BancFirst Tower

[mdeand]

I'm guessing the photograph of Ronald Reagan will stay in the lobby.

[OKCisOK4me]

I'm guessing the photograph of Ronald Reagan will stay in the lobby.

Wow, lol.

[bchris02]

Wow, lol.

It could be worse. The courthouse in Fort Smith, Arkansas still has a portrait of John F. Kennedy on the wall.

[OKCisOK4me]

It could be worse. The courthouse in Fort Smith, Arkansas still has a portrait of John F. Kennedy on the wall.

Need to find somewhere with Harry S. Truman... Don't say Independence, MO.

[ljbab728]

It's interesting how tastes change over time. In the '70s/80s art deco was completely out - hence the reason so much of OKC's art deco got destroyed in the Pei Plan. Now, rectangular boxes are out and art deco is back in. I think for this reason its best to preserve historical architecture even if the architecture isn't 'in style' at the time. In 30 years, it might be.

A lot of things got destroyed as a result of the Pei Plan but I don't remember much of it as being art deco.

[Pete]

Suddenly, there is a lot of vacancy in this building. Totalling up what is shown as for lease, you come up with almost 200,000 square feet, which is almost half empty.

Also, I know other tenants are looking to leave, citing poor maintenance, lack of upgrades and generally very poor management.

Something is clearly amiss -- more than just a disinterested owner. When the office market is this tight, there has to be a reason the space isn't leasing and the ownership isn't spending a bit of money to keep and lure tenants. This property is starting to resemble First National Center, but has large, modern floorplates and would be easy to improve.


Here's hoping this property is ultimate sold to someone who will invest in it.

[Pete]

Just double-checked the last survey done by Price Edwards and at the end of 2013, it shows 209,866 SF vacant of the total 514,317. That's a 40% vacancy rate.

And I know for a fact more tenants are leaving. They will soon be less than 50% full in the strongest downtown office market in the last 30 years.

[bchris02]

That's a real shame. That makes me question is the downtown office market is really that hot. Sure its the hottest in 30 years, but that isn't saying much comparing to how bad it was in the 1980s and 1990s.

[Plutonic Panda]

That's a real shame. That makes me question is the downtown office market is really that hot. Sure its the hottest in 30 years, but that isn't saying much comparing to how bad it was in the 1980s and 1990s.

It is hot. There is more new space coming "online" in downtown and it seems people are deciding to move to nicer office spaces instead of this tower. Hopefully, someone will buy it and do an extensive renovation(hopefully adding LED lights around the edges). I'm willing to bet that happened, you would see people taking up the space pretty quickly.

[PhiAlpha]

If Continental needs more space in a few years and doesn't want to build a new tower, Chase might be empty enough for them to take over by that time.

[Easy180]

I wonder if we'll loose the Chase signage as Chase on a corporate level seems to be in a lot of hot water.

I bet it stays as paying for that signage is the only money they have spent in OKC since they have been here.

[Anonymous.]

Just thought I would mention that they finally fixed the accent lighting (corner spotlights shining down the sides). Looks very nice for its age.

[Mr. Cotter]

The window washers did that as they made their rounds over the past month or so. It's not a bad building, but I worry about deferred maintenance. I've been in the building for three years, and this was the first time I can remember my windows were cleaned. Two of the four elevators that serve my floor have been out of service for two weeks. The maintenance staff struggles with the heating and cooling system operations, which makes the temperature unpredictable and often uncomfortable.

Cotter won't sell to a better funded owner, and Cotter can't become a better funded owner himself until more of the building is rented. Unfortunately, space in a class B building with uncomfortable temperatures, visible unfixed problems and unresponsive management doesn't lease quickly.

[Anonymous.]

Yea I have heard of those problems before (the temperatures). And those lights on the top were out for as long as I can remember. I was actually shocked when I saw that they were on last week. It completely changes the way the building looks at night, it is now no longer just a floating, glowing white line with CHASE on the roof.

[ljbab728]

Just thought I would mention that they finally fixed the accent lighting (corner spotlights shining down the sides). Looks very nice for its age.

Sounds good. Do you suppose a few corner spotlights would help me?

[HOT ROD]

pics?

[Pete]

Here's a good photo from https://twitter.com/AlonzoJAdams:

[OkieNate]

Hey! That does look good!

[HOT ROD]

IMO, I say lost the light ring at the top and just have the corners (lower intensity) and anchor,

or even better, small anchor sign slightly offset with light bands outlining the exterior.

[shawnw]

corners are a nice touch. don't remember them ever being on before, have they been out that long?

[Bullbear]

THey have been out a while.. I believe beore chase came along there was no Light around the top.. only the anchor name and the corner spots.
Alonzo takes great pics. he is a nice guy as well.

[Mr. Cotter]

Before the neon band and corporate logo were placed around the top, the lights that now appear only on the corners were placed around the top at every column. From 1973:

[shawnw]

interesting, thanks

[Bullbear]

I was looking at the corner spots while listening to John Fulbright friday night.
it appears there is already one out on the NW corner

[edcrunk]

I really wish someone would invest some money into this dumpy old building. It really holds our skyline back. The outside is dreadful and needs to be updated.