Hi everyone.

I wanted to make sure you all were aware that OKC now has a "sticky" for development going on on the skyscraperpage forum. :gossip:

Oklahoma City Update - SkyscraperPage Forum (http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=132814)

I think there is also a Highrise Development thread but it looks like it will take a back seat to this one if it hasn't already.

Please go and support it as it is a great place to get a "national" prospective on OKC's development (and other cities) AND also another avenue to get exposure and inform a wider audience about Oklahoma City in general.

I usually take a minute or two when Im surfing to visit skyscraperpage and skyscrapercity since it is more national/global and I follow a few other cities. I hope you all will do the same, in addition to the wonderful local focus which we have here (and OKMet).

Thanks, Hot Rod. Nice thread.

Very cool thread there...Putting all the developments together really shows how much big time construction is already underway or on the way in the metro

We still come off kind of small-time compared to all the highrise construction in Austin and San Antonio.

OK. In that vein, are we(OKC) really on the verge of some new high-rise construction? I keep reading on here and hearing that new high-rise construction is just around the corner. Well, when do we begin to hear or see this materialize? This whole metro area is booming with growth and construction, but I have to believe that is happening in most all metro areas around the country. Maybe I'm wrong, I have no way of really knowing. I spend time on Skyscrapercity.com, and there is an explosion of high-rise construction going on worldwide. Everywhere but here(OKC) it seems. Is it really going to happen here, or are we just fooling ourselves? Like others on here, I believe a new magnificent, signature tower would do wonders for our image, both inside and outside the community.

Well, there is nothing small scale about our development thread on SSC that I've been maintaining. It is definitely one of the better ones that there are.

I refuse to go to SSP anymore due to a few of the Texass members over there.

I'm not talking about the amount of posts or whatever, but the actual projects that we have going up.

Well the SSC thread has 325 posts and 22,274 views.

Okay, but that's not what I'm talking about.

I know what you were talking about. The actual projects discussed in the thread. But I can't help there since there is no way my browser will feature a SkyscraperPage.com (http://www.skyscraperpage.com) url.

We need a few new skyscrapers! We are lacking:

Diagrams - SkyscraperPage.com (http://skyscraperpage.com/diagrams/)?

We need a few new skyscrapers! We are lacking:

Diagrams - SkyscraperPage.com (http://skyscraperpage.com/diagrams/)?

Yes I think its high time for OKC to get a new skyscraper but I don't think it something that needs to happen now. I noticed this while being down in Houston this summer. For all the nice mid rise buildings going up in the suburban areas and the already impressive skyline, there's only been one major skyline-altering building added here: the old Enron Headquarters, and we all know how that went down. Same with Dallas and to a lesser extent Tulsa. I think they suffer the same afflicition as OKC: too much office space built during the oil boom that is only now being filled up. And I was looking at some of these cities on Skyscraper forum and I can tell you knowing their economic performance at least half those areas have no business putting up anything less than a third rate office park. Personally I would love to see a new building but not at the expense of ruining the office market downtown. As all things I think it will come in due time.

That's why it needs to be a residential tower.

How cool would it be to live in THE signature tower of OKC?

That's why it needs to be a residential tower.

How cool would it be to live in THE signature tower of OKC?

I agree. Maybe a mixed use tower with a hotel, some condos, and maybe a little commercial office space but nothing that would overwhelm the market.

I think they are currently doing something like this in Baton Rouge LA (Riverplace , river something?) It may be all condos but I read something that said a hotel was in it also. Also I think Victory Tower and the Cresent in Dallas have a similar format. This could be a very realistic, viable possibility for OKC

I think they are currently doing something like this in Baton Rouge LA (Riverplace , river something?)

!!!!

What is wrong with us. If Baton Rouge can get a condo tower, I repeat, what is wrong with us????

!!!!

What is wrong with us. If Baton Rouge can get a condo tower, I repeat, what is wrong with us????

Yeaaaah I'm going to have to agree with jbrown on this. Baton Rouge is literally half the size of OKC and in a state with a wiped out economy. Smaller cities are getting residential towers in poor economies, so why aren't we?

Argh! Grand Rapids, Pasadena, Texas, Jacksonville, Hoboken, New Jersey, and Lansing are all getting towers. Michigan! Their economy is terrible!

Yeaaaah I'm going to have to agree with jbrown on this. Baton Rouge is literally half the size of OKC and in a state with a wiped out economy. Smaller cities are getting residential towers in poor economies, so why aren't we?

