The height is actually probably going to be 40+ stories, and could even approach 50. The design is still in flux, and they were basing minimum height on square footage, before considering retail and other space. Some of the ultimate size of the building will also be dictated by the staff growth during the planning stages. Obviously, that sector continues to expand at a breakneck pace.
Either way, it will forever change the skyline. Thanks, Devon!
Last edited by BigRedJed; 3/13/2008 at 01:28 AM.
Well, crap.
so it's going to be directly north of the botanical gardens? if so, that;s good news because that area looks like skid row.
Directly north of the Gardens is now a surface parking lot with underground structure. A block north but in the same parcel of land is the brand new Galleria parking garage facility, which was designed with this type of devolopment in mind. It's a beautiful parking structure, at least by OKC standards. Immediately north of there is the Maps-funded $20+ million Ron Norick Downtown Library.
I'm not sure what you mean by "looks like skid row." It looks like a landscaped, modern parking area, and is adjacent to the Colcord Hotel.
There are areas west of there that look a little derelict, however.
Last edited by BigRedJed; 3/13/2008 at 01:42 AM. Reason: Added Colcord linky
Well, crap.
Subject area, with the Galleria Garage in the background:
Well, crap.
Other shot of Galleria Garage:
Well, crap.
Another Galleria shot. The area from which this photo is taken is roughly where the tower will be located.
Well, crap.
Devon, FTW!!!
"Big ups" to Larry Nichols. This has been rumored for quite a while.
Looks like OKC will once again regain the 'tallest building in the state' crown.
Interesting they would do this while Downtown OKC office space is among the cheapest in the land...oh well, maybe they'll quit hogging the elevators in every other building downtown
Then I wonder who will move into their old MidAmerica building? OG&E maybe? Their peeps are scattered all over too.
Well if it does reach 50 floors, then nice try--Originally Posted by Jimminy Crimson
Devon, FTW!!!
"Big ups" to Larry Nichols. This has been rumored for quite a while.
Looks like OKC will once again regain the 'tallest building in the state' crown.
It's ok, OKC still has Frontier City.One Williams Center Tulsa
Height: 203m (667 ft)
52 floors
Architect: Minoru Yamasaki
Completed: 1976
the BOK tower in Tulsa is ~50 stories, it's supposedly a 1/2 scale version of the WTC towers...Devon, FTW!!!
"Big ups" to Larry Nichols. This has been rumored for quite a while.
Looks like OKC will once again regain the 'tallest building in the state' crown.
I figured this would happen. Mary N. has been nagging Larry N. to build a nice building and to get out of the present ugly digs.
SoonerinabileneOh sweet jesus. Its like watching the special olympics in high definition on here now.
Well if it does reach 50 floors, then nice try--
It's ok, OKC still has Frontier City.
This is always nice to hear from the party involved in deciding upon the blueprints."To have 1 million square feet, it will probably be the tallest building downtown,” Nichols said. "That's not the goal — I don't care about having the tallest building or not. I do care that it be an iconic building, that it be distinctive building. It will change the skyline downtown, and we want to build a building that everyone will be proud to have in Oklahoma City.”
SoonerinabileneOh sweet jesus. Its like watching the special olympics in high definition on here now.
Oral Roberts is not impressed.
Larry Nichols and Devon are EXTREMELY altruistic, and deeply committed to downtown. This has been in the works for years, but once Kerr-McGee left, they held off on this project, waiting to see if someone would fill that giant space before putting Mid-America tower, the space they have in Chase Tower and whatnot back into the market. It would have had pretty devastating consequences for the downtown real estate market.
The Chesapeake/Sand Ridge property deal, which brought Sand Ridge to the Kerr McGee complex, stabilized the market and made this possible.
Larry Nichols is famous for being a very conservative businessman. If you read OKC: Second Time Around by Steve Lackmeyer (coincidentally the writer of these articles) and Jack Money, you will find out how Devon survived the oil bust thanks to Nichols' resistance to go into a trendy basin in Texas where everyone else ultimately lost their shirt. He took a beating from his board over it, but ultimately was lauded as a hero. He can do no wrong with his BOD at this point.
The reason I bring this up is to say that he is also known to be an underpromise/overdeliver type. Privately this building has been discussed as being as tall as the mid-fifties as far as stories. They are still trying to determine future staff needs and other add-ons. I think he is not wrapped up around how tall it is, but instead how much impact it will make. Of course, that can involve how tall it is. Who knows where it ends up, but I'll say this: if Larry Nichols says it will be built it will be built. And be more impressive than he lets on publicly.
Well, crap.
Regarding the value of downtown properties, there is actually an extreme shortage of class A office space in downtown. Mid-America tower will lease extremely fast. Chase Tower also will lease quickly, depending on the comittment from its new Texas owner. There has been some recent tenant dissatisfaction in that building, unfortunately.
The glut of space in downtown has been mostly in the class C space. Most people move downtown to make a statement, and you're not going to make a statement in class C space. Remodel is often cost-prohibitive, as you could probably make more building new class A from the ground up than remodeling class C to A (where you still wouldn't end up with modern A). What is helping take the C space off the market recently is residential conversion. That will continue to happen, especially as Sand Ridge gets their staff fully relocated and as Devon grows and builds this new project. The demand for downtown high-rise living is exploding.
The downtown real estate market is actually QUITE robust, and is getting ready to get pretty crazy, IMO. Thanks, high oil prices!
Well, crap.
I wish George Kaiser owned an oil/natural gas company.
Well, the good news is that he can do lots of energy sector lending. That made a lot of fortunes in the history of this state. Of course, it devasted some portfolios, too. Gots to be smart, and I'm pretty sure Kaiser is smart.
Well, crap.
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