View Full Version : Downtown Living Tour



metro
03-19-2008, 09:13 AM
Here is the first of at least 2 downtown living tours this year. More details coming soon!

http://mail.google.com/mail/?attid=0.1&disp=emb&view=att&th=118c258c8f84fb68

Doug Loudenback
03-19-2008, 01:19 PM
Sorry ... but where?

mecarr
03-19-2008, 01:36 PM
Downtown OKC is doing one in May I believe...Urban Neighbors may do one in September.

metro
03-19-2008, 03:03 PM
Actually this one is a partnership between Downtown OKC and Urban Neighbors (hence the logos on the flyer). As it states, it is May 3rd. This one is head up by Downtown OKC Inc. though. Doug, it will be at all 11 locations listed on the flyer. Trolley service will be provided between the locations.

Yes Urban Neighbors is trying to put one together around the fall.

What I find unique is that Carnegie Centre will be on this first tour. Carnegie Centre is the old downtown library and is being remodeled by Judy Hatfield.

John
03-19-2008, 05:37 PM
metro, we're getting the red x.

kevinpate
03-19-2008, 05:58 PM
metro, we're getting the red x.

yeah, that's the start here mark ... metro's taking us on a scavenger hunt, at least that's the word on the street :gossip:

solitude
03-19-2008, 06:16 PM
Metro linked directly to the image in his email. That won't work. Here it is...
http://aycu09.webshots.com/image/48728/2004929267827994377_rs.jpg

metro
03-19-2008, 06:20 PM
Thanks for reposting solitude, I could see the image but I suppose others couldn't. I couldn't download the image and edit like I normally can.

solitude
03-19-2008, 06:25 PM
Thanks for reposting solitude, I could see the image but I suppose others couldn't. I couldn't download the image and edit like I normally can.

You're welcome. It looks like an interesting tour!

metro
03-27-2008, 07:40 AM
DOKC prepares for home tour crowds

March 27, 2008

OKLAHOMA CITY – Downtown Oklahoma City Inc. discussed event plans Wednesday at the downtown business improvement district advisory board meeting.

The Move UP Downtown Living Tour will be Saturday, May 3, and will offer glimpses of apartments, lofts and condos, in and around downtown.

Kim Searls, with DOKC, said 11 properties will be featured on the tour. In anticipation of a large number of people touring the sites, Searls said five shuttles will make a constant loop taking visitors to the properties for the free tour. The tour runs from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Based on several thousand people who attended last year’s Heritage Hills homes tour, Searls said she was encouraged to add more shuttles. In its two-day run, the Heritage Hills tour counted more than 2,000 visitors to the area’s historic homes.“I think there’s a real curiosity factor out there about what downtown living is all about,” Searls said. “We may be surprised by the attendance.”

The event will also coincide with the 2008 Symphony Designer Show House and Gardens at the Brownstones at Maywood Park, a condo project currently being built with several completed units. The featured properties include Block 42, The Hill, The Sieber, Legacy at Arts Quarter, Carnegie Centre, Park Harvey, Sycamore Square, Lower Bricktown/Centennial, The Montgomery, Hadden Hall and the symphony house.

The tour is free, but an admission charge of $15 will be required to tour the symphony house. This will be the 35th year for a symphony house sponsored by the Oklahoma City Orchestra League. The show house will be on display from April 27 through May 18.

t3h_wookiee
03-27-2008, 10:42 AM
Oh wow, this sounds great! Thanks for letting us know Metro. :)

TStheThird
04-26-2008, 11:08 AM
Just a reminder. This is happening one week from Today.

metro
04-29-2008, 03:00 PM
Just a reminder folks, the Downtown Living Tour is FREE and is this Saturday. The only exception being the Maywood Park Brownstones are the Designers Symphony Showhouse so you have to pay $15 for this property only, if you go to Bob Mills furniture, I believe tickets are $8 there.

