Authority OKs plans for hotel


Developers for the Hilton Skirvin on Monday revealed fabric samples and color schemes for the hotel billed to be the "pinnacle of social interaction."

The Oklahoma City Urban Renewal Authority approved the designs presented by Partners in Development, Marcus Hotels & Resorts, Duncan & Miller Design and Kahler Slater Architects.

The hotel's design includes a grand staircase, custom chandeliers, two ballrooms, natural stone flooring, a bar and a restaurant. From duvet covers with the story of the Skirvin etched into the material to flat-screen plasma TVs in guest rooms, almost every inch of the 225-room hotel is planned.

John Weeman, president of Partners in Development, said the $46.4 million project will help to rejuvenate downtown Oklahoma City.

"The Hilton Skirvin will come back to the place of prominence," Weeman said. "It will be the pinnacle of social interaction in Oklahoma City."

The hotel, scheduled to open fall 2006, is promised to be a walk through history with historic photos of the Skirvin in the early 1900s lining walls and columns.

But the project has had its design difficulties.

Doug Nysse, project architect from Kahler Slater, said the biggest challenge was preserving the hotel's original 8-foot-wide main corridor, which is 35 percent larger than typical hotel corridors. Nysse said the Skirvin bathrooms also are 50 percent larger than standard hotel bathrooms, giving the guests more than they expect.

"In all aspects, it's just more than you'll ever get in a new-built hotel," Nysse said .

Also Monday, the Urban Renewal Authority postponed selecting a developer for "The Hill," an area at NE 1 and Stiles that development companies are vying for to build downtown housing.

"(Choosing a developer) is probably the biggest thing we are going to do this year," said JoeVan Bullard, executive director of the redevelopment authority.

The amount of public funding needed for the project, structure quality and diversity of the size of units each company is offering top the list of items commissioners want to examine in more depth before choosing a developer.

Prospective development teams Walnut Hill Redeveloper Partners and The Hill at Bricktown LLC have submitted proposals for the area.

This is awesome! Definitely sounds ike the Skirvin is going to be restored to her former glory, and then some!

I especially like the comment "In all aspects, it's just more than you'll ever get in a new-built hotel." I completely agree with this statement.

A coupleof years ago I stayed at the Drury Inn Riverwalk in San Antonio. It's located in a restored turn of the century building. You couldn't compare it to any other hotel. The rooms were larger, the ceilings were higher, etc. There's just something about a historic building used as a hotel.

I think we'll be extremely impressed with the final Skirvin product!

The amount of public funding needed for the project, structure quality and diversity of the size of units each company is offering top the list of items commissioners want to examine in more depth before choosing a developer.

Concerning the Hill development, I think the statement above is important. If they're really wanting the project with the least need for public funding, and the greatest diversity of units, they need to go with McDermid's proposal.