OG&E Tower

[shawnw]

Rainey Williams owns the site. That's done. He can now do with the site, for the most part, as he wishes. If he wanted, he could probably tear down stage center, and then build a replica of stage center that wouldn't leak. Would probably be cheaper than actually fixing stage center. That said, he's building $100M tower (and then some). OG&E has probably signed some good faith agreement to be his primary tenant. There's no bidding process at this point, short of OG&E scrapping their plans and Rainey finding a different tenant, but there's still no bidding involved in that case.

[bchris02]

First of all, it was Rainey Williams that bought the property, not OG&E.

And secondly, the foundation that owns Stage Center said their selection of purchaser was based on a lot of factors, not necessarily the highest bid.

I am sure that is the case. At the time Rainey Williams won the bid, it wouldn't surprise me if he was promising a much bigger development than we are currently seeing. It's doubtful he would have used "world class" to describe this. He also wouldn't have said "at least 20 floors" if the original plan was a 14-story tower. There also has to be a reason that the intention to build a tower was originally announced last summer but we are just now, six months later, seeing a rendering after numerous delays. It only makes sense that there were some big changes to the proposal between July and today.

This isn't the exact same thing, but Randy Hogan won the bid for Lower Bricktown based on very different plans compared to what actually was built.

[PWitty]

First of all, it was Rainey Williams that bought the property, not OG&E.

And secondly, the foundation that owns Stage Center said their selection of purchaser was based on a lot of factors, not necessarily the highest bid.

Yeah, I understand that Williams owns the site. But I've seen several people talk as if he was bidding on behalf of OG&E, as a major anchor, all along.

I was just thinking that if there was really any BIG developers/developments interested in the site, then you would think they would have been able to outbid someone who was only planning something along the lines of a $100 million development.

[catcherinthewry]

And we should be absolutely intolerant to such horrible ideas.

I can't believe you're actually defending the idea of a grass lot in the middle of the CBD. Were it not for decorum, I assure you I'd happily be even more vulgar toward such an idea.

It wasn't me defending the grass lot. If you check the Stage Center, I advocated any better use. I don't think a grass lot is better use but I may have suggested that a two-story McDonald's would be.

[sgt. pepper]

no

[sgt. pepper]

what would be great at this point, is if OGE demolished the stage center, then took their multimillion dollar project, and the second possible tower with its tenant and built a 50 story building in Tulsa instead, citing citizen disapproval as their reason.

I don't know it that would be great, but ONG did move their headquarters from OKC to Tulsa in the twenties....so it could happen I guess.

[td25er]

We are trading the ugliest building in the city for an aesthetically pleasing building. I also agree a grass lot would have been been an improvement over that eye sore. Some people are just complainers.

[Just the facts]

It's not about the height, it's about the amount of square footage required for the building. With such a long horizontal footprint, it more than likely cost a lot less to build wide than tall. What's restricting the height is the 3 plus acres available to build on.

If it was me I would have subdivided the land and built on a small portion of it. He could have made a profit on the land by selling it off in smaller pieces. In fact, the Oklahoma Foundation should have done that themselves. They could have sold this place for 5X more if they had broken it up.

[BDP]

If it was me I would have subdivided the land and built on a small portion of it. He could have made a profit on the land by selling it off in smaller pieces. In fact, the Oklahoma Foundation should have done that themselves. They could have sold this place for 5X more if they had broken it up.

That's a good point. And doing so may have helped avoid this being yet another super block surrounding the park. Then it again, it would be the only park frontage that's not one.

We are trading the ugliest building in the city for an aesthetically pleasing building.

Now that's amusing.

[jccouger]

We are trading the ugliest building in the city for an aesthetically pleasing building. I also agree a grass lot would have been been an improvement over that eye sore. Some people are just complainers.

There is no room here for throwing around insults to people who share a different opinion than you. Ever heard of art being in the eye of the beholder, or do you just assume your opinion reigns as supreme fact in all situations?

As I've stated before, I'm not even a fan of the stage center. I don't find it all the appeasing to the eye, yet I know a lot of people hold a special place in their heart for it. Also to respond to a point made earlier by somebody stating their out of town friends don't enjoy it. WHO CARES? This is an OKLAHOMA CITY building. A lot of people born and raised in OKC really enjoy the unique look and function of this building. It could be repurposed and it could be rejuvenated. This is 100% fact. Would it take money? Yes, but every building that has sat largely vacant over the last few decades would cost money to repair.

Honestly I'd rather have the Stage Center torn down for something that could actually take advantage of such a prime spot. Not for a tiny headquarters of a company who has a monopoly and would not be offering any use to the general public.

