What do you consider to be downtown's five worst eyesores?

Hey, Steve.

Could you clarify? Are you talking CBD specifically, or the downtown area in general, including Mid-Town, Automobile Alley, Bricktown, etc.

What are the parameters you have in mind?

Good question. Let's put the emphasis on the core - the central business district, arts district, Bricktown and Auto Alley.

Not sure about the top 5, but for me the worst is the back side of the buildings on the southside of Park Ave, between Robinson and Broadway. That is one giant wall of crap that makes downtown OKC look old a dingy.

1) The old library (which is being fixed, I know one of the subcontractors);
2) The DEQ building
3) The AT&T windowless monstrosity
4) "The Century" parking garage -- that white pile 'ol crap on Kerr & Harvey.
5t) Park Harvey Tower -- ugly and brown
5t) The empty Dowell Center

The Parking Garage near the ballpark and the U-Haul building.

Bass-Pro #1
U-Haul building
Century Center
piece o'crap maintenance their building in front of RockTown
Harkins Theatre

Just think if we would have built an IKEA instead of Bass Pro! Much more urban development would be here by now.

Note: Most of mine have to do with Bricktown because I don't work or spend a lot of time downtown so forgive me.

1. The huge building just north of the U-haul building that looks like it is constantly being renovated, but no headway being made. It is on the NW corner of Oklahoma and Reno
2. Under Zio's (which is going to be fixed eventually I know)
3. the buildings just west of 235 in bricktown on the SE corner of Sheridan and Byers Ave. They look like old shop buildings that are very dilapitated and are falling apart.
4. the store fronts next to the main street parking garage that include a Subway on Main Street between Robinson and Broadway
5. The parking garage just north of the Cox Center on EK Gaylord and between Main and NE 2nd.

1) U-Haul building, it doesn't even fit in, but since OKC is the crossing of two major highways that run border to border, I can see why they would want people to see it.
2) Oil Coop building, nothing says urban or vibrant like a couple of huge industrial buildings.
3) Anything East of 235 on Reno, i know it's not downtown, but still an entrance/exit to the city, but you can pretty much just say the whole east side.
4) Roads, enough said.
5) Oklahoma County Jail, again, enough said.

All of the buildings immediately east of the Bricktown events center (the Fox body shop and all the warehouse buildings). I guess it isn't quite in your designated area , but the Finley building on 2nd street and the adjacent buildings on south 2nd Street in the Triangle are pretty bad, as is the area immediately south of them and just north of Bricktown.

The cotton oil monster south of I-40 gets all 5 of my votes!!! I like the climbing range though. It could be jazzed up a bit, but it does serve a good purpose.

Any building without a sigificant street-level presence.

No Cuatrode, I'm not going to let you off that easily. You almost always have an interesting take on things downtown. Come on - name names.

I agree with Metro... the AT&T building... what I call a giant brick box. The day a wrecking ball is applied to that tower is a day of rejoice.

Another eyesore is the Union Bus Station. It maybe old and historic. But it is OLD, and due a face lift.

Another downtown eyesore is the First National Arcade, next to the First National Tower. For crying out loud, at least give the hunk o' junk an exterior face lift.

And last but not least... the ugliest building in downtown Oklahoma City... I can;t name it but it is right next to City Place... Sonic's original HQ before they occupied the building on Broadway (and before moving to Bricktown). I believe a portion of it is a parking garage with car lifts. Does that ring a bell? It HAS to go.

Yes, I know what you are talking about. It was, or is, owned by Globe Life.

All five of my votes go to Stage Center. Yuck! Looks like a relic of the '70s...

I agree with Metro... the AT&T building... what I call a giant brick box. The day a wrecking ball is applied to that tower is a day of rejoice.

Another eyesore is the Union Bus Station. It maybe old and historic. But it is OLD, and due a face lift.

Another downtown eyesore is the First National Arcade, next to the First National Tower. For crying out loud, at least give the hunk o' junk an exterior face lift.

And last but not least... the ugliest building in downtown Oklahoma City... I can;t name it but it is right next to City Place... Sonic's original HQ before they occupied the building on Broadway (and before moving to Bricktown). I believe a portion of it is a parking garage with car lifts. Does that ring a bell? It HAS to go.

okcpulse, how are you agreeing with me, when none of the buildings you mentioned, I mentioned. I mentioned Bass Pro as number 1 (wishing it was an IKEA and mixed-use urban development).

