Man, I can't believe this is coming to the OKC downtown area. My family is big on developing hotels, heck, my uncle owns 3-4 Candlewoods. But even he knows, when it comes to downtown areas, think big.
If I can acquire some land downtown, I'm positive I can get my family to invest in something nice, A Loft or Element by Starwood, Hyatt Summerfield Suites, and certainly, more than 99 rooms.
I love to see fellow East Indians do well, and really, this isn't some crap property, however, I would have expected more from the city on this. Regardless, this property will do well down there.

If nothing else, it will make a nice close in spot for rowing teams

Where is this Holiday Inn Express everyone keeps talking about?

Print Snapshot

Its the first thing on there, mentions 101 E. Main Street as the address. Looks like its in between E K Gaylord and N Walnut Avenue (north of Spaghetti Warehouse).

They are tearing down the building on the NE corner of Main and Oklahoma to build it. Directly north of City Walk.

According to that link I provided, it mentions that the most of the building will be demolished, and that facade will include brick and a portion of the existing building.

Any idea on why some of the existing building will be reused? Seems odd to me, because I have seen the building and its nothing to look at.

Regardless, the drawing makes the hotel look really nice, its not a typical looking Holiday Inn Express.

There is extensive discussion in other threads. The Design committee was iffy on approving the demolition. It was determined that the building was in too poor shape to be reused, but that the exterior wall was salvagable.

Surveyors were out last week - said they had to have the data to the engineer by the weekend (August 2 and 3).

Its not ideal, but it does look better than the pile of dirt that is there now.

I don't see how they can pave over the tracks. Aren't those active rails?

I've seen the site plan. Aren't these rails in use by freight trains? The red lines are the tracks, right?

The red lines are utility right-of-way, not rail lines. The tracks are in the lower right corner.

Sorry, wrong thread.

Good lord, that site plan is ridiculous. Is this really what Bricktown deserves?

Ok, so it's not going to interfere with the tracks, as someone said elsewhere. But it sure would look better if it were on that bottom point of the site, with parking hidden behind.

Okay, I'll play devil's advocate here....

What is so wrong with this building? It looks pretty urban to me. At least from what you can do brand new. Seriously, look at the building..

That structure could easily fit between a couple of brownstones in Boston. I'm trying hard to understand the problems, but I actually think they did a pretty good job. Better than some of the other LB hotels!

ptown, were u talkin bout the holidayinn express>?

I'm with you solitude. I don't understand the problems people have with the building.

My issue is how it's placed in the site plan, and all the surface parking.

Agreed with jbrown and solitude. I think the building is fine. Two of the sides are 100% brick and the other two are 80-90% brick. I think it looks good. The only problem I have is the site plan also. At least they could do is bring the building to the street and put the parking behind the building.

I was reading meetings from the Bricktown Urban Design commitee on okc.gov and BUD talked about not liking the site plan saying that it isn't pedestrian friendly and that perhaps in the future they can build a few structures on the surface parking, up to the street.

i have been saying i think this building is fine the entire time, and i have gotten torn apart on another site for not having a problem with it.... thank god i'm not the only one who thinks this

Yes


Again, the site plan is absurd. The building needs to front a street not the freeway/RR.

Have they already started construction??

The building itself is okay, fine for that part of Bricktown by the highway. But the site plan is BAD. You would think developers would realize you want the building up to the street and not behind a big parking lot, especially at this location. The building should be at the corner of Reno and Lincoln running north-south along Lincoln and parking on the eastside abutting I-235. That way one side of rooms has downtown views and you create a more urban intersection at two of city's main roads: Reno and Lincoln. I do hope there is still time to change this...

If I was on the Bricktown Urban Design committee I would just laugh at all these proposals, so maybe it's a good thing I'm not (or is it?). I'm no expert but I know what good urban design is and these proposals are not good urban design.

BG, no construction has not started. Last I heard, the project hasn't got completely past the Bricktown Urban Design Committee yet.

That's good to hear. WE need to let them know (email, phone call, etc.) that this site plan is unacceptable. Of course they probably already know that and I have hope things will be changed i.e. the McDonalds which was moved to the corner. If this building is at the corner that will be a significant IMPROVEMENT to that area and Bricktown as a whole. Especially if sidewalks are someday put in fronting this development (with a small circle-drive for loading/unloading at the main entrance) and then going all the way down Lincoln to the river on that east side. The same could be done for the west side eventually.

They could still have all their surface parking, it would just be BEHIND the building on the I-235 side. That whole east side of Bricktown is ripe for urban apartments I would hate to see massive parking along any of the roads there, especially Lincoln. Right now it still has that suburban/industrial feel but eventually it will be full of housing. I don't necessarily think ground floor retail space is needed in this part of Bricktown as long as it addresses the street/sidewalk in a good way and adequate landscaping (street trees) is provided. Anywhere west of Joe Carter on Reno, Oklahoma, Walnut/Mickey Mantle, and especially Sheridan should have it though.

When will this be approved?