112 NW 7th (Maxwell House)

[Pete]

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Demolition permit issued today for this structure built in 1911. Owned by Precor, along with the properties shown in pink below.

Here's hoping we see a building permit soon.

[USG'60]

It looks to be pretty substantial and well maintained. Do we have any clues as to it's replacement?

[Architect2010]

Isn't this the building that caught fire?

[Pete]

Yes, I didn't realize that recent fire was at this building. It was vacant at the time of the blaze.

Steve had written a blog entry about this hoping it would be saved, but alas.

[Steve]

Sigh.

[Urban Pioneer]

Sigh.

Destined to be another parking lot I presume. So did the Preftakes ownership rumor have any merit?

[Pete]

Precor/Preftakes bought that property in 2008.

[Steve]

Yep.

[kevinpate]

Pity pity boom boom

[metro]

No coffee jokes yet?

[Spartan]

Here's hoping it's not just another parking lot. But PrecorRuffin has done squat on historic preservation in a while. Other than weighing in on SR, of course...

[Pete]

Precor Ruffin also deserves strong criticism for letting this building get to this point in the first place.

It stood for over 100 years and as far as I can tell, was continually occupied until they bought it in 2008. Then, it sat vacant and I'm sure the fire was due to negligence.

Now it's gone forever and there doesn't seem to be any immediate plans other than to leave it as yet another vacant lot.

[soonerguru]

Aggravating.

[Urban Pioneer]

Is there a thread on Nick Preftakes, Precor-Ruffin? What is their actual track record in a nut shell?

Other than buying and holding onto things, I am not clear as to what they have either built or reconstructed out of their purchases. The last time I actually saw a "grand" proposal was the proposal for the Legacy site, which I liked.

[Urbanized]

Is there a thread on Nick Preftakes, Precor-Ruffin? What is their actual track record in a nut shell?

Other than buying and holding onto things, I am not clear as to what they have either built or reconstructed out of their purchases. The last time I actually saw a "grand" proposal was the proposal for the Legacy site, which I liked.

• Garage Lofts, which pioneered the modern-era of residential in downtown and was a really well-done adaptive re-use considering how early it was in downtown's revitalization.
  
• Hudson-Essex Office Lofts, which again was an early entry in the adaptive re-use scene, and is also well-known as the regular host to the Chocolate Decadence event, which benefits the revitalization of Automobile Alley.
  
• 701 N. Broadway, which was dramatically remodeled from the old, bomb-damaged (and previously heavily-altered) C.R. Anthony headquarters.
  
• 125 Park Ave, which Mark Ruffin re-did as office condominiums.

Also, Mark did a thoughtful HP renovation of the historic Psorosis (SP?) Club on the SE corner of 15th and Robinson (next to the Buckstaff). This was an old ladies' social club that he turned into some killer condos (triplex) around 2000 or 2001, if I remember. I guess it is possible they were planning something similar for this property.

Nick and Mark are serious guys with a proven track record, both in new commercial construction and HP/adaptive re-use. They have also done well when investing in existing multi-family. Both live in historic neighborhoods and obviously appreciate old buildings. They are creative. They are NOT squatters, and they are THE OPPOSITE OF slumlords. In fact I'm sure they purchased that building because it HAD been a flophouse for years, had been detrimental to the neighborhood, and they wanted to do something better with it. I don't know the specifics of the time between the purchase and the fire, but much of it may have been required to legally move the flophouse tenants along. I'm guessing there are legalities involved when someone is living in a building you purchase.

They are heavily invested along Broadway - and in fact office in the Hudson-Essex - and Nick specifically has given a ton of time, expertise and resources to the Automobile Alley program, including serving as a longtime board member. He'll be the first to tell you that he is foremost a pragmatist (Nick was a banker before getting into real estate), but neither guy is afraid of an old building or of attempting remodels of buildings that the rest of the real estate community would be afraid to take on and/or brand them as lunatics for trying.

Hope that helps.

[Spartan]

Maybe this story has a positive conclusion. But I think as far as Preftakes goes, we all know what block he is focused on right now.

[UnFrSaKn]

I was about to start a new thread on this, because I never checked to see what this was about. Somehow I just totally overlook things right in front of me.

