Whats the big red crane for?

It's been breached for several weeks from the west from I-40 headed westbound or from classen blvd.

You'll be pleased to know I just got back shooting video for the September construction update. :)
It won't be until Thursday at the earliest until I can upload the video however.

I'm doing video now because my Falcon is getting an upgrade and it will take about three weeks...
I won't be able to edit or encode any further video. But I'm upgrading to a i7 970 six core processor, 6gb ram, GeForce GTX 470, etc
Should speed things up quite a bit.

You'll be pleased to know I just got back shooting video for the September construction update. :)
It won't be until Thursday at the earliest until I can upload the video however.

I'm doing video now because my Falcon is getting an upgrade and it will take about three weeks...
I won't be able to edit or encode any further video. But I'm upgrading to a i7 970 six core processor, 6gb ram, GeForce GTX 470, etc
Should speed things up quite a bit.

That's some sweet hardware. I own a workstation with quad core Intel Xeon processor with 4GB of ECC memory and ATI graphics. It does very well for rendering video and compiling software. Anyhow, I can't wait to see the new footage!

A few photos for your viewing pleasure. They've almost completed the glass on the third floor.As always plenty more here (http://www.flickr.com/photos/53062852@N00/).

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4127/4980764674_bb8b6b41ef_b.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4124/4980157427_bf957dc85d_b.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4125/4980758950_6e2dab2987_b.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4087/4980759386_ca270b6d89_b.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4133/4980758480_be9491e165_b.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4112/4980757622_b4ddd06b82_b.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4110/4980146359_68a263dfce_b.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4088/4980144843_0c40d37c0c_b.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4108/4980143963_6720cba53b_b.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4089/4980145503_84017a3c4b_b.jpg

Ha, Kinggober I was there around 2:30 and must have just missed you. I had to walk a lot further this time, on a parking meter so I was in a hurry. I'm reviewing the video now, and it's the same as your photos, except of course it will be HD. That's actually pretty good for comparison purposes. :)
That first photo, I have almost the exact same angle but from the top of the garage. I don't know how I must have missed you..

Does anybody know when they will install the First Floor's Glass?

Will the glass go further down on the tower? I assume so.

They probably will hold off on the ground floor windows for a while. They probably need to keep it clear for large equipment and parts to get into the tower first. Elevators and such, probably.

Whats the big red crane for?

All the cranes help them move materials from point A to point B. There's not really a faster better way to do it than using cranes.

They have added the safety net to the side of the building around floor 7 or 8...didn't count exactly which floor.

I really thought they would raise the crane over the weekend..kind of surprised.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4127/4988090826_69fdcbb88f_z.jpg

^^ Wow.. that puts it in perspective..

I still do not think we all get how truly massive this tower will be!before this tower is even half done it will make a HUGE impact on our skyline!

It is quite amazing to look and think....this thing is going to be like 2 of Cotter Ranch!

No kidding...Cotter Ranch: 500 ft and Devon Tower 850 ft.

Devon Tower is already taller than the Colcord (OKC's tallest building from 1909-1923)

The cam caught a balloon floating above the tower!

Growing up in Chicago I have rode 100's of elevators .... there's no
13th FLOOR ????

Is there goin to be a 13th floor ? A .. `M` Desigination ... A.. super secret floor .. a mechanical level ? a stash the cash floor? WATS the deal?

Is the 13th really gonna be the 12th or the 14th or what ? And what about the 1st floor, it's up two levels plus !!!!!

I heard in Chicago it's gonna go 60 plus floors!!!! out doing Dallas and possibly a few other cities. 1156`feet.. will do it I suppose.

BIG JOHN from CHICAGO !!!!!!!!

^^Huh?

Growing up in Chicago I have rode 100's of elevators .... there's no
13th FLOOR ????

Is there goin to be a 13th floor ? A .. `M` Desigination ... A.. super secret floor .. a mechanical level ? a stash the cash floor? WATS the deal?

Is the 13th really gonna be the 12th or the 14th or what ? And what about the 1st floor, it's up two levels plus !!!!!

I heard in Chicago it's gonna go 60 plus floors!!!! out doing Dallas and possibly a few other cities. 1156`feet.. will do it I suppose.

