OKC’s Bricktown Urban Design Committee approves concept design plans for Holiday Inn Express
By Pamela Grady - 3/12/2008


The Bricktown Urban Design Committee today approved concept design plans for Alex Patel to build a four-story 95-room Holiday Inn Express at the former Steffen’s Ice Cream building, 101 E Main in Bricktown.


During the committee’s February meeting, Kip Bettencourt and Fred Quinn with Bettencourt, Quinn & Associates originally discussed the hotel’s project design to include approximately 61-percent brick and simulated stone, columns and a canopy entry. Patel was also asking permission to demolish the existing building for the new project.


After taking into consideration to the committee’s comments regarding the amount of brick being used, Quinn came back this morning with plans for a 100-percent brick motel. Quinn stated after reviewing the existing building he concluded that approximately 40 percent of the exterior walls will be usable and may be incorporated into the new design.


Concerns regarding individual air-conditioning units being exposed and causing noise were again brought up by committee member Bob Bright.


“They are noisy, you can’t suppress the noise,” Bright said. “I’ve had outside air conditioners and that’s just what they do. And I think that’s really not appropriate for a building like this.”


Bettencourt responded by saying that he spoke with the project’s heating, ventilating and air conditioning consultant about the air-conditioning units’ noise concerns.


“Speaking for myself and for Phil (Miller) who isn’t here, I don’t like the windows just to begin with,” Bright said. “…You’re saying that they’re not noisy, that they’re suppressed and flushed all those sorts of those things. I’m not really comfortable enough with this concept because I mean it’s a big building.”


Bettencourt countered Bright’s concerns.


“They’re rated at 20 on an nc scale which is around the point of humans’ hearing,” Bettencourt said. “These things kick out 25…They certainly are louder inside the rooms than they are on the outside.”


Quinn said the plans will not include exclusive parking for the hotel.


“There is no parking requirement for this building, although we’re providing some (pull-in) parking on the north, and some on the west,” Quinn said. “But basically all the parking will be in the public lot to the north with a valet service.”


The committee decided to continue the application to demolish most of the existing building until further details are submitted at April’s committee meeting regarding metal grill on the windows and air-conditioning units concerns.


“My best guess is that it will take about three months before we can begin work on demolishing the building and six months after that to begin construction on the project,” Quinn said.


Tom Wilson, chair of the Bricktown Urban Design committee, looks over concept renderings for a proposed Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites to be constructed after major demolition to the building at 101 E. Main St. in Bricktown. Photo/Mark Hancock