2000 Classen

[G.Walker]

[template=]
development
|category1=Office Buildings
|category2=Classen
|category3=Uptown
|category4=
|
|project=
|address=2000 N Classen Blvd.
|status=
|owner=Eaton Enterprises
|cost=
|architect=
|start=
|finish=1962
|contractor=
|height=
|sq. feet= 315,980
|acerage=12.54
|other=
|
|image=
|
[/template]
Information & Latest News

North Building: 7 stories; 89,376 sq. ft.
Middle Building: 10 stories; 127,440 sq. ft.
South Building: 7 stories; 83,300 sq. ft.
Center Building: 2 stories; 15,864 sq. ft.
Tenants

• American Fidelity Assurance Co‎
• American Fidelity International Holding‎
• First Fidelity Bank‎

Links

North Building and parking lot:
County Assessor Record 1
3 other buildings:
County Assessor Record 2
Parking Lots:
County Assessor Record 3
County Assessor Record 4
County Assessor Record 5
County Assessor Record 6
County Assessor Record 7
County Assessor Record 8

Gallery

[lasomeday]

I heard that they were waiting for the Devon tower to be done, so they could announce their tower that will be taller.

[BG918]

American Fidelity moving to a new location would leave a big hole in the NW 23 & Classen area.

[td25er]

American Fidelity moving to a new location would leave a big hole in the NW 23 & Classen area.

Chinatown will still be Chinatown. What's so great about this area? A bunch of old houses? Cuppies and Joe? What else?

[adaniel]

Its not just Classen and 23rd. American Fidelity is probably the largest concentration of workers in midtown/uptown area after St. Anthony. They are a big customer base for a lot of the midtown restaraunts (Stella, McNellies, etc.)

Didn't they indicate a while back that they are happy where they are?

[okclee]

American Fidelity moving to a new location would leave a big hole in the NW 23 & Classen area.

If AF were to move, I believe their buildings @23rd & Classen, would fill up fairly quick. Probably not with a primary tenant taking up all 3 buildings but many smaller companies, doctors, dentist, law firms, etc.

These buildings could also be converted over to residences similar to the Classen.

[BoulderSooner]

Its not just Classen and 23rd. American Fidelity is probably the largest concentration of workers in midtown/uptown area after St. Anthony. They are a big customer base for a lot of the midtown restaraunts (Stella, McNellies, etc.)

Didn't they indicate a while back that they are happy where they are?

i don't think they have anything to do with the customer base of stella or mcnellies or any where in midtown ..

and if the move down town they would actually be closer to midtown

[G.Walker]

They currently take up space in those 3 towers on Classen/Western and 19th, even if they were to move downtown, they can still provide business to restaurants in the Uptown area, as its not that far from downtown. Also, those buildings would make great high-rise apartments in that area. So has Steve or anyone followed up with American Fidelity to see what there plans are?

[BDP]

What's so great about this area?

A lot.

A bunch of old houses?

Yes. Some of the best in the city.

Cuppies and Joe?

For starters.

Basically, you have a good mix of unique and locally owned businesses and it is less generic and homogenized than almost anywhere in the city. A lot of investment and rejuvenation going on and almost all of it is locally driven. Plus, you have great access to a lot of things that really are unique to the area.

Certainly a lot people are not looking for something different. Actually many are just looking for whatever is familiar. But for those that aren't, it is one of the best places in the state to live and/or work.

[Kerry]

Would AF moving create a hole anywhere near the size of the hole just created in Enid? AF moving downtown would be huge! Continental Resources has 250 employees, AF has a 1,000. MidFirst Bank would also be huge.

[OKCRT]

The more skyscrapers in downtown the better as far as I am concerned.

[metro]

They currently take up space in those 3 towers on Classen/Western and 19th, even if they were to move downtown, they can still provide business to restaurants in the Uptown area, as its not that far from downtown. Also, those buildings would make great high-rise apartments in that area. So has Steve or anyone followed up with American Fidelity to see what there plans are?

I could be wrong, but I think they only take up space in 1 and a half of those towers. The far north tower has been up for lease for quite awhile.

[bluedogok]

If AF were to move, I believe their buildings @23rd & Classen, would fill up fairly quick. Probably not with a primary tenant taking up all 3 buildings but many smaller companies, doctors, dentist, law firms, etc.

These buildings could also be converted over to residences similar to the Classen.

I interned for a summer (1985) at an MEP firm as a draftsman (the pencil kind) that was in those buildings. I spent a bunch of that time at Fort Polk (Leesville, Louisiana) doing a natural gas survey so my time in those buildings was short. I think not too long after American Fidelity started taking over more and more of the building.