BIG JOHN from CHICAGO !!!!!!!!

Be careful about mentioning things you hear out in the world of business and among your friends in the oil industry...they are not welcome here...keep a tight lid on conversations you overhear at the Petroleum Clubs around the nation...speculation is verboten.

I for one hate the no 13th floor thing also

I for one hate the no 13th floor thing also

I agree entirely. It's sort of like when some airlines haven't had a row 13 on their planes. It's totally ridiculous.

In Japan, the fourth floor is avoided. Let's just remove all cultures' unlucky numbers so that we can tell other cities that we have building with a 100th floor.:dizzy:

I agree entirely. It's sort of like when some airlines haven't had a row 13 on their planes. It's totally ridiculous.
Simple business decisions--NO ONE wants/will rent the 13th floor in a building (though arguably the 14th IS the 13th and so one...) and the same on everything else...must accommodate the superstitious and the voodoo crowd as well...small compromise, I suppose...and who cares? Knock on wood...:bow:

In Japan, the fourth floor is avoided. Let's just remove all cultures' unlucky numbers so that we can tell other cities that we have building with a 100th floor.:dizzy:

Year ago, I opened a checking account...the officer asked me what number I wanted my checks to start with...I said "well--how about 001?"...he went on to advise me most people start at some arbitrary number like 350 so that any potential check-taker would not think it was a freshly opened (and thus suspect--I suppose) account...I declined, saying I did not write checks at liquor stores or marginal places of business...seemed most odd to me at the time...

Year ago, I opened a checking account...the officer asked me what number I wanted my checks to start with...I said "well--how about 001?"...he went on to advise me most people start at some arbitrary number like 350 so that any potential check-taker would not think it was a freshly opened (and thus suspect--I suppose) account...I declined, saying I did not write checks at liquor stores or marginal places of business...seemed most odd to me at the time...

Are you suggesting that the Devon Tower start with 50 as being the first floor. You might have a point. In London the first floor is actully the the second floor. What we commonly call the first floor is to them the ground floor. Of course, why stop at starting with 50. We could also number the floors by 5 (just in case they want to go back later and add floors in the middle).

From what I can tell, judging from the still cam, they've laid the ground floor around the NE corner of the building...

I'm sure it's been done for a few days but the noon light catches it just right for the best viewing.

I caught up with my Holder insider again today and he provided the following info:

-Crane #1 will raise this weekend
-There will be 1300 workers on site at any given time after Thanksgiving
-Their plans are to hang glass to the 8th floor, build a "temporary roof" (his words) and then begin framing and drywall starting within the 3rd floor.
-Interior desings were finalized last week, all of the way down to the detail of where pictures/art will hang.

I'll continue to post any other info I receive.

I caught up with my Holder insider again today and he provided the following info:

-Crane #1 will raise this weekend
-There will be 1300 workers on site at any given time after Thanksgiving
-Their plans are to hang glass to the 8th floor, build a "temporary roof" (his words) and then begin framing and drywall starting within the 3rd floor.
-Interior desings were finalized last week, all of the way down to the detail of where pictures/art will hang.

I'll continue to post any other info I receive.

Thanks for the info! Keep it coming.

I caught up with my Holder insider again today and he provided the following info:

-Crane #1 will raise this weekend
-There will be 1300 workers on site at any given time after Thanksgiving
-Their plans are to hang glass to the 8th floor, build a "temporary roof" (his words) and then begin framing and drywall starting within the 3rd floor.
-Interior desings were finalized last week, all of the way down to the detail of where pictures/art will hang.

I'll continue to post any other info I receive.

Thanks for the update PLM! To do that will require them to be able to condition the spaces so essentially once they complete that portion of the work they could seek for an occupancy certificate for the portion of the building that is complete. So long as they have an exterior entrance that is protected for the occupants to come in and out of the building and pressurized and egress stairs in case of fire etc... For that matter they could do that all the way up the tower if they brake up the building according to the elevator banks and finished them out in the same manner. It will be fun to see.