8. I agree, anything east of 235 on Reno.

7. I don't know is this is close enough to count, but banks of the Oklahoma River. Instead if looking like a drainage ditch, it looks like one filled with water.

6. I-40 Crosstown Bridge AND the I-235 bridge. Not because it is an eyesore, but because it provides a view of downtown that is less-than-spetacular.

5. I call franchise architecture an eyesore (i.e. Courtyard, Residence Inn).

4. The Tri-Gen building.

3. I have always hated the AT&T building. Their building here in stillwater is almost as bad. Maybe not a wrecking ball, but maybe in interesting facade treatment. I'm not a big Micheal Graves fan but this could work:

http://data.greatbuildings.com/gbc/images/cid_1109295603_Portland_Building_noid.jpg

2. Parking.
----2A. Surface parking. Including the Ford dealership (come on C2S!).
----2B. Every parking garage except the Galleria.

Allright Steve, since you called me out:

1. In terms of lack of street activity, the Century Center. (I hear that is being fixed) As for the other buildings without street presence, they are smaller buildings that I do not know the names of. The larger buildings are better in terms of ground level activity but it could use some reconfiguration, such as being more transparent, opening onto the street vs opening into a lobby, etc. For retail to thrive in the core, it needs to be continous.


0. (I just thought of this) In general our skyline could use some color. With few exceptions, it's a heap of brown and gray buildings.

I vote for CS2 to be funded by Disney and put in an amusement park.. we'll then have our small light rail, hotels, attractions, and shopping... eh... i'm below level thinking right now.

Now, when some of you mention the ATT building, are you referring to the one built in the early 1970s that has a scarcity of windows, or are you referring to the old Pioneer Telephone Building that has the gold honeycomb like microwave relay equipment on top?

To see buildings, go here (http://www.dougloudenback.com/downtown/okc92.htm)to Doug's site: Sothwestern Bell Buildings, Downtown Oklahoma City (http://www.dougloudenback.com/downtown/okc92.htm)

Now, when some of you mention the ATT building, are you referring to the one built in the early 1970s that has a scarcity of windows, or are you referring to the old Pioneer Telephone Building that has the gold honeycomb like microwave relay equipment on top?

The Pioneer Building could be nice if the equipment were removed and the facade restored.

Otherwise, the AT&T building without the windows is sort of a monstrosity.

I don't mind either so much though. Each gives the skyline depth. I'd rather have those buildings than surface parking.

The old WH Stewart Co. buildings on Sheridan east of Bricktown that have been there since statehood and look like that was the last time they were maintained.

The severely dilapidated old quasi-Victorian house setting to the west of the Deep Deuce Apartments.

The OCPD drunk tank directly across the street from the severely dilapidated house west of Deep Deuce.

The corrugated metal shedding nightmare of and around the Fox auto-body repair site.

Not sure of the building name, but it's on the canal and it is boarded up and looks like a war zone.


There are other buildings downtown that aren't what we wish they were, but to me the above are true and absolute eyesores.

Steve, just curious, are you going to do an article with the results from this? Perhaps if the building owners were aware of how ugly their buildings are and how upset the public was maybe they'll consider something?

I'll sign a petition if necessary...

I'm in heavy agreement the first 4 listed in response #9 above.
For the 5th slot, I'm more inclined to sub in the Fox Collision space that's just northeast of BassPro.

Century Center
Building south of Momentum Market that is just a bunch of truck loading bays
Finley Building
SE corner of 4th & Hudson (I hear Grant Humphreys has his eye on it)
Stewart Metal Warehouses

The entire area of west downtown to the west of Classen!!!

I know everyone has a right to their opinion but I cannot believe Stage Center was even mentioned on this list. It is a treasure.

The. Park. Harvey. Seriously, what was the rationale for that one.

I know everyone has a right to their opinion but I cannot believe Stage Center was even mentioned on this list. It is a treasure.

I agree whole-heartedly with that. But it does need a freshening up on the outside.

I agree whole-heartedly with that. But it does need a freshening up on the outside.

I agree, it is an architectural treasure, and one of the very few pieces of mid-century modern we have. It does need new paint, powerwashing, etc. though.

Steve, just curious, are you going to do an article with the results from this? Perhaps if the building owners were aware of how ugly their buildings are and how upset the public was maybe they'll consider something?

I guess you have me figured out!

All five of my votes go to Stage Center. Yuck! Looks like a relic of the '70s...

OMG!!! Seriously? Stage Center is one of the most unique and interesting buildings downtown! I'm sure it could stand for some repairs.....but I think it's art.