Come support downtown!!

solitude
04-29-2008, 03:18 PM
Thanks for the reminder Metro and others. Is it a come and go thing or is there a beginning and end to the tour where you must meetup first?

metro
04-29-2008, 03:22 PM
It's a come and go thing. I'm not sure how often the trolley/guided tours will be departing. I imagine every 15/30 minutes. When I get more details I will post unless ksearls chimes in before then....

jbrown84
04-29-2008, 09:35 PM
I've been confused as well. Do you just pick a location and show up and then catch the trolley to the rest of the locations? Is there some kind of guided tour or not? What are they doing at places like Carnegie Center and Hadden Hall that aren't even close to being completed?

betts
04-30-2008, 07:13 AM
I just got this e-mail. Sounds like you can just show up at any site and catch a shuttle.
Move UP Downtown Living Tour will lead visitors through 11 new or renovated residential developments for sale and lease, with a featured stop at the 2008 Symphony Designer Show House. This self-guided tour runs from 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. and visitors are invited to tour as many properties as they like. The free Move UP shuttles will run a continuous loop of the tour locations.

metro
04-30-2008, 08:02 AM
jbrown, it is self guided, come and go as you please, similar to a regular open house. The trolley's will be somewhat guided as well each housing development will have volunteers and such on site to answer questions.

ksearls
04-30-2008, 08:57 AM
Hey Everyone! Hope I can answer a few of your questions. The tour is this Saturday, May 3 from 11 - 5. You can jump on at any location, the tour is self guided and is basically an "open house" format. There will be 5 free Move UP Shuttles running a continuous loop until 6 pm just to make sure no one is left behind.

We have produced really nice tour guide books and they will be available at every stop and on the shuttles. Free parking is available in Lower Bricktown, 10th and Robinson and at City Center. At City Center you will need to enter from Park or Hudson because there is a big March of Dimes walk and Sheridan will be closed. You can catch the shuttle at the

Some of the locations are still under construction but the developers will be there to show their plans. Carnegie Centre is in demolition so Judy Hatfield will be showing renderings and sales materials at Red Prime. She also will host a drawing for 2 SW Airline tickets so make sure and drop in!

Many Lower Bricktown restaurants and retailers will offer specials but unfortunately owners are moving in to the sold out Centennial and it is not ready to tour.

Many of the stops will feature refreshments and all of the folks at Montgomery and Park Harvey will be participating (Trattoria, PH Athletic Club)

As guests visit each property, they are invited to register to win one of many exciting Downtown prizes. The more properties visited, the better the chance to win! Prizes include a $2,000 gift certificate to Bo Concept Urban Design; a “Downtown Test Drive” at the Skirvin Hilton including a deluxe room and dinner at the Park Avenue Grill; a Downtown Picnic in the Park package that includes a picnic set, a $100 gift card to Nonna’s, and Downtown attraction passes; and two weekend packages at The Residence Inn by Marriott Bricktown including passes to many of Downtown’s exciting attractions.

We are recommending you allow 20 - 30 minutes per stop. The Show House may take longer. Remember it is $15, closes at 3:30 and no kids under 8 or cameras.

You can click here Move UP Downtown Living Tour (http://www.downtownokc.com/Default.aspx?tabid=199) to see more information and you can print off a map.

If you have questions let me know! We expect a HUGE turnout, the weather looks great!

centaurian
05-01-2008, 10:08 AM
This looks like a fun event.
will there be guides or is this just a stroll on you own tour.

ksearls
05-01-2008, 01:27 PM
Yes, you can pick up a tour guide at any of the stops! Also, there will be a four-page insert in tomorrow's Oklahoman.

Oh my gosh, our phones are ringing off the wall! So many people want to see our Downtown housing!

Karried
05-01-2008, 01:29 PM
Oh my gosh, our phones are ringing off the wall! So many people want to see our Downtown housing!

That's exciting!

CCOKC
05-01-2008, 03:31 PM
My husband and I are planning to go. I've been looking forward to this tour and the Symphony Show Homes for a while. Sounds like we'll need to go early.

metro
05-02-2008, 11:28 PM
Just wanted to remind everyone to come on out today if you can! I'll be a tour guide on one of the trolleys. Trolleys are supposed to run every 5 minutes between stops (crosses fingers).

jbrown84
05-03-2008, 12:07 AM
I'll be there with a friend who plans to buy in the next couple years.

wsucougz
05-03-2008, 03:26 PM
I went and checked out The Hill, Block 42 and The Sieber. Tried to take a look at Hadden Hall but it looked like whoever was manning the door had jumped ship.

Quick Interior impressions:

The Hill: good quality, however very suburban and mostly lacking in vision. The bathroom with the marble floors was nice, though. I'm puzzled as to who they think they're marketing these to.

Block 42: Very pleasantly surprised with the style and true loft feel and hot chicks.