I'm not surprised that the tower crane #2 will make its jump this weekend, If anything I would have expected it last weekend. Since the southernmost core just elevated to the 13th floor level, I noticed that they had to lower the concrete placing boom arm in the downward position to keep it from being in the way of the tower crane. I am most excited about the 13th floor going in as that will be what I am using as my milestone for the building breaking the hoizon line as seen from the web cam! None of this claiming the rebar stuff! lol!

I completely agree with you, OKC@heart (on the claiming the rebar stuff)!

So if they're pouring the concrete for the 12th floor they're forming now before they raise the crane, then they'll probably not swing crane #2 so that they can move the concrete placing boom arm around, I'm guessing? At the speed they're gaining, I can easily see them pouring before they raise #2 up. I guess it'll be going taller than crane #1, huh? New lightning rod downtown!

Yeah, Crane #2 will go higher than #1 and it will be a game of leapfrog from here on out to the top, as the tower grows! If they are pouring they will just have to limit the cranes movements to areas away from the Concrete placing boom arm, while in operation until the jump is made this weekend.

Growing up in Chicago I have rode 100's of elevators .... there's no
13th FLOOR ????

Is there goin to be a 13th floor ? A .. `M` Desigination ... A.. super secret floor .. a mechanical level ? a stash the cash floor? WATS the deal?

Is the 13th really gonna be the 12th or the 14th or what ? And what about the 1st floor, it's up two levels plus !!!!!

I heard in Chicago it's gonna go 60 plus floors!!!! out doing Dallas and possibly a few other cities. 1156`feet.. will do it I suppose.

BIG JOHN from CHICAGO !!!!!!!!

Well Big John from Chicago, I would for one (and think most on here would agree) would love it if what you heard was correct. I would be interested to know who you heard it from and how credible the source is. How do they know that and what has changed to make this possible? I know that There are several reasons a company might add more floors to the building but that would mean that they would have had to engineer the structure to have been capable to carry the loads, as well as the tremendous lateral loads created by the wind over the surface area of the building. Of course it is possible; however it would have had to have been permitted as such and received approval for the additional height.

Would be interested to know if the company was acquiring another smaller company or anticipating more growth or what the supposed reasons are for such a dramatic increase. I think it would be huge for OKC and Devon, as a statement, but will reserve any excitement or hope for something more concrete, and or verifiable. Baring that I guess we would just have to wait and see if they stop at the level of the taper or if they continue with the standard floors for additional height. Would love it to be true though!

Yeah, Crane #2 will go higher than #1 and it will be a game of leapfrog from here on out to the top, as the tower grows! If they are pouring they will just have to limit the cranes movements to areas away from the Concrete placing boom arm, while in operation until the jump is made this weekend.

My apologies, crane #2 will be going higher this weekend, not crane #1. Typo

Well Big John from Chicago, I would for one (and think most on here would agree) would love it if what you heard was correct. I would be interested to know who you heard it from and how credible the source is. How do they know that and what has changed to make this possible? I know that There are several reasons a company might add more floors to the building but that would mean that they would have had to engineer the structure to have been capable to carry the loads, as well as the tremendous lateral loads created by the wind over the surface area of the building. Of course it is possible; however it would have had to have been permitted as such and received approval for the additional height.

Would be interested to know if the company was acquiring another smaller company or anticipating more growth or what the supposed reasons are for such a dramatic increase. I think it would be huge for OKC and Devon, as a statement, but will reserve any excitement or hope for something more concrete, and or verifiable. Baring that I guess we would just have to wait and see if they stop at the level of the taper or if they continue with the standard floors for additional height. Would love it to be true though!

STOP IT!! STOP IT!! All this damn speculation! I can't take it. No more of these silly ideas, please...

Does anyone know if they have finished the glass on the first floor yet?

Does anyone know if they have finished the glass on the first floor yet?

They have all of the 1st floor done on the tower except for the construction elevator area.