[SkyWestOKC]

Are they seriously considering moving downtown.

And if the above is yes, are they seriously considering building a tower?

[Kerry]

Are they seriously considering moving downtown.

And if the above is yes, are they seriously considering building a tower?

I think they were one of the groups interested in the old Kerr McGee Tower. The Continental Resources building wouldn't be big enough for them. They would need 30 floors.

[stlokc]

I'm all for new businesses downtown, but 23rd and Classen needs density, employment and excitement as well. I would prefer they stay where they are as they are a big anchor for that inner city neighborhood and their withdrawl would be detrimental. Moving the vacancy problem from one part of the inner core to another isn't terribly helpful. I'm far more interested in the rumors of new-to-state businesses that were hinted at for possible buyers of the Devon bldg.

[Spartan]

I heard that they were waiting for the Devon tower to be done, so they could announce their tower that will be taller.

:P You left out the part where you say, "And you heard it here first, on OKC Talk, from met.., I mean lasomeday."

[bombermwc]

Why would they need something that tall though? We're only talking about 1000 people. Heck, the OKC office for my company has 500 of us, and we would only take up 10 floors MAX in something like the old Devon Tower. It's about how dense your office space is. We mostly are a cubicle company, so we fit a lot in not a lot of space. It's all about sq. ft., not how many bodies. So at most, you might see something like Chase (which is still freaking cool anyway), but i don't think they are in "danger" of overtaking Devon in height if they were to build.

[G.Walker]

I wouldn't be surprised AF announcing something after the spotlight on Devon Tower goes out...

[metro]

Don't count on it anytime soon.

[Patrick]

I concur with metro. I don't think you'll see American Fidelity move any time soon, if at all.

Even if they did move, there will be plenty of other space vacated by Devon in Chase Tower and First National. If they were to move, I'd personally rather see American Fidelity buy First National and make it a first class mix of office, residential, and retail space. I'd rather see First National brought back to its former glory before we see another tower built. Use what we have first. Not saying I'm opposed to another tower being built, because I'd love to see that, but I'd also like to see something done with First National.

[Pete]

They are currently occupying about 300,000 square feet at 2000 N. Classen but it has long been rumored they are interested in moving downtown.

AF is a family-owned company that routinely shows up on lots of "best places to work" lists and have been in that location for decades. They owned that group of four buildings which were sold about 15 years ago to Eaton Enterprises. Not sure if that is just another family entity or if it's an outside investor.


While re-reading a bunch of SandRidge articles, one of them reported American Fidelity had actually placed a bid on the old Kerr McGee tower, but that Chesapeake ended up getting as a part of a larger deal with Anadarko Petroleum.

But that's a very, very interesting fact: they tried to buy a downtown office tower and I'm sure their intention was to move into it. I don't doubt they may have maxed out at their current location.

They may be our best hope for the next downtown office tower. If they were smart, they'd build something like Devon Tower and lease out the additional space until such time as they may need it.

[dmoor82]

How many are employed by AF in OKC?

[Pete]

They have about 1,500 employees nationwide and about 1,000 at the OKC location on Classen.

The company CEO, Bill Cameron, is a part-owner of the Thunder and American Fidelity is very generous with numerous local philanthropies. A recent Oklahoma article reported they give at least $750,000 a year to OKC-area causes.

[Pete]

Here's an interesting quote from a 2003 Journal Record article... Seems AF has been thinking about building a new location for quite a while:

Members of a downtown improvement group are concerned that American Fidelity may move from its current location on Classen Boulevard in favor of building a new office campus in north Oklahoma City.

Nick Preftakes, president of Precor Realty and developer of several properties in the Automobile Alley area, said during the monthly meeting of Downtown OKC's Business Improvement District advisory board on Wednesday that the insurance company is planning to build a new office campus at the intersection of Broadway Extension and Wilshire Boulevard and will most likely vacate its existing facility by 2007.

And here's something Steve Lackmeyer wrote in March 2008 right after SandRidge acquired the KMc Tower and Devon announced their plans:

Sandridge Petroleum now owns the old Kerr-McGee campus, is renovating the tower and is moving in. The lawsuit was settled. Devon Energy announced today the company plans to build a new corporate headquarters across the street from the Myriad Gardens. And when I last spoke to Bill Cameron, CEO of American Fidelity, he was surveying architectural students’ ideas and plans for Core to Shore.