The Sieber: Not only are Sieber North hands down the nicest apartments in town, they would be the nicest condos. I would love to live in that street level unit. The quality of everything is way beyond what you would expect in a rental. Then again, at $1800/month for a 1br loft...

MikeOKC
05-03-2008, 04:15 PM
I thought I would sign on to see who all went to the tour. I was also extremely impressed with the Sieber but wasn't expecting the rental rates to be so high.

jbrown84
05-03-2008, 04:44 PM
The Seiber rental rates are about the same as Park Harvey, and they are MUCH nicer.

The Best:

1. The Seiber (strongly considering it now)
2. Block 42 (love the interiors, especially on the 3-story townhome)
3. Brownstones at Maywood Park (the 4th floor party room w/ patio--WOW)

Most Overpriced:

1. Carnegie Center (no matter what they do, it's still the ugliest of all these projects, and an 800 sf condo is priced at around $500,000)
2. The Hill (very nice, with high ceilings, but you can get the exact same style and 3 times as big for the same price in the burbs--the location isn't worth that much of a hike)

Most Bizarre Inclusion:

1. Hadden Hall (there's been no construction, they have no floor plans or renderings yet, and no one was even manning it when our shuttle stopped there)



Congrats to Downtown OKC, Inc. for doing a great job with this! We had a lot of fun.

mecarr
05-03-2008, 04:47 PM
I only got a chance to go to The Seiber, and wow was I surprised. I saw two apartments there. One was just a regular looking apartment, but it looked nice. The one that blew me away was the street-level unit with those high-ceilings. The windows were massive, letting in a lot of sunshine and the kitchen was very well designed as well. I was told the units range from $800-$1600.

jbrown84
05-03-2008, 05:03 PM
I didn't care for the fact that they took storefront space on the first floor of the building for lofts. I would have put the 2 lofts upstairs, and gotten retail or restaurant tenants for the 2 ground level spaces. That building is just TOO perfect for a little neighborhood restaurant or bar.

There will be a restaurant in the main Sieber building on the ground floor though. They are also building a 2-story garage across the street for tenants.

autoMATTic
05-03-2008, 05:03 PM
I am, more than ever, confused as to how these developers are going to pull this off. $400,000 something for that brownstone at the hill? $500,00 for 800 square feet. We have missed the mark somewhere.

I make damn good money but will not do this. I am disappointed. I love the progress and the energy these bring to my city but MY GOD MAN! Even people with money are going, "you gotta be kidding me right?" (no joke, I was down there with two attorneys and a doctor and they were both laughing at these prices).

Just my two pennies.

One more thing. I spoke to my realtor (I have my own looking out for me) and he said that some of these carry very hefty (like $800 per month hefty) home owners/condo association fees. I was very serious about buying but after my past two months of research, I have decided I will be better off building on my own. Anyone want to co-op with me? We can get a team of buyers that are interested and go in and do it ourselves.

All said, BEAUTIFUL PROPERTIES!!!

jbrown84
05-03-2008, 05:08 PM
The Hill, Carnegie Center, and the Centennial are the worst. IMO the Brownstones at Maywood are priced about right. They are the biggest of all the condos, and finished the nicest.

autoMATTic
05-03-2008, 05:11 PM
The Hill, Carnegie Center, and the Centennial are the worst. IMO the Brownstones at Maywood are priced about right. They are the biggest of all the condos, and finished the nicest.

I never saw their pricing. What was it, if you don't mind? For that specific condo they had open today.

jbrown84
05-03-2008, 05:18 PM
I don't remember specifically but they were on par with The Hill but bigger and nicer.

flintysooner
05-03-2008, 05:20 PM
Here's the web page with starting prices (http://www.reinventokc.com/floorplans.asp)

$590,000 - 2,371 sf
$617,000 - 2,741 sf
$710,000 - 3,550 sf

solitude
05-03-2008, 06:02 PM
Here's the web page with starting prices (http://www.reinventokc.com/floorplans.asp)

$590,000 - 2,371 sf
$617,000 - 2,741 sf
$710,000 - 3,550 sf

I'm sorry, as I am really excited about downtown living, but those prices are prohibitive to all but the richest few. Not too many here in OKC are making SoCal-like salaries. For Oklahoma City, these are through the roof for basically an apartment (albeit a nice one).

wsucougz
05-03-2008, 06:30 PM
I am, more than ever, confused as to how these developers are going to pull this off. $400,000 something for that brownstone at the hill? $500,00 for 800 square feet. We have missed the mark somewhere.

