Aloft Hotel

[MikeOKC]

Would be nice if they had a roof-top (or at least upper level) bar, as it could be a great gathering place with a fantastic view of downtown.

Pete, I'm wondering what the glassed in portions on the top level are. (Link back to picture) Maybe some kind of rooftop/top level restaurant? Awesome views if that's the case. Most Aloft bars are basically, as weird as this sounds, in the lobby. I posted about this back in July of last year. I guess it's one of those "Ask and it shall be granted," kind of deals. My Magic Lamp wish is used up for the year. I'm really happy about this and SO glad it's Jim Thompson doing it. He does things right.

[Spartan]

I think the upper floor appears to be suites.

[jbrown84]

The Journal Record article mentioned that the top floor is for meeting rooms. A bar/restaurant up there would be cool though.

The JR article also had a great quote from Ron Bradshaw saying this development should allow them to build more lower-cost residential in Maywood Park.

[Spartan]

Can we see the JR article as well? I typically don't read them anymore..

As for meeting rooms, yeah. Forgot it was a full-service hotel. The meeting room square footage looks pretty significant, at least more than the ample boutique retail on the street level.

[Thundercitizen]

Any plot plans/maps as to it's exact footprint and location...err at least location?

[MikeOKC]

One thing not mentioned in the NewsOK article is that there will be a sidewalk café in the front. That's very cool.....very urban. I read that here.

[betts]

Very cool! I love sidewalk cafes. When you consider that, with their weather, cities like New York and Chicago have them all over, there's no reason we can't as well. This is going to be a great addition to the neighborhood. And I'd wondered/worried where the parking would be. I'm happy to read that it would be on the back of the hotel, so thanks for posting the above article.

[HOT ROD]

awesome points, betts

[dismayed]

Really happy to hear that the detox center is going away, and am also really happy to hear that an under-utilized area of downtown is going to see some new quality development.

[Doug Loudenback]

This is a very exciting development ... couldn't have come at a better time.

Thanks for posting the graphic, Pete ...



I hope that the final version is that or better. I do see in the OkcBiz.com article that MikeOkc linked, however, these statements:

Still in the design stage, Thompson says the proposed $18 million project comprises a seven-story, 130-room hotel featuring three restaurants (one operated by the owner and the other two to be leased out) and approximately 12,000 square feet of boutique retail space on the hotel’s first floor. Hotel rooms will be on floors two through six. Amenities will include meeting and banquet space on the top floor and an outdoor swimming pool with a hot tub/sauna area, as well as a “WXYZ” bar. The facility will also feature 220 parking spaces toward the back in order to place café sidewalk dining at the front of the hotel.

Although Thompson drew up original conceptual façade drawings for the project, ArcTech Inc. of Tulsa has been charged with its design.

Construction on the project could start as early as next March

I see that Emporis.com already list the building but with no particular detail except a map showing location as yet.

[Spartan]

Wow. That's a LOT of surface parking. Oh well, still a class act proposal. I am surprised it isn't going to be structured parking, which isn't even that big of a deal..it's pretty run of the mill for downtown hotels. Oh well, still a 4.7 stars out of 5 kind of proposal.

[Steve]

"wxyz bar"? Um, that's their placeholder name...

[betts]

Wow. That's a LOT of surface parking. Oh well, still a class act proposal. I am surprised it isn't going to be structured parking, which isn't even that big of a deal..it's pretty run of the mill for downtown hotels. Oh well, still a 4.7 stars out of 5 kind of proposal.

That's what I was thinking. We've stayed at hotels that offer you only a parking garage down the street as an option. I wonder why they feel the need to offer 60 more spaces than rooms, especially considering the fact that not everyone staying downtown is going to rent a car or drive up and there is easily accessible parking under the Walnut Bridge.

[Spartan]

Well, downtown hotels with garages attached: Hampton Inn, Courtyard by Marriott (if they can do it, I'm sure Jim Thompson could), Sheraton. Downtown hotels with deals with other garages: Skirvin, Renaissance, Colcord, etc. Only the Residence Inn and the Aloft will have surface parking.

Unless someone is about to correct me..

[soonerguru]

It's kind of sad but does anyone else notice how renderings for stuff in OKC always show tons of pedestrians lingering around, and then when they're built, er, not so many pedestrians?

[betts]

It's kind of sad but does anyone else notice how renderings for stuff in OKC always show tons of pedestrians lingering around, and then when they're built, er, not so many pedestrians?

People have to have places to walk to. I walk past the site of the new hotel at least two or three times a day when I walk my dogs or walk into Bricktown. There are other people doing the same. I see a few people walking to work downtown every day. There aren't lots of pedestrians, but there are already some and it will get better as there are more places to live in the area and more destinations. I hope the hotel will dramatically affect foot traffic in the area.

[adaniel]

"wxyz bar"? Um, that's their placeholder name...

Nope that is indeed the name of the bar. When I stayed at the Denver Aloft I met a smokin hot Polish bartender there. I hopes she moves to OKC when this one opens...

[jbrown84]

That's what I was thinking. We've stayed at hotels that offer you only a parking garage down the street as an option.

You'd be surprised. People (even coming from the coasts) often whine about having to park across the street from the Colcord.

[RodH]

A hotel like this will also have a lot of employees. Three restaurants, retail shops, and guest services employees will need a place to park as well.

[ljbab728]

One thing not mentioned in the NewsOK article is that there will be a sidewalk café in the front. That's very cool.....very urban. I read that here.

Sidewalk cafes should be very feasible for a large part of the year. With shading for the hottest times of the summer and outdoor heating for spring and fall, probably 8 - 9 months of the year.

[Larry OKC]

Is there a magical number of total rooms in the OKC area that OKC can have before it becomes oversaturated?

Someone already answered, so I withdraw mine

[Larry OKC]

It's kind of sad but does anyone else notice how renderings for stuff in OKC always show tons of pedestrians lingering around, and then when they're built, er, not so many pedestrians?

And when they take the pictures for the brochures and postcards they rarely show any people at all...

[Larry OKC]

posted this in the other thread but is appropriate

Doug has a history of Mr. Finley and the Finley Building. Not suggesting that the building be saved but hopefully at least a plaque or acknowledgment is planned with the new development.

Google Image Result for http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a49/DougLoudenback/maps/vintage/finley_4_14_2009_01.jpg

[Kerry]

That's what I was thinking. We've stayed at hotels that offer you only a parking garage down the street as an option. I wonder why they feel the need to offer 60 more spaces than rooms, especially considering the fact that not everyone staying downtown is going to rent a car or drive up and there is easily accessible parking under the Walnut Bridge.

There needs to be parking for the restaurant, bar, and meeting rooms. The meeting rooms are mostly used by people that live and work in OKC, not by people staying at the hotel.

As for giving stars - if you don't offer a parking garage in an urban environment then you lose one star right off the top. The best they can do is 4 out of 5 stars.

[CuatrodeMayo]

The saving grace for the surface parking issue is that when the property becomes more valuable/desireable for actual development, it's no big matter to build on it.