[jccouger]

Can we talk about how sketchy this deal is?

WHY is Rainey building this building for a privately held, monopolistic company to meet their exact requirements? What if they decide to move, and then another company wants to move in but the space isn't the perfect amount of size for them? Why not build a larger building (as he said he would), with the chance that OGE could either grow or the building could be used by another company over time? Why does it seem like this is just a sideways deal for OGE to build a building but not have to deal with the negative press?

Also, why would he hire a firm that has NO experience building highrises to draw up conceptual plans for this property? Why should we trust that? I sure as heck don't. With how much the plans have changed in just the last few months, how can we be sure this thing won't be entirely scraped eventually? NOTHING about this project seems concrete.

[Bellaboo]

OG&E is not a tiny HQ, as mentioned it would have upwards of a thousand employees in the building. The building is not tiny either. It may not be as tall as wanted, but if you look at the footprint, it would be upwards of half a million sq feet. Now this is a guess, but I'd bet i'm close.

This building is an extreme upgrade over their existing buildings. Everyone seems to think it would come in less than advertised, and it could, but if we remember, Devon's first estimate was over a million square feet. When it was all said and done it ended up being over 1.8 million.

[jccouger]

There is no way to know sq ft #s due to lack of information. I'd have a lot easier time accepting these plans if they were more concrete. This whole 14-16 stories, with a hotel that might be 12 stories, but shows 7 stories in the conceptual drawings really just leaves with a huge uneasy feeling. Especially after the guy who is building the building has ALREADY broken so many promises. The fact they are applying for demolition with these uncertain plans is just a big WTF.

[gopokes88]

I think Rainey is just under-promising right now and will over deliver. My guess is he released the conceptual drawings to generate some buzz and get another tenant to jump on board.

[UnFrSaKn]

Best case scenario but I wouldn't get my hopes up.

[Pete]

OG&E is not a tiny HQ, as mentioned it would have upwards of a thousand employees in the building.

They probably aren't moving all their downtown employees into this one location.

According to someone at OG&E, they make keep some of their employees in their current HQ building.

[HangryHippo]

They probably aren't moving all their downtown employees into this one location.

According to someone at OG&E, they make keep some of their employees in their current HQ building.

If you're not consolidating them, what's the point of the new building that you were going to use to consolidate?

[Pete]

Because many are scattered in a bunch of different building not owned by OG&E.

They may keep some functions in their current HQ and consolidate everyone else here.

[Patrick]

Because many are scattered in a bunch of different building not owned by OG&E.

They may keep some functions in their current HQ and consolidate everyone else here.

Why not just build one large tower that you own, instead of leasing space from Rainey?

[OKVision4U]

Why not just build one large tower that you own, instead of leasing space from Rainey?

you get the other guy to use / invest his money w/o the exposure on the "note".

[Pete]

Why not just build one large tower that you own, instead of leasing space from Rainey?

I'm not saying they won't move all their employees into the new space, I'm just saying there is a possibility they won't.

And I don't think they wanted to own this property because of the possible PR fall-out.

[blwarch]

I am all for mid-rise development and increasing density in downtown OKC, just not at the expense fo our small architectural heritage. Or in front of the new elementary school. The Stage Cneter is strategically sited and connects the Myriad Gardens and the School. Were it repaired, it would make a great place for special school events in additonal to a performance space for the whole city. There are so many open blocks of surface parking that OG&E could locate in numerous places. Why dont we value our architectural heritage and preserve one of the few internationally notible (whether you personally like it or not) buildings that we as Oklahomans can be proud of?
To sign a petition asking our city leadership to stop the project, go to the following link:
https://www.change.org/petitions/okl...e-stage-center

[modernism]

I am all for mid-rise development and increasing density in downtown OKC, just not at the expense fo our small architectural heritage. Or in front of the new elementary school. The Stage Cneter is strategically sited and connects the Myriad Gardens and the School. Were it repaired, it would make a great place for special school events in additonal to a performance space for the whole city. There are so many open blocks of surface parking that OG&E could locate in numerous places. Why dont we value our architectural heritage and preserve one of the few internationally notible (whether you personally like it or not) buildings that we as Oklahomans can be proud of?
To sign a petition asking our city leadership to stop the project, go to the following link:
https://www.change.org/petitions/okl...e-stage-center

I'm not signing...let it be replaced!

[OKCisOK4me]

Once you guys gain the signatures necessary are you guys going to fund the millions to repair Stage Center? If not, your petition is futile.

[bluedogok]

you get the other guy to use / invest his money w/o the exposure on the "note".

That was one of the factors that doomed the early 80's OG+E HQ building project.