I make damn good money but will not do this. I am disappointed. I love the progress and the energy these bring to my city but MY GOD MAN! Even people with money are going, "you gotta be kidding me right?" (no joke, I was down there with two attorneys and a doctor and they were both laughing at these prices).

Just my two pennies.

One more thing. I spoke to my realtor (I have my own looking out for me) and he said that some of these carry very hefty (like $800 per month hefty) home owners/condo association fees. I was very serious about buying but after my past two months of research, I have decided I will be better off building on my own. Anyone want to co-op with me? We can get a team of buyers that are interested and go in and do it ourselves.

All said, BEAUTIFUL PROPERTIES!!!

Matt,

From what I'm seeing, I think it's very doable to take this on yourself. However, assuming you aren't a zillionaire and that trying to get a bunch of random individuals together to renovate a large building doesn't work out, you may want to look at the areas that are just a short bike ride from downtown. In the past year, John Bullard has converted 2 multifamily buildings into loft spaces:

3012_N_Robinson (http://bullarddesign.com/3012_N_Robinson.html)
424_NW_30th (http://bullarddesign.com/424_NW_30th.html)

And Loren Capron is currently renovating 3 multifamily structures in Jefferson Park into single-family residences. All next door to each other on 22nd and Hudson.

Bullard bought those for $40k a pop and Capron paid $100k each for the 3000 sq. ft duplexes and $75k, I believe, for the smaller one. Getting a solid structure at such a low $/ft leaves you a lot of room to get creative without having more money in than you could ever possibly hope to get back out.

You're probably not walking to downtown from those locations, but you're walking to the Paseo and the Tower Theater area(in the near future). Plus, you're equidistant to downtown and most western ave. bars and restaurants.

This, imo, is a good value way to get an urban style living space done, while at the same time securing your investment by being slightly ahead of the pack on the next big neighborhoods.

Who knows, you might find a bargain in the downtown area, but the wolves are circling. My 2 cents.

metro
05-03-2008, 08:50 PM
I didn't care for the fact that they took storefront space on the first floor of the building for lofts. I would have put the 2 lofts upstairs, and gotten retail or restaurant tenants for the 2 ground level spaces. That building is just TOO perfect for a little neighborhood restaurant or bar.

There will be a restaurant in the main Sieber building on the ground floor though. They are also building a 2-story garage across the street for tenants.

jbrown, I agree about the ground level urban loft for rent (stupid move), it's too perfect for retail/restaurant. They are putting a kitchen designers business next door (they did the unit next door for lease). As far as the Seiber building a 2 story garage, that's news to me, my inside sources say they are building a whole other tower for more units. (Perhaps they'd make the first two floors parking and units above?? Possibly? I'll investigate further.

metro
05-03-2008, 08:54 PM
I am, more than ever, confused as to how these developers are going to pull this off. $400,000 something for that brownstone at the hill? $500,00 for 800 square feet. We have missed the mark somewhere.

I make damn good money but will not do this. I am disappointed. I love the progress and the energy these bring to my city but MY GOD MAN! Even people with money are going, "you gotta be kidding me right?" (no joke, I was down there with two attorneys and a doctor and they were both laughing at these prices).

Just my two pennies.


One more thing. I spoke to my realtor (I have my own looking out for me) and he said that some of these carry very hefty (like $800 per month hefty) home owners/condo association fees. I was very serious about buying but after my past two months of research, I have decided I will be better off building on my own. Anyone want to co-op with me? We can get a team of buyers that are interested and go in and do it ourselves.

All said, BEAUTIFUL PROPERTIES!!!

Some of the HOA fees are not as hefty as "rumored" some include utilities so keep that in mind. You're also buying a lifestyle, not experienced in suburbia. There are several more modestly priced developments under construction, in planning stages, and older developments (there were probably a dozen properties not on the tour).

Yes, I hear you on building your own, it's definitely comparable in price and you can build it how you want. I'd be interested in a co-op if I had the money. I know several others already downtown that are trying to get something together like this. PM me for more info. I highly encourage you to attend an Urban Neighbors meeting and network with like minded people. Grant Humphrey's is also seriously trying to work on a co-op type development just NW of Sycamore Square.