This may have been mentioned before but in the lobby of the current Devon headquarters at Main and Broadway they have a TV setup next to the model displaying pictures and updates from the construction site. I saw today actual pictures from inside the tower looking out through the glass that has been installed. It was really cool to see what it will look like from inside. It also showed updated plans that now call the long building west of the rotunda the "garden wing" and the building on the north side of the tower is actually called the "podium". As far as I know that area of the ground floor of the current HQ is open to the public so anyone can walk in and watch the slideshow. No one ran me off. :)

Very cool, thanks for the info on the nomenclature of the base buildings okcmomentum!

thanks momentum. That would be consistent with other skyscraper complexes that have podiums (the podium is building area immediately attached to the tower). So true, we were inconsistent in calling the long building podium, but one could argue too that if there is constant ingress/egress then the long building could really be podium too. ...

anyways - good to hear Devon is really providing great information. And I second the hope that the tower will be taller. Maybe not 1100 feet, but I would like to see it at least 300 meters (just short of 1,000 feet) so that we can have our likely ONLY supertall skyscraper. ..

Hopefully Devon will acquire some companies and shoot for 2 million sq feet justifying the additional height to minimum supertall status. ..

Might as well (finger's crossed!).

And I second the hope that the tower will be taller. Maybe not 1100 feet, but I would like to see it at least 300 meters (just short of 1,000 feet) so that we can have our likely ONLY supertall skyscraper. ..

Hopefully Devon will acquire some companies and shoot for 2 million sq feet justifying the additional height to minimum supertall status. ..

Might as well (finger's crossed!).

I doubt it gets taller, they wouldn't change it this far into construction.

Only hope to reach such status is a super tall pole at top. Maybe a constant flame torch all night.

Burning Natural Gas...that will look good to their shareholders. Burning the product.

Burning Natural Gas...that will look good to their shareholders. Burning the product.

So true! We want to show the world how plentiful natural gas supply we have. It will be very iconic.

Thunder, sometimes I wonder if you live in reality.

I doubt it gets taller, they wouldn't change it this far into construction.

Yeah, what would be the point of Devon keeping it a secret if they were going to make it taller. Its not like their having a skyscraper race with another tower like the 1930's.

I doubt it gets taller, they wouldn't change it this far into construction.

Unless they went all covert on us and changed the plans without holding a public press conference notifying the public that the building would be taller than 850. Maybe they went down to 850 to make it taller than 925. It's total speculation and yeah, it would be sweet, but I'd agree unlikely.

We should have a whole other thread for speculation and unlikely scenarios...seriously

We should have a whole other thread for speculation and unlikely scenarios...seriously
I agree, the other thread could discuss the alien spaceship landing pad being built nw of the main tower.

I agree, the other thread could discuss the alien spaceship landing pad being built nw of the main tower.

Or the state fair space needle being relocated to the top of Devon tower.

As far as actual discussion goes, within the last two hours (when I could only access the cam from my phone cause the site wouldn't work on Firefox), I did notice they have started placing glass on Floor 4 now!

The newest construction vid will be up later tonight or overnight into tomorrow. I was slow starting to upload footage today.

The newest construction vid will be up later tonight or overnight into tomorrow. I was slow starting to upload footage today.

Hey, you know what? That's perfect. I got paid today, so now I have something exciting to fill the Friday with!

They are also pouring the first third of the 12th floor!

Here you go. 9-11-2010


http://vimeo.com/15042811

Thanks you so much for doing this! AMAZING!

http://inhabitat.com/2010/09/16/solar-powered-crystalline-towers-unveiled-for-abu-dhabi/

These would be nice to see as the towers by the river in the near future, or something like them.

As far as actual discussion goes, within the last two hours (when I could only access the cam from my phone cause the site wouldn't work on Firefox), I did notice they have started placing glass on Floor 4 now!

Unless it is somewhere I can't see...I don't understand the confusion behind the floor numbering. The only glass I see on the camera is on floors 2 and 3...

Do people keep counting the first floor as 2 floors?

Unless it is somewhere I can't see...I don't understand the confusion behind the floor numbering. The only glass I see on the camera is on floors 2 and 3...

Do people keep counting the first floor as 2 floors?

There is a mysterious and never-ending confusion on the actual floor numbering. As I see it, no. 11 is now being laid...others say 12. I suspect legal counsel will be needed to unravel the mystery. I use my cursor--and move up from the bottom to count. What system others may use--I am not sure of...