Alley's End (4th & EK Gaylord)

[Architect2010]

Nice project, OKC's first modern high-rise residential in the works! However, not starting until Fall of 2018? Meh...That is a long time from now, a lot can happen between now & then, not getting my hopes up until I see dirt moving.

The story's timeline doesn't quite add up,

It says to start by Fall 2018 and be complete by Spring 2019. Construction would take longer than that. So maybe, hopefully, they would start Fall 2017* with an expected completion of Spring 2019.

[sooner88]

Nice project, OKC's first modern high-rise residential in the works! However, not starting until Fall of 2018? Meh...That is a long time from now, a lot can happen between now & then, not getting my hopes up until I see dirt moving.

One of which being a hopeful rise in crude prices.

[G.Walker]

The story's timeline doesn't quite add up,

It says to start by Fall 2018 and be complete by Spring 2019. Construction would take longer than that. So maybe, hopefully, they would start Fall 2017* with an expected completion of Spring 2019.

Yea, maybe there was a misunderstanding, I sure hope so. The Fall of 2017 seems more realistic.

[Bellaboo]

I'm guessing "Times Square" is probably a reference to The Oklahoma City Times and/or The Oklahoma Times and/or The Oklahoma City Times/Journal, which in various iterations were located near there. But I agree; I hope it is more of a placekeeper/working title right now. Too easy to confuse with THE Times Square.

I went to the TIMES SQUARE in Honk Kong a couple months back. Never been to the NY one, but the HK one was incredible.

[G.Walker]

Read the article again, states should start BY Fall of 2018, so that would suggest at the latest, so it could be earlier.

[G.Walker]

Another little nugget I found in the article is that the conceptual design was inspired by the The Taylor, a high-rise residential tower in Dallas. So it will probably look something close to this:

[dankrutka]

^^^^^

I feel like Fassler Hall was one of the newer additions that really brought this to my attention and I'm sure to others as well. Very minimal parking compared to the capacity, and after some negotiations with neighboring businesses, it seems like it has worked out well... until Midtown Renaissance builds a garage.

And I know OKC will never be as dense as some major cities, but... businesses and developers won't start finding creative solutions for parking/transportation until they're forced to. Individual businesses can make it with minimal parking because (a) less parking can translate into more dense developments with more housing and more walking/biking, and (b) the overall parking ecosystem usually has parking available once people/businesses are forced to find arrangments. Matching parking spots with individual developments/businesses is more of a suburban approach.

And just to clarify, I'm not saying parking garages are bad as this development obviously needs parking. I'm just saying that in general I hope OKC puts urban/walkable principles ahead of parking spaces in urban developments.

[sooner88]

Hopefully this project will be a motivator to improve the sidewalks in the immediate area. A big selling point for this area is the location, and I think that the infrastructure needs to be improved to adequately sell that. Could be a win-win for the area.

[OKCisOK4me]

At this point, I don't care about height...this is SUPER infill!

[HOT ROD]

I love the project layout as in INFILL, but I hate the fact that the last major piece of land in the CBD will not be greater than 300 feet tall. I know this is the first new residential downtown but I wish OKC would be a little bit more ambitious when attempting to set-the-bar for future developments (ala Devon).

200 feet isn't going to make an impact in the skyline and really is a mid-rise. Note that the 'inspiration' for this project is NOT in Downtown Dallas yet we're putting it in OKC's CBD.

I honestly wish this same development would be built in Midtown or AAlley and this site be kept for a commercial skyscraper above 500 feet (you know, CBD) but I am happy the renaissance is moving forward and therefore just hope that they raise the height of the proposal to say 20 floors [with Russell Westbrook taking the top floor penthouse!!].

I only wish when developers propose that they consider where they are in relation to what is proposed. Perhaps this is not the best location for OKC's newest modern residential high-rise but it would be awesome if it were near Saint Anthony Hospital or in AAlley on Oklahoma Ave.

Trying not to be negative, I do like it - I just wish we were more ambitious for the location. ....

[dankrutka]

This seems like an appropriate height to me for the lot. I think this will create a nice bridge between the CBD and Deep Deuce. I think it's misplaced to call OKC's first high rise residentual project unambitious.