BG918
05-03-2008, 09:32 PM
There are lots of great buildings ripe for renovation into residences or businesses in the west end of downtown. I really had never noticed that area before but I've been down there a few times recently and see a ton of potential. I'm talking about the area west of Lee to Classen along Sheridan and Main. What is holding people back from this area? Too close to high crime and the homeless shelter? The Sheridan trolley I proposed would definitely help connect this area to the rest of downtown and to Bricktown.

I know many don't like the Legacy apts. but they are relatively affordable and one of the few options for young professionals that aren't doctors, lawyers, or in the energy business to live downtown. More development like that should take place on the west end, especially north and west of Legacy where there are lots of vacant lots. Unless it faces Walker I don't think it needs to include streetfront retail just affordable rentals with an urban design.

viet-my
05-03-2008, 09:45 PM
[QUOTE=
Most Overpriced:

1. Carnegie Center (no matter what they do, it's still the ugliest of all these projects, and an 800 sf condo is priced at around $500,000)
[/QUOTE]

I actually liked the renderings of this project, the price list i'm looking at has the 890 sq ft at $300 and $325?

CCOKC
05-03-2008, 10:00 PM
My husband and I looked at all of the properties on the tour today. We were very impressed with the Brownstones but mostly the ones on the symphony showhome tour. The outdoor spaces were amazing. But we fear that the southern views will be blocked when the remaining phases are built. But we are looking to downsize and these units are quite large.
I liked the Hill but like someone said they are probably too suburban for this area and we thought they paled in comparison to the Brownstones.
I was pleasanlty suprised with the Park Harvey. They don't have all of the fancy finishes but they are meant to be affordable and we thought they had an urban feel to them. And the club in the basement is very nice.
Although the Carnegie is not my style, I like the developer's vision. I asked her point blank what possessed her to take on this project and she said she thought it was the ugliest building downtown and she feels compelled to make something worthwhile out of it.
And I agree with most people about the Seiber. When you look at the rental rates from the prospective of someone like me who is paying at least twice this much on a mortgage right now they don't seem so bad. Plus no property taxes no maintenance (we pay over 300 to someone to mow and edge my acre lot for example) these prices seem reasonable.

solitude
05-03-2008, 11:16 PM
My husband and I looked at all of the properties on the tour today. We were very impressed with the Brownstones but mostly the ones on the symphony showhome tour. The outdoor spaces were amazing. But we fear that the southern views will be blocked when the remaining phases are built. But we are looking to downsize and these units are quite large.
I liked the Hill but like someone said they are probably too suburban for this area and we thought they paled in comparison to the Brownstones.
I was pleasanlty suprised with the Park Harvey. They don't have all of the fancy finishes but they are meant to be affordable and we thought they had an urban feel to them. And the club in the basement is very nice.
Although the Carnegie is not my style, I like the developer's vision. I asked her point blank what possessed her to take on this project and she said she thought it was the ugliest building downtown and she feels compelled to make something worthwhile out of it.
And I agree with most people about the Seiber. When you look at the rental rates from the prospective of someone like me who is paying at least twice this much on a mortgage right now they don't seem so bad. Plus no property taxes no maintenance (we pay over 300 to someone to mow and edge my acre lot for example) these prices seem reasonable.

The Sieber rates are reasonable? Really? Using public funds to play apartment for two years and then sell them off at even more ridiculous prices when they are legally able to? It's all definitely of, by and for the rich, that's for sure. OCURA: Mission Accomplished.

EDIT: I came back to remind everyone who thinks I'm a big lefty or whatever to consider who paid for the revitalization of downtown Oklahoma City. Who made it even possible for developers to have new valuable tracts of land to play with? Don't forget: WE DID. MAPS. MAPS. MAPS.


Senator Barack Obama's City Revitalization Plan looks better to me everyday. That's not what he calls it, but I'll find it and post a link. I'll be proud when he's my president.

http://images.cafepress.com/image/18310936_400x400.jpg

mecarr
05-03-2008, 11:31 PM
The one thing many of these condos\apartments in downtown have in common is that they are incredibly expensive which is unfortunate as it will make downtown OKC too homogenous, consisting of either young white rich professionals or old rich empty nesters. There will be few families and virtually no blue-collar workers. One of the great things I see in many many big urban centers is the diversity you see and I think the urban living scheme in OKC is making such diversity difficult to achieve.

