Has anyone heard anything about the Merkel X Ray Building at 9th and Harvey? The for sale sign is gone. I am not that observant and I usually driving by there when it is dark outside so the sign could have been gone for a while and I just now noticed. Merkel X-Ray Co. Building: The Mullet of Midtown | OKC Midtowner (http://okcmidtowner.com/merkel-x-ray-co-building-the-mullet-of-midtown/)

Has anyone heard anything about the Merkel X Ray Building at 9th and Harvey? The for sale sign is gone. I am not that observant and I usually driving by there when it is dark outside so the sign could have been gone for a while and I just now noticed. Merkel X-Ray Co. Building: The Mullet of Midtown | OKC Midtowner (http://okcmidtowner.com/merkel-x-ray-co-building-the-mullet-of-midtown/)

Looks like LAFUENTES OCULAR PROSTHETICS LLC bought it for four-fitty on 11/21/13

Leonard Sullivan Oklahoma County Assessor Real Property Detail Sheet (http://www.oklahomacounty.org/assessor/Searches/AN-R.asp?ACCOUNTNO=R011286160)

Thanks, I knew somebody here would know the answer (or know how to look it up for me). I was hoping somebody would buy it and do some major renovation to make the building at least tolerable to look at. The last I looked the asking price was $750K. Quite a markdown but still probably overpriced considering how much work it needs.

Looks like LAFUENTES OCULAR PROSTHETICS LLC bought it for four-fitty on 11/21/13

Interesting!

That same LLC owns this structure at 1116 N. Robinson, directly across from the Guardian and north of Frontline Church:

http://www.oklahomacounty.org/assessor/Searches/sketches/picfile/2710/R040040270001rA.jpg

Frontline (http://frontlinechurch.tv/) :)

^

Oops!

Sorry, I knew that didn't sound right. :)

I corrected my post.

Interesting!

That same LLC owns this structure at 1116 N. Robinson, directly across from the Guardian and north of Frontline Church:

I know the family. I will see what's up.

I chatted it up with my buddy. He said that they purchased the building for putting some of their manufacturing in there and they are going to add apartments/offices. I asked how many units and he said that they are currently in the design phase & working on getting the building cleaned up. They should know more in about a month or so!

Awesome! Yet another project... Need to start a new thread on this.

That is actually two separate buildings and I suspect they will use the one that wraps around for commercial and the older part that looks like the Marion for apartments:

http://www.oklahomacounty.org/assessor/searches/Sketches/sketchfile/2729/R011286160001.jpg

http://www.oklahomacounty.org/assessor/searches/sketches/picfile/2729/R011286160001qA.jpg

There used to be a bunch of cars that parked in front of this building. They stopped as soon about the time that the building was sold. This is also coincides with the parking lot being resurfaced across the street to the west, just south of the old car lot at 10th and Hudson. At first I thought that the clean up of the car lot was linked to the resurfacing of the lot. But on further inspection there are signs that state that the parking lot is for the law firm to the south of the old Merkel X Ray building on the SE corner of 9th and Hudson. It is all making some sense now.

I really hope for the best for this building as it is a major eyesore for Midtown and one of the last if not the last remaining vacant building in all of Midtown. My husband and I comment on it almost every time we walk by wondering what the heck the architect was thinking when wrapping that hideous building with no windows around what looks to be a gem of an historic building.

This is the one photo I took when I stumbled upon it earlier in the year.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7342/9272838492_5fa4214443_h.jpg

I've been watching this building wondering when someone would buy and renovate it. Hope they do a good job!

Hope they get a good architect. It will take talent to deal properly with the abomination cobbled onto the south side. Though - and I haven't looked that closely - that might all be a veneer that could be pulled off.

Both those buildings were built in 1930, so the wrap-around veneer was certainly added later.

Hard to say if there is anything underneath worth revealing.

Here are some preliminary renderings for this project.

Trying to confirm if they are still planning to add apartments as well as moving their manufacturing operation.

https://scontent-b-sjc.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn2/v/t34/1932106_733593109998620_1781172700_n.jpg?oh=a532b3 c32ac61687c6b4c7e6f8a0af2c&oe=52FCCF05


https://scontent-b-sjc.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn2/v/t35/1902133_733593106665287_654600734_o.jpg?oh=9614917 bbc562230039cf7dc61218b69&oe=52FCC54A

Definitely an improvement.

