Tower Theatre

[RadicalModerate]

During our little Christmas Light tour the other night we drove by the theater.
The beautiful neon sign announced that it is now the "_OWER" theater. =)
No kidding.

[Skyline]

No worries now that Fitzsimmons is involved.

[Pete]

[BDP]

I'm still kind of curious what they plan to do with the theater space itself. Every thing says "multi-use". Will this just be another Will Rogers theater catering to mainly private special events or will it be a true mid-sized theater venue used for public events like concerts?

[RadicalModerate]

Is leveling the sidewalk going to negatively impact immediate local drainage concerns?

(Just kidding . . . So, how much of that property used to actually be the theater? I know that I saw at least three movies there--back in the day--but I don't remember the details.)

I think that fixing up (continuing to restore) that section of NE 23rd is one of the best ideas ever.

[Pete]

how much of that property used to actually be the theater?

The assessor's site indicates that there is 8,556 square feet of theater space and 16,844 sq. ft. of retail/restaurant/office.

[RadicalModerate]

Thank you, Mr. B. ! =)
The last time I saw a movie there, nobody--including me--was wearing a tie.
And people were hollering stuff at the picture on the screen.
I don't remember the film, but it wasn't the Rocky Horror Picture Show.

As I said: Restoring NE 23 is one of the best ideas ever.
Especially in this Kinder, More Enlightened Age.
No kidding.

[BrettM2]

After spending four years as a student at OCU and then going back as staff for a year, I'm really excited about this one. I've always dreamed of hitting the lottery and renovating the building (I'd have to play the lottery first, I guess). I hope they do this well and make it a real asset for that part of town. With OCU's film program, they could potentially use it for some showings, as well as other cultural programs from the university (to supplement the general community).

[bombermwc]

The trouble with converting a theater is that you have to level out the floor, which either creates an elevated wood surface (with its own issues) or a filled in surface over the existing one. If you think about the "stage" end, you're really just leveling the stage with the front doors, so you do get a good contiguous space out of it. But what do you do with that besides events? And the balcony can't really be re-used. You can't level it out without adding too much weight to make it not structurally sound. What you COULD do is level out every 3 or 4 rows (enough to put a table) and have some tiered seating for those events.

This isn't too far from Will Rogers, but 23rd isn't Western either. Hopefully it will take off, but tehre's a lot of work and money that would have to go into the thing. Will Rogers isn't exactlly full 7 days a week either.

[RadicalModerate]

"theater conversion trouble" . . .
" . . . OWER" neon sign" =)

Almost as new, improved
as (the historic)
Willard's Roofing
just across
and down
the street
from
The Spaghetti Warehouse.
In Proto-Bricktown. =)

I don't have an actual dime invested in this venture
(as that would be a conflict of interest).
Only the Hope and Faith that it will succeed.
(Despite the "obstacles" to "progress")

I apologize if that appeared "selfish"
still . . .
isn't mis-directed "selflessness"
an equally hazardous paradigm?

[CurtisJ]

I would love to see the tower open up as a small indapendent movie theater like Circle Cinema in Tulsa, especially with a small bar in the lobby (If anyone has ever been to The Mayan Theater in Denver thats what I'm envisioning). It would be a good place for offbeat movies that don't generally make it to the major theaters.

Of course, the only reason Circle Cinema has been able to remain open is through wealthy benefactors keeping it afloat so maybe it's not the most feasible business model. I feel like Will Rogers does a good job of filling the niche "theater turned event center" market and REALLY like the lobby bar, but I would like to see Tower Theater go another direction.

[Teo9969]

Radical,

It's actually on NW 23rd. While it's not necessarily a super important distinction but worth noting. I do think that the entire street from Broadway (Byron's, Carl's Jr, Mcdonalds) to Classen (Walgreen's, Gold Dome, Etc), has a chance to become an incredibly solid strip for OKC if the money and vision is there.

The major need for the strip is entertainment and it seems that the Tower theater is the most viable candidate to be a big ticket item. I'm not sure what the best route for Tower to go would be, but if they could find something unique to do that would be a big enough draw to encourage traffic in the area, it would be huge.

[RadicalModerate]

It's actually on NW 23rd.

Of course it is . . . =)
I don't know what I was thinking.
Obviously not about geography . . .

[bombermwc]

How about a small concert venue? If you level it out, it has the possibility to be that as well. We don't really have very many places for small concerts that aren't super big names. Touble is, you have to diversify if you do that so you can fill the place the other 345 days of the year.

[TheTravellers]

How about a small concert venue? If you level it out, it has the possibility to be that as well. We don't really have very many places for small concerts that aren't super big names. Touble is, you have to diversify if you do that so you can fill the place the other 345 days of the year.