I'm not saying that all the apartments\condos in OKC have to be inexpensive, but there should at least be some that are affordable to middle-class families.

shane453
05-04-2008, 12:56 AM
Hasn't it always been discussed that the more high-priced units would probably come first, followed by more moderately priced options? It makes sense to me- developers make big money and then use it to reinvest into larger scale but lower priced projects. For example- TAP following the Brownstones with the Lofts at Maywood Park- with prices as low as $130k for 700 sf units. Yes, these are small units... But that's part of the urban lifestyle. That is, living efficiently with only the amount of space that you need. It will always cost more to live downtown- you spend more on living space and lifestyle, and less on gas and yardwork.

betts
05-04-2008, 06:33 AM
If you look at Maywood Park, it obvious why they're so expensive. First of all, they have the Build-block construction, which basically makes them large tornado shelters, with all that concrete and rebar. Then, you've got all brick construction, with slate roofs, copper guttering and interior spaces with granite countertops and upscale appliances, as well as lots of tile, very nicely finished out woodwork, three fireplaces, 2 full baths and 2 half baths and an elevator. At around $200 a square foot, you'd be hard pressed to build a comparable house in the suburbs for that price.

They do have a very lowcommunity maintance cost. I think it's about $1000 a year for everything, including any necessary painting, grounds maintenance, etc. I've also been told that because of the concrete construction, heat pumps, etc, utilities will be considerably lower than for a comparable house. And, if you go to the top floor of the farther west townhouses, you can tell that your view of the larger buildings in the CBD won't be blocked by further construction. It's just hard to tell when you are in the showhouses since there's an open field in front of you.

And no, I don't work for the company, but I've been thinking about buying one, and I've built two houses previously so I know what those things cost. I think there will be more variability in price in terms of what's available downtown eventually, but if you look at downtown living costs in a lot of other cities, there is very little really affordable living downtown. Places like the lofts at Maywood are probably about as inexpensive as one will be able to find that close to downtown.

metro
05-05-2008, 08:02 AM
betts, I agree, I think the Brownstones are the best option if money is not a worry. They are priced the best per sq. ft IMO. They are also build to last literally centuries with minimal maintenance. Compared to some of the other $500K+ developments, these are lightyears ahead in quality and energy savings. I also think they have more character that has stood the test of time in Europe and the East Coast. If you end up buying one, make sure to invite us for a party! Haha.

P.S. I didn't see you on the Downtown Living Tour. Did you make it out?


An interesting aside. As a bus tour guide for the tour, I talked to several couples and individuals from out of state, this was their first or second time to OKC. They all seemed pretty impressed and thought the new construction prices were very reasonable. I talked to one couple from Phoenix in particular who are seriously considering buying and moving to downtown OKC. I'm sure there are similar stories from the other volunteers who made this day a success as well. I was glad to hear all the positive comments on OKC from out of state guests. I definitely made sure to point out other things and places going on downtown.

metro
05-05-2008, 08:10 AM
I also posted a poll on the Downtown Living Tour in the Poll Vault. Please take the poll if possible to anyone, regardless of if you went or not.

Pete
05-05-2008, 08:25 AM
I've said all the way along that the Mesta Park and surrounding areas are going to look like bargains when most these newer projects come on-line.

You can still buy a great house with a yard for well less than $300K in a beautiful tree-lined neighborhood. Some of the smaller, single-story homes are much less than that.

BabyBoomerSooner
05-05-2008, 10:52 AM
Then again, at $1800/month for a 1br loft...

I was about to ask about pricing. Seems pretty high to me when you can get a nice house in the suburbs for that kind of monthly payment. I'm sure it's priced accordingly to maintain a certain clientele.

PLANSIT
05-05-2008, 11:00 AM
JBrown,

I thought the Sieber rates were pretty high considering the cheap 1 bedrooms only had views of the interior. They are roughly $1.18 per square foot from what I understand. Check out The Sieber > Opening Summer 2008 (http://thesieber.com)

metro
05-05-2008, 12:11 PM
The $1800 a month was for the ground floor, very spacious, ultra luxurious model they had open. Marble everywhere in the kitchen and tons of it. High end appliance and everything else. The other apartments in the Seiber Tower started at about $700 a month for a 1 bed. That's not crazy, there are plenty of newer developments in the burbs that start at that or more for a 1 bed.