So what are they doing with the sarcophagus part? Throwing in a basketball court?

The window-less portion will be manufacturing for their prosthetics business.

The brick building will have their offices on the ground floor and perhaps apartments above, although the new owner said they may end up using it all for their own purposes.


Also, their existing location at 1116 N. Broadway (across from the Guardian) is now for sale.

Steve's update.

Prosthetics firm eyes blighted Midtown building for expansion | News OK (http://newsok.com/prosthetics-firm-eyes-blighted-midtown-building-for-expansion/article/3933506)


For the past decade, Brandon and Henry La Fuente have watched the revitalization of their Midtown neighborhood from their prosthetics office at 1116 N Robinson Avenue.
Now it’s the La Fuentes who want to chip in on fixing up the area with plans to renovate a building they bought in November that is often referred to as “the mullet of Midtown.”

The old Merkel X-Ray building, 229 NW 9, unoccupied for the past 20 years other than being used for occasional storage, is a structure that bewilders many who notice its crumbling, 1960s south stucco facade or the north half, which appears to be the remnants of an early 20th century brick apartment house.



“The building needs a lot of work. We’re in the process of designing and planning what we really want to do with it,” Brandon La Fuente said. “It’s going to house all of our manufacturing. We’ll be setting up a clean room and we’ll be doing all the fabrication of our implants there, cleaning them and packaging them. We’ll use the warehouse to handle our manufacturing and storage. We’ll put offices on the first floor of the residential side, and maybe do apartments on the upstairs.”


The overall design, Brandon La Fuente said, is still in the conceptual phase but will likely involve “marrying” the two buildings together so that they share the same overall look.

Abandoned and unused for 20 years? I thought if a building was empty for 2-3 years it was beyond saving..?

Abandoned and unused for 20 years? I thought if a building was empty for 2-3 years it was beyond saving..?

I believe there is only one building that people think that rule applies to.

belle isle power plant?

belle isle power plant?

I stand corrected.

Like.

Actually, DISlike...

I don't know where to put it BUT does anyone know about a bowling alley going in around this building?

I don't know where to put it BUT does anyone know about a bowling alley going in around this building?

See the Fassler Hall/Dust Bowl thread. It is at 10th and Hudson.

See the Fassler Hall/Dust Bowl thread. It is at 10th and Hudson.

Right. I thought FHDB was just a beer garden. I was talking to brother LaFuente yesterday and I mentioned FH but he thought bowling alley was a separate project. Glad to know I knew that I was correct.

Right. I thought FHDB was just a beer garden. I was talking to brother LaFuente yesterday and I mentioned FH but he thought bowling alley was a separate project. Glad to know I knew that I was correct.

The bowling alley is Dust Bowl, the beer garden is Fassler Hall.

^^nice. Thanks.

Something happening at this site today, although it's probably just investigation or repair, as they have yet to submit the design application.

Thanks to Urban Pioneer for the photo:

http://www.okctalk.com/attachments/development-buildings/7525d1397688339-merkel-x-ray-building-merkel041614.jpg

All of the plywood windows on the north side have been replaced with brand new see through glass models as of last week. It is already a huge improvement.

Just taken by Urban Pioneer:


http://www.okctalk.com/attachments/development-buildings/8018d1401731503-merkel-x-ray-building-merkel060214a.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/attachments/development-buildings/8019d1401731503-merkel-x-ray-building-merkel060214b.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/attachments/development-buildings/8020d1401731504-merkel-x-ray-building-merkel060214c.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/attachments/development-buildings/8021d1401731505-merkel-x-ray-building-merkel060214d.jpg

I know very little about the history of this building...but I am very curious if anyone knows...when the newer addition was built, why was there no effort by the owners to at least try a little to match the brick?

Any updates on this? Perhaps pictures?

Thanks to warreng88 for this; don't know if they still plan to paint this whole building:

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/merkel111114.jpg

This building is now for sale.

The owners of LaFuente Prosthetics pleaded no contest to fraud and two of them were sentenced to deferred sentences and stiff fines.

Don't know if the sale was prompted by that and I believe LaFuente is still operating out of this location.