Hey don't knock Baton Rouge too bad. They have a lot going for them right now with LSU, and I hate to say this but with New Orleans struggling right now I can image a ton of capital that would be destined for NO is going there instead. Check out their website:

RiverPlace Condominiums | Living High Above It All (http://www.riverplacebr.com)

ACTUALLY, I brought up Baton Rouge in the first place because I found out this morning that the company I'm interning for is taking us to Baton Rouge to do some field work sometime after the 4th of July. I may see if I can get some pics, but I'm sure you can go on Urban Planet or something and see some progress pics. I'm sure some civic booster down there has plastered them all over the internet.

Not to mention Baton Rouge's population almost doubled overnight after Katrina. The demand soared well over the supply, thus creating a huge need. And as someone said, alot of the money intended for N.O. is being spent in Baton Rouge.

Someone brought up Dallas as an example of what our problem is...

I believe they have more proposed skyscrapers right now than we have skyscrapers period. So......

That is exactly what we need on the Galleria site overlooking Myriad Gardens.

The funny thing is that it's not many units, would hardly put a dent in demand here.

But it would be THE place to live and they might actually get the prices they're asking on stuff like the Centennial.

Well no downtown real estate project that gets in early on the action is not going to fetch the prices its asking for. For now at least. I know you of course know this. :)

Well no downtown real estate project that gets in early on the action is not going to fetch the prices its asking for. For now at least. I know you of course know this. :)

Hey Spartan...What kind of odds you laying on Devon building a tower within the next 5-10 years??

Professionally, I wouldn't bet a lot on it.

Just out of curiousity..
lets name off some of the smaller markets than OKC that have currently experienced highrise construction in their downtowns. (even if they are suburbs)

I can start it off with Boise, Albuquerque, Wichita, bellevue, Tacoma, Mobile, Tulsa has a new Westin coming doesn't it???

No Tulsa does not have a new downtown Westin coming.

Not anymore lol.

Even if they did, a new Westin would not be any more significant than our Renaissance Hotel built recently.

And Wichita has had nothing. They have a condo tower going up on the edge of downtown I believe that's also no more significant than the Renaissance.

And I'm not aware of Albuquerque having built anything recently. Even if they have, they have really boring, short skyline for their size.

I dont think Tacoma has anything highrise either, just a bunch of midrise infill.

Hey all, for those of you who have not yet voted - please go to the poll that we have to vote for what you think OKC's next "first step" should be.

And yes, we do need to support Oklahoma City Development News (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=223555) at Skyscraper City as well as Oklahoma City Update (http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=132814) AND Oklahoma City Projects & Construction (http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=76150) at Skyscraper Page.

We need OKC people to defend, inform, and back up our city to the nation (and world). Please bookmark and support these OKC threads if you can. And we can get a level set from the rest of the world on the progress OKC has.

Speaking of which, you guys gotta check out this Jon Stewart takes on weather scare tactics in OKC - SkyscraperCity (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=487366) .

I'd love to see a new skyscraper in OKC but I'm not holdiing my breath.

OKC still has lots of land -- even close in -- and it's cheap. With the extremely high cost of steel and concrete, any tall tower would have to compete with other developments that would cost much less.

This is a direct function of things like the Kilpatrick Turnpike, which has fostered tons of growth in areas where land is very inexpensive -- and there is still plenty of it out there. As long as our city is developed in this manner, you're not going to see much density and tall buildings.

There are some that will choose to live closer in because they like the lifestyle, but it will always be cheaper to build -- and thus live -- further out until something changes.

Having said all that, I think the one hope is a large hotel because there actually is a scarcity of development sites near the Ford & Cox Centers.

In fact, I think the city should stop allowing these mid- and low-rise hotels as they are taking valuable real estate and the time is coming where we're going to need more rooms in the city center.

A large, tall convention hotel would be perfect on the southern half of the galleria parking garage.

Hi guys, I found this old SSP thread and decided to post this link to a wonderful parody that is a thread at SSP.

It has an OKC twist to it - I hope you all enjoy the laugh. We made another list, twice!! lol.

Also note that no one poked anything negative toward OKC - we're movin' up. but the point of the thread itself is very hilarious. You'll see.



Top Cities For People 2007 - SkyscraperPage Forum (http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=143540)


PPppplease, please continue to support Oklahoma City in these national/world forums like SSP and SSC. We need to make sure we get the word out about OKC being a progressive, urban city. That is the ONLY way we will continue to make a difference to people who otherwise have a distorted (or no) view on OKC or its viability. (Yes, the NBA will help but we need to have regular numbers on the national/world threads - especially with development).

If you all could bookmark the OKC section/thread on both SSP and SSC and take a look every week or so (and post whenever you post something you think is worthwile to the national/world audience), it will really REALLY help get our name out there. Do your city a bit of service and help bump up OKC on these national/world forums, in addition to supporting OKCTalk, OK Met and others. ...

Oklahoma City Update - Page 8 - SkyscraperPage Forum (http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=132814&page=8)