PLANSIT
05-05-2008, 02:16 PM
I don't know where you are getting this $700 a month from, but the smallest apartment (~800 sq. ft, on the interior) is closer to $1000. Click the "view floor plans" (bottom right corner) in the link above. Prices are given.

OKCMallen
05-05-2008, 03:20 PM
ptown is correct. I emailedw ith Marva this afternoon.

betts
05-06-2008, 11:41 PM
I think the Legacy's one bedroom apartments are close to a thousand a month, because my son was doing an economics' project for school and had to come up with prices for all sorts of ordinary expenses. I didn't make it to the Seiber, but if they've got granite and high end appliances, it was probably an expensive renovation.

I built a house seven years ago, and I remember now that when I got my quote from Matt Wilson, a well-known local builder, costs were $150 a foot, exclusive of land. There were people who quoted more. That's not with copper guttering, slate roofs and Build-Block construction like Maywood. If these townhomes and condos are being built with higher end features, $200+ a foot may not be that unreasonable for new construction, especially with oil prices what they are. Transportation of materials is probably driving costs up. It may be that smaller size is the only way to get lsignificantly less expensive housing downtown

betts
05-06-2008, 11:46 PM
betts, I agree, I think the Brownstones are the best option if money is not a worry. They are priced the best per sq. ft IMO. They are also build to last literally centuries with minimal maintenance. Compared to some of the other $500K+ developments, these are lightyears ahead in quality and energy savings. I also think they have more character that has stood the test of time in Europe and the East Coast. If you end up buying one, make sure to invite us for a party! Haha.

P.S. I didn't see you on the Downtown Living Tour. Did you make it out?


An interesting aside. As a bus tour guide for the tour, I talked to several couples and individuals from out of state, this was their first or second time to OKC. They all seemed pretty impressed and thought the new construction prices were very reasonable. I talked to one couple from Phoenix in particular who are seriously considering buying and moving to downtown OKC. I'm sure there are similar stories from the other volunteers who made this day a success as well. I was glad to hear all the positive comments on OKC from out of state guests. I definitely made sure to point out other things and places going on downtown.

I had to show my house to someone interested in buying it and spent most of the day cleaning madly. Can't move downtown unless I sell my existing house! I will have a party, hopefully before an NBA game, and I'll invite everyone. I did manage to go to Block 42 and the Hill, as those were two I was interested in comparing. Yes, when you look at prices in other cities for downtown housing of this calibre, our prices look fairly reasonable. It's just more than most of us are used to seeing, especially considering they're not on a lot of land.

metro
05-08-2008, 08:40 AM
Downtown housing tour opens doors
Daily Oklahoman
By Steve Lackmeyer
Business Writer

Marva Ellard is busy this week signing leases with the first new tenants for the Sieber — and estimates about 1,500 people visited the former MidTown hotel as part of the downtown housing tour Saturday.

"It really was very nice,” Ellard said. "We generated a lot of interest in downtown housing.”

Similar crowd counts were reported at the Block 42 condominiums and the Park Harvey Apartments, also on the tour organized by Downtown Oklahoma City Inc.

"This was the first time we really felt like we had the inventory and there was really something for people to see,” said Kim Searls, marketing director for Downtown Oklahoma City Inc.

"We've been talking about this for a couple of years ... I'd bet some of these properties wouldn't have been ready today if we didn't have the tour scheduled. These people went all out to get things done.”

Some stops had more to offer than others. The Centennial, while on the tour, has been sold out for months. Richard Tanenbaum, developer of the Park Harvey, recently reported all but two of its 168 apartments were leased.

The tour also coincided with the first Symphony Show House to be hosted downtown. The Oklahoma City Orchestra League, which hosts the fundraiser for the Oklahoma City Philharmonic, chose the Brownstones at Maywood Park. Linda Patton, chairman, reported the visitor count on Saturday was 100 higher than for the same day last year.

"It's gone very well,” Patton said. "A lot of people like that we brought it downtown. And we brought it downtown because everything is happening downtown.”

metro
05-08-2008, 08:42 AM
If Tanenbaum is correct, that 166 of his 168 apartments of Park Harvey are leased out, I wonder what he is eyeing for his next project. Montgomery stays pretty solidly leased at hefty $2000+ a month lease rates as well.