There are plenty of underutilized lots in the area that can host skyscrapers if companies see the need. Personally, I wouldn't care OKC ever had another 300 foot building. Quality, dense infill is much more important than the skyline.

[HOT ROD]

I love the project layout as in INFILL, but I hate the fact that the last major piece of land in the CBD will not be greater than 300 feet tall. I know this is the first new residential downtown but I wish OKC would be a little bit more ambitious when attempting to set-the-bar for future developments (ala Devon).

200 feet isn't going to make an impact in the skyline and really is a mid-rise. Note that the 'inspiration' for this project is NOT in Downtown Dallas yet we're putting it in OKC's CBD.

I honestly wish this same development would be built in Midtown or AAlley and this site be kept for a commercial skyscraper above 500 feet (you know, CBD) but I am happy the renaissance is moving forward and therefore just hope that they raise the height of the proposal to say 20 floors [with Russell Westbrook taking the top floor penthouse!!].

I only wish when developers propose that they consider where they are in relation to what is proposed. Perhaps this is not the best location for OKC's newest modern residential high-rise but it would be awesome if it were near Saint Anthony Hospital or in AAlley on Oklahoma Ave.

Trying not to be negative, I do like it - I just wish we were more ambitious for the location. ....

[HOT ROD]

I didn't say that OKC's first modern residential highrise was unambitious. I'm saying for this location, I think it is.

Honestly, this isn't even the first residential highrise proposal, recall that all previous ones were taller than this one: Bricktown Towers (ok, maybe not real but still, it was 40+ floors), OGE/Clayco was 26 floors, and even Millhaus was 21 floors.

Again, Im excited and want it, but for the proposed height and massing I think a better spot would be in midtown or aalley and this spot should be kept for a taller proposal like those previously announced. My opinion.

[HOT ROD]

I do agree with you about the infill. and am very happy to see the low rise portion of the development - direly needed.

Only wish the highrise was a proper one given the location - my own personal 'planning' ideas. ..

[dankrutka]

Are there not plenty of spaces for highrises/skyscrapers in the CBD if someone really wants one? We could start with tearing down the new Chase Bank location... Obviously kidding (not really though), but there seem to be ways to make taller buildings happen in this area. This isn't the last opportunity.

[OKCisOK4me]

Considering what was proposed for this lot, this current project is much taller.

[Bellaboo]

When the old Myriad Convention Center comes down, there will be plenty of room for high rises. Only need entities to fill them.

[hoya]

There's a ton of room downtown for more stuff. Hell, there's a big surface parking lot directly across the street from this location, on the NW corner of the intersection.

This building could be very important to downtown OKC. If it can show that high rise apartments are economically viable, then it could trigger a new wave of construction. Somebody has to be the first to build.

[Richard at Remax]

Do we know if financing is local or national? That'd be pretty significant news if it was local.

[sooner88]

Do we know if financing is local or national? That'd be pretty significant news if it was local.

A ~$70MM loan (70% LTV) would be too big for any local bank to hold on their own. The opportunity for a local bank group to carry the entire loan is definitely a possibility, however.

[Urbanized]

There are surface lots, underutilized lots such as bank drive-ins and other low-lying stock that is not intrinsically valuable, and even grass/gravel lots from teardowns littered ALL OVER downtown. We won't be without land options for high rises in the CBD for a generation at our current rate of high rise development. And if we do run out of them, the CBD expands. Probably to the south.

[Pete]

Yes, and the point about the Cox Center coming down in the near future is a good one.

The Alliance commissioned a study that showed the highest and best use of that property is for the expansion of hi-rise office for the CBD.

[soonerguru]

"Times Square?" Please tell me this is a placeholder name.

I'm guessing the renderings are very rough and what we are seeing is nothing like the actual design.

[Bellaboo]

[QUOTE=soonerguru;959435]"Times Square?" Please tell me this is a placeholder name.

I'm guessing the renderings are very rough and what we are seeing is nothing like the actual design.[/QUOTE]

I'd guess so, in post #206 is a building in Dallas by the same architect.

[KayneMo]

^ They almost look like the same building to me, just configured differently. The Dallas building is also 17 stories and even has the angle in it's footprint as well.