^
|___ Just another relic who doesn't think Stage Center needs much more than a minor touchup

Top Five Eye Sores

Great question!

1)The southeast corner of Main and Walker (across from the Montgomery.) The empty building on the corner is dog-ugly, not to mention a footstool for panhandlers.

2) The back of the building directly west of 420 W. Main. As you approach this building driving north there is a junky homemade sign – I think it’s for the Coney Island hole-in-the-wall. I exit I-40 onto Walker frequently and I have to pass this ugly sign all the time. It is just terrible.

3) The Goodyear Store. All that royal blue and yellow. Just ugly.

4) Not really downtown, but Brown’s Bakery. As best I can recall, this popular bakery was once in a really cool old building in downtown – but they lost their 30+ year lease when a car dealership (can’t remember who) sold the building. They subsequently rented that funny half-moon shaped building that I think was a grocery store at one time (By the loopty-loop.) Brown’s is great. They made my wedding cake. The building they’re in needs a facelift and some parking lot landscaping.

5) The words "City Church" carved into the beautiful old First Christian Church -- the one with the little bitty gold dome. They just ruined the look of this amazing historic building by burning their mark into it - and it was so temporary. The church is for sale.

I like the classic Coney Island sign, it and the Colcord sign are the only relics we have from the past that remind us of a bygone era and reminicent of a bigger more urban city.

I agree, Brown's Bakery needs a serious facelift, I've wanted to tell them that but I haven't yet.

City Church is gone?

I'm feeling downright guilty for dogging on the Goodyear Get-Your-Car-Fixed place, so I've come up with a replacement. (Again, more Midtown than Downtown.) There is an Edwardian-style home on 11th Street (I think) - over where they tore down that dollar store. Hanging from the second story window is a big fabric sign declaring it a center or school for "Metaphysics." It's kind of creepy. It makes me think of Amityville Horror. (Vivid imagination have I.) So, Steve's question is inspiring me to snap a few pictures of the perplexing eyesores and post them. When time allows.

Jen, come on you can come up with better answers than that, that house is not in that bad of condition really, I'm looking at it now out my window. It's in good shape, good roof, keep the lawn mowed etc. Now what they do there, I have no idea other than I know you are correct, it's the school for Metaphysics. There are plenty of downtown eyesores that need far more attention.

How about the boarded up buildings on the west end of the canal that have been vacant and neglected for years. That hurts OKC's image more than a Victorian/Edwardian house in respectable condition in a residential area.

That post made me laugh - primarily b/c METAPHYSICS HOUSE is so obscure, I didn't know if anyone would know what I was talking about let alone see it from his office window. Too funny.

I have another eyesore (forgive me) to add to the list: the billboard of HOMELESS MAN. Any thoughts on that? I need a little hobo emoticon to complete this reply.

I agree whole-heartedly with that. But it does need a freshening up on the outside.
Stage Center was due for demolition the day it opened. It is the original eyesore. It looks like a crashed spaceship from Alpha Centauri! Why do architects insist on ugliness when they confer awards for building design? We can do better in designing the future of OKC, but beware the architectural design awards committees.
They value "artiness" above true art; trendiness above timeless beauty.

Show me what Stage Center should have looked like.

I don't know about what it was suppose to look like, but I know that the way it is, is not what I have in mind.

Stage Center's value is in it's non-traditional look. At least it's not a giant concrete shoebox like Tulsa's PAC.

The Civic Center Music Hall is our traditional venue, and Stage Center is a great venue for smaller productions.

We looked at cost for renting the CCMH and the pricing alone for insurance was outrages.

Renting it for...?

A group of friends and I use to run a music venue, we had everything from Jazz to Metal. We closed a year and a half ago when the owner sold the building. So we looked at other avenues to go with but higher quality acts. The CCMH was just one of them. CCMH provides everything, and at their price. Makes it hard to do something.

I'm having a little trouble following that post, but it doesn't sound like CCMH would fit your needs anyway.

We're a little of topic now...

I like the classic Coney Island sign, it and the Colcord sign are the only relics we have from the past that remind us of a bygone era and reminicent of a bigger more urban city.

I agree, Brown's Bakery needs a serious facelift, I've wanted to tell them that but I haven't yet.

I agree 100%. I love that old Coney Island sign. It's been there for 40+ years.

...but higher quality acts.

We wanted to step up our notch, not your everyday run of the mill local show. :)