OKC needs a mid-sized place for concerts. Bricktown Events Center just doesn't cut it, and I think the only other place that might qualify as close to mid-sized is the Diamond Ballroom. We have lots of small venues and 2 large venues, but not enough in the middle. I could be wrong, however, since I haven't been to many shows here since we moved back. That would be very nice if something like that happened (thinking of what a good show The Cramps was at the Will Rogers many years ago).

[Teo9969]

I don't know if a concert venue is the best way to go. The problem with OKC is that there is not exactly a thriving market for music here. I would be concerned that (A) there would not be more than 50% of days that have musicians (B) that attendance would not be the greatest even if we could get musicians in the space.

I would LOVE to be proven wrong in that, but now in (almost) 2012 I can't really see it. Maybe 5 to 10 years from now.

[bluedogok]

The primary owner of The Tower Theater is a long time fixture in the OKC music scene as both a musician and sound man for other bands/venues in the past, that was always in addition to his "full time job". Don't be surprised if whatever goes in there has some live music dates mixed in with other events.

[UptownGirl]

I heard from one of the DFG owners that the bars and restaurant they have planned for the Tower Theater will be mainly non-smoking. They don't anticipate the new venues to have much effect on business at Blue Note, which is a smoker friendly venue. They do plan to use the theater for live music.

[Urban Pioneer]

I don't know if a concert venue is the best way to go. The problem with OKC is that there is not exactly a thriving market for music here. I would be concerned that (A) there would not be more than 50% of days that have musicians (B) that attendance would not be the greatest even if we could get musicians in the space.

I would LOVE to be proven wrong in that, but now in (almost) 2012 I can't really see it. Maybe 5 to 10 years from now.

Actually we have a thriving "underground" music scene with no venue. The Conservatory might as well be a big garage. Not a pleasant place to see bands IMO. Tower reminds me of the Granada in Dallas. Just big enough to host decent acts but small enough that it feels intimate.

I think that the biggest challenge is with respect to competing with Tula's long established music houses. It takes a strategic promoter for the venue to get band mangers to break away from playing Tulsa ever time. That is what it is going to come down to in terms of a successful venue, the right manger/promoter.

[Teo9969]

Actually we have a thriving "underground" music scene with no venue. The Conservatory might as well be a big garage. Not a pleasant place to see bands IMO. Tower reminds me of the Granada in Dallas. Just big enough to host decent acts but small enough that it feels intimate.

I think that the biggest challenge is with respect to competing with Tula's long established music houses. It takes a strategic promoter for the venue to get band mangers to break away from playing Tulsa ever time. That is what it is going to come down to in terms of a successful venue, the right manger/promoter.

Do we have enough of an underground scene that there could be at least 200 concerts (every weekend night of the year +~40 more shows) a year with an average attendance of around 150 to 200 people?

[Urbanized]

Do we have enough of an underground scene that there could be at least 200 concerts (every weekend night of the year +~40 more shows) a year with an average attendance of around 150 to 200 people?

You might be surprised. A good place to check out when discussing the local music scene is OklahomaRock.com, particularly the shows and bands pages. Oklahoma City's local music scene is literally the best it has ever been, and only getting better. ACM will be a strong catalyst in this regard. Urban Pioneer is right though; it's hard to get promoters and band management to consider OKC over Tulsa when they contemplate a stop in Oklahoma. Tulsa has become a habitual stop for them due to decades of great support and excellent venues.

[TheTravellers]

Do we have enough of an underground scene that there could be at least 200 concerts (every weekend night of the year +~40 more shows) a year with an average attendance of around 150 to 200 people?

Would be nice if we did, but I'm not sure. Chicken and egg situation - if there are enough venues attracting enough bands, will the audience come? If there aren't enough venues, is it because nobody is building them because they don't think there is enough audience or enough bands? Are bands not coming here because they don't think there's an audience or because there aren't enough good venues?

[Pete]

Found some photos from a couple of years ago... Not sure how much progress they've made inside but you see the place was a real wreck when the current group took over.


Looking back from the Stage by UpNAdam, on Flickr


Entry by UpNAdam, on Flickr


Stairs to balcony by UpNAdam, on Flickr


Chandelier by UpNAdam, on Flickr

[DammitDan]

This is an amazing set of photos! There's a TON of work to be done, but the projector looks like it could start right up!

[edcrunk]

Wade Starr?

Moving forward with What?

Putting in a club, restaurants and bar. I've texted Wade a couple times since I heard Deep Fork bought into it (so we can move Robotic Wednesdays there).. but I think he's mad at me.