings but that doesn't look to be in the plans right now

[BG918]

I remember discussing future OU residence hall plans back when I was there in the mid-00’s. Extending the green space defined by the South Oval was a key design element to link this residential neighborhood to the campus north of Lindsey. Good to see that is still the case.

The rendering doesn’t show it but I’ve heard Cate will also be fully replaced after they replace the towers. We had discussed potentially having that project be more mixed-use with student-oriented restaurants and retail fronting Lindsey -similar to what Stubbeman Village used to be. Hopefully that happens and they can get a small convenience/drug store like CVS or Walgreens to open on the ground floor along with a coffee shop, etc

[Rover]

several of my friends lived in walker in the mid 90's... whenever i'd visit, it felt like going into a prison. from that standpoint, i definitely didn't regret choosing to live with my folks during those years.

I would have missed out to not live in the dorm. Met lifelong friends. After 50 years I'm still close with my Walker Tower roommates and others in the dorm. Like anywhere, it's the people who make the experience, not the fancy furniture or color of the walls. We didn't have the expectations of the ambiance and decor that it seems kids (or their parents) now demand. It certainly didn't feel like prison living there.... unless it was the jail in Animal House. LOL. Good times. Great memories.