Anyway, while researching old photos for the September RetroMetroOKC meeting about Automobile Alley, I ran across this little gem...



Maybe passing this around while change people's minds. Perhaps even Preftakes himself. I'm all for demolishing everything, just keep the facade. That is what is still intact anyway. Fire has already done the job for them.

The main thing for historical-minded folks and preservationists is the idea that you keep something that has roots in the past. Being able to look at an old photo and then go to the place today and it's still there, but modernized.

Here's a link to the story from a while back.

Fire burns 100-year-old building in downtown Oklahoma City


Another Century Old Building Lost Forever?

Oh by the way, I'm going to do some video after work today of the area for my video. Looks like this could be a new project...

[betts]

It would be nice if public opinion could be utilized to preseve the facade, if it is structurally sound.

[Doug Loudenback]

Here's a pic I took on 3/28/2007 (click for larger):



Here's a postcard from Vanished Splendor 2:

[UnFrSaKn]

Did this earlier today. Might be relevant...



Interesting story...

I started off earlier this afternoon doing video along Broadway in Automobile Alley. I began on 7th with the Hotel Martinique. As I was walking in the front, a car with two people slowly drove right past me. I usually ignore people and try not to bring attention to myself. For all I know, they own the place or they want to stop me and ask questions. They drove past me and pulled into the small alley on the west side of the building. I finished doing the footage I got here and was starting to walk towards Broadway. I hear the car slowly pull up alongside the curb and stop next to me. That's the first time I really looked at the people in the car. It was an older couple, 50-60s. They were actually driving around interested in the Hotel. They asked me questions and to make a long story short, I told them about what I was doing historical related, mentioned RetroMetroOKC and Steve which they knew about. I told them I didn't know much about the building except for the fire and the whole Automobile Alley district was new to me historically. All they seemed to know was it had been on fire, which was obvious by looking at it.

I had a paper that I scribbled a crude map of the shots I was going to get. I'm going to do a similar video to the Bricktown one. I found the same shots from the OHS website of different buildings and I'm recreated them with my camera. It'll take a while to put that together, and the RetroMetroOKC meeting that was about Automobile Alley. They had never heard of OKCTalk, so I doubt if they'll read this. It's just one of those weird timing days today for some reason. Two groups of people interested in the same thing at the same time...

[Doug Loudenback]

As coincidence has it, my wife and I also drove by the Martinique yesterday morning around 10:30 - 11:00 while on our way to Fashion Cleaners, a block south. It was all new to Mary Jo. The building's exterior has all appearances of being in good shape, to an untrained eye like mine. Being down the street east of St. Paul's cathedral, I suppose that they might have an interest in seeing the building restored.

Good work, Will, as always.

[dcsooner]

UnFrSaKn,
Wanted to take a moment to thank you for your hard work in putting together the awesome videos posted on this site. Your videos are a lifeline to those of us physically in other parts of the country but emotionally hooked on our home state. Your efforts are appreciated

[Pete]

There is a Downtown Design Review Committee meeting later this week and the demolition of this property is not on the agenda.

Properties within the boundary of their purview must go through the committee before they are demolished, so not sure what is happening here.

[lasomeday]

I was about to start a new thread on this, because I never checked to see what this was about. Somehow I just totally overlook things right in front of me.

Anyway, while researching old photos for the September RetroMetroOKC meeting about Automobile Alley, I ran across this little gem...



Maybe passing this around while change people's minds. Perhaps even Preftakes himself. I'm all for demolishing everything, just keep the facade. That is what is still intact anyway. Fire has already done the job for them.

The main thing for historical-minded folks and preservationists is the idea that you keep something that has roots in the past. Being able to look at an old photo and then go to the place today and it's still there, but modernized.

Here's a link to the story from a while back.

Fire burns 100-year-old building in downtown Oklahoma City


Another Century Old Building Lost Forever?

Oh by the way, I'm going to do some video after work today of the area for my video. Looks like this could be a new project...

I love this picture! Downtown really needs more cool boutique hotels like this!

[jbrown84]

Very disappointing. I wish they would restore the facade.